Get Jiro: Blood and Sushi

The fun of Bourdain's debut Get Jiro! is completely erased with this prequel follow-up. The imaginative LA world where chefs rule like crime bosses and corporate fast food and ethnic mom and pop shops line the outer ring disappears in a tokenized dream of Japan with yakuza bosses and filial competition. Bourdain barely manages to wring enough of a plot to explain Jiro's tattoos and proficiency with a blade while completely sidestepping why the golden son of a massive empire would apparently forego all sleep to cook rice over and over again in the hopes of one day making sushi. There's not even that much in the way of food here. Just a hastily whipped together confection that seems completely devoid of calories.