Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations Seasons 1-5

[Swicks]

Did anyone catch the random wed night showing last night? It was an entertaining trip to Las Vegas with his friend Rhulman, the same trip detailed in Nasty Bits.

[hungryCAT]

I caught it! Nice bonus, 'cos I missed the first run.

[jsmeeker]

Did anyone catch the random wed night showing last night?  It was an entertaining trip to Las Vegas with his friend Rhulman, the same trip detailed in Nasty Bits.

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Yeah.. My TiVo picked it up. I had seen it previously, but it was good to see it again. It's a bit different from other episodes, but it's good fun to see Ruhlman. And it makes me want to go back to Vegas so I can go to Bouchon for dinner (went there for lunch and breakfast back in late June)

[Swicks]

Yeah the food at Buchon looked really great. I laughed everytime he spoke to Rhulman. Like when he answered his cell phone with "What is it Ruhlman you filthy beast?"

[Claudia Greco]

Yeah the food at Buchon looked really great.  I laughed everytime he spoke to Rhulman.  Like when he answered his cell phone with "What is it Ruhlman you filthy beast?"

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And if you log under megnuts.com and check under archives - ruhlman, you'll see not only Ruhlman's rioutous accoount of Tony's surprise 50th birthday party, but also (under foie gras), Ruhlman's hysterical defense of foie, and Tony's equally hysterical blog in response to Ruhlman's. I think Ruhlman, the "straight man" in the relationship, brings out the best - and worst - in Tony. Which, in Tony, is frequently the same thing (!!)

[gouramanda]

megnuts.com's archives are by month/year. When would the Tony b-day party account have appeared?

Edited August 21, 2006 by gouramanda (log)

[ThatGrrl]

I'll make it easy. The foie gras rant is here. Tony replies below. Look for the reply that begins, "Jesus, Ruhlman!! Is this what happens when you forget to take your lithium?"

Ruhlman's account of Tony's 50th is here.

[CopperTop]

For those of you that are interested, according to my Time-Warner Cable guide the Texas-Mexico border episode of "No Reservations" airs tonight at 8:00 PM EDT (7:00 Central) on Travel Channel, with the Beruit episode airing in the standard slot for "NR".

[Claudia Greco]

megnuts.com's archives are by month/year.  When would the Tony b-day party account have appeared?

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http://www.megnut.com/ruhlman.html

On the right (in the white space), you will see (towards the bottom) Bourdain at 50. Also - Foie Gras - A Level Field.

[srhcb]

I'm only 15 minutes into the Beirut episode.

I think this is what those who invented televsion had hoped it was going to become.

THANX Tony et al

SB

Edited August 22, 2006 by srhcb (log)

[cowpati]

For those of you that are interested, according to my Time-Warner Cable guide the Texas-Mexico border episode of "No Reservations" airs tonight at 8:00 PM EDT (7:00 Central) on Travel Channel, with the Beruit episode airing in the standard slot for "NR".

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Am watching the Beruit episode right now. This is huge! Very well done! Both entertaining and very tense. I hope everyone is seeing this one!

[missv]

Am watching the Beruit episode right now. This is huge! Very well done! Both entertaining and very tense. I hope everyone is seeing this one!

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Indeed.... very cool & powerful episode. Nice to see that even old punks have a heart.

[purplewiz]

Beirut: Extraordinary show. Thank you.

Marcia.

[BeauNoze]

Wow. Very powerful and thought provoking stuff there.

Thanks for sharing that.

[gouramanda]

Thank you ThatGrrl and Claudia for the links. Just saw the Beruit show, and I am again amazed at AB's insight. I am also very sad for those left behind to face whatever is in store.

[BryanZ]

I thought the middle of the show dragged out a bit, but I suppose that's evocative of their own experience. The end of the show got really interesting and it was interesting to see his experiences after having read about them. The final monologue, however, was a bit troubling. Was that Bourdain being his melodramatic self or was there perhaps a darker streak of truth in his somewhat pessimistic voiced-over confession? Do experiences like this change one's world view that fundamentally?

Edited August 22, 2006 by BryanZ (log)

[Dianne_VA]

Well done! The sheer senselessness of it all is so overwhelming regardless of political persuasions, philosophies, etc. Started so hopeful with Joe and the mixing of cultures and tastes and faiths with the commonality of the human spirit of hope and perseverance. Appreciate the sharing of experience in what must still and possibly even more so now seem so surreal and painful. Tony certainly achieved his objective of sharing his experience and in a most provocative way. If nothing more is acheived than to have each of us stop and examine our beliefs and responses ..well then that is an achievement not afforded many.

Nice to see our military pull through and to be shed in a different light as I think sometimes their humantiy gets lost in objectification.

Food IS a great leveler. (Look at this community). The ritual of preparation and commraderie and sense of community are more endemic of the human condition than the nihilism of fanatics disguised in beliefs of whatever persuasion.

I cannot fathom what it must be like to have had the experience that Tony and his crew had for a week much less those who have to endure this on a daily basis. He did an excellent job conveying how we each find our own way to cope regardless if it is sensible to others...for God' sake its incomprehensible what we are capable of and do to each other... how can we respond in any prescribed fashion? Thankfully we allow ourselves to express our sense of humanity, uniqueness and "random acts of kindness" in such means as cuisines and sharing of cultures, stories, memories and good will over food.

Hope Tony is finding some balance as the rawness of this experience diminishes. "Travel leaves scars" and not that scars are imperative to our enrichment and empathy but "they do leave their mark" hopefully to increase understanding and caring and not to fuel hopelessness and despair.

[Foodie-Girl]

Just finished watching the Beirut episode. This is Emmy-material.

Hey Tony, "Mr Wolf" ? I'm thinking you're making a subtle and clever reference to the "clean up" guy, Harvey Keitel in Pulp Fiction. This just couldn't possibly be a coincidence......

[Beverly Shaw]

Just finished watching the Beirut episode.  This is Emmy-material.

I agree with this assessment!

Tony: you said at the end of the episode that you were saddened by the fact you were unable to show us the Beirut you'd wanted to show us, the Beirut that your hosts wanted to show you. You also said that you didn't think it was likely you would get the chance to try again.

Here's to hoping that you're wrong on that one, and that a Beirut NR will air someday.

[Grub]

I'll make it easy.  The foie gras rant is here.  Tony replies below.  Look for the reply that begins, "Jesus, Ruhlman!! Is this what happens when you forget to take your lithium?"

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He's the man... He really is the man:

"...The fucktards at Whole Food, however, have done us a real service by providing the most ludicrous example of "animal welfare" concerns with their public hand wringing over the fate of shellfish. ...that there is no more burning issue on the minds of educated, well-fed, financially comfortable citizens than whether or not a clam feels pain--or whether a duck can handle what any respectable adult film ingenue considers routine...."

[BeauNoze]

whether a duck can handle what any respectable adult film ingenue considers routine...."

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This is the funniest thing I've seen in a very long time.

Edited August 22, 2006 by BeauNoze (log)

[ravelda]

Truly superb - the man is a genious! I only wish we didn't have to wait so long following the airing of his shows in the US before it reaches us over here in Blighty!

[Dr.LBC]

My first post here on eGullet. The whole AB Beirut saga is what got me hooked on this board in the first place.

All I can say is WOW. An amazing episode. This a story everyone needs to see. It gets so warped by the media, it was truly enlightening to see an on the scene perspective.

Thank you AB and the Travel channel for some of the best television I've ever seen.

[ThatGrrl]

Amazing show in Beirut. The mix of emotions which Tony was able to convey, throughout the show was just so gut-wrenchingly real. From the sorrow of watching a beautiful city crumble before your eyes to the shame of knowing you are watching from the relative comfort and safety of a luxurious hotel pool. And certainly the immense gratitude for being one of the lucky ones who remains safe and has the chance to leave it all behind. The tact with which he was able to criticize the US response, the carefully controlled anger...wow. And the amazing feeling of relief at being in the capable hands of the Marines. Fantastic.

There was something about Tony seeking out the kitchen for comfort, familiarity and let's face it, something to keep him busy and his mind occupied. Cooking has to be one of the best things to do, when your world is spinning away from you. A way to take control over a little piece of it, bend it to your will and produce more comfort for others. The world seems a little more normal, when viewed from the kitchen, no matter what is going on outside.

Great show, beginning to end.

[ravelda]

Sounds like on hell of a show - I wonder when that will hit our screens?