Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations Seasons 1-5

[Kevin72]

When does the new season start?

Got my eye on the San Fran and Spain shows. And as usual, I'd expect the Asian countries to be top notch.

[Toufas]

This episode made me realize how long I have been following Tony's career. It also made me fell old.

I am glad he made it through the shift without any problems. I would have loved to seen him the next morning sore and stiff. I bet he was wiped-out. I am destroyed the next day when I get the screwy notion to go back in the kitchen and pick up a dinner service.

It was nice to see a really good explaination on how a commerical kitchen works in the middle of a dinner service. I wish he spent a little more time on the prep part so people could get a better idea what all is involved in getting a completed dish out the door.

The more I see of Eric Ripert the more he facinates me. He seems like such a nice guy. I wonder if he is as humble as he comes off. For a guy on the top he just seemed to walk in and work along side everyone as just one of the guys.

Go Tony!

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I think ripert is genuinely a good guy, I mean, what other michelin 3 star chef dresses up as Santa for a reality tv cooking special?

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heston played a ghostbuster in the xmas special!!

[grayelf]

When does the new season start?

Got my eye on the San Fran and Spain shows. And as usual, I'd expect the Asian countries to be top notch.

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Not sure but apparently they've already taped four and will start taping more in the summer...

[jsmeeker]

When does the new season start?

Got my eye on the San Fran and Spain shows. And as usual, I'd expect the Asian countries to be top notch.

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Why am I not remembering a San Francisco epsiode of "No Reservations"??

[nliedel]

Why am I not remembering a San Francisco epsiode of "No Reservations"??

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Me either. I know they did some San Fran on, "A Cook's Tour" when he ate at, The French Laundry. Nothing, but that comes to mind. I could be wrong though. Often am.

[Doodad]

When does the new season start?

Got my eye on the San Fran and Spain shows. And as usual, I'd expect the Asian countries to be top notch.

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Why am I not remembering a San Francisco epsiode of "No Reservations"??

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It has not aired yet. Tony mentioned all the upcoming shows in his blog on TC. That is where the list comes from.

[Poffertjes]

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What about the joint NYC show when Zimmerman's show first started? Wasn't Tony blatantly making fun of him throughout the show? Maybe they've grown closer, but it seemed in that show that Tony really thought he was the dredges of society.

Personally I think he's kind of smarmy. 

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I DID think Tony's position was one of ironic detachment on the Zimmern show, but I did read in an interview somewhere that Tony "liked him". Hey, maybe he does, maybe he doesn't. Maybe he likes Zimmern, but doesn't like his shtik. Maybe he likes both. I don't know. I'm just saying that, whatever opinion he might have about Zimmern or his show, Tony still cross-plugged and promo'ed Zimmerns's show for the network, like a good team player would. TC has been very good to him, and he's been very good for TC. So - nothing but love. So then you go out and sprinkle some of your world-wide fame, popularity and TV lustre dust on a lesser network host and do your bit for your network. It's standard practice at ANY network. Just business - nothing personal.

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Don't you think thats part of his contract? PR for the channel, his show and whatever else the suits can dream up?

Loved, loved, loved the Les Halles episode. Eric coming in and being so cool and working his station better than Tony did (at least it seemed that way with the editing...)

[jsmeeker]

When does the new season start?

Got my eye on the San Fran and Spain shows. And as usual, I'd expect the Asian countries to be top notch.

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Why am I not remembering a San Francisco epsiode of "No Reservations"??

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It has not aired yet. Tony mentioned all the upcoming shows in his blog on TC. That is where the list comes from.

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ahhh. OK. I guess I got confused somehow. I thought grayfel was listing odd episodes that he would be seeing in Vnacouver in the near future. Thanks for clearing it up. I look forward to seeing Tony spending more time in San Francisco. We only got a small taste in Cooks Tour since most of it revolved around TFL (not that there is anything wrong with that!!)

[grayelf]

When does the new season start?

Got my eye on the San Fran and Spain shows. And as usual, I'd expect the Asian countries to be top notch.

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Why am I not remembering a San Francisco epsiode of "No Reservations"??

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It has not aired yet. Tony mentioned all the upcoming shows in his blog on TC. That is where the list comes from.

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ahhh. OK. I guess I got confused somehow. I thought grayfel was listing odd episodes that he would be seeing in Vnacouver in the near future. Thanks for clearing it up. I look forward to seeing Tony spending more time in San Francisco. We only got a small taste in Cooks Tour since most of it revolved around TFL (not that there is anything wrong with that!!)

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My bad if my post was confusing -- I only wish that we were getting new eps (this season or next!) in Vancouver.

There was some info about the new (4th) season on the Travel Channel blog which was indeed what I was referring to. And FYI (although you'd have no way of knowing it) grayelf is a female elf

[dougw]

Seeing the Les Halles episode inspired the wife and I to have lunch there today after we took in a movie.

First time I'd been there in about a year, and it was just excellent. Perfect fries, and the unctious pork mignon with garlic confit. Wife had the onglet. Perfectly executed brasserie food. Always a treat.

And Wylie Dufrensne was there, picking up an extra shift as garde manger. Not sure about that agar coated house salad...

[Dieck]

I loved the Les Halles episode. My only complaint is that I wanted to see more. Like how he dug himself out from under the piles of pans on the burners. And more of the food he was cooking. And more of Eric Ripert. I could have watched 2 hours of that particular episode.

And I'm curious to know the business story behind how Les Halles has fared since Chef Bourdain found fame. Do I understand that business has roughly doubled? (From 300+ covers to 700+ covers?) Judging by Tony's reaction, it seems that the kitchen space has gotten lots bigger. If that's the case, why wasn't the owner of the place strewing rose petals before Tony? He seemed kind of aloof, or did I miss something?

[aaguirrejr]

I loved the Les Halles episode. My only complaint is that I wanted to see more. Like how he dug himself out from under the piles of pans on the burners. And more of the food he was cooking. And more of Eric Ripert. I could have watched 2 hours of that particular episode.

And I'm curious to know the business story behind how Les Halles has fared since Chef Bourdain found fame. Do I understand that business has roughly doubled? (From 300+ covers to 700+ covers?) Judging by Tony's reaction, it seems that the kitchen space has gotten lots bigger. If that's the case, why wasn't the owner of the place strewing rose petals before Tony? He seemed kind of aloof, or did I miss something?

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Do you think that's 300 covers for the entire day or just for dinner?

[dougw]

Dinner.

[Claudia Greco]

Dinner.

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Correct. The final count for Tony that night - just for dinner - was 315. His best (before the restaurant expanded to do 600-700 covers a night) was 365, so even though he got slammed during service, it's still a pretty solid stat - pretty much in line with what he was doing 5 years ago (or 8 years, since he was cooking full-time.)

[Claudia Greco]

I Judging by Tony's reaction, it seems that the kitchen space has gotten lots bigger. If that's the case, why wasn't the owner of the place strewing rose petals before Tony? He seemed kind of aloof, or did I miss something?

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Philippe (the owner) and Tony are good friends, and yes, the publicity for LH would have been terrific to have Tony on the line again. But I'm sure Philippe was understably cautious about having a 51 year-old rejoin the line after 5 years' absence - the potential for bringing the busiest line in the kitchen down, or getting it backed up, at least, was quite real. Which is why he assigned both Eric and Tony a babysitter each, to leap in there, if necessary. Happily, neither babysitter was necessary; however slammed Tony might have been, the line kept moving. And Ripert never missed a beat.

However delighted he might be to have his superstar ex-exec chef and Ripert working his line, Philippe still had to keep his eye on the bottom line. To allow two chefs to come in and take over two stations with which they are either totally unfamiliar (Ripert) or not quite as familiar as they once were (Ripert) WITH a production crew (two cameras and at least one producer, maybe two, in a very long, narrow kitchen) is being kind of warm, trusting and supportive, I think (!)

[Kevin72]

Was this by any chance a benefit or some kind of promotion? Invite only? Seems like word would've gotten out that they were filming there and it would have produced a stampede. Plus you had people in the crowd with the LH cookbook so some came prepared or, I guess, hauled ass home to grab the cookbook and bring it back to sign.

[Claudia Greco]

Was this by any chance a benefit or some kind of promotion?  Invite only? Seems like word would've gotten out that they were filming there and it would have produced a stampede. Plus you had people in the crowd with the LH cookbook so some came prepared or, I guess, hauled ass home to grab the cookbook and bring it back to sign.

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No, not at all.

No, not by invite at all. Tony briefly mentioned a week or so beforehand in a New York Magazine interview that he would be shooting at LH for an upcoming NR ep. A friend of a friend spotted it, called our mutual friend, who then implored me to ask him at his upcoming booksigning on 12/15. So I did, he told me, and we immediately made reservations, right outside the booksigning.

It was not a mob scene at all - the restaurant looked pretty full, but between 6p and 7:30, only a few fans came up to the window. It wasn't until 9:30-ish that there were a full partition of fans, but even then, they were not stationary - the glass partition is separated from the first table by only a narrow gap, and the restaurant is divided down its length by a long partition, too, meaning the floor staff has to use that top-of-a-T 2' gap repeatedly, so you could NOT stand there all day. That final sequence of shots of fans at the window represented only maybe 7 minutes of the total dinner service. My table was in front of the partition, slightly to the right, so I saw Ripert most of the night without having to get up (as well as all the action - and non-action - in front of the partition).

Contrary to popular belief, the dining population of LH was very well-behaved that night - there was no stampede, no mosh pit. Just a lot of people having dinner and popping up with a camera phone at window occasionally.

Those with books to sign were doomed for disappointment. Tony could not come out - way too busy. He briefly darted out of the kitchen round about 8 or so to confer with either one of producers or his assistant, Beth Aretsky (who just dropped by for a visit), then darted right back in.

There was no promotion per se, although the promotional value to LH for having its superstar ex- exec chef cooking - with Ripert, no less! - for a night, and shown worldwide, has got to be pretty damn golden. Nobody won anything - not a visit back to the kitchen, not an autograph, not being allowed to set Todd on fire (although my crepe came the closest!) And even though you saw Tim tell numerous people that Bourdain was in the house, there were a lot of people who did not realize anything was going on until they saw pictures being shot - and Todd come out into the front of house with his camera. Then a few older ladies spotted Ripert, and excitedly told me about it ("yes, ma'am. Thank you!)" while I was up at the window trying to shoot Bourdain (way in the back third of the kitchen). Loved the lady in the Chanel double knit with the pearls. She was thrilled to see Ripert (!)

[Kevin72]

Thanks for the answer, Claudia. Luck you getting to witness it first hand!

[Claudia Greco]

Thanks for the answer, Claudia. Luck you getting to witness it first hand!

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Thanks to a few good friends - and Tony being a sport! Blow by blow, this is how the evening shaped up:

http://profumoprofondo.com/2007/12/20/bour...es-joyeux-noel/

[nliedel]

No mosh pit? That sounds like no fun!!!

Seriously, I don't know how anyone manages to cook with that kind of audience and not cut a hand off. I don't like it when the dog watches me cook.

[Claudia Greco]

No mosh pit? That sounds like no fun!!!

Seriously, I don't know how anyone manages to cook with that kind of audience and not cut a hand off. I don't like it when the dog watches me cook.

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Fortunately for Tony (I guess), he was in the back third of the kitchen, and might only have seen the occasional fan (or flash go off). Ripert, however, saw EVERYONE - up close and personal. (I tried to shoot from the corner of the partition, no flash, so I wasn't all up in his grill (pun intended), but the Tony shots required a brief stance in the dead center of the window, hopefully as inconspicuously as possible. Since I was trying to catch him candidly, not looking directly at the camera, I think I might have pulled that off.)

Ripert was pretty funny. He took it all in stride - I think I mentioned earlier that when one slim blonde forgot to take her camera off flash, he just stuck his tongue at her (playfully), grinned and wet right back to his grilling (!)

[nliedel]

Fortunately for Tony (I guess), he was in the back third of the kitchen, and might only have seen the occasional fan (or flash go off).  Ripert, however, saw EVERYONE - up close and personal.  (I tried to shoot from the corner of the partition, no flash, so I wasn't all up in his grill (pun intended), but the Tony shots required a brief stance in the dead center of the window, hopefully as inconspicuously as possible.  Since I was trying to catch him candidly, not looking directly at the camera, I think I might have pulled that off.)

Ripert was pretty funny.  He took it all in stride - I think I mentioned earlier that when one slim blonde forgot to take her camera off flash, he just stuck his tongue at her (playfully), grinned and wet right back to his grilling (!)

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Ripart seemed to be completely unflappable. Someone to have in your lifeboat when the ship goes down cause he's gonna catch the fish and decide whose gonna get sacraficed the the sharks without a lot of fanfare.

[Sabrosita]

Someone to have in your lifeboat when  the ship goes down cause he's gonna catch the fish...

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And I'll bet he'd make it into a darn tasty fish too...

[Claudia Greco]

Someone to have in your lifeboat when  the ship goes down cause he's gonna catch the fish...

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And I'll bet he'd make it into a darn tasty fish too...

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That's why he's "the Ripper" - poissoneur extraordinaire! (haha!)

[3j2l3a]

in case anyone is interested, tony will be on letterman tonight on CBS