Anthony Bourdain (1956-2018), American Culinary TV Personality, Author, and Host of CNN's "Parts Unknown"

[monavano]

I have to set my Tivo to record him again-not sure why his show fell out of the rotation-but I did see the previews (good Tony or bad Tony-cut me a break). I got the sense that he was not kind to foodies. "It's just a hamburger..".

Hey, I"m not eating poop-filled poop shoot. Just sayin'.

I like him and then I don't. I do not like how he's always "Well, you know Americans would not eat this..or eat that...or they don't like this or that texture". He's an apologist-apologizing for being born into a land that gave him the ridiculously well-paid career as a...guess what? Foodie.

[Miami Danny]

I didn't see the episode, and have nothing against Tony Bourdain, but what you say here sounds extremely hypocritical on his part. Not only is he biting the hand that feeds him, but he also reminds me of a friend of mine - a fairly well-known person in the food world - who berates "foodies," and yet in reality, he is the definition of the term. Furthermore, this friend will rant about "those <pointing an accusing finger> members on your website" ... of which he is one! I just roll my eyes.

"biting the hand that feeds him" is not "hypocritical" at all. It is at the core of his whole shtick. The whole 'bad' tony vs. 'good' tony thing. But he is raking in the bucks and I applaud that. However, using Fat Guy, Perlow, et. al., the gout issue, etc., this is all old news that was covered in a NY Times piece some time ago; so I'm sure he saw an easy opportunity to take some potshots.

[Ericandblueboy]

So will good Tony or bad Tony show up in Harbin, China? I'm not entirely sure there is much difference between the two and what precipitates the coming of either personality?

[monavano]

So will good Tony or bad Tony show up in Harbin, China? I'm not entirely sure there is much difference between the two and what precipitates the coming of either personality?

He reveres all things Asian-always humble and seemingly embarrassed to be an American (we waste so much, we don't know where our food comes from, we don't eat this or that). It's old.

So, my money is on Good Tony. He will wax poetically and loquaciously in his monologues.

And, I don't know what Greece ever did to Tony , but he seemed pained to be there. Bad, bad Tony.

[Miami Danny]

He reveres all things Asian-always humble and seemingly embarrassed to be an American (we waste so much, we don't know where our food comes from, we don't eat this or that). It's old.

So, my money is on Good Tony. He will wax poetically and loquaciously in his monologues.

And, I don't know what Greece ever did to Tony he seemed pained to be there. Bad, bad Tony.

Good Tony-Drinking Tony

Bad Tony-Hungover Tony/Drinking Too Much Tony

If he is anything like most people I know....

[alan7147]

One of the guys can't eat a burger because he's obese and has elevated cholesterol. He got that way presumably because he's too lazy to work-out and overindulges. I find him repulsive.

Ha Ha, that is Jason Perlow. Be careful what you say as he has an account here. I also recall that several people on this board received slaps on the wrists a few years back for comparing his head to a basketball and talking about how visually undesirable he was....

[1000yregg]

On last night's No Reservations in Harbin, China, they actually showed the exterior of a restaurant advertising dog, a traditional dish up in the northern China. Unfortunately, Tony did not go in- it would have probably freaked out American viewers.

[Miami Danny]

On last night's No Reservations in Harbin, China, they actually showed the exterior of a restaurant advertising dog, a traditional dish up in the northern China. Unfortunately, Tony did not go in- it would have probably freaked out American viewers.

Isn't that why they have that 'warning' at the beginning of the show? Last night's episode was excruciatingly bland. Tony was also looking off-somewhat bloated and red-faced. But then I haven't watched in a while.

[Ericandblueboy]

On last night's No Reservations in Harbin, China, they actually showed the exterior of a restaurant advertising dog, a traditional dish up in the northern China. Unfortunately, Tony did not go in- it would have probably freaked out American viewers.

I saw that and had to freeze the picture to point that out to my wife. Funny that Tony didn't even mention it (of course he probably doesn't know what the sign behind him meant). When I was in China, I saw all kinds of vacuum packed food, including dog meat. So of course I had to get some - IIRC - the package was labeled 5 spice dog meat.

[Miami Danny]

I saw that and had to freeze the picture to point that out to my wife. Funny that Tony didn't even mention it (of course he probably doesn't know what the sign behind him meant). When I was in China, I saw all kinds of vacuum packed food, including dog meat. So of course I had to get some - IIRC - the package was labeled 5 spice dog meat.

The guy's in China and a sign says 'dog meat' and he doesn't mention it? Did it come up elsewhere in the show? That seems like a pretty weird production lapse, no?

[zoramargolis]

The guy's in China and a sign says 'dog meat' and he doesn't mention it? Did it come up elsewhere in the show? That seems like a pretty weird production lapse, no?

It may have been removed in the editing process, and I presume they write the narration after they do the filming and editing. They may have intended to talk about it, or may even have filmed him eating there, and then decided it was too controversial to include.

[Miami Danny]

It may have been removed in the editing process, and I presume they write the narration after they do the filming and editing. They may have intended to talk about it, or may even have filmed him eating there, and then decided it was too controversial to include.

Again, a pretty huge production lapse not to mention it. Is that Good Tony or Bad Tony?

[monavano]

Again, a pretty huge production lapse not to mention it. Is that Good Tony or Bad Tony?

I wonder....

Would be interesting to hear the converstation. "Well, there's the pink elephant in the room, err, the dog in the..."

I wonder if the editors and TPTB decided to include the dog, would Tony eat it?

I'm thinking yes.

[goodeats]

I can't help it - and now...for something completely different (but related to Anthony Bourdain).

[giant shrimp]

Tony was also looking off-somewhat bloated and red-faced. But then I haven't watched in a while.

he's aging. actually, i thought everyone looked pretty good in the exterior shots, where tony kept saying it was 25 degrees below zero. i would have expected people to be more bundled up and covering their faces. maybe it's not necessary, because i have never been anyplace where it's that cold. i've never had fried butterfly cocoons on a stick, or any way, either, and no one really had anything to say about it other than it tastes good. the extended scene of getting drunk on vodka with the russians was a bit pointless. ditto the ice fishing, though it did seem like a nicely composed scene in a movie.

[MsDiPesto]

he's aging. actually, i thought everyone looked pretty good in the exterior shots, where tony kept saying it was 25 degrees below zero. i would have expected people to be more bundled up and covering their faces. maybe it's not necessary, because i have never been anyplace where it's that cold. i've never had fried butterfly cocoons on a stick, or any way, either, and no one really had anything to say about it other than it tastes good. the extended scene of getting drunk on vodka with the russians was a bit pointless. ditto the ice fishing, though it did seem like a nicely composed scene in a movie.

that new haircut made him look older, or it just revealed the gray more. Also, they spent way too much time on Mr. Hot Pot Millionaire/USA Bucks/whatever guy.

[Soup]

I've been a fan of bourdain for years. Kitchen conf. and cook's tour. I still think the TV show Cook's tour is one of the best food related shows of all time. I wish they would do reruns...

As for no reservations, it can be good but somethings it just ok. I think as he gets a family and gets older, he seems to want to travel less so there's been more shows closer to home and more repackaged shows. I think in this season and last there have been show that weren't just that good. Perhpas its time that No Reservations had its run its course and he should let it go.

As for last weeks episode, I was looking forward to it but it just wan't that good. Why did I need to see two people dancing on the ice?

BTW, how much is he getting from Chase to flash the card on the various episode? I guess he is not a hotel shill (Singapore episode) but certainly tips his hat to Chase. Becomes harder to argue that you are the "bad boy of food" or the cool outsider when you're doing the same thing as other food celebs. Racheal ray just came closer to bourdain.

[synaesthesia]

BTW, how much is he getting from Chase to flash the card on the various episode? I guess he is not a hotel shill (Singapore episode) but certainly tips his hat to Chase. Becomes harder to argue that you are the "bad boy of food" or the cool outsider when you're doing the same thing as other food celebs. Racheal ray just came closer to bourdain.

He might not be the one getting the money from the Chase, but rather the Travel Channel. There's a vast difference between product placement (of which I am almost 100% sure this situation is without watching), and paying Tony as an endorser. The former is just business; the second would be him selling out. You can't get have a product flashed on a TV show in that manner without shelling out money to the network - that's why all of the products on Rachael Ray's show and many others are generic or have different labels. It's also why a lot of reality show have blurred out t-shirts, they have brand names on them.

[Miami Danny]

He might not be the one getting the money from the Chase, but rather the Travel Channel. There's a vast difference between product placement (of which I am almost 100% sure this situation is without watching), and paying Tony as an endorser. The former is just business; the second would be him selling out. You can't get have a product flashed on a TV show in that manner without shelling out money to the network - that's why all of the products on Rachael Ray's show and many others are generic or have different labels. It's also why a lot of reality show have blurred out t-shirts, they have brand names on them.

It's okay if he "sells out", everyone does. Anyway, "just business'" and "selling out" are really the same thing. Sponsorship, product placement, personal fees-what's the difference? Let the man get paid.

[synaesthesia]

It's okay if he "sells out", everyone does. Anyway, "just business'" and "selling out" are really the same thing. Sponsorship, product placement, personal fees-what's the difference? Let the man get paid.

Well there's a difference between him personally selling out and the network doing business. It may not be his choice.

[jayandstacey]

Well there's a difference between him personally selling out and the network doing business. It may not be his choice.

I had this discussion with a musician once.

My arguement is that once you accept the first penny, you're "in" and selling out is then just a matter of degree. But we all have to make a living, so "selling out" shouldn't really have a stigma. When he records and edits a show, he's making choices at every turn that are driven by more than just pure love of food. Presenting a Chase card and (likely) being paid for the product placement is simply one of those forces that mold the final product.

His challenge is the balance - can he produce a show that appeases the financial pressures as well as the viewer's? It is a difficult thing - but we must be clear that for ALL such performers, the successful ones on almost any measure are the ones that maximize BOTH forces.

[mdt]

How does product placement of Chase make him a sellout? It's not like he is pushing Burger King or some crap like that.

[jayandstacey]

How does product placement of Chase make him a sellout? It's not like he is pushing Burger King or some crap like that.

On what measure is Burger King "crap" and Chase not?

As I look at the price/earnings ratio of the two companies, I see Burger King at 14 and Chase at 17 - meaning that all else being equal, Burger King is the better buy of the two companies.

What is the distinction that puts Chase in the class of companies that can be 'product placed' and not result in sell-out, and Burger King doesn't qualify for that class? Which is probably to say, how do you define sellout?

[Flavortown]

On what measure is Burger King "crap" and Chase not?

As I look at the price/earnings ratio of the two companies, I see Burger King at 14 and Chase at 17 - meaning that all else being equal, Burger King is the better buy of the two companies.

What is the distinction that puts Chase in the class of companies that can be 'product placed' and not result in sell-out, and Burger King doesn't qualify for that class? Which is probably to say, how do you define sellout?

I think it has to do with the fact that Burger King is a massive chain that sells standardized, low quality food (and Bourdain is a cook, and somebody who goes around looking for the best and most interesting foods in various places), while Chase has nothing to do with food/his mission and persona. It's not about the companies' respective successes, it's about what fields they're in. For product placement of Chase to constitute selling out, the subject of No Reservations would have to be...banking? Credit cards? Finances? Something like that.

[mdt]

I think it has to do with the fact that Burger King is a massive chain that sells standardized, low quality food (and Bourdain is a cook, and somebody who goes around looking for the best and most interesting foods in various places), while Chase has nothing to do with food/his mission and persona. It's not about the companies' respective successes, it's about what fields they're in. For product placement of Chase to constitute selling out, the subject of No Reservations would have to be...banking? Credit cards? Finances? Something like that.

Bingo!

[Lydia R]

I've been a fan of bourdain for years. Kitchen conf. and cook's tour. I still think the TV show Cook's tour is one of the best food related shows of all time. I wish they would do reruns...

Yes, I liked it too. Did anyone hear Tony and Eric Ripert on Martha Stewart Radio starting last month? Missed them and wonder if there are "reruns" anywhere. How "bad" can Tony be is he's on Martha Stewart's guest list?

Renowned Chefs Anthony Bourdain and Eric Ripert to 'Turn & Burn' on SIRIUS XM's Martha Stewart Living Radio

--On limited-run five-week series of live, call-in shows, Bourdain and Ripert step out of the kitchen and into the studio to serve up weekly insider's dish on all things food --The legendary chefs/food gurus to offer their opinions and expertise on topics including food ethics, vegetarianism and celebrity chefs --Special guest Chef Mario Batali will join Bourdain and Ripert in studio February 18 for launch show

NEW YORK, Feb 12, 2010 /PRNewswire via COMTEX News Network/ -- SIRIUS XM Radio (Nasdaq: SIRI) announced today that renowned chef and bestselling author Anthony Bourdain, and internationally-recognized chef and co-owner of Le Bernardin in New York City, Eric Ripert, will co-host Anthony Bourdain and Eric Ripert: Turn & Burn, an exclusive five-week series of shows during which the two will offer listeners a taste of the ins and outs of the food world.

Anthony Bourdain and Eric Ripert: Turn & Burn will launch on Thursday, February 18 and will air from 7:00 -8:00 pm ET every Thursday through March 18, on Martha Stewart Living Radio, SIRIUS channel 112, and XM channel 157, as part of "The Best of SIRIUS package."

During the show, Bourdain and Ripert will stir up discussions on everything from food ethics to food in the media, celebrity chefs, at-home cooks, vegetarianism, and sustainability. The two will also welcome special guests, including acclaimed chef/restaurateur Mario Batali, who will be live in studio on February 18 at 7:00 pm ET for Turn & Burn's premiere.

On February 25, Turn & Burn will broadcast live from the South Beach Food and Wine Festival, the national star-studded four-day destination event showcasing the talents of the world's most renowned wine and spirits producers, chefs and culinary personalities. Bourdain and Ripert will speak with special guests during the live broadcast, including Chef Daniel Boulud.

On Tuesday, February 16, Bourdain and Ripert will join Martha to discuss Anthony Bourdain and Eric Ripert: Turn & Burn on an episode of The Martha Stewart Show (check local listings). In January 2009, Bourdain and Ripert sat down with Martha Stewart during a special edition of "At Martha's Table," the exclusive live interview series on Martha Stewart Living Radio. The special, recorded in front of a live audience at the SIRIUS XM studios, featured the three culinary experts sharing tips, personal recipes and kitchen secrets.

Photo credit: Daniel Krieger

[jayandstacey]

I think it has to do with the fact that Burger King is a massive chain that sells standardized, low quality food (and Bourdain is a cook, and somebody who goes around looking for the best and most interesting foods in various places), while Chase has nothing to do with food/his mission and persona. It's not about the companies' respective successes, it's about what fields they're in. For product placement of Chase to constitute selling out, the subject of No Reservations would have to be...banking? Credit cards? Finances? Something like that.

And Chase is an enabler of such places, funding them with ONLY one hope - that they become as big and profitable as Burger King. A loan from Chase cannot be paid off with good reviews or satisfied customers, it must be paid from a restaraunt's receipts.

So ask yourself - why does Chase think a placement in Anthony Bourdain's show is valuable? I don't see Chase seeking product placements on Blues Clues or on any show on the Catholic Channel. I'll tell you why - because Chase wants you to pull out THEIR card when you go to eat or buy food, especially from small places like Bourdain visits. They want you to emulate Anthony Bourdain when you eat out or go food shopping. And why does that matter? Because then Chase gets the industry coming and going - they get their vig on the loan to the food buisiness (if such a loan exists), and then they get their vig on every transaction where you use their card - again, paid by said small business.

If Bourdain did a Burger King placement, at least he'd be promoting one thing - Burger King. Take it or leave it. Instead, he's promoting a practice with Chase cards that would (if followed) take money from the proprieter's pocket from EVERY transaction with EVERY small food place we visit.

Those same places, the ones Bourdain visits, have NO opportunity to make money FROM Chase. Bourdain does, and takes that money, knowing full well that each such transaction hurts the small proprieter just a little, and in much greater proportion than the larger businesses*.

Isn't that at least a little selling out? Or at least throwing the companies he visits under the bus just a little?

* I have not been in the restaraunt business. I can't even spell it. But in my field, the small business I once owned paid over 3% per credit card transaction, plus a $.50 per transaction fee - which, owning a place who's average sale was small, was a significant burden. When I later went to a Fortune 500 business doing the same kind of transactions (products/size/risk) the rate that company paid was under 1% with no flat fee.

[DanielK]

I don't think you've addressed Gennaro's point.

Travel Channel is going to do product placements. Bourdain has no control over that. I'm sure he'd walk if they tried to make him visit a particular restaurant or allow the BK product placement, so they go with a credit card.

Bourdain's purpose is the food, and a product placement from a credit card does not alter his integrity in that matter.

[chaofun]

To tell you the truth I didn't even notice the credit cards. I think if he sold out it was when he started doing the Bing commercials. (Ugh. I hate M$.) Either way I enjoy his show.

On a diff note looks like he and Eric Ripert will be doing a a talk in Baltimore in May.

[jayandstacey]

I don't think you've addressed Gennaro's point.

Travel Channel is going to do product placements. Bourdain has no control over that. I'm sure he'd walk if they tried to make him visit a particular restaurant or allow the BK product placement, so they go with a credit card.

Bourdain's purpose is the food, and a product placement from a credit card does not alter his integrity in that matter.

It is Bourdain shown using the card that is the product placement. Bourdain produces his show and collects payment for such a "placement". He then provides the show to Travel Channel who airs it and makes money from the commercials shown between the show segments. If the Travel Channel didn't air the show, Bourdain would sell it to the food channel or some other channel. The product placement would still have happend and long since been paid for by Chase.

I addressed Gennaro's point by saying that while BK is food in one chain (and a pretty bad one,) Chase has a "take" in nearly every food establishment large and small. I'm not saying what Bourdain did was wrong or unethical, rather to simply recognize it for what it is...he received money from Chase, and in turn, Chase expects to receive more money from the food industry overall as it hopes to be a part of more food transactions, especially with smaller establishments.

Chase is the 800 lb Gorilla in this scenario - far bigger than any of the establishments Bourdain visits. Bourdain is on Chase's payroll (so to speak). I don't care if the word "sellout" is used in that context, but to say using Chase isn't, but BK would be a sellout, just doesn't make sense to me.

I guess I'm asking people to peel back one layer of the Vidalia.

[DanielK]

... to say using Chase isn't, but BK would be a sellout, just doesn't make sense to me.

Agree to disagree, then - this is EXACTLY what Gennaro, mdt, and I are saying.

[Soup]

It interesting that the lastest posting don't seem to address the main difference between Tony and other food celebs/shows. The main difference is the public personna that tony has fasioned for the past 10 years. I don't ever recall bobby flay, emeril or rachel ray every stating that they were outsiders not taken in a the shill of big corporations. Nor did they make fun of others who were out to cash in their celebrity. Tony has done that. However, I guess he has had a change of heart in his later years. .

[jayandstacey]

It interesting that the lastest posting don't seem to address the main difference between Tony and other food celebs/shows. The main difference is the public personna that tony has fasioned for the past 10 years. I don't ever recall bobby flay, emeril or rachel ray every stating that they were outsiders not taken in a the shill of big corporations. Nor did they make fun of others who were out to cash in their celebrity. Tony has done that. However, I guess he has had a change of heart in his later years. .

And that's part of my point - that instead of just being sponsored by Campbell's soup, who would be indirectly paying Bourdain by paying the Travel Channel for the commercials and competes with other soups (homemade, locally made, restaurant, mass produced)...he's directly paid by Chase who potentially takes a cut of EVERY food sale - soup or otherwise, with no care to quality or anything but transactional profit.

Do you think he had a dark suit especially made for the day he went into the Chase offices to sign the product placement agreement? I mean, just to fit in with them, to be one of the 'guys'?

[jayandstacey]

Agree to disagree, then - this is EXACTLY what Gennaro, mdt, and I are saying.

OK, that's cool.

[DanielK]

Bourdain produces his show and collects payment for such a "placement".

Not according to Ad Week.

[synaesthesia]

Not according to Ad Week.

Like the marketing major has been saying all along . And when I wake up, I'm going to blame it on late-night ramen.

[jayandstacey]

Not according to Ad Week.

The article talks about product placements in Bourdain's show, but is silent on how the placements are paid and to whom. How else could they be paid, except to the production company (Bourdain?) That's the whole beauty of product placements - they are an additional income stream to the production company, instead of just the money coming from the network that buys the show, which in turn comes from traditional commercials. It is a win-win of sorts - the production company gets $, while the advertiser gets a gurantee that their ad will be in every showing of that episode ad infinitum. (pun intended!)

I don't have proof Bourdain was paid directly. I just don't know of any other way product placements could be paid.

Besides, the next paragraph says

The four hosts will also appear in Chase Sapphire-sponsored interstitials, marking the first time the network has aligned its on-air talent with a major corporate sponsorship campaign. The interstitials will run in multiple dayparts on Travel.

Meaning that Chase is in some ways steering the ship, trading its overall higher level sponsorship for a say in what is aired - not just supplying 30 second ads for material already produced. I doubt that Bourdain is directly paid by Chase here, but the show exists because of Chase. And Bourdain will be paid by the show and not be the producer or have creative control beyond what he may say, if that's not scripted.

Anyway, interesting stuff. I think our definitions of "sellout" are different, that's all.

[Keithstg]

Do you think he had a dark suit especially made for the day he went into the Chase offices to sign the product placement agreement? I mean, just to fit in with them, to be one of the 'guys'?

Sigh. Chase is business casual. Just saying.

[Keithstg]

I don't have proof Bourdain was paid directly....

I doubt that Bourdain is directly paid by Chase here....

Sigh. Best,

"one of those guys"

- I don't work for Chase.

[jayandstacey]

Sigh. Best,

"one of those guys"

- I don't work for Chase.

I don't have proof Bourdain was paid directly for the product placement. But I can't imagine any other way to be paid for such efforts.

I doubt that Bourdain is paid directly for the interstitials.

Two very different things, paid different ways. All benefitting Bourdain.

Sigh, best, one of those guys, I don't work for Chase either. But I do like hockey.

[1000yregg]

FYI- There is a No Reservations night with Anthony Bourdain and Eric Ripert in conversation at Baltimore's Hippodrome theater on Sat May 22nd- tickets are not yet on sale yet, but it looks like there's a package where local Baltimore restaurants are catering food for the event.

[Rovers2000]

Did anyone catch this week's episode of No Reservations? Apparently it's about "techniques" and he brings some guest chefs (Pepin, Conant, Tourondel, Pasternak, and Keller) to demonstrate. I have it sitting on the DVR but it seems like an interesting watch.

[ktmoomau]

Did anyone catch this week's episode of No Reservations? Apparently it's about "techniques" and he brings some guest chefs (Pepin, Conant, Tourondel, Pasternak, and Keller) to demonstrate. I have it sitting on the DVR but it seems like an interesting watch.

It was ok... I think probably most of us know the techniques he is showing. And I was a little annoyed with the "You can make french fries at home, watch us use our big fryers." But for the average person it might have been more interesting. It was neat to see some of the people he had on the show.

[qwertyy]

How does product placement of Chase make him a sellout?

Well, that's what he calls it.

From New York's Grub Street:

Bourdain has never denied being a sellout. Defending some blatant product placement for Chase in No Reservations he recently told a Miami crowd, “In the end, I'm a whore. It was never a matter of whether or not I was a whore. Really, I was just haggling over the price.”

[Pat]

On Mark Ruhlman's blog, he says that the Cleveland No Reservations episode will be rerun Monday (the 19th) at 9PM, in memory of Harvey Pekar.

[Ericandblueboy]

Just watched the Hokkaido episode. He's eating cold soba and the soba master said something about eating the soba with wasabi. Does anyone know what that's about?

As for Hokkaido, it looked pretty awesome for skiing/eating/calming vacation - not sure how it is now after the earthquake.

[lion]

Just watched the Hokkaido episode. He's eating cold soba and the soba master said something about eating the soba with wasabi. Does anyone know what that's about?

As for Hokkaido, it looked pretty awesome for skiing/eatomg/calming vacation - not sure how it is now after the earthquake.

I did not see the episode, but wasabi is just a normal condiment that can be used when eating soba noodles. Maybe, the soba Master felt he should use wasabi to get a complete tasting?

Hokkaido is about 500 miles from the Miyagi Perfecture where the tsunami had the most destruction, so any permanent damage in Hokkaido should have been minimal. In contrast, seeing a friend's photographs of her neighborhood, Inshinomaki, is devastating.

Personally, I've never visited Hokkaido, but it is on the list to visit because of one snow drifting beautiful onsen (spa) and Sapporo. Will have to be on the look out for the episode.

Japan will recover, actually the Shinkansen service to Northern Japan just resumed. Hopefully for their sake, this tsunami is more a 100 year old event than a sign of something more frequent.

Thinking about Japan led me to this wonderful trailer and back to No Reservations.

Jiro dreams of sushi

Sukiyabashi Jiro

[Dr. Delicious]

I, too, watched that episode, and it left me wondering if there's any place around here (or eastern seaboard) where you can get authentic soba noodles. They look good enough to go out of your way for, but perhaps not Japan-out-of-your-way.

[lion]

I, too, watched that episode, and it left me wondering if there's any place around here (or eastern seaboard) where you can get authentic soba noodles. They look good enough to go out of your way for, but perhaps not Japan-out-of-your-way.

Ten years ago, there used to be a place in NYC that was only soba noodles, but he sold the place or the lease and moved back to Japan. Doing a quick search it seems a few new places have popped up, here's a NYT review of Soba Totto.

If you ever do make it to Tokyo, here's something to try. Classes at the Tsukiji Soba Academy.

[goldenticket]

Did anyone else have the pleasure of catching Bourdain's self-indulgent trip to Bizarro World on the No Reservations holiday special? Completely lacking in promotion by the network, per his Twitter feed, the show featured several interesting guests. My favorites were Christopher Walken and Lidia Bastianich, closely followed by Samantha Brown (or should, I say "Clown"?). And it's not every day you get to hear Norah Jones sing (in Catalan) the soundtrack to an animated short about the "Pooping Log" .... which is probably a good thing.