Inside the CIA and The Return of Mal Carne Summary and Analysis

In 1975, Bourdain leaves Vassar to enroll in the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in Hyde Park, New York. Bourdain finds the classes easy and excels over his classmates, who have never had professional culinary experience like Bourdain. The school is designed to turn out hotel and corporate dining facility chefs, and Bourdain endures two years of buffet-style dishes like grilled ham steaks with pineapple rings and cauliflower in Mornay sauce.

In spite of the lackluster culinary style, Bourdain makes the most of his time at the CIA to learn the basics of everything from pastry to charcuterie skills. Bourdain even manages to excel in the final class before graduation, the Escoffier Room, a three-star restaurant open to the public and known for its culinary excellence...