Globetrot with ‘Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown’ in this CNN Audio showcast
Travel the world with Emmy winner, chef extraordinaire, and bestselling author Anthony Bourdain in CNN Audio’s showcast, “Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown.” Episodes are audio-only versions of the TV show that started in Asia and wrapped in NYC. The world sadly lost Bourdain in 2018, but his legacy lives on through his documentaries, books, recipes, and this podcast.
The average episode length is 42 minutes long, and new episodes are posted weekly. Feel free to listen in any order, since episodes are specific to one travel destination.
This travel series is narrated by Bourdain as he shares his journeys and interviews guests. He delves into culture, has memorable food moments, and launches into discussions about the cuisine, social, and political aspects of each destination.
The first episode headed to Myanmar in southeast Asia. Bourdain trekked through the large city of Yangon to the remote Mandalay region and visited the Bagan temple. This TV episode originally aired during season one in 2013.
In the second episode, Bourdain went to LA’s Koreatown, a 3-mile radius shaped and rebuilt after the Rodney King riots in 1992. Bourdain explains how this area integrates Filipino, Thai, Samoan, Central American, Mexican, and Bangladeshi cultures. He interviewed food truck owner and chef, Roy Choi, about the LA-specific innovation, Korean tacos.
Then, listeners met artist David Choe, and he explained what it’s like to be Korean-American. They discussed food, family, dating, cars, culture, and more. Bourdain sat for a portrait session with Choe, and then they went to the chain restaurant, Sizzler, which Bourdain tried for the first time. He ordered steak and checked out the buffet while Choe hit the salad bar and shared how food (and Sizzler) influenced his family. Of course, Bourdain sampled additional local food spots and shared what he ate. His vivid meal descriptions translate well from TV to podcast form.
If you are a hardcore Bourdain fan, you’ll recognize Choe from additional episodes and his appearance in 2021’s documentary, Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain.
Check out new episodes of “Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown” every week, wherever you listen to your podcasts.
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