Anthony Bourdain

Of all the cooking/food shows on TV, probably my favorite is "No Reservations". I appreciate Mr. Bourdain's great sense of humor, the willingness with which he jumps into each new adventure, and, dare I say it, his sexiness. He has a great mix of culture, food, and fun.

It is appealing to see someone who is willing to try something because it is important to someone else. He made a great observation in his episode on Namibia, as he consumed an egg cooked directly in ash and sand and the rectum of a freshly killed animal, poop recently removed. Mr. Bourdain said, basically, that because of the importance of food to the connection between people, the necessity of society, it is imperative to share the food that is offered, even if it is uncommon to us, or strange.

I could not agree more. Furthermore, he made the observation that as a chef, one cannot close oneself off to tasting and trying. Instead, one should go looking for new, different, exciting. A chef should not forgo trying something simply because he or she might dislike it. The mind should not be allowed to overcome the necessity of growth. True words, that have encouraged me to challenge myself.