Anthony Bourdain is returning to the big screen in A24’s Tony, bringing renewed attention to the chef, writer and television host’s lifelong pursuit of food and the culinary experiences that shaped his worldview.
Bourdain had a tattoo on his forearm reading “I Suspend Judgement,” a quote attributed to French writer Michel de Montaigne. The phrase reflected his approach to people around the world: setting aside preconceived notions and meeting others on their own terms.
As writer Patrick Radden Keefe previously noted, Bourdain had found a way to use the act of sharing food to bridge the distance between himself and strangers around the world.
But when it came to food itself, Bourdain rarely suspended judgment. His opinions were often passionate, sharp and vividly expressed, combining culinary descriptions with philosophy, dark humor and an occasional taste for the grotesque.
His writing and television work could make even unfamiliar dishes — from shrimp brains to a purple Czech blood sausage carrying what he described as “notes of sweetness, longing and death” — sound irresistible.
Here are five dishes that stood out among Bourdain’s favorites.
1. Cacio e pepe — Ristorante Roma Sparita, Rome
During the sixth season of No Reservations, Bourdain visited Roma Sparita in Rome’s Trastevere neighborhood and ordered the restaurant’s signature cacio e pepe, one of the city’s classic pasta dishes.
After his first bite, Bourdain declared, “I’m sure this is illegal somewhere.” After another, he went even further, calling it potentially “the greatest thing in the history of the world.”
So impressed was Bourdain that he initially concealed the restaurant’s identity, referring to it on the program as “Restaurant X.” The name was soon revealed, however, and Roma Sparita’s small piazza has since become a popular destination for diners.
The restaurant also came to represent one of the contradictions of Bourdain’s work: introducing audiences to places he loved could ultimately change them, sometimes even threatening the very qualities that made them special.
2. Bún bò Huế — Bún Bò Huế Kim Chau, Hue
Bourdain’s recipe for happiness was remarkably simple: “Low plastic stool, check. Tiny plastic table, check. Something delicious in a bowl, check.”
Barack Obama could arguably have been added to the list after the former US president joined Bourdain for a meal in Hanoi, where they ate pork belly and noodle soup at a small plastic table. Obama’s verdict — “This is amazing” — became one of the most memorable moments of the episode.
But among Bourdain’s own culinary favorites, bún bò Huế, the spicy noodle soup from the Vietnamese city of Hue, held a special place.
“In the hierarchy of delicious and satisfying things in a bowl, bún bò Huế is right up there,” Bourdain said.
He described a rich broth made from bones and flavored with lemongrass, spices and fermented shrimp paste, served with tender braised beef shank, crab cakes, pork knuckle, blood cake and rice noodles.
For Bourdain, it was “the best soup in the world” — a dish as complex and sophisticated as anything served in the finest French restaurants.
3. Roast marrow and bread — St. John, London
Bourdain once called St. John in London his favorite restaurant in the world.
After his first meal there, he reportedly knelt down in front of the kitchen in tribute. Among the dishes that made the strongest impression was Fergus Henderson’s roasted bone marrow served with bread.
Bourdain first tasted the dish in 1999 and described the experience in almost religious terms, saying that angels were singing, heavenly trumpets were playing and generations of his ancestors were smiling down from heaven.
For him, it was “the butter of God.”
Years later, Bourdain said the dish would form the centerpiece of his ideal last meal.
His choice was roasted marrow with a parsley and caper salad, several slices of toasted baguette and good sea salt. The setting would be St. John’s dining room after closing time, accompanied by a cold Guinness.
4. Mortadella sandwich — Bar do Mané, São Paulo
Bourdain described the mortadella sandwich at the nearly century-old Bar do Mané as one of São Paulo’s great guilty pleasures.
The sandwich is deceptively simple: a Portuguese-style roll packed with an almost excessive amount of fried pink mortadella, with melted cheese added if desired.
For Bourdain, it was a “rite of passage” and a reflection of Brazil’s deep Italian heritage.
He later created his own version of the sandwich for his 2016 cookbook Appetites. Bourdain used a Kaiser roll, mustard and mayonnaise, topping the fried mortadella with melted provolone.
5. Lièvre à la royale — Restaurant Paul Bocuse, Lyon
Bourdain was fascinated by the grandeur, traditions and theatrical atmosphere of Restaurant Paul Bocuse in Lyon, named after the legendary French chef.
Bocuse was known for his towering white chef’s hat and a menu that included dishes such as black truffle soup and truffle-stuffed chicken cooked inside a pig’s bladder.
But one of the dishes that left the deepest impression on Bourdain was the legendary lièvre à la royale.
The dish begins with wild hare, hunted by Bocuse and his associates, and is served with a rich sauce made using the animal’s own heart, liver and lungs, thickened with its blood and enriched with truffle and Chartreuse liqueur.
With its dark, glossy appearance and exaggerated presentation, the dish was described by Bourdain as “the Ark of the Covenant of the old cuisine” — a fitting tribute to a culinary tradition he regarded with equal parts fascination, reverence and appetite.
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