Can't wait for tonight's show. I think there was an Esquire or Vanity Fair article about him and the filming of this series. I remember thinking how interesting it would be, and the Viet Nam show is supposed to be very very good.

I've met a couple of NYC chefs and the comment re: Rocco was spot on...his peers don't think much of him, and he's not been all that successful, either. It's a tough business, especially in NYC. Tony Bourdain has many many friends in the NYC chef circle.

The Vietnam one was superb -- only one bleep out and some great cultural stuff! He stayed in Hanoi at the Sifotel Metropole, which was where I took a cooking class almost two years ago!

uhoh_busted: Actually Rocco DiSpirito was considered to be a very talented chef during his heyday at Union Pacific. Where he went wrong was with the red-sauce Italian restaurant and the disastrous TV show.

Loved the show last night. Can you believe he drank that whiskey(?) that had that God-awful stuff floating in it? How does he not get deathly ill? You know that meat was not properly refrigerated and handled well. I know that if you grow up with that your immune system is differnt than those that don't. It was funny when he couldn't recognize the meat being cut up..what were they calling it? Turned out to be porcupine! Mr. Chairman was kind of creepy wasn't he?

Watching the Anthony Boudain travel show (and the Chef's Tour) has been such a treat......funny and interesting. He's not 'hyping' anything...and that's great. BTW --he was on the Mario Malto show as a guest tasting the food......and I saw that he had Mario on his "New Jersey" show. I bet his a fun person to know. We don't get Rudy Maxa often (like him too -- but you know he's constanting advertising on that show) and we do like Rick Steves -- lots of good practical info. But Anthony Boudain is so entertaining and goes to places that most of us wouldn't venture to. Just my 2 cents!!

Hey sandi_travelnut: I loved last night's episode, too. I think he was calling the meat "squeazel" until he realized it was porcupine. The hubby and I were in stitches. I think the producer must be as nutty as Bourdain is, because the way the show is edited is so bizzare and great. I missed the New Jersey episode...hopefully it will repeat sometime down the road.

Lutece, when is your Paris trip?

The NJ show has already repeated so I don't know if you'll see it. It wasn't nearly as entertaining as the Iceland or Vietnam show.

Guess I'm in the minority, but I liked the NJ show a lot -- found it had more substance, less shtick. It was both cultural/cuisine travel and time travel, said some things about US food that haven't been much discussed except as a matter of medical shame. Was as shocked by that old HoJo's as I was by the rat display in Paris -- that whole place had the soul of dirty fingernails, after a glorious history of fried clams and the best ice cream.

I just love Tony! I heard him speak at a book signing in Delray Beach on a Sunday. A few nights later we went to Les Halles in Miami for dinner. The waiter told us that Tony had been there Saturday night and greeted all the patrons. Man, I wish I had known. When I saw him in Delray Beach, it was the next day after that dinner and he did look a bit hung over. He is so witty and entertaining. I love the way he writes and the way he speaks. I'd listen to him talk about anything. Travel channel? He should be on network TV. Much better than Gordon Ramsey and "Hell's Kitchen."

Sandi_travelnut - We leave Friday afternoon! I am totally ready for a vacation. And we still have plans to hit the Pantheon to check on your painting. We do have a few more apartment chores than we originally thought we would, but it won't be ruining our fun! We finish our trip in Germany this time to visit friends, so that will be great, too. I guess I'll have to tape No Reservations while we're gone!

The Travel Channel is showing a rerun of Paris. It started at 9. There is another rerun at 10 but I don't know which episode. Tomorrow night is Malaysia.

Question: are there tours of Rungis Market?

Anthony Bourdain wore a white paper coat and was accompanied by a young woman. There appeared to be groups of people working their way around the food on display.

Does anyone know the name and location of the bakery he visited in the Paris show? I was salivating just watching it, I leave in 2 weeks!!!!!

I don't have his show in Dublin. Where did he go in NJ? I am curious as a former NJ girl. I read kitchen confidential when it came out and it brought back some memories from orking in restaurants and kitchens in my college days. I met some real characters and learned a lot about people.

Ah, I found it.

Pascal Pinaud Boulangerie/Patisserie
70 Rue Monge
Paris 75005

Yum!~

The Vietnam show I only have one word to describe it: Squeezel!! LoL

Thanks LoriNY for posting the address of the bakery that was actually the real reason for my posting. Now did the baker teach at Cordon Bleu or am I mistaken.

I love this show. I think he is outrageous, but such a breath of fresh air after the plastic personalities on the other cooking/travel shows.

I'm so impressed (and a little jealous) that he can eat just about anything. How wonderful to be able to truly immerse yourself in a strange culture by sitting at a table in an open market and eating what everyone else eats. (I, however, would NOT eat the soup he had made of a bull's privates!!)

This is one of my favorite shows.

Did he kill the pig last night? I was on my own emotional edge and had to switch channels. The poor little piggies squeals were too much for me.

Yes, as a courtesy to his hosts, he did kill the pig. I believe that he was genuinely upset and felt very guilty.

After a few shots of the local liquor and after sampling the roasted pig, he felt much better.

I think we like him because of his'bad boy' image. A good looking, well traveled writer, who cooks and has a big time attitude - what more can you ask for in a man?

DH - if you read this, you are good looking and well traveled - 2 out of 5 ain't bad.

Nina