The Grill of My Dreams

By No Reservations Crew on August 30, 2008 3:03 PM | Permalink | 20 Comments

By Adam Lupsha, Visual Effects Editor

When I adapt Tony's life into a screenplay it will be titled: "If You Are What You Eat, I'm Mostly Testicles, The Tony Bourdain Chronicles." I can't decide if the lead should be Johnny Depp or God (as played by Liam Neeson). I love my job, AND there's Tony Bourdain!

It's Thursday morning and as usual I'm eating my bacon, egg and cheese sandwich from the grub cart just above the subway (rubbery bacon: curiously decadent). As I sit at my desk, working on another whiz-bang special effect (like Tony eating a hotdog Matrix style), Tony comes in to talk about Washington D.C. and Labor Day. I think. It was either the show he was talking about or egg sandwiches. I was really enjoying that sandwich.

He moved through the office to another impromptu meeting with other producers and editors. They were discussing the Labor Day show, a barbecue-tastic, beef-topia in Connecticut the next day. Oh, how I wished to be there among the smells, the pool, the friendly sun. I secretly imagined a petting zoo, rounds of doing the Hokey-Pokey, a performance by the Cramps, and trust falls. And rainbows, made of cake.

As I approached Tom to tell him how much I'd enjoyed my sandwich, I overheard Tony. "We need a Ukulele, and Hawaiian Shirts. Say Adam, you're about the coolest guy ever, do you possess these items?"

Well, it was something like that. It came up that I play the uke (I play depression era folk music) and that I have a small collection of genuine, 70's polyester Hawaiian shirts (I went to high school on Maui). And just like my ex-best friend's honeymoon, I'd snuck my ass onto another trip.

You know that last scene in Boogie Nights, when the characters have gone through hell or worse and they're all back together, a big family, forgetting the challenges and digging the unity at the pool with the grill flaming? Well, replace the smut with a lot of equally talented people organizing over a dozen miniature businesses a year (every episode really is a little company). This shoot was a celebration of all those fully mind-destroying, relatively Olympian feats that shows can turn often out to be (bear in mind that Big-Tony B is on ALL of them). It all works because everybody is good at what they do and everybody loves it. Well, one guy didn't like it. Tony made us eat him in a lemon-wine sauce ...

We all helped with food, setting up, holding reflectors, building up mics and jumping in the bouncy castle. I think Nari was in charge of drinking. I went to the workshop to saw and hammer some tracking targets together for a retrospective shot for the "Tony's many eccentric acquaintances" segment. Then we grilled. After Tony cooked about infinity-pounds of meat for an hour, he deserved a damn break. Naturally, he turned to the nearest person and handed me the spatula (I was closer than the table). Of course, though, he was a gent. I learned that when the burger puffs a little, it's done. Also, I learned that I come from a family that slightly overcooks food. And at the very, very end, I learned you can give a man a burger or you can teach him to grill. That, my friends, is a trust fall worth two in the bush.

Tags: bourdain blog , anthony bourdain , crew blog , no reservations , labor day , special , marathon , travel channel , connecticut , grill , grilling , pool

20 Comments

1

BLAZE - September 01 2008 @ 8:36 pm In a word - brilliant! AB & Co. are the bomb. Irrevent. Poignant. Delicious. Mesmerizing. Beautifully shot. Insightful and entertaining gastronimonic travel. Rock on! BLAZE
2

Greg Paul - September 02 2008 @ 10:13 am Most insightful and well written. I enjoyed seeing the stuff on this episode that is usually left out of the show. I'd like to hear and see more about the behind the scenes experiences, outakes and crew characters that make up the "No Reservations" experience.
3

T Bone McGee - September 02 2008 @ 11:09 am I'm not sure who this Lupsha person is exactly, but I do know one thing - that he must be a brilliant, shining ball of light not too often seen in these parts. I look forward to further installments of this poignant nonsense. Well played. Well played indeed.
4

StabMastaArson-2 - September 02 2008 @ 1:47 pm I got the scoop from T-Bone, and tuned in in time to see you playing volleyball. Later I saw you perform your song. I was glad to see you still had your aloha shirts, and I noticed you were kind enough to lend your fellow crew member one of them. Good to see you (even if it was on tv).
5

omar enriquez - September 02 2008 @ 3:06 pm who is that gil nari from the korea episode. she is hot as hell. is she single?
6

captain jeff - September 02 2008 @ 8:59 pm do you and your crew know 'how' to work??? or like the dishes in spain are you people just re-defining the concept of WORK???
7

Lupsha Fan 1 - September 02 2008 @ 10:15 pm Best moment in TV history ever! Except weekend mornings in East Tennessee.
8

Jonathan Hetzel - September 05 2008 @ 1:57 am Damn you guys, all of you, especially Anthony. And eat the horse you rode in on. Its your fault, you and your no reservations. I want to go everywhere. Singapore, Sweden, Argentina, Osaka, and so many more. The list keeps growing episode by episode. I knew it was likely but you presented upon my plate all that is wonderful in the food world. Burn in hell you sons of bitches and while your burning I want your job. Thanks again you who caused this totally impossible to satiate longing for travel and food that is foreign. I love you but I hate you. Have any openings?
9

Bee - September 08 2008 @ 7:00 pm Hi there, This is Bee at http://www.rasamalaysia.com, a food blog about (mostly) Malaysian food. I would like to pitch a "No Reservations" programming idea to you about Penang, Langkawi, and Melaka of Malaysia. Tony has never been to Penang, from what I've heard. Both Penang and Melaka are recently enlisted as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, so it's high time now to cover the foods in these two places. Plus, the unique (and authentic) Nyonya cuisine originated from these two Straits settlements. Penang is also the mecca for the best street food in Asia (according to a poll by Time Asia). Langkawi is an up-and-coming resort island in Southeast Asia and offers some of the best Malay cooking. I am sorry to leave this unsolicited comment, but I am not sure how else to reach your team. Best, Bee
10

Carmen... aka:Protea - September 09 2008 @ 7:45 pm KNOWING FULL WELL that I have divorced my lingk to the world via CABLE TELEVISION under the auspices of "saving for a home", I leave these few words for the CREW and FEARLESS LEADER....Tony (smile) "OLA" I am not in Montana at that reservation I mentined... I didn't get a call from you folks and the calls that should have come back from Cheif Oldperson's "crew" of Tribal leaders... was a bit garbled. Soooo, I'm at home for my vacation. Contemplating a NOTRE DAME football game. What happened to SAMEER? I remember he wanted a home... for he and Tony? take a gander at the on on the URL SPOT... repeated: http://blog.360.yahoo.com/blog-DjVAmH44dvKuqVJd7CUsorFfgALS7yo-?cq=1 (sho it to Sameer) ..or maybe take a trek to Capital City Illinois to see for yourself! ..I'm going back on vacation now (incognito)
11

christophe engleton - September 14 2008 @ 9:58 pm Hey Tony, My name is Christophe Engleton, and I would like to invite you to Belize. I know you have been to Belize. I saw it on your facebook profile. I know many companies that would be interested in working with you including, Marie Sharp's company. Marie Sharp makes peppers, vegetable sauces other foods. She is the largest food production company in Belize. Her website is http://www.mariesharps-bz.com/, and I personally think she would love for you to come to Belize. If you think this is a good idea let me know, my email is chrisengleton2@yahoo.com. Chris
12

Eric - September 15 2008 @ 1:00 am I am currently a senior Architecture major at the University of Oklahoma. In spring 2009 i will be working on an independent research project based on the relationship between the quality of a meal and relationship it has to the architectural experience that surrounds the meal. The research will be a personal documentation of my travels through europe. So i guess my question is "Through your travels, have you found a relationship between the architectural atmosphere of a food establishment and the food that the establishment served?" Also any other advice that you have for me before my trip would be greatly appreciated. I would love to gain any incite from your well traveled mind.
13

Solma Holiday - September 16 2008 @ 5:42 pm This is hilarious!!! The writer must be on good terms with the host to take so many witted jabs. Get this guy his own show ASAP!!!!!
14

Stew McGravy - September 17 2008 @ 6:05 pm Dude, You DO live--Nicely done even if the meat references made me want to hurl my Tofurkey. Remember us little people back in the bay grillmaster... S
15

barbara arendt - September 17 2008 @ 10:41 pm Hey, can you pass this on to Tony soon? I was the numnut in Lincoln tonite that sort of forgot his name. And of course, while shifting around the shoe in my mouth, I wanted to ask something but the shoe was just too good, I guess. I'm traveling to Florence next week. I'm looking for some obscure off the beaten path restaurants in the Chianti region. I actually have your rec's from the Tuscany collection on my list. Any others you'd rec? Much thanks! p/s...you are way hotter in person...screw the high def!
16

christine - September 26 2008 @ 9:44 pm Man, changing jobs is hard. Lost all my bookmarks, so it is back to delicious for me! Glad I have you back on the map and this post made it worth it. Never, sir, and I repeat "never" overcook the meat. Slap it on the *** and send it out. I've lost perfectly good friends over their inability to order anything except a well-done steak.
17

sergio A rojas - September 29 2008 @ 6:43 pm This show rocks it kicks ass i love it. Keep doing what you are doing becuase it works.I love exploring now with diffrenrent types of food i come accros on to learn the cultore also. Thanks for your hard work in making this show I love it.
18

ben - October 16 2008 @ 8:02 pm
nice blog. this is great!
19

David - January 28 2009 @ 6:21 pm
Yeah, Nari, that was her name. The short legged korean girl with the inevitable kim chi breath. I don't know why, but something about that is very attractive. Hard to fight heritage.
20

Aldo Bagnara - February 15 2009 @ 1:19 pm
I heard that Anthony is going to Chile on march 09, I am a 38 years expirence Chef, in Sarasota Florida. I speak English, Spanish, Argentinian, Chilean and the FOOD language, I may be a lot of help down there.....

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