I liked parts of this book. Her descriptions of food are wonderful and I loved the way she detailed the experiences that shaped her philosophies about feeding people. 
 The rest of the stuff about her life and family was a mixed bag. Sometimes, I felt myself rooting for her. Other times (as she made decisions about relationships, for example), I felt like she was a bit selfish and lost sympathy for her. 
 Her writing is much lauded and overall I thought it was good, though there were some sections that could have used paring down, in my opinion. She'd describe, conclude, and then there'd be another paragraph describing whatever it was yet again and coming to the same conclusion. (And then a third paragraph, and a fourth.) 
 I don't agree with Bourdain's assertion that this is the "best memoir by a chef ever." I enjoyed both his Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly and Bill Buford's Heat: An Amateur's Adventures as Kitchen Slave, Line Cook, Pasta-Maker, and Apprentice to a Dante-Quoting Butcher in Tuscany more. But, it's a solid read.