Matt Johnson‘s Tony is a coming-of-age biographical comedy-drama that explores the formative years of legendary chef, author, and TV personality Anthony Bourdain. Starring Dominic Sessa as the future culinary icon, the film centers on a transformative summer in 1975 in Provincetown, Massachusetts, when Bourdain was just 19 years old. The experiences of that pivotal summer would later inspire many of the stories he recounted in his bestselling memoir Kitchen Confidential.
After several bestsellers, Bourdain’s television career and initial screen fame were launched by his first food and travel show, A Cook’s Tour, which aired 35 episodes on the Food Network from 2002 to 2003. But he hit global superstardom when he moved to the Travel Channel with Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations.
No Reservations redefined travel television from stiff companion guides that bordered on the mundane into raw, empathetic cultural anthropology led by a near madman. Spanning nine seasons on the Travel Channel from 2005 to 2012, the Emmy Award-winning series established Bourdain’s signature style of connecting humanity through shared meals as he entertained the masses with his gruff and sarcastic tone, taking millions by the hand and leading them into parts unknown.
The first episode (“Paris: Why the French Don’t Suck”) aired on July 25, 2005, and the series eventually spawned 142 episodes. In honor of A24’s Tony, here are a few of the top episodes to watch, plus how to watch them, so you can fall in love with the bad boy chef all over again.
‘Tony’ – A24 / Courtesy Everett Collection
Where can you watch Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations?
You can watch No Reservations on HBO Max, Hulu, Discovery+, and Travel Channel GO. It can also be watched with ads on The Roku Channel and Pluto TV.
What are the best episodes of Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations?
The top episodes of No Reservations are:
“Disappearing Manhattan” – Season 5 Episode 8: Bourdain’s love letter to old-school New York dining spots like Keens Steakhouse and generational neighborhood spots that define the vanishing character of pre-modern Manhattan.
“Rome” – Season 6 Episode 20: Filmed entirely in black and white as an homage to Federico Fellini‘s La Dolce Vita during his first-ever visit to Rome, Bourdain dined at the iconic Roscioli Salumeria con Cucina with chef Cesare Casella before enjoying a locals-only dinner at Trattoria Il Timoniere alongside a local fishmonger.
“Saudi Arabia” – Season 4 Episodes 10 & 11: A rare and candid look inside Saudi Arabia, Bourdain travels to Jeddah after a fan contest winner serves as his guide. As the guest of honor at a traditional feast, Bourdain is treated to delicacies including lamb tongue and brain, as well as an entire camel.
“Tokyo” – Season 4 Episode 16: Bourdain explores the discipline and extreme specialization of Tokyo’s master craftsmen, tasting dishes such as chicken sashimi, skewers of chicken skin, liver, heart, and spleen cooked over charcoal, and raw eel.
“Beirut” – Season 2 Episode 13: Bourdain’s trip is cut short by the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah War, forcing the crew to evacuate. Before the crisis, Bourdain enjoys Lebanese meze at Le Chef and street food at Barbar.
Focus Features / Courtesy Everett Collection
“Las Vegas” – Season 8 Episode 3: Bourdain visits both the glossy, touristy cliché of Vegas and the off-Strip culinary scene, including classic steakhouse fare at the Golden Steer, punk rock dive bar The Double Down, and takes in authentic Basque cuisine.
“Laos” – Season 4 Episode 11: Bourdain highlights the long-lasting impact of secret U.S. bombing campaigns, focusing on the resilience of the local community as he showcases Lao culture through traditional dishes like Mekong River fish and blood soup.
“Vietnam: Central Highlands” – Season 6 Episode 10: Bourdain travels to a previously unvisited region of his favorite country and explores uncharted local food spots, including an unnamed streetside restaurant and Thu Khoi. The episode captures his genuine, deep-seated passion for Vietnam and its people, culture, and cuisine.
“Iceland: Hello Darkness My Old Friend” – Season 1 Episode 2: In an area where there are only four hours of sunlight, the food ranges from refined, high-end cuisine to rustic local comfort dishes, culminating in Bourdain’s infamous taste of fermented shark, which he called the “single worst, most disgusting and terrible tasting thing” he’d ever eaten, proving how real the show can get.
“New Orleans” – Season 4 Episode 2: Bourdain tours the Lower Ninth Ward in a post-Katrina reality check, calling out the government’s failed response while highlighting the resilience of locals. The episode also celebrates New Orleans’ Creole and Cajun cuisine, drinking culture, and a visit to Dooky Chase’s Restaurant.
What to watch after No Reservations?
Try other Bourdain classics, such as Parts Unknown and A Cook’s Tour, as well as the heartbreaking 2021 documentary Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain.
Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations, Streaming Now, HBO Max, Hulu, Discovery+, and Travel Channel GO