Ways Anthony Bourdain Changed How the World Eats

(Part 2)
  • 22 Sep - 28 Sep, 2018
  • Mag The Weekly
  • Cookery

Never order fish on Mondays – until now

Even before writing Kitchen Confidential, Bourdain shocked the world with his breakout 1999 New Yorker essay revealing behind-the-scenes trade secrets from chefs. One of his most surprising: Seafood dishes usually aren’t very fresh on Mondays, when the fish is usually leftovers ordered for the weekend crowd. Restaurant goers followed the advice for years, but fast-forward 17 years and Bourdain changed his tune. “It's almost two decades later. Things have changed,” he told Business Insider, lamenting on the fact that it's still one of his most often-quoted tips.


Typical “foodie” destinations don’t have the only great eats

Rome? Been there. Paris? Done that. With his CNN show Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown, the chef sampled local cuisine off the beaten path, bringing overlooked cities and countries to the public eye. Vicariously joining the chef on his journeys, viewers got to experience the cultures of Trinidad, Tanzania, Borneo, and countless other countries.

How to spot the best local eats

Tourists always want to feel in-the-know about the best a city has to offer, but Bourdain knew not to just scan Yelp and call it a day. He told Bon Appétit to keep an eye out for long lines and non-touristy signs. “If a place is crowded, but the people lining up are not local, that’s a bad clue,” he said. “If it doesn’t have signs in English, it’s almost always worth investigating. I look to see if locals are willing to inconvenience themselves and wait in line for a long time to get something that only costs $1.50.”

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