Parents' Guide to

Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations

By Lucy Maher, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Foodie's world travels get pretty spicy.

TV Travel Channel Reality TV 2005
Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

Community Reviews

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age 15+

Based on 3 parent reviews

Alyssa L.
Alyssa L. Adult
May 6, 2017
age 16+

Not a good role model

The show can be educational and interesting but bourddain is so arrogant and self-impressed and is just not a good role model for kids and young teens . He just gets wasted and criticizes people and no one seems to have mentioned he goes to strip clubs on the show fairly often and i don't think that's cool for family viewing at all.

This title has:

Too much sex
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
h2owomen
h2owomen Adult
January 18, 2012
age 18+

bad for families

he smokes and gets drunk through the whole show

This title has:

Too much swearing
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
See all 3 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In ANTHONY BOURDAIN: NO RESERVATIONS, the chef and author (of Kitchen Confidential, The Nasty Bits, A Cook's Tour, and more) crisscrosses the globe in search of the food that typifies the world's cultures. Each week, viewers tag along with Bourdain as he gets the inside dish on local eats in places like Beirut, Indonesia, Korea, Miami, Sweden, and Puerto Rico. On each trip, Bourdain not only indulges in native flavors but also tags along with fishermen, farmers, and food merchants as they go about their daily business, taking in local customs and engaging people he meets in conversation about their homeland and cuisine. During his visit to Peru, for example, Bourdain visited a shaman when the altitude got to him, sampled homemade ceviche with a popular restaurateur, and hopped aboard a fishing boat to go in search of piranha.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (3):
Kids say (3):

Outgoing and wry, Bourdain does a good job of keeping the energy up and introducing viewers to cultures they might not have been exposed to before. But he often makes remarks that might give some parents pause (not to mention make them want to preview episodes before letting kids tune in). When sampling the ceviche, for example, he said that next time he should smoke a joint to counteract the dish's acidity. And when his local host gave him coca leaves to alleviate his headache, he made a reference to snorting cocaine in the '80s.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how food is prepared by different cultures. How are cooking techniques passed down through the generations? What spices can you find in Chinese food? Indian food? What is prevalent in dishes made in Brazil, Ireland, or France?

TV Details

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Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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