Who is Bigfoot from Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly and what is their importance?

Bourdain meets Bigfoot while attending the Culinary Institute of America. He works for Bigfoot on weekends during the 1970s, and he hears the legend that Bigfoot had once killed a man with his bare hands. Bigfoot is self-described as "a big, fat, balding, red-faced Jewboy". His personality and wit, however, are more facile than his massive body, and Bourdain stings more than once from Bigfoot's rapier wit. Bourdain admires Bigfoot because even as the owner, he considers no task beneath him. Bigfoot does whatever is necessary to keep the restaurant functioning properly, whether it's plunging a stopped-up toilet or filling in as a line cook.

Later in Bourdain's life, Bigfoot comes to Bourdain's rescue and hires Bourdain after Bourdain has had a series of failed jobs and trouble with drugs and alcohol, a fact which forever endears Bigfoot to the usually cynical Bourdain.