A Cook's Tour (2002)
A Cook's Tour is a travel and food show that aired on the Food Network. Host Anthony Bourdain visits exotic countries and cities worldwide where hosts treat him to local culture and cuisine. Two seasons of episodes were produced in 2000 and 2001 and aired first-run in 2001 and 2002 in the U.S. on the Food Network. In the summer of 2008, the Food Network stopped re-running the series and rolled out a completely overhauled website omitting all but a single reference to Anthony Bourdain from March 2008 entitled, "Anthony Bourdain's Rant", tagged under Food Network topics "vegetables" and "simmer," likely due to the emergence of Bourdain's similarly themed current series, No Reservations, on sister network Travel Channel. Questar Entertainment released a DVD box set of A Cook's Tour on DVD in January 2012. Early versions of this DVD box set are missing the episode TB1A04, Eating on the Mekong. Replacement DVDs are available from Questar starting in late February, 2012. As of March, 2012 episodes of A Cook's Tour have begun airing on the Travel Channel.
Country: US
Language: En
Runtime: 30
Season 2:
Tony starts season 2 in St. Martin laying by the pool, re-living his youth. Over time, he says, this has become his home away from home.
There has to be a New Orleans that's just for locals. That's what Tony wants to find. But, will he discover more than he intended? Tony makes his first ever trip to pre-katrina New Orleans where he vows to stay away from the French Quarter, "No Beads, No Boobs, No Bourbon Street".
Known as Brazil's capital of happiness, Salvador da Bahia offers fruitful local markets and rich cuisine. Tony takes part in a traditional local ceremony and experiences the talents of the famous Bahian artist of the kitchen, Chef Dada.
Can a Carioca teach Tony the lifestyle? Will Tony be able to relax into the freewheeling life. He can handle the tan, the Brazilian barbecue and the Caipirinhas, but can he handle the speedo?
Everyone knows Tony likes to drink, especially after a hard night at Les Halles. In this episode, Tony tries to discover what exactly make the perfect watering hole in New York. Some of his requirements include a loaded juke box, an absence of karaoke, and a bartender who leans towards crazy.
Tony visits the Mall of America to discover what draws Americans to the food court. A local French chef will explain his approach to broaden Americans' palates. Will Tony ever be able to understand what Americans like?
Barbecue in America comes in a variety of ways. Tony explores the three largest types when he visits Kansas City, Houston and North Carolina. Each offers their own variation of sauce, smoke, ribs, and brisket.
Tony makes a trip that can only be classified as crazy! He travels half-way round the world to eat the world's best meal at Tetsuya's. Along the way, he must survive the Australian outback and a host of wild characters to make it to his destination.
Tony explores the un-hampered creative cuisine of Australia and discovers just how good the wine can be in this region. Melbourne has a wealth of things Tony can appreciate, including macho chefs, a food loving culture, and a crazy attitude towards eating.
Tony is almost overwhelmed by the amount of food in Singapore. From chicken congee to root beer floats, Tony explores the city. From "wet markets" to the red light district, he is amazed by all the city has to offer.
Tony tries to lose himself in Thailand by trying a variety of new activities. He rides an elephant, eats native cooking with a Thai family, attempts kick-boxing, and experiences an authentic massage.
Vietnam captures Tony's heart. He returns to Hanoi and meets an old friend. The two spend the Vietnamese New Year together at Linh's home for an experience neither will ever forget.
Tony makes a serious of quick and crazy stops. A layover in Bangkok has him meeting a crazy Westerner who introduces him to some interesting foods. Next, he lands in Singapore, where he meets his book editor. They enjoy fish head curry, a notorious dish in Little India. On the last show of the series, Tony visits Bangkok and Chef and author of "Strange Foods", Jerry Hopkins. Jerry has written the book on "edible exotica" and has inspired some of Tony's most outrageous meals.
