Travel Food Shows: If you love food and travel, this is definitely the show for you. Phil Rosenthal (of Everybody Loves Raymond fame) is an enthusiastic host who tries everything from top restaurants to street eats. He gamely eats unfamiliar ingredients like braised udders and ant eggs while avoiding the performative disgust often seen on other shows. He also covers culture and history in each episode.
Travel Food Shows Anthony Bourdain
Anthony Bourdain has left us, but his travel food show continues to inspire. After the success of Kitchen Confiential, the chef embarked on a global culinary adventure that showcased cuisines from around the world while also exploring the cultures that make them. The show became a hit and has become the gold standard for travel shows.
In this series, the brash, bravado of his rowdy past gave way to a deeper level of self-reflection and appreciation for the people he visited. He savored every moment of the meal and delved into the daily practices and special moments that made each locale unique. His voice over, often a mix of bravado and poignant reflection, was his signature.
On Parts Unknown, Bourdain travelled the globe by bus, train and plane while eating, drinking and exploring the cuisines and culture of each region. In his final season, he went to Detroit and documented the city’s urban decay with firefighters. Volunteer park-mowers, cafe owners, and high-end chefs. He also looked at the future of the city through its citizens and used their passion for their cuisine as a lens into the city.
Epicurean Adventures with Anthony Bourdain
During a visit to Vietnam, Bourdain dined with a local celebrity chef at a backstreet restaurant and enjoyed bun oc (snail noodles). In a more rustic setting, he was served luon nuong ong tre (eel cooked in a length of bamboo) on Hoan Kiem Lake. Later, he was taken to a restaurant famous for its ‘jungle flavours’ and enjoyed a cobra meal, including the palpitating heart.
He also traveled to Ethiopia, where he was escorted by chefs and models into rural villages for a taste of authentic Ethiopian cooking. He ate injera bread, beyaynetu platters and fese edamo (edamo made from cow stomach). While on an Asian tour, he was hosted by his friend and host of the popular TED Talks, Philippe Lajaunie. Their first stop was in Nha Trang, the sleepy fishing community that has grown into a sophisticated, hedonistic beach town with a strong French influence. They took a coracle ride out to the sandbank of a fish farm and feasted on lobster, crab, and grouper.
Travel Food Shows Somebody Feed Phil
Somebody Feed Phil is one of the most wholesome travel food shows out there. It stars gleeful global eater Phil Rosenthal, and is the mecca of all travel food shows. The series is pure magic and a feast for the eyes, heart, soul and stomach. Its a show that will have you hungry and eager to travel all over the world to sample the local cuisine.
The show traces the journey of Rosenthal who is in search of good food and interesting people around the world. He eats in some of the world’s top-rated restaurants and local food joints. The best part of the show is that it makes you feel like youre with him on the journey. Its a show that will give you a big boost in your day and make you feel more optimistic about the world.
He has a childlike curiosity about different cultures and uses food as the entry point to deeper understanding and connection. His enthusiasm and cheerful demeanor make you smile. He has a way of making strangers feel like family. He is a great cheerleader for humanity.
Culinary Exploration with Somebody Feed Phil
This award-winning show is a must watch for all food lovers and travellers. Its also a very entertaining show to watch with friends or family. Phils reactions to the food are just so funny and entertaining to watch. Its a perfect way to spend an evening with your loved ones.
The show is available to stream on Netflix. You can check out the list of episodes here.
Phil visits some of the most renowned restaurants in each city in the world. He tries a lot of things that you would not normally see on television. He also meets some very nice people on the way.
The show was a huge hit and it was renewed for a fifth season that premiered this year. Phil will be doing a live tour this fall to talk about his travels and the food that he found along the way. He will also be promoting his new book Somebody Feed Phil: The Cookbook.
A Cook Abroad
This BBC show follows celebrity chefs as they discover the foods and culture of their travels. The series is perfect for those who want to eat locally and support the local economy. Each episode takes the chef to a different country where they explore the cuisine, and local market. The chef will use their skills and knowledge to create a meal that is authentic and delicious. This is a great way to learn new cooking techniques that you can apply back home.
This food-based travel show is a bit more low key than some of the others on this list. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth watching. The show follows Chef Kasumi in his search for the best and most authentic street food in Asia. It’s a fascinating look at the culture and tradition of this region, and the people who live there. It also highlights some of the more unique dishes that you might not find in a restaurant.
A Journey with A Cook Abroad
The late Anthony Bourdain’s first series to make it onto this list, Kitchen Confidential is still as entertaining as ever. While it may be a little older than his later work, the same raw and honest approach shines through. While the episodes are sometimes a bit debauched, they are always a lot of fun and a must-watch for all food lovers.
Another offshoot of the cult classic Kitchen Confidential is this show featuring legendary chef Rick Stein. While it isn’t as edgy or fast-paced as some of the other shows on this list, it is a must-watch for all food lovers. This show is the perfect blend of travelogue and cooking show as it features Rick traveling the world in search of true and authentic cuisines.
This Emmy-award winning series has been seen by millions and is an ode to all of the food and culture around the world. It showcases some of the most famous chefs from all over the globe. Gives you an insight into their lives as they explore their hometowns and other cities in the world. The chefs include Hairy Biker Dave Myers who uncovers Egypt’s 2,000 year old baking tradition, Masterchef host, Tony Singh discovering the breadth of Punjabi cuisine. Beef connoisseur John Torode exploring Argentina’s gaucho culture and Rachel Khoo discovering Malaysia’s most unique dishes.
Street Food Asia
Bubbling cauldrons of noodle soup, flaky flatbreads and kaleidoscopic desserts — there is no shortage of mouthwatering flavors to discover in the vast continent of Asia. From equatorial tropics to mountain ranges, volcanic islands to frenetic megacities. The food of Asia is a melting pot of diverse influences and traditions.
Street Food is a travel show that explores the unique street food culture in nine different cities across the continent. It features the stories of chefs who work to make their dishes and the cities they serve. Each episode features one chef who has earned a reputation for their cuisine. The show profiles their life story and how they built their business. The format is similar to that of Chef’s Table and Jiro Dreams of Sushi, but with more of a focus on local flavor.
Exploring Street Food in Asia
The show does a great job of giving viewers insight into the local cultures through their food. It also gives them a chance to see how the chefs are connected with their communities. How they use food as a tool for social change. While it would be easy to view the show and only look at the chefs for their food. It is important to remember that these are people who have had to overcome incredible obstacles to get where they are.
While the show doesn’t dwell on the chefs’ struggles. It does highlight the fact that many of them are living in poverty. It does not elide or smooth over how much of their daily lives are defined by struggle. That is what makes it so interesting. In an era where travel shows feel like tourism ads. Street Food is a welcome reminder to pay attention to the people behind the scenes of the restaurants featured.
It is worth noting that while Gelb and McGinn have perfected the format of their shows over six seasons. Street Food does have its share of controversy. Some critics are worried that it is too sanitized and whitewashed. Others are concerned that the show creates a falsely positive arc in the chefs’ lives by only focusing on their success. Despite the controversy, it is clear that the show does a good job of celebrating these chefs. Their skills while also not ignoring how difficult their lives can be.
