Foodies, step up and rep on Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations

[bbqboy]

biker jim is a great and inventive guy.
unique sausages.

[warwickland]

Maybe he can do a Missouri stint.
Main focus being on the two cities, with stuff between them on the Missouri River corridor. KC cuisine focus being on BBQ/steak, St. Louis on Italian, as well as some contemporary spot and/or soul food restaurants in either city.
Culturally, for KC, I can see First Fridays being shown with a stop at one of the restaurants there (Grinders, Micheal Smith, etc).

I think that would be good. He could play up the different feel of the two cities, east vs west, etc.

I can see it now, add dark - "dangerous situation" music in the editing process - as bourdain discovers stls twisted universe of provel "cheese" and maybe a brain sandwhich in a fevered montage of clips - interspersed with shaky "amateur video" of bourdain vomiting onto a piece of cardboard - that were originally taped as an honest attempt to understand the indigenous food culture here. he could then be "rescued" with a st. paul sandwhich and a meal at niche, or something. or he could spin the whole thing to where st. louis is the dark side of the culinary coin and kc is the bright, which would make for better tv but would possibly endanger his life.

theres no more wheel in diner in sedalia (home of the goober burger), i'm grasping at straws for along I-70, here.

[IraGlacialis]

I think that would be good. He could play up the different feel of the two cities, east vs west, etc.

I can see it now, add dark - "dangerous situation" music in the editing process - as bourdain discovers stls twisted universe of provel "cheese" and maybe a brain sandwhich in a fevered montage of clips - interspersed with shaky "amateur video" of bourdain vomiting onto a piece of cardboard - that were originally taped as an honest attempt to understand the indigenous food culture here. he could then be "rescued" with a st. paul sandwhich and a meal at niche, or something. or he could spin the whole thing to where st. louis is the dark side of the culinary coin and kc is the bright, which would make for better tv but would possibly endanger his life.

theres no more wheel in diner in sedalia (home of the goober burger), i'm grasping at straws for along I-70, here.

In the case of St. Louis, what would be the best place to showcase toasted ravioli?
I bet that Columbia, being a substantial city, may have some unique restaurants.

Culturally, I bet he could go off the beaten path a bit, especially if it is more about Missouri with KC and St. Louis as anchor points (the two cites will still get the maximum airtime); considering how broad other shows have been dealing with "flyover country", this would still be pretty concentrated, and adding more spots besides those two cities will increase the chances of snagging a spot.
Other than First Fridays in KC and Marti Gras in St. Louis (that was the first that came to mind, feel free to think of something more identifiable/unique), there is St. Pat's Week in Rolla (college culture at its best/worse, and Mr. Bourdain isn't exactly one adverse to debauchery), Oktoberfest in Hermann, Old Iron Works Day in St. James, one of many bluegrass festivals in the south-central region, etc...
Damn, I listed more things on the eastern half than the western.

Now... which city should be the opener and which should be the closer?

[bbqboy]

you guys blow off springfield at your peril.

[WSPanic]

you guys blow off springfield at your peril.

They probably have a Cashew Chicken episode planned later this year.

[nilsson1941]

I really really doubt they would ever bring up east vs. west because, while we in MO might make that generalization, someone from NJ/NY wouldn't think about it at all. The two cities would be described as solidly midwestern/slow paced/diamonds in the rough. Besides noticing more brick in one than the other I don't think Bourdain would make any other comparisons or contrasts between the cities.
That being said, it is unrealistic that he would ever do a MO show. Maybe STL and KC would be featured in the Heartland #2 episode.
Also, springfield has a HORRIBLE culinary scene compared to Columbia, a much smaller city. 

[KCMax]

Anthony Bourdain is bringing "No Reservations" to Missouri!

Sorry, not Kansas City.

Not St. Louis either.

He's currently in the Ozarks shooting. Literally.

Apparently Anthony is a big Daniel Woodrell ("Winter's Bone") fan.

[chrizow]

Anthony Bourdain is bringing "No Reservations" to Missouri!

Sorry, not Kansas City.

Not St. Louis either.

He's currently in the Ozarks shooting. Literally.

Apparently Anthony is a big Daniel Woodrell ("Winter's Bone") fan.

good grief. 

i guess it could be an interesting-enough episode - i hope he is sticking to the "hanging out with a family roasting an entire bear they shot" sort of angle and not visiting, for example Lambert's or tasting Springfield cashew chicken or something...

[IraGlacialis]

I wonder if he is going to stick to the Missouri side or wander into Arkansas. EDIT: It looks like he's going to Arkansas as well.
The Ozarks have a lot more distinctive culture than people give it credit for (at least in a positive/objective manner). Though, like many traditions exposed to mass development and technology, it is slowly being eroded away.

[KCMax]

For shame Tony. For shame.

http://obsbite.blogspot.com/2011/02/bou ... es-us.html

And finally, in the most important contest of all: Kansas City vs. North Carolina for barbecue.
And the winner (grab a couple of bottles of Texas Pete and drum them on the table):
North Carolina. "It's so minimalist - dressed with only a little bit of vinegar, salt and pepper. It's hard to argue with that."

[nilsson1941]

He also doesn't like ABBA. I can never forgive him for that.

[bobbyhawks]

He also doesn't like ABBA. I can never forgive him for that.

Tony's got a point about ABBA.  There is a reason why their music so easily transitioned into a terrible musical.

[chrizow]

i love "no reservations," but i don't like how bourdain is so eager to visit the backwater rural villages of thailand or drink moonshine and shoot Uzis with yokels in greece (after all, that's how one really sees a country's culture) and finds it magical/beautiful/"true" - but when he visits the midwestern US, or a rural area in america, he has to preface the visit with really condescending, omg-what-am-i-getting-myself-into, elitist attitudes (nearly always punctuated with a "deliverance" reference).  of course, he inevitably ends up enjoying cleveland, or rural south carolina, or the ozarks, or whatever, but he always has to get that east coast-snob jab in there.

[KCMax]

I don't really agree with most of the article, but I do agree that food writers go a bit over the top in describing their dining experiences:

The Moral Crusade Against Foodies

[chrizow]

I don't really agree with most of the article, but I do agree that food writers go a bit over the top in describing their dining experiences:

The Moral Crusade Against Foodies

that guy sounds like a loser.

[KCMax]

that guy sounds like a loser.

Yea, I don't know what his alternative was - I guess everyone goes vegan? Seemed like his editor said "hey, that Foodie thing is getting to be a big deal. Why don't you take a contrarian view so we can be edgy!"

[chingon]

i love "no reservations," but i don't like how bourdain is so eager to visit the backwater rural villages of thailand or drink moonshine and shoot Uzis with yokels in greece (after all, that's how one really sees a country's culture) and finds it magical/beautiful/"true" - but when he visits the midwestern US, or a rural area in america, he has to preface the visit with really condescending, omg-what-am-i-getting-myself-into, elitist attitudes (nearly always punctuated with a "deliverance" reference).  of course, he inevitably ends up enjoying cleveland, or rural south carolina, or the ozarks, or whatever, but he always has to get that east coast-snob jab in there.

This disease is a veritable plague among white liberals. It never fails to embarass my own comfortable white libby sensibilities. In fact, I find it brings out the North Topeka cracker in me about as quick as anything.

[chrizow]

In fact, I find it brings out the North Topeka cracker in me about as quick as anything.

yeah, i'd like to see a no reservations: raytown. 

[ContainsHotLiquid]

Provincialism is universal.

[nilsson1941]

Tony's got a point about ABBA.  There is a reason why their music so easily transitioned into a terrible musical.

Don't want to turn this into an ABBA threat (not that it ever would), but i refer you to their greatest hits. Some seriously great pop music in there. All I have to say on the matter.