Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations Seasons 1-5

[Kevin72]

Tony's three "issues" shows (Texas/immigration; Beirut, and now NO) have done a fantastic job of cutting right to the human heart of the matter and showing the everyday, anonymous people effected. He completely fulfilled my expectations and brought a spotlight to the real possibility of losing one of the most unique eating and food cultures in this country.

Foodman brings up a good point: each ep seems to have its own flair, theme, and even cinematography. My wife pointed out that much of the NO episode seemed to be shot like the "haunted house" shows on Discovery.

[jsmeeker]

I enjoyed the NO show. When I saw a flash of Emeril and his staff at the beginning, I wondered if that would be all that we would see of him, or would there be more.

Well, we got more. And it was nice to see.

[LineDog]

I applaud Tony for seeeking out Emeril and Emeril for sitting down with him.  Emeril has done tremendous work in not only keeping his own 400 people housed, employed and fed, but also contributed greatly to the rebuilding and resurgence of NOLA as a whole, as have numerous chefs - although, yeah, it did look like Emeril still would liked to drop-kicked Tony, just a bit!

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Emeril is lot more low-key in person than he is on camera, but there was an undercurrent menace there. Bourdain is lucky Emeril is a good key, because I'm pretty sure who would win in that fight.

I'm surprised the show didn't mention that Emeril's foundation has given $500,000 to Café Reconcile for a new culinary center. It will provide students with advanced training beyond the current program at Café Reconcile.

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Now we just have to get the restaurants to pay the going living wage.

[grayelf]

I'm officially jealous reading everyone's comments about the new ABNRs. For some reason, Travel and Escape in Vancouver stopped airing new shows after Berlin and has gone back to Episode 1 (Paris). Not that I mind a chance to catch the older shows again but why bail out partway through a season?! Urgh.

[dougw]

I've seen the Paris episode many times. In fact, I'm watching it right now. It's one of my faves...and reminds me I haven't been to Paris since 2006. I need to get back there...

[grayelf]

I've seen the Paris episode many times. In fact, I'm watching it right now. It's one of my faves...and reminds me I haven't been to Paris since 2006. I need to get back there...

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Speaking of things you may have seen (or in this case heard) before, I found a link to this soundbite a bunch of pages ago with Tony "rapping", apparently with Morcheeba:

http://dukeofstraw.com/yesterday/Lisa.mp3

It comes up a bit strangely, at least it does on my monitor, but once you hit play, you won't care

[TAPrice]

I'm officially jealous reading everyone's comments about the new ABNRs. For some reason, Travel and Escape in Vancouver stopped airing new shows after Berlin  and has gone back to Episode 1 (Paris). Not that I mind a chance to catch the older shows again but why bail out partway through a season?!  Urgh.

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You can download most of these episodes for a few dollars off iTunes. This is the U.S. vrsion of iTunes, so I can't guarantee that you'll haves access in Canada.

[grayelf]

I'm officially jealous reading everyone's comments about the new ABNRs. For some reason, Travel and Escape in Vancouver stopped airing new shows after Berlin  and has gone back to Episode 1 (Paris). Not that I mind a chance to catch the older shows again but why bail out partway through a season?!  Urgh.

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You can download most of these episodes for a few dollars off iTunes. This is the U.S. vrsion of iTunes, so I can't guarantee that you'll haves access in Canada.

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Thanks, I'll give that a try. Here's hoping they're available on the Canuck version!

[grayelf]

I'm officially jealous reading everyone's comments about the new ABNRs. For some reason, Travel and Escape in Vancouver stopped airing new shows after Berlin  and has gone back to Episode 1 (Paris). Not that I mind a chance to catch the older shows again but why bail out partway through a season?!  Urgh.

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You can download most of these episodes for a few dollars off iTunes. This is the U.S. vrsion of iTunes, so I can't guarantee that you'll haves access in Canada.

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Thanks, I'll give that a try. Here's hoping they're available on the Canuck version!

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No joy. I got excited for a sec because I mistyped the title and it asked me "Did you mean Anthony Bourdain No Reservations" but sadly there were 0 matches.

[MikeHartnett]

If I'm being perfectly honest, I thought the New Orleans episode was awful. I'm a huge fan of Bourdain's books and show, but I'd like some food, please! I didn't tune in for a "hey guys, did you know New Orleans got hit by a hurricane?" show.

This doesn't seem to be the consensus though. Maybe it's because I live in New Orleans, and I couldn't be sicker of hearing about Katrina.

[Mayhaw Man]

If I'm being perfectly honest, I thought the New Orleans episode was awful.  I'm a huge fan of Bourdain's books and show, but I'd like some food, please!  I didn't tune in for a "hey guys, did you know New Orleans got hit by a hurricane?" show. 

This doesn't seem to be the consensus though.  Maybe it's because I live in New Orleans, and I couldn't be sicker of hearing about Katrina.

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On the other hand, it's kinda hard to avoid if you are spending your time dealing with the realities of post K NOLA and are reporting on restaurants.

I had dinner on Mardi Gras night at my house for about a dozen friends (Ann's chili...mmmmm). Everyone of them owns restaurants or writes about them for a living (and you would know all of them, in fact, and their places or publications). While we talk about lots of things, it always, and I mean always, comes back somehow or another to the subject. It's kinda hard to avoid. While the front of the house may look much, to the casual observer, like it did before the levees gave out-believe me, from farm to market, to the prep kitchen-it ain't the same world. It's a slog on every level and Bourdain, being a cook, probably found it somewhat unavoidable. While you are pretty right about some of the coverage, I think that the guy did a pretty good job and, in fact, some of it was right on the money.

[dougw]

If I'm being perfectly honest, I thought the New Orleans episode was awful.  I'm a huge fan of Bourdain's books and show, but I'd like some food, please!  I didn't tune in for a "hey guys, did you know New Orleans got hit by a hurricane?" show. 

This doesn't seem to be the consensus though.  Maybe it's because I live in New Orleans, and I couldn't be sicker of hearing about Katrina.

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I hear what you're saying. But too many people have forgotten about the mess down there and I'm impressed that AB did his part to bring the travesty to light again.

[PopsicleToze]

If I'm being perfectly honest, I thought the New Orleans episode was awful.  I'm a huge fan of Bourdain's books and show, but I'd like some food, please!  I didn't tune in for a "hey guys, did you know New Orleans got hit by a hurricane?" show. 

This doesn't seem to be the consensus though.  Maybe it's because I live in New Orleans, and I couldn't be sicker of hearing about Katrina.

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You wanted to see more about food. Totally understood. New Orleans is a great food city. However, before it can be about the food other factors must be in place. It's THE huge mother of all mothers of catch-22s. The staff has to have affordable housing in order to be able to be there; sources have to be in place to secure the ingredients, etc. If circumstances prevent affordable housing -- if all of those wonderful Louisiana ingredients cannot be sourced -- if those great restaurants cannot be sustained because the general population cannot dine there (we always did before -- now, financial circumstances dictate otherwise), the foundation is not there.

Many sources say "New Orleans is back" and that's what people want to believe. But the truth lies in those vacant restaurants, and the city is NOT back. And that's the truth, and that's what the show portrayed.

As far as the show, he nailed it.

And as far as the chef who founded Cochon(sp?), whatta man!! To people who thought New Orleans residents weren't trying to sustain themselves, he is THE MAN with the story. He not only sustained himself but he broke into the city to do it. Now all he needs is a restaurant full of customers because I'm sure he has his own savings on the line. Many people do. And when creditors didn't want to lend money and with construction prices 3X what they were and with no population back to speak of, he had the resources to gamble. He gambled big, and I hope he has nothing but success. As far as that roasted pig, -- oh, man!!

Rhonda

Edited February 12, 2008 by PopsicleToze (log)

[Swicks]

I thought London/Edinburgh was phenomenal. I am really like that this season seems to be more "food-centric" than some of the previous seasons which to me were more generally "travel-centric".

[Claudia Greco]

I thought London/Edinburgh was phenomenal.  I am really like that this season seems to be more "food-centric" than some of the previous seasons which to me were more generally "travel-centric".

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I enjoyed it, too. The deep-fat frying segment in Edinborough made me flash back to when I was last there. It was pouring rain, my husband locked our keys in the car, and while he waited for Britain's version of AAA to arrive, I was dispatched to get some lunch. So, I found what looked like a cross between a "chippie" and a deli, for want of a better word, and ordered a shepherd's pie and a hamburger - can't go wrong with that, I thought. But, given that I could not see the prep through the big stainless steel counter/display, I was pretty shocked to discover, when I trudged home in the rain, that I got a shepherd's pie and a huge, salad-plate size big fried tan ball - a deep-fried burger! Hideous! When you bit the crust, a layer of oil spewed out like the Exxon Valdez!

Having said that, the rest of the food in Scotland was uniformly excellent, with chefs, as TB pointed out, making really good use of the provenance of both sea and land.

As to why British food has had a bad rep for so long? Well, not only the succumbing to fast foods and indifferent prep, but also a general lack of imagination and "stodginess." I grew up in British Hong Kong, and vegetables were boiled to mush, food largely unseasoned, and the use of fresh herbs - well, fresh anything - was uncharted territory. Which was a shame, because Briitain has spectacular meat, fish, shellfish, veg, etc. But, at least in the last 20 years, British palates have become more sophistocated and their cooks (home and professional) a lot more knowledgeable, and people like Marco Pierre White have, indeed, helped change the way Brits eat. Sure, there will always be British classics like fish n' chips (which, when well done, is fabulous), and roast beef and Yorkshire pud, bangers and mash, etc., etc. (all of which I love and could heartily tuck into), but I think more thought has gone into prepping food generally - less grease, less fat (suet), more seasoning, no overcooking, etc., etc. I applaud it. And I'm glad Tony showed the world what British cooking could be, is becoming, and IS - right now. Cool. No vegemite here, though (!!)

[ken T]

I thought London/Edinburgh was phenomenal.  I am really like that this season seems to be more "food-centric" than some of the previous seasons which to me were more generally "travel-centric".

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Funny, I have been thinking the opposite.

[Susie Q]

I thought the episode was very good but I did wonder if Fergus Henderson has always talked and acted that way, had on-camera shock, or was deep in his cups.

Edited February 13, 2008 by Susie Q (log)

[eatrustic]

I thought the episode was very good but I did wonder if Fergus Henderson has always talked and acted that way, had on-camera shock, or was deep in his cups.

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Possibly a result of the Parkinson's disease he suffers from....

[Susie Q]

I thought the episode was very good but I did wonder if Fergus Henderson has always talked and acted that way, had on-camera shock, or was deep in his cups.

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Possibly a result of the Parkinson's disease he suffers from....

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I did not know that. Thank you.

[Swicks]

I thought London/Edinburgh was phenomenal.  I am really like that this season seems to be more "food-centric" than some of the previous seasons which to me were more generally "travel-centric".

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Funny, I have been thinking the opposite.

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Which part? That it was good or that it was food-centric?

[hungryCAT]

Unfortunately I missed the New Orleans episode, but I did catch the London/Edinburg show.

Is it me, or was anyone else sorta turned off by the butcher eating in the restaurant wearing his bloody work jacket?

[eatrustic]

I just caught up on both the New Orleans and London/Edinburgh episodes after finally getting over my disappointment with the "by the numbers" Vancouver episode.

I have to say that all was forgiven (sort of) with the New Orleans episode as it has to be his masterpiece in this series. It reaffirmed all that is still not right with New Orleans and yet blew me away with the spirit in it's inhabitants, from the average joe to the local food writers. Well done, documentary quality and award worthy.

The London Edinburgh episode was very good and on a par with his better shows. My only bitch is with his self indulgent side trips to do things things like being a bad actor in a movie (Vancouver) or indulging in lame spoken word recordings with Morcheeba.

If I could do these things, and they were personal interests, I'm sure I would as well but putting them in the context of a travel/food show seems like a waste of good information sharing.

I couldn't get enough of all the London segment food scenes and was especially impressed with what Marco Pierre White is doing with traditional British fare. All the butcher market food scenes were fantastic as well. Fergus rules.

Edinburgh was fun with Rankin as a guide although it seems no visit to Edinburgh is complete without showing off what's possible to stick in stinky old deep frying oil.

[Toufas]

whats that dish with the haddock after the hunting?

[Claudia Greco]

Unfortunately I missed the New Orleans episode, but I did catch the London/Edinburg show.

Is it me, or was anyone else sorta turned off by the butcher eating in the restaurant wearing his bloody work jacket?

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Ordinarily, I'd be a bit put off, but given that it's a butcher's hangout (by dint of them packing it every morning) and that it's probably near dawn when they're in there, I don't think the average East Ender has a chance to be put off. I'd happily sit down for a fry-up with them, bloody aprons and all.

[mcohen]

i think bourdain may have finally jumped the shark with that self-indulgent, ego-driven song in the london/edinburg episode. years ago, bourdain would have mercilessly mocked another chef for doing something like that.

And how, by not rebuilding poor and working class black neighborhoods, by making it as hard as possible for people to return, the government is effectively and collusively "whitewashing" NOLA, and eradicating from it the very people at the heart of such a rich and vibrant culture.

this statement is such a hanging curveball that would be so easy to tear apart but this statement is political enough with me adding my two cents.