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Q&A
Tony Bourdain Would Pimp for Prada
The No Reservations star shares his plans, real and imagined
Anthony Bourdain was in Chicago late last month on a book tour for No Reservations: Around the World on an Empty Stomach, the behind-the-scenes journal of his hot series on the Travel Channel. ¶ Over a few beers at his hotel bar, Bourdain proudly flashed a photo of his then-seven-month-old daughter, Ariane, for whom he made the ultimate sacrifice: quitting smoking. But even without nicotine, Bourdain is still Bourdain: He relived the horrors of a recent shoot in a Jamaican cave, spoke of his hopes to produce yet another epic travel series with a certain Crocs-clogged chef, and revealed that he’s going back to cooking.
Why did you quit smoking completely—rather than just not smoke around the baby?
It just became so hard. I mean, where am I going to smoke? I can’t smoke in my own apartment—the last refuge. … [A]ll that would be left would be the short distance between the hotel and the media escort’s car, and during shows, in which case I’d kind of only be smoking for television, and that seems fundamentally wrong. I’m going to end up like Hunter Thompson—tragic. And I’m not wearing the leather jacket anymore either. I mean, occasionally I’ll bring my old friend down. I joke about bobbleheads: I’m not going to become an action figure.
What’s with the book?
You were there! It’s our never-ending summer vacation isn’t it? Who gets to do what we do? It’s fun going where we go. Being able to go to cool places and be treated well and have lusty adventures in faraway places that you’ve only seen in movies. It doesn’t suck. It just absolutely is great.
What’s been the best show for you?
Tuscany was the most fun show to do ever. We were staying in this incredible villa. Right in the same town as Dario [Cecchini]—and Dario drops by. Faith Willinger was in town. Cesare [Casella] comes up to cook, hang out, and bring us gigantic truffles. People are giving us cheese that’s so good you want to black out. It was ludicrously good.
How was Jamaica? I heard you had a tough scene.
The single hardest scene [we] ever shot. Ever. Ever. Insane. We went caving. In the middle of the jungle. Down a shit-filled, guano-slicked tube. [Cameramen] Todd [Liebler] and Zach [Zamboni] are going, “This is fucked up. This is insanely reckless behavior.” [Segment producer] Diane [Schutz] said, “I thought there were going to be guardrails. And a gift shop.” You had to lower yourself down through moss-covered tree roots. It was horrifying. And covered with cockroaches.
But it’s going to make great television.
I heard you were going to be producing another show?
I hope this Mario [Batali] thing really goes through [for Travel Channel]. It looks like it’s going to happen. I think it’s going to be the greatest thing on television ever.
It will be an exhaustive, definitive Italy series with the kind of production values that Planet Earth had. It will let Mario be the fucking genius that we know he is: able to talk about everything from Renaissance architecture to rock-and-roll b-sides to food, geography, everything. It will just unleash him.
It is my expectation that it will be a series. Especially given his shoddy treatment at Food Network. Who wouldn’t want to make TV with us?
Why don’t you do endorsements?
I’ve done no endorsements ever. Amstel had some deal with MSN—they were paying for the page or something like that. I got no money. I got paid to write prose for MSN, which I did. Amstel? I don’t drink it. I’ll tell you right up front.
I think it’s vanity. I was having a very thoughtful conversation about this with Rocco DiSpirito—whom I make a lot of fun of, but who’s not a stupid guy—and another chef, whom I won’t mention, whom I really respect. I felt foolish at the end of the conversation. I mean, what is my problem? I think I’m behind the curve on this. Maybe it’s cynical, but I think to be honest with myself it is sheer vanity that prevents me from doing it. At this point it’s almost a fault. I’m looking to lose my cherry to the right guy, I guess. I’m thinking Aston Martin—my ankles will be behind my ears in a hot second! Aston Martin, and Prada, I’m there!
What about offers to be a partner in a restaurant?
It’s happened recently. “Here are monstrous sums of money to just show up with your friends once a month.” And it’s in a city I really like. And it’s not even once a month: “When you can, bring some friends. Spend as much money as you like. Stay in the presidential suite.” But you know what I’m thinking? I’m thinking, “I’ve been in the restaurant business long enough to know that you want to put your name anywhere near the door, you better know everything—everything.” The bartender serves some 17-year-old girl, and she goes out and gets into a car wreck, and it’s “Girl Dies at Bourdain Restaurant.” No way. I’d be freaked out if I saw online that somebody found a fly in their soup or their plate was crusty. I’d take that personally. With the restaurant business, you’re either crazy enough to go all the way or you don’t bother.
What about a place like Mario’s with the Spotted Pig? Let’s say Fergus [Henderson] wanted to open a place?
Fergus? I’d do anything with Fergus. Anytime. Blind. I don’t care. We could kill 17-year-olds with regularity! I will personally serve 17-year-olds if I’m in business with Fergus!
How’s your cooking these days?
Well we’ll find out for sure on the “Into the Fire” special we’re doing Christmas week. We’re shooting it. We’re going back to Les Halles. I’m doing a double shift on sauté station. There are twice as many seats as there used to be. I will work sauté station for lunch and dinner.
And my grill bitch will be Eric [Ripert]! Can you imagine? Customers are going to shit themselves when they see us there! You know, “[It’s the] fish dude!” Most I ever did at Les Halles was 365 [plates]—that was when the dining room was half as big as it is now. Lunch was about 120, 140—it’s turn and burn.
Photograph courtesy of Diane Schutz and the Travel Channel; photo-illustration by Sean McCabe
Louisa Chu is a chef and food writer who’s cooked her way through the world’s hottest kitchens, from El Bulli to Alinea. And yeah, that’s her taking Anthony Bourdain on the Paris meat market tour in No Reservations on the Travel Channel. Louisa can currently be found in Gourmet’s Diary of a Foodie on PBS, Gourmet’s Choptalk, and her own food blog, Movable Feast.
That was pretty interesting. The Mario show seems really intriguing. Also, I'm glad that Tony and Rocco made up: their blog war was entertaining while it lasted though.
I was there.
The other chef he won't mention was Rachel Ray.
I doubt it. He said "chef who I really respect" and I know she doesn't fall into that category for him.
Regardless of Bourdain's level of respect for her, Rachel Ray isn't a chef, though she has certainly found her niche and holds great appeal for many.
I am very much looking forward to the Batali show. Mario seems to be one of the few personalities on food related TV who is more passionate about the food, and really understanding its history and utilization, than the publicity and fame.
I adore Bourdain and hope the absence of his jacket and cigarettes don't affect his swagger. His unique disposition seems unaltered in this interview, but if he gives up booze, I am going to get nervous.
The most refreshing thing about AB is his fundamental honesty. We may not all agree with everything he says, but you have to admit nine times out of ten he hits the nail right on the head and comes out with what we all think but would be reluctant to put into print. Keep it up AB!
I used to think Bourdain was great, & he turned me on to a few good things, in this interview he just seems like a self obsessed, conceited c**t. Yu aint no fun any more go & write another poxy book AB!
Hey Daddy tell me it ain't so!
I think Bourdain has his good points and bad points. His "honesty" is overrated. It's the easiest thing in the world to freely offer up ones opinionated and biased notions without taking the time to consider any counterpoints or information that you might be missing. Bourdain has no balance and that's how he's shaped an image which has served him well. That sort of abrasiveness only works on T.V. where one caters to short attention spans and a preference to be "educated" in sound bites and quips.
Bourdain is a talented writer and journalist, so, Orchid64, I disagree with your assessment above.
He's blunt, snarky, self-consciously un-pc, but he's not just made for TV! But yeah, if you're looking for a diplomat, look somewhere else.
its too bad his restaurants stink so badly as he runs around being a smug self satisifed celebrity
its too bad his restaurants stink so badly as he runs around being a smug self satisfied celebrity
I honestly doubt he would ever refer to Rachel Ray as someone whom he respects, or even call her a "chef". Maybe he was referring to Alton Brown.
I don't know why people expect chefs to be nice. The restaurant world is not a place for shrinking violets. For anyone who thinks so, I suggest reading "No Reservations" by Bourdain or "Humble Pie" by Gordon Ramsey.
Jason C - Where are these "restaurants" that you claim are his? Bourdain does not own or run any restaurants. He was (and possibly still is on paper) the executive chef at Les Halles in NYC and that's it.
As others have said, it is a mixed bag with Bourdain. He can be fun, his travel channel show is usually interesting.
But the snob level is so high I often choke. If I want to eat at Applebees I will and you can go to your secret Chef places that I can't get into...whoooo.. BFD. However, I do not like food snobs of any stripe.
I am glad he quit smoking.
As others have said, it is a mixed bag with Bourdain. He can be fun, his travel channel show is usually very interesting.
But the snob level is so high I often choke on my drink. If that's what it's like in the restaurant world, I wouldn't have liked it.
I am glad he quit smoking.
I saw Mario out of his food element once with Michael Stipe of R.E.M. in an iconoclasts episode. He is very passionate and knows alot about music.I can't wait for Tony and Mario to do this show it will rock.
The Tony and Mario thing sounds great. They're pretty close friends, and I doubt there's anyone on TV who knows more about food than Mario. I ate at his then only restaurant about 10 years ago, and the meal was so incredible we ordered more appetizers after dinner, just to explore the menu more completely. Also, it was highly affordable.
from "A Cook's Tour" - "For two hours, I sat and drank and nibbled caviar with blini, watching the most outrageously ugly and pointless violence I'd ever witnessed.... It was nauseating. It was ugly. It was kinda cool." (pp. 82-83)
ever since i read that i've been hoping that they would show him get seriously hurt on his show. guess it didn't happen. maybe some italian will just kick him in the balls. now that would be great television.
I think it's funny that he thinks he's the ringleader of the bad-ass culinary world, guys like Mario, Ripert, Fergus Henderson, and Gabrielle Hamilton. Either way, you can't say it isn't cool. His writing is superb and his show is entertaining. He's making the food world better, so I'm not complaining. Hopefully I can steal his job one day.
To me, the No Reservations show is very interesting but AB as a TV personality seems wooden and unsure of himself. It's as if they got this fantastic writer and cultural observer to do a show but didn't gave him any sort of TV/camera training. Maybe that's the way it's supposed to be, and maybe some find that refreshing.
I think this is one of the more entertaining shows on TV right now...I think AB is a hilarious, sarcastic, tell it like it is New Yorker and that is why we love him. He genuinely tries to go with the flow and not offend people of other cultures when he is in situations and places where some of us would run for the hills. I don't find him snotty or pretentious at all...but I am glad he gave up the cigarettes!
Mr. Bourdain is a classier person then I am, because I think Rachael Ray is one of the most annoying, obnoxious, "non-chef" people to ever pop on a food channel!!!!! Miss EVOO, "yummo", nails on a chalkboard voice of hers is enough to make me want to jump out a window!!!! I like the fact he says what he means and means what he says!! I love watching No Reservations! The episode where he got that body twisting massage in Russia, I could have peed my pants at his narration during that show!!! He's confident, cocky, and I like his no bull crap says it like it is persona!!!!