How Anthony Bourdain Chose The Restaurants Featured On His Shows

While he may not be with us anymore, Anthony Bourdain's influence in the realm of food and culture has not waned. In addition to providing indelible cooking lessons, Bourdain took us along on his travels and food adventures all over the world in his shows, the most notable of which were "Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations," which ran from 2005 to 2012 on the Travel Channel; and "Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown," which continued the journey on CNN between 2013 and 2018. 

Over more than 20 seasons of television, Bourdain ate at restaurants in almost every corner of the world, from New Jersey to Myanmar to Ecuador and everywhere in between. The process for choosing restaurants varied from place to place, but the heart of the decision-making stayed the same: Bourdain's genuine curiosity about the world and appreciation for people. 

In an interview with Eater, Bourdain explained that while on shoots, he often brainstormed with his crew about where to go next that they hadn't been before. "A lot of it comes from, maybe, movies I've seen. ... Or maybe I read about something in the paper, saw a film, or somebody reached out with a history and a particular point of view that excites me," he said. When it came to picking individual restaurants, it took a mix of industry connections, internet research, and embracing local reviewers, which Bourdain recommended anyone do when traveling.

Bourdain told National Geographic that in order to find the best meal in an unfamiliar city, "It helps to be a chef. There is an international chef mafia that helps. We use the Internet a lot; we look to local bloggers. We spend a lot of time looking for local bloggers who have been documenting street food or indigenous specialties around the city or town for a while."

When traveling, he suggested you research to discover the best food around you. "Find that one blogger who has been eating in Saigon or Hong Kong for the last year or two or three years, taking pictures, and writing about his or her noodle or dumpling experience. That is a rich vein to tap into," he said. As for what to order once you're there, or what to avoid, listen to the locals, or use Bourdain's secret for ordering a restaurant's best dish. 

And when it comes to eating responsibly, Bourdain said he was always a good guest, first and foremost. "If I'm the guest of someone very poor or in a tribal area of Africa, and they are feeding me something that is, in fact, something that's ordinary for them but it's cruel or destructive to the environment or animal population, I will probably eat it in that case, but then avoid it from that point on," he said. Bourdain was always thoughtful and intentional about the food he consumed and the cultures he visited, a true citizen of the world.