Anthony Bourdain, Host, The Layover

By MAGGIE M, Wedgee-in-Chief, Editor, thewedge.LIVE

There’s nothing better for healing (except the hand of God!) while bedridden–better than ibuprofen and antibiotics–than spending time with Anthony Bourdain, Host, The Layover, on Netflix. Dopamine and endorphins course through your veins.

We lost him a few days ago, so his productions are precious to all foodies today. Touring with him on my Apple brings forward his talent and stirs my innards.

I wrote a story lately on the soul of Smiths Falls, a fast-growing town in Ontario, Canada. In kind, Bourdain looked for the soul of every city he visited around the globe through food–and their eaters.

People convene over food, coffee, drink. Bourdain discovered the gravitas of Sao Paulo, Paris and Dublin before my eyes today–each distinct. The conversations with guests and strangers are inserted cleverly into each adventure, each meal. It’s about food, but it’s also about people. Bourdain was masterful at drawing out people–food catharsis to its best edible acts.

His wit delivered many guffaws each episode–he is an idiom machine.

Fear not the expletives–they are few with brief bleeps. And well-timed. It’s who he is, authentic, bon-vivant and with zero pretention. Bourdain experiences with the viewer and takes us a little further–even into details on his indigestion and excesses. His description of vomiting on an airplane and the complications that come with being tall are unforgettable and gut-splitting. Basically, it required leaving the door open.

Bourdain decimated Toronto as he entered for the first time by airport limo. I believe he said, “ugly.” It was a rough beginning, but a deep dive into its hot spots transformed his perception. It is clear Toronto is a melting pot of culture and cultures with a dash of polite–so they say. The episode ended with many clips of Torontonians responding to the primordial question, “How do you describe Toronto in a few words?” This was a bad finish with many ums and uhs.

Like it or not, Bourdain called it.

The wedge is on his trail with, “Where in the wedge is Maggie M?” We rejig today in his honor and build our travel stories around food with a dash of wild.

What would Bourdain make of East Ontario, Ottawa and surrounding regions?

What would Bourdain make of East Ontario, Ottawa and surrounding regions? The Toronto experience speaks volumes and puts us on notice.

I think of passionate bakers, chefs, creators in the wedge as I write. Who among these food creators might dream in techni-taste? Who is passionate about the tongue’s pleasures? Who captures the area’s origins, customs–with a twist? We aim to find them, Bourdain style.

Who can make our taste buds sing?

Food places that are businesses first are far from my consideration. These we have in abundance. You know them by the tasteless, rubbery meats swimming in non-descript sauce and the side of heated veggies out of the bag. Ugh.

Businesses, creators that are “food first” magnetize me, my camera and my writings. These make my time worthwhile–researching, interviewing, tasting, filming, editing and uploading.

Tourism is nothing without food. It is ostensibly who we are, where we are. And a reward to boating, swimming, trailing, sightseeing–it is the conclusion of every adventure.

Bourdain ignited my food quest in the wedge. He is a tough act to follow.

SCRATCHING THE SURFACE

I did a short video featuring cyclists-barristas in Perth in 2016.  I was cameraman, host, editor–basically a one-man band. Now as chef Emeril Lagasse always said, “[We are] kicking it up a notch. Bam!”

The wedge aims to take our food stories and live productions to the next level with humor and wit, and goldfish speed scene changes. Thank you Anthony.