No Reservations - Tony Bourdain

Don't forget, folks - the new season of "No Reservations" starts tonight on the Travel Channel (62 on Insight), 10 P.M.!!

Thanks for the heads up. I just think the world of Anthony. He's visited so many of the places I've been and lived in in Central/South America that I feel like home again when watching the show. He's got the best job ever!!! Here's a question for all of you, what's been your favorite episode?

Well, that's rough. I loved the Beirut episode. I loved the New Orleans episode. I loved the Viet Nam episodes, because he obviously loves that country so much. I also loved - where was it? - the one where he wrecked the 4-wheeler in the desert. Or maybe the episode where he visited the Mexican hometown of some of his cooks at Les Halles...

I never thought he'd quit smoking - but I'm so glad he did! Does anyone know if the woman he recently married (and has a baby with!) is the girl that was their fixer in a couple of episodes? The two of them certainly seemed to have a good rapport going. I do feel a little sorry for his ex-wife, who stuck by him all those years while he was totally wild and underpaid - but who knows? Maybe the whole thing (divorce) was her idea.

They need Bourdain on Top Chef asap. The episodes he judges are by far the most entertaining.

They need Bourdain on Top Chef asap. The episodes he judges are by far the most entertaining.

Also: the most realistic in commentary, and every synonym for realistic there is.

LOVED the Sichuan episode. Hilarious, and I really wanted to try that steaming vat of pepper infused oil.

"What is your major malfunction Dipsh..? Love it. That was from Top Chef, hilarious.
I have to say I like the episode when he goes to El Bulli in Spain.

Big Bourdain fan here as well.. I didnt think much of that one episode talk show thing he did though. I was told he later apologized to his fans for it online, but I wasnt able to find it. Glad the new season is here at last.

Loved the El Bulli.
I think my favorite was visiting the family in rural China. It reminded me of immense hospitality of the people there- any time I was off on my own in that country people invited me in for food at dinnertime even though we had no common language.
The episode where the pig (I think) was killed was very illuminating too- he made it very clear where, exactly, our food comes from and the psychic toll is takes from the uninitiated.

My fav moment was when he was in Tokyo (or was it Kobe?) at the tiny mom and pop sushi 'closet', when he stated he intended to ABUSE the company expense account that night.

Wunderbar.... The Beruit episode was also a favorite here. His first book is one of my favorite things on the planet.

Which book was his first: Kitchen Confidential? After I finished that, I decided I was not a TB fan and so have avoided him in all media. Obviously, my mileage varies

We just finished dinner not long before tonight's episode came on, and now I'm hungry. And I'm going to Mexico some day if it's the last thing I do!

Yay! Was about mexico...

Which book was his first: Kitchen Confidential? After I finished that, I decided I was not a TB fan and so have avoided him in all media. Obviously, my mileage varies

Yep, that's the one. Even though I loved the book, I found Bourdain himself sort of off-putting, and especially on the heels of his first foodtv show. He was a little too callow for my taste, too sarcastic sort of bad boy kind of a guy. And then I started to like him quite a lot when his new show came out and said as much over at egullet, including the bit about the sort of tough guy adolescent in a leather jacket in his earlier guise and the fact that he had softened a lot, was more polite, sort of self-mocking more than before, gentler, a nice man. The next day there was Bourdain quoting Prufrock at me. He was really sweet about it. So of course I liked him more than ever.