On a recent trip to Egypt, Anthony Bourdain ditches the pyramids to feast on some stuffed pigeons. As he eloquently says, Fresh from an orgy of pigeon killing, and still spitting feathers and beak bits on the floor of the cab, he heads to the next meal lamb nuts and rice. His eyes glimmer when a restaurant server says they have whiskey, which, in Egypt, turns out to be pickled water. Always an amiable guest, he downs the bitter brew and reaches for a hookah.
A former chef, Bourdain has enjoyed fame that is now rooted in his Emmy-winning travelogue TV series No Reservations and in his ten books. His latest, Medium Raw: A Bloody Valentine to the World of Food and the People Who Cook, assesses the food industry in the ten years since he wrote Kitchen Confidential. He has major gripes with celeb chefs, saying there are about as many real chefs on the Food Network as there are music videos on MTV.
Wed., June 30, 7:30 p.m., 2010