Infamous chef and best-selling author Anthony Bourdain and his intrepid Discovery Channel team have arrived in Laos to film the local culinary and scenic highlights, exposing Laos to an international audience.
Mr Bourdain's programme takes viewers on a fascinating and informative excursion across the globe, experiencing cultures, cuisines and people. He has been fascinated by Laos for a long time since reading a number of books about the country.
Filming takes place from January 14 to 23. The crew have already filmed at French and Lao restaurants in Vientiane , before heading to the northern provinces to dig deeper, where Mr Bourdain expects to meet fellow chefs and restauranteurs and to learn about Lao culture.
The crew will also meet with Unexplored Ordnance teams to observe their work in the removal of UXO in the rural areas. This will be an opportunity to give this problem and its solutions greater exposure to an international audience.
Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations is the television series being produced by Zero Point Zero Productions Inc, for the Discovery/ Travel Channel.
The series has already aired throughout Asia, South and North America, Africa and Europe and has a viewing audience of more than 10 million worldwide.
“Working on “No Reservation” is the best job in the world; it's all about me, and the American network allows me to go everywhere in the world I choose to satisfy my curiosity about countries, places and cuisines,” Mr Bourdain told Vientiane Times in an interview on Tuesday.
“What we are going to present to the world about Laos does not concern ideology or history, but food, because every dish we eat has a history. I've come here to have fun, to meet and talk to people, and to eat and drink with an open mind and heart.”
“There are some places you go where you just can't help getting involved in discussions as you eat and talking becomes a part of the meal. I like to sit at the table to eat and to talk to people, in the hope that we will become friends if we have something in common,” he explained.
Mr Bourdain was pleased to be invited to a traditional style restaurant in Vientiane , outfitted in wood, called The Amphone. Here he found a number of traditional dishes made with tasty ingredients. He sampled laap - chopped meat mixed with herbs and fermented fish sauce ( padaek) and seasoned with chilli and hog plum sauce, all consumed in a pleasant dining environment.
The programme's field coordinator, Mr Matt Walsh, said the team came to Laos because they felt it was an interesting place. The fact is that many people, particularly in America , are not as familiar with Laos as they are with some of its neighbouring countries.
“Places that are not as well known are more interesting and give us something new to discover,” he said. “We chose one restaurant to demonstrate traditional Lao cuisine in a way that we can explain clearly.”
He added that Amphone's owner, Mr Moukdavanh Phommachanh, is a “great spokesman” for Lao culture and food, and has a deep understanding of its complexity.
Mr Moukdavanh said the design of the restaurant was his own inspiration and he took care to serve the dishes in the traditional way.
Infamous chef and best-selling author Anthony Bourdain and his intrepid Discovery Channel team have arrived in Laos to film the local culinary and scenic highlights, exposing Laos to an international audience.
Yes! Finally LAO is on Anthony Bourdain no reservation tv show. I like to watch him and Andrew Zimmerman he is the host on Brizzar food. Them two are the best; they like to try new foods and appreciated other people cultures and foods.
bizzere food guy, he went to vietnam, but he didn't go to laos. i like him alot he dare to try all kind of foods. he is a cool guy i very like his show, amazing.
