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Anthony Bourdain is one of the most well-known celebrity chefs, up there with Gordon Ramsey and Guy Fieri. After serving as an executive chef in Manhattan, he published his book, “Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly.” This got him a show on Food Network, “A Cook’s Tour,” which lasted from 2002 to 2003, and then he moved over to Travel Channel for his more well-known show, “Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations.” This show featured Bourdain traveling around the world, discovering local food and culture, and discussing the role food played in that culture. His “do as the locals do” attitude is one reason he was so beloved, but it also got him into some pretty wild situations.
“No Reservations” ran for nine seasons and saw Bourdain visit places all over the globe, from major U.S. cities to tiny, remote Panamanian villages. When the show ended, Bourdain switched networks once again to CNN for his show “Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown.” “Parts Unknown” was like the mature older brother to “No Reservations,” with more awards and a broader cultural focus, but many fans prefer the vibe of “No Reservations.” The show not only focused more on food, but was a little more off-the-cuff. As one Redditor put it, “I prefer No Reservations because I feel like he was happier, but the cinematography in Parts Unknown is excellent.” That’s hard not to keep in mind, especially after Bourdain’s suicide in 2018. While both shows are great, the zaniness of “No Reservations,” plus dashes of danger, created some unforgettable wild moments.
1. Season 1, Episode 12: ATV…accident?
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In introducing Season 1, Episode 12, “New Zealand,” Anthony Bourdain says the country is, “Like nothing else I’ve ever seen anywhere in the world. It’s also the country where I nearly lost my life.” About halfway through the episode, Bourdain is invited by Chef Al Brown to a barbecue on a remote New Zealand beach only accessible by ATVs. Though a local four-wheeler expert, Greg Hall, is there to teach the crew how to use the vehicles, Bourdain is anxious to get going. They follow Greg down the beach, and the expert shows off some tricks, making Bourdain feel a bit competitive. He admits, “I’m so hot on keeping up with Greg, I don’t bother to listen when he yells back at me, ‘Don’t do what I’m doing.’ Big mistake.”
What Greg was doing was driving his ATV up a sand dune, and Bourdain tried to follow. His ATV stalls at the top, and as he tries to troubleshoot, the ATV rolls on top of him. Bourdain and the ATV roll down the hill together until stopping at the bottom. He ends up being no worse for wear, but there’s some shakiness in his voice. Later, he’s able to laugh about it; introducing the clip for a YouTube compilation from Travel Channel, he says, “We can hardly do a ‘physical activity gone wrong’ collection without including the classic ‘Tony rolls an ATV on himself’ scene from New Zealand.” Since he goes surfing and cave exploring later in the episode, it’s safe to say he wasn’t too shaken up.
2. Season 2, Episode 24: escaping a war zone
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From the get-go, it’s clear that the “In Beirut” episode is unlike any other “No Reservations” episode. Season 2, Episode 24 opens with shots of military personnel, and the format is different from a typical episode, interspersing on-the-ground shots with interview-style footage of Anthony Bourdain talking about their experience. The trip started normally — Bourdain meets up with their guide Joe in downtown Beirut, the capital city of Lebanon, and they go for a meal at what Bourdain calls “Exactly the sort of place we like to do on the show.”
Lebanon has a long history of both internal civil war and conflict with neighboring countries like Israel and Syria. So when, after some sightseeing, Bourdain and Joe hear gunfire, the whole tone changes. Hezbollah, a radical group in Lebanon, had just killed and kidnapped Israeli troops at the border. Joe knows trouble is ahead, and Bourdain recounts him saying, “They’ll destroy the country. We’ll all pay for this.”
He was right. Bourdain wakes up the next day to find the airport has been bombed. The remainder of the episode showcases them moving to a hotel on a safer side of town and waiting until they can be rescued. “We’re sitting around the pool…watching a war. If there’s a single metaphor in this entire experience…that’s probably it,” Bourdain says bitterly. After over a week, the crew finally receives word that it’s time to go. They bribe a guard to get them out and manage to make it onto the U.S.S. Nashville and finally head home. The episode would go on to earn an Emmy nomination.
3. Season 4, Episode 5: jungle trek and cave diving
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Season 4, Episode 5, “Jamaica,” is an episode full of fascinating experiences; Anthony Bourdain meets Rastafarians and explores Jamaica’s thriving music and food scenes. But as Bourdain says, “I knew there was more to Jamaica than just good food, good music, and beautiful beaches. In my zeal to go beyond that, I urged my producers to look deep into the country, culture, and traditions in search of something off the beaten path. Perhaps they took ‘deep’ and ‘off the path’ too literally.”
That’s how he wound up in what he calls the “worst, hardest, most dangerous, misery-inducing, physically demanding, and, frankly, stupid escapade of my television career.” It starts with a hike through the muddy jungle, a hot, physically demanding trek that includes crossing a river full of toxic runoff from a nearby rum factory and over dirt infested with parasites.
When they finally reach the entrance pit of the cave, one guide explains that it has “hundreds and hundreds of thousands of bats down there. As every step progresses, you will feel increasing heat, humidity, and it smells like a barn down there. Tremendous life experience.” He doesn’t quite sell it to Bourdain, who remarks sarcastically, “I think this ranks with the ATV and Sicilian cliff jump among the all-time good ideas.” The cave is no easier than the jungle, full of slippery bat and cockroach feces. Bourdain finishes the segment by saying, “I trust I’ve shown anyone looking for a cheap cave thrill while on Jamaican vacation that you should probably stick with a chaise lounge and a spliff.”
4. Season 1, Episode 6: freestyle cliff climbing and jumping
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Anthony Bourdain was an experienced traveler and TV host, but by just episode six of “No Reservations,” “Sicily,” he was feeling burned out. Still, he was optimistic that a trip to Sicily would revive his spirits. Unfortunately, when Bourdain arrives in Sicily, he finds the airline has lost his luggage (again), which isn’t helping his stress levels. He meets his guide, Chico, and to help with the lost luggage issue, Chico offers to take Bourdain to a local tailor-slash-musician. Bourdain’s time with him is largely spent listening to him play Sicilian music, and while Bourdain appreciates the culture, he leaves without new clothes. With a sigh, he says, “Maybe tomorrow, the airline will locate my luggage, and I’ll locate a reason to live.”
Bourdain and Chico spend several hours sightseeing, and when Chico suggests a break to go sailing, Bourdain jumps at the chance. He’s enjoying the sun and scenery when Chico decides they’re going to go cliff jumping into the water, which requires first freestyle climbing the cliffs. Now, Bourdain is already very, very stressed at this point, and while he jokes around, the tension in his voice is obvious. There’s a lot of swearing, and once at the top, he jokingly asks Chico, “Hypothetically, if you don’t make it, how do I get down from here?” Bourdain ultimately does jump and emerges from the water unscathed (physically, at least).
5. Season 4, Episode 6: Halloween dinner at Dracula’s castle
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“The Romania episode of No Reservations is one of the most bizarre in all of Bourdain’s shows,” one Redditor posts of Season 4, Episode 6, and folks seem to agree. This one makes the list not for danger, like the previous episodes, but because it’s just so out of pocket, making “Romania” a strange contrast to “Jamaica” right before it. Anthony Bourdain visits Romania to meet up with his friend and occasional travel companion, Zamir Gotta, and celebrate Zamir’s 50th birthday.
It’s when Zamir drags Bourdain to Dracula’s castle that things start to get weird. The castle is for sale, and Zamir wants them to pretend to be buyers so they can get a tour. Bourdain is disappointed to see that the castle is somewhat run down and that the namesake for Bram Stoker’s character never actually lived there.
Later that evening, which Bourdain calls a “night in the darkest pit of hell,” Zamir drags Bourdain to a Halloween party at the House of Dracula Hotel. Bourdain describes it as a cross between a Motel 6 and a Renaissance Fair, which seems a fair comparison. Sporting a knife headband and fake blood, he stands at the bar and sighs, “This is it, the low point of my career.” The party is awkward, full of other tourists, and “Just when you think it can’t get worse, it does.” He watches Zamir lose an arm-wrestling fight before leaving the “dinner theatre of the dammed” to head back to his room.
6. Season 5, Episode 1: lucha libre
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In Season 5, Episode 1, “Mexico,” Anthony Bourdain heads south to visit his friend and fellow chef Carlos. His first stop is Mexico City, where he and Carlos meet up with another friend, Martin, for an early meal at a cantina. After getting their fill of tequila and carnitas, they head over to learn the art of lucha libre from middleweight champion El Octagón. Martin is up first and finds himself getting thrown around the ring before Bourdain says, “There comes that terrible moment in the life of many a drinker when one’s decision-making process becomes, shall we say, less than optimal.” Bourdain steps into the ring and almost immediately finds himself flat on his back. We see El Octagón also perform a choke hold and jump onto Bourdain from the middle rope before the crew leaves to try more food.
While lucha libre is the most physical part of the episode, there are other interesting cultural moments in “Mexico” that occur later. After enjoying some Mexican street food, including tacos al pastor, the crew heads to Xochimilco, a part of southern Mexico City where transportation is mainly done through canals. Here, they visit La Isla de las Muñecas (The Island of the Dolls), where one man covered the island in dolls to ward off evil spirits. Later, Bourdain and Carlos head to Carlos’ hometown of Puebla, where he goes to watch a bull fight. This is an event Bourdain clearly isn’t very excited about, but ultimately he says, “I totally respect the tradition. I get why people like it.”
7. Season 5, Episode 13: cockle hunting
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We mentioned earlier that the “In Beirut” episode of “No Reservations” was unlike any other, and while that’s true, the crew nearly found themselves in a similar situation in Season 5, Episode 13, “Thailand.” They arrive at the beginning of the 2009 Thai political unrest, but luckily, Anthony Bourdain and crew are able to avoid the political upheaval and travel elsewhere for the show. The entire episode is a fascinating look at the culture of Thailand, from water gun fights for the Buddhist New Year to visiting markets with trains running right through them to trying traditional Thai foods.
Harvesting cockles was supposed to be simple. As Bourdain says, “Take boat down canal, harvest some cockles, go further out onto the open water for a festive al fresco picnic.” First, they’re mobbed by a horde of small monkeys, who take many of their supplies. Once they reach the shore, they slog through the deep mud, picking up cockles and trying to avoid getting stuck. But things really go sideways as they attempt to take their boat out to a hut on stilts in the gulf so they can have their picnic. The weather has turned sour, and the waves are too rough to tie up the boats. Soaked to the bone, the crew gets a boat to take them back to the mainland. “I don’t think in any show I’ve been more wet more of the time or covered in mud and other material,” Bourdain says. “I’m telling you, violent insurrection looks good about now.”
8. Season 6, Episode 1: burning cocaine
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In Season 6, Episode 1, “Panama,” Anthony Bourdain visits the country somewhat on a whim. He finds a goldmine of fascinating culture, a melting pot spurred by the development of the Panama Canal. But the country has its dark side, as well. After indulging in local cuisine, Bourdain and team visit the abandoned home of former dictator Manuel Noriega, a man known for his ruthless, violent reign. And, of course, the country’s location makes it a prime spot for drug smuggling.
Director Gustavo Perez brings Bourdain to see six tons of cocaine that the Panamanian government has seized and is going to burn. Perez tells Bourdain that the cocaine is worth somewhere between 300 million and 600 million dollars, and they seized 12 tons of the stuff in just 42 days. He even lets Bourdain light the pyre, and they watch as the cocaine goes up in thick, black clouds of smoke.
While burning cocaine is by far the wildest thing Bourdain does in this episode, we would be remiss if we didn’t mention that, apparently, he didn’t learn from his Jamaican adventure. He decides to trek through the Darien Gap, “one of the wildest, most dense jungle regions on earth.” Despite the risk of malaria and venomous snakes, he handles the jungle here better than he did in Jamaica and has the added bonus of meeting some incredible villagers who live there.
9. Season 6, Episode 10: opossum hunting
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Compared to the other “No Reservations” episodes on this list, Season 6, Episode 10, “Caribbean Island Hopping,” is relatively tame. Anthony Bourdain spends most of his time talking with locals and trying out different Caribbean foods, and very little time putting himself in physical danger.
However, while visiting Bequia, an island in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Bourdain participates in “something that ordinary Bequians have been doing and still do all the time: hunt and eat manicou.” While not a life-threatening activity, hunter and farmer Clement warns that the manicou will bite, and “When they bite, they hold onto your flesh, and they don’t let go until they actually walk with that flesh.” By the way, manicou is just another name for the common opossum.
Clement shows Bourdain the long spear they use to hunt manicou, and explains that you stab the manicou, bring the spear down, grab the opossum by the tail, and swing it around. At 2:00 in the morning, they head into the woods looking for this nocturnal rodent, and Bourdain and the locals use their flashlights to spot the manicou’s shining eyes. Bourdain watches in awe as some of the men climb pretty high up in the trees to catch their prey. After the hunt, they cook the manicou over a fire and turn it into a stew. Bourdain says this is not only a tradition, but a great excuse for the men to get together and hang out.
10. Season 8, Episode 4: swimming with sushi
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Season 8, Episode 4 of “No Reservations,” “Croatian Coast,” is a particularly food-focused episode. But in true Anthony Bourdain fashion, the host doesn’t just try the local meals, but learns all about how they’re made and sourced. He goes truffle hunting, learns about wine-making, harvests mussels, and visits a tuna farm.
Tuna farms, obviously, are quite different from your standard farm with cows or pigs. These farms are built underwater off the coast using nets, and the one Bourdain visits is farming bluefin tuna used for making sushi. He gets the opportunity to swim inside the farm along with the tuna, giving him both an up-close look at the large fish and the opportunity for plenty of inappropriate comments. Now, this is incredibly high–quality tuna, meaning the farmers have to make sure the tuna are happy and healthy. The fish fed to the tuna is fit for human consumption, and the tuna also needs to be killed in a very particular way. “Unhappy, freaked-out animals release enzymes into meat that affect their deliciousness,” Bourdain explains. To prevent this from happening, the crew essentially performs a sort of fish lobotomy to quickly paralyze and kill the tuna. “Then you run a wire up its spine,” Bourdain continues. “This causes all the blood to flood into the gut, producing better color and flavor in the fish.” It seems to work, as Bourdain describes his bite of fresh-cut tuna as “buttery, fatty, beautiful.”
