When most people grow up, they want to be doctors, lawyers, firefighters or financial consultants this is Dartmouth, after all. I, however, want to be Anthony "Tony" Bourdain. Bourdain is neither a famous movie star, nor a budding billionaire or politician, but rather the chain-smoking, narcissistic host of "Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations," a Travel Channel show that appeals to food enthusiasts and world travelers alike.
"No Reservations" has a simple premise: Bourdain travels the world exploring local culture and cuisine. This theme has been oft-repeated in many other travel shows, most notably "Bizarre Foods" and "Man vs. Food," Bourdain's sister shows on the Travel Channel.
But while other shows cater to our desire to see weird-looking people eat disgusting stuff a lingering symptom of the "Fear Factor" era "No Reservations" is a sincere yet entertaining exploration of local delicacies and off-the-beaten path locales. No tours of the Pyramids or Eiffel Tower here. Bourdain's shows bypasses these tourist traps and delves into the culture of the common folk instead.
While some people watch "No Reservations" for the filming locations the show has featured cities as near as New York City and as far as Osaka, Japan most watch it for the sumptuous cuisine that Bourdain discovers every episode. Bourdain does not limit himself to popular food joints, like many other food-oriented shows. Rather, he recognizes the full breadth of each country's gastronomy, from local street foods to haute cuisine.
As a native of Chicago, food shows' treatment of the Second City often just a 30-minute rundown of downtown's deep dish pizza chains frequently displeases me. In his episode on Chicago, however, Bourdain travels the entire city, North Side to South Side, exploring all the diverse influences that make Chicago cuisine some of the best in the world.
Some may be put off by Bourdain's trademark narcissism, cockiness and sarcasm. These faults are strangely charming and refreshing, a welcome departure from the contrived filming of other travel shows. Bourdain, a well-known New York chef and author, is brutally honest. When something's bad, it's bad (fermented shark, anyone?) But more often than not, the food tastes (and looks) fantastic, providing a small glimpse at the popular treats eaten around the world.
"No Reservations" wrapped up its seventh season in September, celebrating its 100th episode with a special trip to Paris, the site of the show's first episode. New episodes are already in the works, with possible trips to Iran, Papua New Guinea and Ethiopia. "No Reservations" airs at several times during the day on the Travel Channel, although nearly every episode can be viewed instantly on Netflix.
"No Reservations" is a guilty pleasure for me, a show that makes my stomach growl even if I'm stuffed to the gills. No other series has made me want to forsake my culture and gorge myself on all the foods my grandma would only refer to as "treif" non-Kosher food, for the Yiddish-impaired. I can pretend to disavow pork or seafood, but when Bourdain makes a trip to a South Carolina barbecue, or a Berlin biergarten, I can't help but wish I was standing right next to our irritable host, eating ribs, crab and everything else forbidden.
