5 Questions for: Anthony Bourdain

3-15-2010 @3:12PM Mark said... I agree that Bourdain can be rather abrasive... I suppose that's part of his charm. Nevertheless, he has a valid point. Throughout much of the world, a good meal is a luxury. It's insulting to refuse meat because you can afford to get your nutrition elsewhere. I know that no vegetarian intends to insult others with their diet, but that is how it's perceived in these cultures.

3-15-2010 @3:18PM Gobo said... Mark -- I've traveled enough to know that most cultures don't put the same emphasis on meat as Americans, and many of them have long cultural traditions of vegetarian or mostly-veggie cuisine. Refusing food can be insulting, of course; I would never turn down a meal if it would insult someone. Having said that, it's very easy and very possible to be a culturally aware and polite traveler while still eating vegetables.

3-15-2010 @3:50PM Mark said... You are correct... only in Western countries is meat a vital component of each meal. Elsewhere, meat tends to be reserved more for special occasions. Of course, when you visit someone's home in another country, it's always a special occasion. I'm normally a meat eater, but while traveling abroad, I eat twice as much as usual.

It sounds like you have a healthy approach to this situation and perhaps your diet is more flexible than most. But, I think some vegetarians don't know how to handle this and may not realize that there's a potential for insult, and that this misunderstanding is the source of the stigma.

Bourdain may be onto something... one could always feign Hinduism. :)

3-16-2010 @10:03AM S M V said... I have to say Mark, that abrasiveness pretty much cancels out the charm you speak of. Talent does not outweigh petculance. He's one of those types that doesn't have a common sense filter, is purposely rude and arrogant, and so being, fits right in with the shock value of television today. The act will get old and somewhere down the line, he'll just fade away.

3-16-2010 @12:30PM shelby said... Most vegetairns are rude but they dont think they are. Vegetairns always have to tell you they are one like its a bid deal. I worked at a steak house for years, some groups of people had vegetairns with them from time to time. These people always caused a sean. I worked for a geat woman that new customer service very well, however she did not cater to them. She always said "I sell meat and dont know why you would even consider comeing here if you feel that way about meat, i will go get you a head of lettus and a carriot and charge you 7 dollars if you want me to" see all vegetairns are completly diffrent, eat diffrent things, you can never please them, they will complain even about a salad, not the right dressing, "i dont eat that, i dont eat this" thay are a real pain.NEVER HAPPY.

3-16-2010 @2:36PM JIMSTER said... I WOULD DISAGREE......THE THING THAT CAPTIVATED ME ABOUT "ANTONIO" IS THAT HE APROACHES HIS HOSTS WITH THE UPMOST RESPECT...HE BOUGHT ANTHROPOLOGY INTO FOOD ....."IF EATING SOMETHING YOUR HOST OFFERS, ACCEPT IT. IT MAY BE THE ONLY MEAT THEY HAVE HAD FOR A MONTH".......

3-16-2010 @2:44PM joel said... Indeed not all the vegetarian are rude travellers just about 99.9% of them.

3-16-2010 @3:03PM Dale Alexander said... Darn it! I meant to downcheck "S M V" but Upchecked him instead! (Oh the Humanity!!!) Oh well... "The act will get old and somewhere down the line, he'll just fade away." I hope not to be the original bearer to you of the news that a terminal end awaits us all, the question in my mind is how much living happens between now and that mostly unknown conclusion... I have a different take on Anthony. You certainly have the right to your opinion as do I. "gobo", I believe that there is a lot of room between being a "polite" traveler and a "rude" one, Anthony seems comfortably toward the considerate side, in general (especially for a New Yorker;-). Anyway's, I find find his show entertaining and highly informative about an American perspective on the Countries he's in and think that he seems an alright, relatively honest, almost too open guy (for his own good with certain People that "disapprove" of certain actions. Hrrumph, Hrrumph) It would be great to be a "guest" "Eater- Drinker" on a show. No camera time, just good food, drink and times. I'd enter that contest, the re-do of Spain or Italy (or Germany, Australia, etc., etc.) would work for instance...

3-17-2010 @12:29AM Catmoves said... One word for the obnoxious thing known a sBourdain: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAKKKKKKKKK.

3-16-2010 @7:44PM Barb said... Yes, but he is nice to watch, he is eye candy.

3-16-2010 @12:44PM shelby said... ONE: Vegetaians have to ask tons of questions about the food, whats it made of? do you use this? do you use that? i dont eat this? i dont eat that? why dont you have something i can eat?

Two: they will have you atand there for 5 min only to then tell you they are not ready

Three: they are always the last to order and hold up the table even thier friends with them give them the evil eye.

Four: they also are a pain becasue sometimes they make rude coments to thier friends at the table "you shouldnt eat this you shouldnt eat that" "lets not stay for desert there is a yogurt place down the road" "there is nothing i can drink here they dont have green tea"

Its all for attention and it never stops, yes they are thee worst people.

3-16-2010 @12:49PM Craig said... I don't think it was directed toward "personal choices" of food, it was directed to an apparent prevelant rude behavior.Let's put in some measurable perspective; say, person-A, encounters 50 vegans, and notices 40, of them are rude, (as described previously), then person-B encounters 22, rude vegans, well, there you have it, they are simply speaking from their personal experience. And as we see the numbers are different, yet valid.

3-16-2010 @1:37PM TomOfMaine said... Shelby, you have it completely backwards. Choosing vegetarian is not about attention at all, for most of us it's not even about us at all, it's all for the voiceless species who are being stabbed, shot or beaten to death against their will so that somebody can sell their parts and fluids for profit. Choosing vegetarian/vegan is one of the most selfless, compassionate choices a human being can make in their lifetime. It has an enormously positive impact in so many ways.

3-16-2010 @3:57PM ratari said... Rudeness works both ways! I think it is extremely rude of meat eaters to constantly bash vegetarians. I am a vegetarian and I don't give a crap what anyone else eats, but I often find that meat eaters sometimes treat me as if I'm in the wrong just because I turn down eating meat. I can't control (nor do I want to) what others eat. But please just let me be a vegetarian in peace. I'm comfortable being vegetarian, I don't brag about it or hold it over anyone, I expect the same courtesy from meat eaters.

3-16-2010 @7:47PM Barb said... WOW, good for you, you seem to be a rare, polite vegetarian. I hate those that try and shove it down one's throat. You have my respect...

3-16-2010 @8:27PM Kai said... Tom, do you know how many animals are killed each year as direct result of farming?
Eating meat, especially wild game that one has harvested and dressed, is far more environmentaly friendly.

3-17-2010 @8:14AM jude said... Agrred- she is ridiculous. what was she doing at a pig farm to begin with if she is so KOSHER? give me a break Gwin-