Anthony Bourdain: A Cook's Tour

2002 All 2 Seasons

The #1 food writer and television presenter in the world, Anthony Bourdain reinvented the food travel genre. In his groundbreaking first series, Bourdain travels around the world indulging his taste for local cuisine and eccentric characters.

Cast: Anthony Bourdain
Genre: Documentary · Independent · Travel · Documentary Series · Documentary · Independent · Travel · Documentary Series

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22 Episodes

1 - A Taste of Tokyo 22 min

Anthony travels to Tokyo, where he begins in the Tsujiki market and then is introduced to techniques in preparing edomae sushi. He also learns the diets of Sumo wrestlers.

2 - Dining with Geishas 22 min

Rural Japan: Tony decides to look for a more relaxing, traditional Japanese culinary experience in the countryside. Tony travels to an old-style Japanese inn that specializes in kaiseki cuisine, ancient tea ceremony, and local ingredients.

3 - Cobra Heart - Foods that Make You Manly 22 min

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam: After taking a cyclo-ride through Ho Chi Minh City and trying various foods from roadside vendors and markets, Tony tests his might with a few shots of snake wine and a live cobra heart.

4 - Eating on the Mekong 22 min

Mekong River, Vietnam: On the river, Tony drinks a lot of Mekong moonshine with the welcoming owners of a duck farm. Although seduced by his Vietnam experience, Tony is not sure the royal dish Birds Nest Soup is all its cracked up to be.

5 - Wild Delicacies 22 min

Cambodia: With a friend along for the ride, Tony travels to Phnom Penh, Cambodia, where he explores a food culture that is both pleasing to the palette and slightly frightening.

6 - Eating on the Edge of Nowhere 22 min

Cambodia and Japan: Taking his obsession with the film Apocalypse Now a little too seriously, Tony sets out for Pailin, reputed to be one of the most dangerous towns on Earth. After his journey, Tony returns to Japan.

7 - Cod Crazy 22 min

Portugal: Portuguese cuisine holds a dear place in Tony's culinary heart. Tony travels to Porto, home of the famous Port wine, where he is immediately exposed to the codfish and the almost mythical place it holds in Portuguese cuisine and culture.

8 - San Sebastian - A Food Lover's Town 22 min

San Sebastian, Spain: Tony explores the food-crazed Basque culture. Tony's guide, Chef Luis Irizar, takes Tony into the underworld of Basque gastronomic societies. Later, Tony explores the city's tapas bars.

9 - Childhood Flavors 22 min

Arcachon, France: Here, Bourdain first learned to love food as a child. Returning for a trip down memory lane, Tony enjoys childhood staples, including steak frites, gaufres (waffles), soupe de pecheur (fisherman's soup) and fresh oysters.

10 - Stuffed like a Pig 22 min

Portugal & Southwest France: Visiting his boss's family farm, Tony helps slaughter and feast on a pig the family has been fattening all year. Then, Tony heads to France to experience the rich delights of a foie gras farm.

11 - Morocco - A Desert Feast 22 min

Morocco (Sahara): Tony traverses the Moroccan desert with one goal in mind: eat a mud-oven-roasted sheep.

12 - Traditional Tastes 22 min

Morocco (Cities): Tony is invited to experience the culinary heart and distinct walled medinas (districts) of the Moroccan city Fez.

13 - The Cook Who Came in From the Cold 22 min

St. Petersburg, Russia: Tony plays spy in Russia and sets off to locate the best blinis and borscht St. Petersburg has to offer.

14 - So Much Vodka, So Little Time 22 min

St. Petersburg, Russia: Tony continues his mission with a tour of local working-class specialties. He tries his hand at ice-fishing, drinks a lot of vodka, feasts on Russian foods, eats smoked fish and ends the outing with a dip in the outdoor pool.

15 - Tamales and Iguana, Oaxacan Style 22 min

Oaxaca, Mexico: Chef Tony Bourdain explores the exotic and colorful indigenous zone of Mexico's Oaxaca region where he tastes toasted grasshoppers and other delicacies. His adventure ends with mariachi music and, of course, lots of tequila.

16 - Puebla, Where the Good Cooks are From 22 min

Puebla, Mexico: According to Tony, the best line cooks in N.Y.C. come from Mexico, so he travels to Puebla, and enjoys mole sauces, toasted ant eggs, fried worms, and the legendary pulque (a slightly hallucinogenic drink made from cactus sap).

17 - Los Angeles, My Own Heart of Darkness 22 min

Los Angeles, CA: New York chef, Anthony Bourdain, descends into the culinary underbelly of his metropolitan nemesis, Los Angeles, where he experiences the trials of celebrity fame and the joys of West Coast cuisine.

18 - The French Laundry Experience 22 min

Napa, CA: Marooned in San Francisco, Tony tastes local shellfish and durian ice cream before embarking on a pilgrimage to experience the genius of Thomas Keller, chef, and owner of The French Laundry.

19 - My Hometown Favorites 22 min

New York, NY: Passionate about his city, Tony gives us an intimate tour of the New York City foods he loves - sturgeon and bagels, fluke ceviche, pan-seared foie gras, braised veal cheek, authentic cheese and, of course, a hotdog.

20 - My Life as a Cook - NYC 22 min

New York, NY and Provincetown, MA: Experience the formative moments of Tony's career as he revisits his first job, the culinary institute that taught him the basics, a normal workday at Les Halles Brasserie, and his mysterious mentor, Bigfoot.

21 - Highland Grub 22 min

Scotland: Beginning in Glasgow, Tony experiences the heart-clogging glory of deep-fried pizza, deep-fried mars bars, and deep-fried pickled eggs! Moving on to more traditional fare, Tony tastes haggis and learns to hunt and fish for his food.

22 - A Pleasing Palate 22 min

London, England: In London, Tony attempts to dispel the myth that all English food is disgusting and over-boiled. Tony tries Nose to Tail Eating, explores traditional fare at Pie and Mash Shoppes, and then visits a predominantly Indian community.