Soon after his death, I read Anthony Bourdain’s Kitchen Confidential. His television programs and a few of his articles had already given me a good idea as to who his public persona had become. The book filled in spaces and, taking the things together, I developed quite a bit of respect for him. A couple of years ago I was fortunate to eat at a José Andrés restaurant in Washington DC. The food was great and the experience of sharing it with family was even better. Lately, the extraordinary work that he has done helping feed people in disaster areas has pushed his name onto the nominations list for the Nobel Prize. Said simply, both Bourdain and Andrés are inspirational people.
Remarkable people are often linked to impressive places. Andrés lived the first five years of his life in northern Spain in a region called Asturias. On a personal level, Asturias changed my life. It is a part of the country that surprises people whose vision of Spain is populated by Hemingway, bulls, and sangria. When I first arrived in the late nineties, my vision was even more limited. The rugged mountains, rainy climate, and Celtic culture broadened my conception of the country and the years that I spent there were, as I have written about elsewhere, key to becoming who I am today.
Fortunate for us, Bourdain, Andrés, and Asturias recently came together in one of the last episodes of the food and travel show Parts Unknown. Andrés and his larger-than-life personality are host and guide as he introduces his homeland to Bourdain. Seemingly unsure at first, it feels genuine as the combination of enthusiastic guide and amazing place endear themselves to even an experienced traveler like Bourdain. Knowing that not long after this show was filmed, Bourdain would commit suicide adds poignancy to their experiences. I hope you enjoy.
Remarkable people are often linked to impressive places. Andrés lived the first five years of his life in northern Spain in a region called Asturias. On a personal level, Asturias changed my life. It is a part of the country that surprises people whose vision of Spain is populated by Hemingway, bulls, and sangria. When I first arrived in the late nineties, my vision was even more limited. The rugged mountains, rainy climate, and Celtic culture broadened my conception of the country and the years that I spent there were, as I have written about elsewhere, key to becoming who I am today.
Fortunate for us, Bourdain, Andrés, and Asturias recently came together in one of the last episodes of the food and travel show Parts Unknown. Andrés and his larger-than-life personality are host and guide as he introduces his homeland to Bourdain. Seemingly unsure at first, it feels genuine as the combination of enthusiastic guide and amazing place endear themselves to even an experienced traveler like Bourdain. Knowing that not long after this show was filmed, Bourdain would commit suicide adds poignancy to their experiences. I hope you enjoy.
