Arts & Entertainment
Anthony Bourdain: The ‘Parts Unknown’ Interview
C
hef, author and world traveler
Anthony Bourdain is an outspoken
trailblazer with unique insights
about food, culture and current events.
Here, he talks about his life, career and his
Peabody and Emmy-winning TV-series,
Parts Unknown.
Kam Williams: Hi Anthony, thanks for
the interview. I love the show. I’m honored
to have this opportunity to speak with you.
Anthony Bourdain: Oh no, my pleasure,
Kam.
KW: Congratulations on the Peabody and
Emmys for Parts Unknown.
AB: Thank you. It feels good.
KW: I told my readers I’d be interviewing
you. So, I’ll be mixing their questions for
you in with my own. The first is from edi-
tor/Legist Patricia Turnier who is French
C ELEBRITY
I NTERVIEW
by Kam
Williams
language, just not particularly well.
KW: Patricia also asks: Did you spend
any summers in France with your parents
growing up?
AB: Just a few. Two or three. Three sum-
mers, I think.
KW: Patricia says: you are an excellent
writer. What is the best advice you have for
young writers about cultivating a unique
I’m very aware that we’re telling a story here,
and that we want to tell it in the most
compelling, honest and accurate way we can
Canadian. She says: You have French back-
ground and you’re fascinated with French
cuisine. Do you speak the language?
AB: Yes, badly. But my French definitely
improves the more I drink, as I worry less
and less about absolutely perfect grammar.
[Chuckles] I do speak and understand the
writing style with a sophisticated voice like
yours?
AB: Wow! That’s hard to say… I just
don’t know… Be true to yourself. I write
quickly with a sense of urgency. I don’t edit
myself out of existence, meaning I’ll try to
write 50 or 60 pages before I start rereading,
Anthony Bourdain
revising and editing. That just helps with
my confidence. I listen a lot to how people
speak. I’ve read a great many good books in
my life. I had some excellent English teach-
ers. Surely, those things were helpful.
KW: Besides your books, the show is
extremely well-written. Do you have a hand
in that?
AB: I write the voiceover as part of the
editing process, some of it beforehand.
Working with the producer, we’ll sort of
hash out the flow of each show, the
sequence of events, and the general frame-
work. And maybe there will be some
writing as well that they can edit to. But
much of it is done afterwards. It’s a long and
interactive process that takes about 9 to12
weeks sometimes, per show. So, a lot of
attention is paid. I’m very aware that we’re
telling a story here, and that we want to tell
it in the most compelling, honest and accu-
rate way we can.
KW: I’m not surprised to hear that you
wear several different hats on the show,
since you strike me as one of these versatile,
multi-talents like David Byrne.
AB: I wouldn’t want to compare myself
to David Byrne whom I consider a genius,
See BOURDAIN on page 11
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October 22, 2014 The Portland and Seattle Skanner Page 7