No Reservations

Perhaps many of you do not watch the Travel Channel's show "No Reservations" with Anthony Bourdain but I have watched it over the last eight years.  It is finally coming to a end.  My opinion is sorta mixed.  He drinks, smokes and uses a lot of foul languange but he is entertaining and his show takes me to places that I will never ever go and he sorta explains local foods and culture.  Anyway it is over.
 
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/03/arts/television/anthony-bourdain-no-reservations-final-season.html
 
Paul E. Smith
Knoxville TN

I've enjoyed his shows as well.

Sundancer7


Perhaps many of you do not watch the Travel Channel's show "No Reservations" with Anthony Bourdain but I have watched it over the last eight years.  It is finally coming to a end.  My opinion is sorta mixed.  He drinks, smokes and uses a lot of foul languange but he is entertaining and his show takes me to places that I will never ever go and he sorta explains local foods and culture.  Anyway it is over.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/03/arts/television/anthony-bourdain-no-reservations-final-season.html

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville TN
That's everything I like about his show.  It can be irreverant but he goes to a lot of places that most people would not ever visit.

So, the H.L. Mencken/Hunter S. Thompson of food & society is moving to CNN.
 
I haven't watched CNN since the top of Larry King's head sank below his suspendered shoulders as his once-riveting, "must-see" show (ca. 1992) became info-tainment featuring the likes of O.J. and M.J.
 
Now I'll have a reason to watch CNN again.  I hope that Tony continues to rein in his Upper West Side political sensibilities, adding just a soupcon every now and then for "spice" and "texture".  In fact, one of the funniest things I ever saw was his nervous shock at the riot that nearly ensued after he, kindly and with the best of intention, bought out the food from a Haitian street vendor and tried to give it away in an orderly manner to a mob of hungry mendicants.
 
Tony, a word of advice:  ix-nay on the olitics-pay; if you get tempted, just walk down the street and stuff a Gray's Papaya in your yap!

I've never searched it out, or planned for it, but I've usually watched it when I've found it. Bourdain has never apologized for the line he's walked between bad boy and establishment.

I immediately disliked him after reading 'Kitchen Confidential' where he makes it sound like all chefs are cigarette-smoking, alcoholic pot-heads that are having quickies behind the dumpster.  I often watch the Travel Channel but when Bourdain comes on I have No Reservations on switching to another program.

I agree, Lisa. Never liked him, ever.......I have his book( it was free) and he comes off as a, well, snooty bastard......
 

MetroplexJim


So, the H.L. Mencken/Hunter S. Thompson of food & society is moving to CNN.

How dare you mention that boob Bourdain in the same category as H.L Mencken?
 
After all, that bilious boob could never have come up with, "A man may be a fool and not know it, but not if he is married."
Or, "Love is the delusion that one woman differs from another."

I liked his show. The man tells it like he sees it. Never saw him turn down ANY form of food, and good Lord the guy put away some serious amounts of alcohol, the other night I saw him actually pass out, at least he fell down, he's too old for that. The man hit a goldmine though!

Michael Hoffman

MetroplexJim


So, the H.L. Mencken/Hunter S. Thompson of food & society is moving to CNN.

How dare you mention that boob Bourdain in the same category as H.L Mencken?

After all, that bilious boob could never have come up with, "A man may be a fool and not know it, but not if he is married."
Or, "Love is the delusion that one woman differs from another."

I am an admirer of Mencken, coiner of the term "booboisie", ("My task is to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable") and like and am entertained by Mr. Bourdain who is also known for ascerbic wit; e.g., his rave out about a certain food critic (... a steaming dribble of ordure ...) was priceless.
 
Please know that were I off-handedly to observe that "Joe Blow" was the Babe Ruth of Beer Pong, I would not be casting an aspersion upon or diminishing the great and one and only Babe.
 
(Don't forget "Dr." Thompson, another ascerb wit:  "There will never be another Hubert Horatio Humphrey!  But, let's be sure and castrate the S.O.B.!").
 
Peace, kind sir.

I hope he continues to host "Dancing With the Stars" and "America's Funniest Home Videos".

lleechef


I immediately disliked him after reading 'Kitchen Confidential' where he makes it sound like all chefs are cigarette-smoking, alcoholic pot-heads that are having quickies behind the dumpster.  I often watch the Travel Channel but when Bourdain comes on I have No Reservations on switching to another program.

I have to think he conflated, then condensed, a series of personalities, proclivities, and activities in order to "spice up" his oeuvre.
 
From 13 years of having owned and operated a small chain of printing companies, were I to take license similar to Bourdain's I could make these respectible establishments and my 125 employees look like "Sin City" or "Peyton Place".  Don't take it personally.

I have enjoyed the show because he is entertaining and interesting. he is also offensive and sarcastic and if you don't like his personality the show would be painful to watch. It is not destination television for me but i will watch it. I wonder if CNN will rein him in.

Brad, you are killing me today......lol!

Most Chefs never see the life Tony talks about. The Chef Tony was and many other Chef were, are working high volume, high pressure Restaurants. Many Of the Chefs I knew worked hard and party hard. There were many  a day we would go to work at 5AM, get off at 11PM, then party until 5AM..........Thank God we are still alive.................pnwc

lleechef


I immediately disliked him after reading 'Kitchen Confidential' where he makes it sound like all chefs are cigarette-smoking, alcoholic pot-heads that are having quickies behind the dumpster.  I often watch the Travel Channel but when Bourdain comes on I have No Reservations on switching to another program.

I am 100% with you!  I hated the book for the same reasons you list and finally quit reading it, it was so annoying.  Ditto the author and his show.

Now: if anyone does not find this to be absolutely hilarious they need to go to a doc for a funnybone transplant:
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrY5WgCcSBQ
 
(And you have to listen twice to get all the references:  "I only eat take-out from le Bernardin"; the gun named "Paula", etc.).
 
Kudos to Samantha Brown for being such a good sport! 

Source of the Paula reference:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XND9rSGzqzM&feature=endscreen&NR=1
 
Bourdain being candid:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OR0pQcp5jYg&NR=1&feature=endscreen
 
And here's Sandra Lee's "Kwanza Cake" (Take Bourdain's advice and wrap your head with duct tape prior to viewing):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=we2iWTJqo98
 
And so as not to bust a gut, take my advice and duct tape your belly before viewing this (must view Sandra Lee first):  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDBntbxAXAY
 
Enjoy!
 
(Isn't the internet a wonderful thing?)

Last time to see a 'fresh' Tony tonight as he returns to Brooklyn.
 
More than any other city in the world, NYC has the finest of EVERY cuisine.  If you live there, why travel?
 
(Well, O.K., I'll concede, e.g., that Brasilian food is somewhat more enjoyable when you are dining on Praia Cocacabana).
 
 

I wonder how long Tony would last posting here on RoadFood before getting the boot. Pb

I don't get the hate, always liked the show. Especially the ones with Zamir (the Kansas City episode is my favorite). It's a hell of a lot better than anything the Food Network does anymore, and light years ahead of Adam Richman or Guy Fieri.

gostillerz


I don't get the hate, always liked the show. Especially the ones with Zamir (the Kansas City episode is my favorite). It's a hell of a lot better than anything the Food Network does anymore, and light years ahead of Adam Richman or Guy Fieri.

Amen, my Pittsbutgh and Steeler brother! 
 
The 'Burgh "gets it".