A few writers , old and new , have succeeded marvelously in spicing up drudgery , from George Orwell with his plongeur 's memoir , '' Down and Out in Paris and London , '' to Anthony Bourdain with his '' Kitchen Confidential '' -- which answered once and for all the question , '' Do you want to know what happens to your terrine de veau in the restaurant kitchen before it 's placed in front of you ? ''