Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations Seasons 1-5

[Ndy]

Watched the Japan episode. Very Nice. Then again, I could watch a whole episode with nothing but food porn shots of sushi.

[Dieck]

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 (!)

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Fair enough, I guess. Since my career has been in advertising/PR, I guess I have a different point of view than the restaurant owner...

Thanks for your birds-eye reporting! Very interesting.

[Peter the eater]

Just saw the Jamaica episode tonight and I was reminded why I like the show so much: I always learn something and I usually laugh out loud.

I did high school near Toronto, Ontario, Canada and had many lunches at friends' places with Jamaican moms who cooked the way I saw on the show. I'd forgotten all about the I-tal diet. The school lunches I had always featured spicy chicken, probably not authentic jerk with allspice but close to it.

And the description of the Blue Mountain arabica cofee beans made total sense to me.

[Claudia Greco]

And the description of the Blue Mountain arabica cofee beans made total sense to me.

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Love Blue Mountain coffee! It's the ultimate caffeine jolt for coffee-craving New Yorkers. My husband brings burlap bags back each time he goes to Jamaica forabout $10 a bag - it's closer to $40 a bag here in NYC! The only problem is that Customs slits the burlap open every time - checking for the good herb, mon!

[Doodad]

I caught the Greece episode on the reruns last night. Wow, I don't think Tony had a very good time. Only the beach picnic seemed to be up his alley. He looked positively miserable most of the time. Must have been the effects of the hooch.

[Claudia Greco]

I caught the Greece episode on the reruns last night.  Wow, I don't think Tony had a very good time.  Only the beach picnic seemed to be up his alley.  He looked positively miserable most of the time.  Must have been the effects of the hooch.

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I'd have to agree about the miserable part. He came in with a lot of preconceived notions about Greek cuisine based on years of exposure to Greek diner food in New York (which kind of surprised me - I'm a New Yorker, too, and think he'd know better), but basically, since he hates dancing, animal-killing and gun scenes so much, he definitely has to work it out with his segment producers to avoid these things - or, if they are an inherent part of the culture and/or scene, just deal with it. The Greeks are a dancin' kind of people, but he wasn't forced to dance this episode, just watch. So? Is this so terrible?

[FoodMuse]

Am I the only one who finds it amusing to watch Bourdain suffer for us? I like the Greek episode.

Singapore epi is on now. Anyone catch the name of the dish where he is sucking marrow out of the bone with a straw? Looks so delicious. Want.

Grace

[monavano]

Am I the only one who finds it amusing to watch Bourdain suffer for us? I like the Greek episode.

Singapore epi is on now. Anyone catch the name of the dish where he is sucking marrow  out of the bone with a straw? Looks so delicious. Want.

Grace

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Sup Tulang

[Claudia Greco]

Am I the only one who finds it amusing to watch Bourdain suffer for us? I like the Greek episode.

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Are you kidding? I could barely keep a straight face throughout the Romanian episode. After the Vlad statue bit, I just KNEW things would go horribly pear-shaped. By the time the Halloween party at the faux Drac castle rolled around, hubby and I were cringing (but howling) simultaneously -poor Tony! (PS: I don't think it made Romanian people or their food or culture look bad - just the corrupt officials and tourism apparatchniks who kept trying to hijack or derail the NR crew at every turn.)

[Peter the eater]

. . . . I don't think it made Romanian people or their food or culture look bad - just the corrupt officials and tourism apparatchniks who kept trying to hijack or derail the NR crew at every turn.

Absolutely, I couldn't agree more.

I asked a foodie friend (last name Olanescu and very proud of his Romanian heritage) who saw the episode and was thrilled to see the officials exposed as the bafoons they are.

[Claudia Greco]

. . . . I don't think it made Romanian people or their food or culture look bad - just the corrupt officials and tourism apparatchniks who kept trying to hijack or derail the NR crew at every turn.

Absolutely, I couldn't agree more.

I asked a foodie friend (last name Olanescu and very proud of his Romanian heritage) who saw the episode and was thrilled to see the officials exposed as the bafoons they are.

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I thought Tony should have just made the show as it was, showing all the bribes, corruption and derailing - not to make Romania look bad, but just as reality, ie., this was how it WAS for Tony and NR. But, from a TV standpoint, that wouldn't necessarily have been interesting or good TV. Maybe. We all got a lot of mileage out of how wrong everything went for him, anyway. The only thing he might have avoided was the tsunami of criticism from irate Romanians and Romanian-Americans who felt he dissed their country and culture. But if they had known ahead of time that his Romanian fixers, as well as government and tourism officials, were sabotaging NR at every turn, then they'd have understood why he had to resort to using just Zamir, a Russian, as his fixer. My Romanian Jewish husband didn't think Romania, the culture and food, came off looking bad at all - he actually got a hankering going for some "mamaliga" (polenta) and other foods his grandmother would cook, cure or preserve. He thought the only thing that looked bad were - surprise! - the greedy little bureaucrats and hustlers. C'mon - who DIDN'T love the Romanian farm family and the guy with the funky cemetery? (!!)

[prasantrin]

When do the new shows air? I was reading his blog, and they sound fantastic! Laos, Tokyo/Kyoto, Spain, Egypt, et al. I can't imagine a bad episode. Except maybe the Papua New Guinea one (culturally very interesting, but foodwise?).

[Claudia Greco]

When do the new shows air?  I was reading his blog, and they sound fantastic!  Laos, Tokyo/Kyoto, Spain, Egypt, et al.  I can't imagine a bad episode.  Except maybe the Papua New Guinea one (culturally very interesting, but foodwise?).

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I think NR is doing "split seasons" - i.e., instead of 12 shows starting in January and running through March, they are doing a "season" beginning in January and one in August, like they did last year.

Papua New Guinea will be interesting - they eat pig, taro, sweet potato, etc., and I saw an hysterically funny Croc Hunter a few years back in which Steve Irwin went out with the #1 hunter from the tribe to find some lemur ( cuscus -"cooz-cooz"). Apparently, that tribe (no, I don't remember whether they were Mek, Kombai or whatever) eat lemur, and have a bazillion nifty different kinds of arrows for shooting them and other game. Naturally, the hunter was extremely proud of his skill and arrows, and was very anxious to not only prove his mettle, but to bag some protein for dinner. And, naturally, Steve wouldn't let him shoot a single lemur all ep. The funny part, however, was that every time Steve tried to get all friendly with the little darlings, the lemurs would daintily accept his offering of mini-bananas, eat them thoughtfully, and then either chomp on Steve, pull his hair out, or s___t on him, while the poor marginalized hunter tried ever so politely not to crack up laughing. The point is - I couled definitely see Tony trying to stomp around the Papuan Highlands, either trying to harvest some sweet potato, wrangling a squealing piglet, or trying to fend off irate cuscus who don't intend to be dinner. Or pets.

Tony better watch out for those highly fashionable Male Enhancement Penile Sheathes the Papuan tribesmen favor, though. If he thought his picture in My Last Supper with the cow bone gave him grief, he and the Travel Channel will NEVER hear the end of this (!!)

[Sabrosita]

I'm looking forward to the Uruguay episode--mostly for comedic value...I lived there and the food is TERRIBLE.

Yeah, I know you went for vacation and someone served you a good steak and you were happy, but trust me I lived there, these people couldn't cook a good meal if it shot them in the foot....

I've been trying to see if I can guess everything that he's going to do there...My most interesting food experience was definetly eating Nutria...but I'm guessing he'll stick to the novelty of a Chivito and hit up the beaches and ignore the fact that the food just plain sucks...

[Claudia Greco]

I'm looking forward to the Uruguay episode--mostly for comedic value...I lived there and the food is TERRIBLE.

Yeah, I know you went for vacation and someone served you a good steak and you were happy, but trust me I lived there, these people couldn't cook a good meal if it shot them in the foot....

I've been trying to see if I can guess everything that he's going to do there...My most interesting food experience was definetly eating Nutria...but I'm guessing he'll stick to the novelty of a Chivito and hit up the beaches and ignore the fact that the food just plain sucks...

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Yep, some of the challenge of NR is trying to make the food look good or interesting - not every cuisine is fabulous, a point well made (and taken) with the Namibian wart hog rectum (!) PS: Tony's also exploring his genealogy in the Uraguay episode. Apparently, a great-grandparent of his was Uruguayan, making Tony 1/16 Uruguayan, 1/2 (8/16) French so, like the Russia episode, it will be interesting to see where he and his brother go with it.

[Tom_June]

Word round these parts is that Tony was spotted in Phoenix this week w/ camera crew. At Cooperstown believe it or not. Anyone know if Phoenix is definitely on the schedule?

Let's hope he visits Pizzeria Bianco and Binkley's.

[prasantrin]

He doesn't mention it in his blog, but he does mention a couple of specials and a "Travel with Tony" thing, so perhaps the shoot is part of one of those?

[Peter the eater]

I thought the New Orleans show was excellent ... the best since the episode on the Texas/Mexico border. It's got to be a challenge to find a new way to depict "there was a hurricane ... things are not back to normal, and will never be ... but there are people doing some things that are hopeful."

I watch these shows way out of order, tonight I saw the New Orleans episode and I agree Dieck, it was excellent.

Scrolling back through this topic for mention of the episode I also agree with cathrynapple:

No Reservations has never claimed to be a show exclusively about food. It's about culture. The New Orleans culture has changed drastically and importantly in the past few years . . . .

I think that's part but of the appeal, the food stuff is always there but so is the rest: the back story, the workers, the families, the traditions.

I'm nominating the Tony and his crew for an Emmy!

[FoodMuse]

Oh... Jesus.... Watching Bourdain basically wear another man as he is massaged in the Uzbek episode is painful. Great editing.

But, where the hell is the food? Well, really who cares? It's funny.

Screw you Bourdain, you know the real star of some of these shows is Zamir (sp?)

But srsly you guys should consider importing him to the US as permanent sidekick. I would love to see him in .... I don't know ..Siberia Bar in NY?

"I dont want to be the terd in the punchbowl" I aspire to that pithiness.

Grace

[Claudia Greco]

Oh...  Jesus....  Watching Bourdain basically wear another man as he is massaged in the Uzbek episode is painful. Great editing.

But, where the hell is the food? Well, really who cares? It's funny.

Screw you Bourdain, you know the real star of some of these shows is Zamir (sp?)

But srsly you guys should consider importing him to the US as permanent sidekick.  I would love to see him in .... I don't know ..Siberia Bar in NY?

"I dont want to be the terd in the punchbowl" I aspire to that pithiness.

Grace

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Alas, alas, the Siberia Bar is closed, and AB has had to unearth other watering holes. This, after CBGB closed. How much can one man bear?

Yes, we definitely need to see more Zamir - he and Tony have been playing dirty tricks on each other all across eastern Europe, and I think Zamir is ready for his close-up (!)

I think we saw as much good Uzbekh food as there was to be seen - remember the fly-blown meat at the beginning of the ep? I'm not saying all Uzbekh food is a serious health risk, or that Uzbekh food isn't good - we have it here in NYC, and I'm a fan. I'm just saying that maybe Tony found as much good food as he was going to, in that particular instance, and that's what we saw. I loved the wedding prep segment, the cradle shopping - and the Uzbekh massage segment, of course.

And it was more Bourdain being RIDDEN by another man rather than Bourdain wearing him (!!) (Sorry, Tony - I KNOW the masseur was wearing a Speedo and he never touched your glutes!)

[mcohen]

(PS:  I don't think it made Romanian people or their food or culture look bad - just the corrupt officials and tourism apparatchniks who kept trying to hijack or derail the NR crew at every turn.)

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Given some of the other countries NR has visited, I doubt this is the first time NR crew has been hit for a bribe or some meedling officials got in the way. If this were in some third world country where its not as PC to make fun of, I wonder if NR would have been as willing to make that the focus of the show or label the national cuisine to be 'primitive'.

[Claudia Greco]

(PS:  I don't think it made Romanian people or their food or culture look bad - just the corrupt officials and tourism apparatchniks who kept trying to hijack or derail the NR crew at every turn.)

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Given some of the other countries NR has visited, I doubt this is the first time NR crew has been hit for a bribe or some meedling officials got in the way. If this were in some third world country where its not as PC to make fun of, I wonder if NR would have been as willing to make that the focus of the show or label the national cuisine to be 'primitive'.

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It wasn't just bribery - it was a lot of obsfucation, too. And while it's true that only Romania's cusine was called primitive, my only point was that, to ME, the show didn't make the Romanian people en masse or their food look bad - I'd certainly go. Their forests (and non-faux castles) look stunning. The only thing that looked bad, to me, were the guards at the Vlad statue. 2 Romanians out of a whole country.

[FoodMuse]

Damn

In the two years I've lived in NYC Both Siberia Bar and CBGB have closed. It's not my fault! So disappointing. How about Rudy's on 9th in Hell's Kitchen? There's a giant plaster pig outside and the booths are held together with ducktape. Free skanky hotdogs are a bonus.

Zamir and Bourdain together are so much fun to watch.

Now realizing I misspelled "turd" in last post, how embarrassing.

I am sensing Romanian touchiness on the board. Come on people it's a TV show.

-Graceb

[Future Chef]

This is such a cool thread. Bourdain is still the coolest guy in the culinary world.

[Claudia Greco]

This is such a cool thread.  Bourdain is still the coolest guy in the culinary world.

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And outside of it, too.