Anthony Bourdain

I avoided watching Anthony Bourdain for years. People insisted I should take a look. I tried once a long time ago, and I guess I came across the worst. His bland excitement without the ability to explain it. I found empty his promises of something special, amazing, and exclusive by just standing in the middle uof it. His constant references to his rehab and his rehab buddies plus his constant "relapses" on TV just bored me.

Then I saw he had some on the Caribbean, so I recorded them. And Bourdain was smart. He accepted his shortcomings, and let a knowledgeable local to guide the script for some of the episodes, and at times the product was true and beautiful.

The feeling of eating and drinking in a Caribbean Island is indescribable. I am not referring to the feeling of vacation, but Anthony Bourdain gets close to what it is. The sense of time doesn't exist. The only measure that matters is how high or low is the Sun. It is only important because you should take cover, apply sunblock, or time to eat and drink more.

Time doesn't matter like in the commercials of Parrot Bay rum. In every other episode, he is eating a meal, and you have the sense that it will end. In the Caribbean, Anthony Bourdain spends the whole night eating, drinking and telling stories with all sorts of people, and the sea is always there. We are just guests and witnesses of the sea. The sense of one meal or one drink doesn't exist. And what is very unique about the Caribbean is that you can do this with anyone. It just happens. You could be talking until 6 am with a fisherman, a maid, the housewife, the boss, the general. It just doesn't matter.

You can return the next day, the next month or in 10 years. You will be invited by the same people to drink rum and eat fresh seafood hearing the waves rumble like you never left, and they expect nothing in return because that is the contract. That is the only way it can be possible. There is a reason why Hemingway lived in Cuba for so long. You live, eat, drink, and dance on the beach just to see another sunset. It is your only deadline.

I really shouldn't have watched him at all given that he went to Miami, and he was going to ignore the Cuban influence. But at the end, he gives in and drinks Cuban coffee before leaving.

I end up coming across pretty good episodes like France, Spain, Madrid, Japan, Washington DC, Venice, Caribbean Island Hopping, Chicago, French Polynesia, and Argentina.

Through Bourdain and the excuse of meeting chefs, you get to experience another culture for what it is and without the tourist glass.

Madrid was stunning about the food. A Chef says I don't know where the limit is. Mom and Pop restaurants that are the best of its kind because it is their way, and they are the representation of that area's cuisine. It wasn't read in books. Books were written about them. Just to hear their Castillean accent makes it an occasion.

In the Venice's episode, the language spoken is ancient and poetic. An artist talks about how Venice residents know so much about Art as a natural extension of their lives surrounded by so much history. He says the locals would teach him when they walked by. One told him he hadn't realized he was following the Sun constantly repainting over the shade. Another one told him he was afraid of leaving empty space on the canvas. They just said that he was frightened of the Void. These people were raised among  Masterpieces, and they had learned the critical eye for art the same way any other kid learns to ride a bike. He found himself in another dimension, and he couldn't get out. He decided to make Venice his home.

Chicago: Edgy. good conversation with other chefs.

It is almost like Gauguin directs the French Polynesia episode. Anthony Bourdain uses Gauguin references constantly to guide him through the Islands. This just makes it worth it by itself.

The Japan' episode is probably one of the coolest exposures to Japanese culture without embellishment. It shows some real and deep cultural characteristics and habits of few Japanese trades: cooking, flower arrangements, Kendo, knife making, and bartending. Anthony Bourdain lets the Japanese chefs or Kenpo masters speak for themselves spontaneously with no edits. The best of the episodes is when Bourdain let the episode be led by others giving beautiful and raw information. This is one of them.

The same occurred with France. It is very hard to give the French sense of the cafe. But he does it, and it ends with it. He connects constantly present France with the old one of centuries ago, and that is the enchantment.

A must see is Beirut to know what is to be in the middle of a conflict. Having been rescued by US Marines at sea, I can tell you this episode is electrifying and truthful. When the US Marines show up, you know you are saved. The episode is chaos, angst, and hours passing without anything to do. Having been in situations like this one, I can say Bourdain's feeling of relief is the same for every person who found themselves in a conflict and were rescued by US troops.

An amazing, truly remarkable experience is the one with the Eskimos. I think it was the British Columbia episode. The difference in perspective between an American and the Eskimos makes Bourdain hope that the cute seal gets away while the Eskimo is proud of his hunt.

And there is no better anthropological insight into this culture than what follows. They live in a house with tables and chairs. But to my surprise, they sat on the kitchen floor around the seal like back in an igloo, and they devoured the seal fresh without fire, plates, or silverwares. You could see the elders amused like opening a Christmas present. This was probably their childhood family get-togethers after days of hunting. Anthony Bourdain deserves a medal for this. With great reluctance and out of great respect for these people, he tried the greatest treat only reserved for the elders or special guests: the eye of the nice cute seal he was hoping would get away.

He has the ability to let himself follow the trail of food without fear, and he finds himself in unexpected places. At the end of the day, it is probably the Chef, having prepared and experimented with every food source,  who is best prepared to trust the fact that all humans are alike and the ritual is in essence the same no matter how fancy or surprising it might look.

Stay away from:

Tuscany (He gave up and gave the script to his camera man. Weird. maybe one of his TV relapses)
LA,
Anything Eastern Europe or Russia. He has this guide who doesn't have a clue. (Zimmer's episode on Russia is better.)
Panama (Who cares about Noriega's house. 20 minutes on that). He gets to burn 40 tons of drugs with the DEA. 

I kind of owe an apology to the people who recommended Anthony Bourdain. You are right. A dozen episodes are so good that they make up for the other 100 episodes I avoided.


Adding to the list of good ones:
Hong Kong. What a great view into this world. Lost in Translation with actual conversations. The best noodles in the city are made in an apartment in the bad side of town. The only master left from the ancient Chinese art of food. This is one of the most magical moments ever captured.

Pacific Northwest. Interesting look at Oregon young cooking culture.