Comm455/History of Journalism

The Travel Channel is a great way to see the world without leaving your living room.

The Travel Channel has a number of different programs that take you around the world, exploring every nook and cranny. One of their biggest stars is chef and host of the program ” Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations” is Anthony Bourdain.

image via http://www.travelchannel.com/TV_Shows/Anthony_Bourdain/Photos/bourdain-takes-the-road-less-traveled

Bourdain originally rose to fame with his book “Kitchen Confidential.” Before this he was executive chef at the French restaurant Brasserie Les Halles. In 2005 he launched “No Reservations” on the Travel Channel and is currently filming its eight season. He has visited over 100 cities during this period. In each one-hour episode Bourdain travels to a city and explores its cuisine. I’ve personally seen him eat everything from tacos from a food stand in Mexico City to goat brains in India. He usually has a travel companion that acts as a tour guide. This person guides him through the city and is usually extremely knowledgeable about the history of the city and its cuisine. This not only gives Bourdain a lot to work with but also allows the viewer to not only watch for fun but learn something as well.

Anyone who has watched an episode of this show knows that Bourdain doesn’t hold back and is extremely straight forward with his commentary which in my opinion makes him so popular. Also, because Bourdain has such an extensive culinary background and an extremely impressive resume as a chef, he is regarded as a trustworthy source and opinion when traveling the world. What also makes the show so entertaining is the fact that anything that can happen usually does happen and this is almost always aired.

Bourdain remains as one of the more popular hosts on the Travel Channel and is just an example of how diverse travel reporting can be. No Reservations not only combines destinations and culture but cuisine, natives and American perspective.