The chef, who begins his sixth season hosting the Travel Channel’s “No Reservations” on January 11th, talks about the impact of Japanese cuisine on his own cooking, his favorite drink, and his near-death ATV accident.
Interviewed by Dacus Thompson
Illustrations by Joe McKendry
Photo Courtesy Travel Channel
What adventure most changed your life?
The first time I arrived in Japan and found myself in a city where I didn’t speak the language, had no idea what was going on around me. I could only compare it to dropping acid for the first time. Much more accomplished Western chefs than me came back from Tokyo wondering what to do next. How do you live with the burden of all this enlightenment?
What should every man know about women?
They are stronger than us. If you’ve ever hauled a 28-pound two-year-old around New York, you’ll find that men fold at the knees a lot quicker than women.
What’s the best way to impress a woman?
Pretend to know what you’re doing. One of life’s terrible truths is that women like guys who seem to know what they’re doing.
How do you make your favorite drink?
A Negroni. One-third good gin, one-third Campari, one-third sweet vermouth in a glass with some ice and a gossamer-thin slice of orange. Mario Batali taught me, simultaneously ruining my life and improving it, as he often does.
Who’s the toughest guy you know?
Marco Pierre White. He’s a British chef and a hero of mine. There are plenty of people in this world who can take a beating. Real toughness comes from people who stay true to themselves and don’t give a fuck what anyone else thinks.
What’s the best piece ofadvice you’ve ever received?
Show up on time. An employer of mine back in the ’80s was kind enough to take me on after a rough patch, and it made a big difference in my life that I knew I was the sort of person who showed up on time. It’s a basic tell of character.
What tool should every man own?
A good, and this is an important distinction, well-maintained — kept in a cool, dry place and regularly sharpened and honed — professional-quality chef knife, whether Japanese or German, speaks well of a man.
What skill should every man have?
To know how to make an omelet. It’s one of those dishes where your true nature reveals itself — how fastidious you are in the kitchen; how you move, graceful or ungraceful. It’s not a recipe; it’s technique.
What skill would you still like to master?
I wish I could play bass like Larry Graham or Bootsy Collins. My God, I’d give up just about everything else for that.
What’s the best cure for a hangover?
I have never found a better one, I regret to say, than Coca-Cola, a joint, and some really spicy food. I’m a big believer in spicy. It scares the evil out.
How should a man best face his fears?
“What the fuck” is a good mantra. The answer to overcoming fear is an uncomfortable truth that your life just isn’t that important.
How should a man handle getting old?
A little dignity goes a long way. There comes a time to take the earring off. There’s a time to stop dancing in public. I don’t know who said it, but at 40 or 50 every man gets the face he deserves. I’m not a believer in improving that.
What advice would you give the younger you?
I’ve made pretty much every terrible mis-take you could make. Cocaine, crack, heroin. But the sort of person I was, and would be again if I lived my life over, is the sort of person who at 17 would just not listen.
What one thing do you want to do before you die?
I want to be on The Simpsons. My voice is getting high and squeaky just thinking about it.
Have you ever cheated death?
(I) A few years ago in New Zealand I was riding an ATV and didn’t hear the guy in front of me say, “Don’t do this.”
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(II) I ended up rolling it over myself numerous times on a steep sand dune. I think everyone who was watching it pretty much expected me to die.
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(III) Then I was on a talk show where we watched the footage along with Ozzy Osbourne, who himself had been badly injured in an ATV accident. Afterward he was following me around backstage like a concerned grandfather, just shaking his head and saying, “You could have been killed!”
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This article originally appeared in the December 2009/January 2010 issue of Men’s Journal.
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January 16th, 2010 at 1:41 pm
rolled an atv down a hill of soft sand? and almost died? stop being such a pussy!
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dave g. Reply:
March 10th, 2010 at 10:16 am
you must not have seen the footage! he totally bit it.
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January 19th, 2010 at 11:54 pm
A man how values Integrity could put a value in his life great Interview
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January 21st, 2010 at 3:48 pm
Revealing, yet oozes sexiness! This is what every woman wants to hear! A man who is not afraid to say what he truly thinks, yet, his thoughts are profound! For that comment regarding falling down the sand dune, I am surprised he´s still alive! That´s like hitting cement! Dude´s got 9 lives! We need more men like Tony! We should think of him for 007. Dunno if he could pull off the English accent with his NYC brogue! Go Tony! We love you!
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February 28th, 2010 at 12:57 pm
Great show, however his writing is superb. Seems to have a rhythm and a cadence that can captivate a listener. I enjoy the cultural attachments to his always humorous dialogue.
By far the best food show on TV.
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March 2nd, 2010 at 1:59 pm
One comment I’d like to make to Anthony about traveling in Muslim countries: NEVER, NEVER, NEVER eat with your left hand! The left hand is considred the “unclean” hand because they use their left hand for toilet functions. To use one’s left hand for eating or touching food is a major taboo, and I saw Anthony eating pidgeon holding it with both hands while in Egypt. The man with him was holding the whole pidgeon with his right hand and his left hand stayed in his lap — it should not even be visible at the table. Shame on Anthony and his staff for not knowing or observing this custom after all this travel in the Middle East.
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dave g. Reply:
March 10th, 2010 at 10:18 am
they covered this on the show. were you in the bathroom?
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FTW Reply:
March 15th, 2010 at 6:30 pm
janna: FAIL
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dave Reply:
March 16th, 2010 at 6:50 am
I take that as a yes.
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August 21st, 2010 at 5:09 am
No Reservations is by far the best Travel Channel TV show. Tony recently filmed a fantastic episode in Rome, aired in black-and-white. The pictures are amazing, I found some on this website http://www.photographymojo.com/2010/08/no-reservation-in-rome-the-classy-side-of-anthony-bourdain/
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September 13th, 2010 at 1:25 pm
But I am not agree with impressing a woman by knowing what I am doing. It needs some money with some luck
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January 9th, 2011 at 10:33 pm
I think Anthony Bourdain sucks. I just saw him on television with a family of savage/bullies. They had a tiny armadillo who was being held by some horrible kid and who was shaking in fear. Some other bullies took the poor animal off to be killed. Then Bourdain and the family of savages/bullies sat down and ate the flesh of the poor creature. I have always hated those who pick on those who cannot defend themselves. That’s why I hate Bourdain and pray that one day he gets a taste of his own medicine.
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Tom Reply:
March 13th, 2011 at 5:05 pm
That’s because you are an idiot. Armadillos don’t think or have feelings, you moron.
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GW Reply:
March 14th, 2011 at 8:01 am
@Tom
They are a hell of a lot smarter than you. And apparently, your parents who did a horrible job raising you. They were too inbred and stupid to tell you that all animals experience pain, suffering and fear. Or, they taught you that such things don’t matter. Either way, pretty sad and pathetic.
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Tom Reply:
March 14th, 2011 at 9:30 am
Wild animals live with “pain, suffering, and fear” their whole lives. It’s just natural. EVERYTHING EATS EVERYTHING all of the time. I guess you’ve never seen a big fish swallow a little fish ALIVE! How do you think the little fish “feels” being swallowed alive? Or a cute squirrel munching on a live baby bird that it just pulled from it’s nest. Yes, they do that! Or hear the dying scream of a rabbit as a fox rips it to shreds. Since my home is built on 40 acres of woodlands far from the city and I have wildlife running all over the place, I see and hear things like this everyday. If Bourdain and his “savages” decided to eat the Armadillo, most likely it was dispatched quickly. Chances are if it was roaming around “enjoying life”, its fate may not have been that easy. You need to get out more and see what nature is all about. As far as Bourdain, if he wants to eat Armadillos, I say, go for it.
Tom
Wildlife Biologist
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GW Reply:
March 14th, 2011 at 10:11 am
As a human, you have the choice of eating or not eating animals. Wild animals, who are carnivores, don’t have that choice. The fact that humans choose to eat animals when they don’t have to, shows how cruel, pathetic and mean-spirited our species can be. The fact that we have shows that celebrate the killing and eating of other species who cannot defend themselves is one more example. Killing and eating a little armadillo – wow, Bourdain is a hard man, a real hero, LMFOA. Guess we won’t see him taking on the Taliban anytime soon; that “prey” actually shoots back. Another coward.
Tom Reply:
March 14th, 2011 at 11:03 am
Humans are part of nature too, and we are “omnivores”, which means that we can eat other animals if we want too. If you are a vegetarian, that is fine. That is a personal choice. If Bourdain wants to eat Armadillos, rats, bugs, whatever, that is his choice, and it is just as natural and ethical for him to do so as it is for you to eat plants. We grow a big garden here, and we also eat a lot of venison…which is the best pure natural protein that you can get. The difference is, we actually go out and kill, butcher, and process our meat. We are not hypocrites. What bothers me more are the morons who talk about the “poor” animals while munching on their steak sandwich. Or the morons who want me to eat nothing but plants. We all kill to live. If you own a cotton t-shirt, and most of us do, then you indirectly condone the killing of animals. Drive by a cotton field sometime, it is a wasteland. Nothing grows there but cotton. Baby quail will starve to death (and do) in large cotton fields. Every poor little bug is killed by the pesticides that are used to produce your clothes. Without pesticides, cotton would be devoured by “nature” and your t-shirt would cost as much as silk (oops, made by torturing caterpillars). Same goes for corn and other crops. There is no way that we can “organically” grow enough crops to feed and clothes ourselves. In simple terms, you directly or indirectly kill things every day. Just because you don’t do it with your bare hands doesn’t make your life any more morally-just or ethical than anyone else’s, including Bourdain’s.
George Reply:
June 13th, 2011 at 10:16 pm
GW, grow some balls, get off a Men’s website, your acting like a tool.
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May 15th, 2011 at 2:31 pm
“hope one day he gets a taste of his own medicine”? Really? You hope he’s tortured and eaten by armadillos? Harsh. Very harsh.
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June 2nd, 2011 at 7:43 am
Anthony is genius! Highly entertaining and very down to earth. I can’t take my eyes or ears off of him!!
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