Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations

This is the single best episode of any food-oriented show ever made. Tony claims that he did not want to make a show about food, but in this respect he has failed. On the contrary, understanding events such as those that unfolded in Lebanon explain important cultural traditions like cuisine far better than simply visiting a country and trying to infer its history through its cuisine. Pivotal, shared moments in societies, and the human response and innovation that follow, are what lead to the evolution of culture and cuisine. I would absolutely recommend this episode to anyone who would like to better understand Beirut, Tony, Lebanese cuisine, or cuisine in general. Wolf Blitzer can eat it; I’ll take Tony’s narration any day. This is a very important subject, and he has certainly done it justice. He has officially secured his position as one of my heroes. I only hope he will go back as soon as it is safe; he has a unique window into the soul of Beirut, and it would be a shame if he let this experience prevent him from telling the rest of Beirut’s story.