Should be quite an interesting evening.

If I remember correctly, didn't Bourdain cook here in the early 80's while he was on smack?

I have no idea WTF this is all about. I beg, I implore ANYONE who goes to this to heckle Bourdain about selling out to CHASE SAPPHIRE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If you are/were a fan of his show, you no doubt saw the over the top sell out when he, in multiple episodes, said he would get the check and flashed the Chase Sapphire card. Yes - right in the show. And Chase pretty much bought every commercial during the show. I think he got so much crap that they may have dropped Chase as sponsor but I saw it in a repeat the other day. For such an anti-establishment 'bad-boy' he had no problem sucking up to the establishment.

SELL OUT BOURDAIN.

uhh, honestly if youve read the book you can consider him 'selling out' by actually having a show on tv, doing book tours, being on yo gabba gabba, but if you've been in this industry honestly I would take any break I got to get something going outside of the kitchen. the bad boy image is long gone, youre a little too late :)

I just hope he doesn't eat anything alive on stage.

I just think it's funny that after he slammed Baltimore in that episode, he's back in town hocking meet and greets for $250. I, for one, have no reservations about staying home.

oh yeah, he's kind of a tool for that

If I could afford it $250 I would go for the meet & greet. I watch his show and LOVE Eric Ripert.

For Sam Sessa:

Would you prefer to spend $250 to meet and greet a "star" who spouts about how every place he or she goes is marvelous on-camera, and then slams the place off-camera? Is that on-screen fiction somehow "better"? Or do you believe that "stars" other than Bourdain really LOVE all the places they tour or visit?

Personally, while I wouldn't spend $250 to meet and greet anybody, if I were to do so, I'd prefer to meet somebody who has the nerve to say the occasional discouraging word on camera, and who at least lets you know pretty blatantly when he or she is shilling for a sponsor.

As a local counter-example, is John Shields really all smiles and "Gee Whiz!" all the time in real life, as he appears when on-camera? I have no idea, but even if he's a generally cheerful soul and gentle soul (which i wouldn't doubt), I doubt he's as upbeat about everything, all the time, as he is when on camera. But is that more acceptable because the on-camera spiel is all "happy, happy, joy, joy"?

Or how about Guy Fieri? Is he a notch above Bourdain, because he said good things about Baltimore when he came through, just like he does about EVERY place he goes? I think you could put Fieri in front of a fly-clouded dumpster, and when the camera rolls, he'd be beaming about how it was the BEST dumpster he'd ever picked scraps out of.

But then again, maybe Bourdain is really a bouncy Tigger of a guy in his private life, and his world-weary cynical tough guy schtick is all an act, too.

Personally, though, I give more credence to a critic or commentator who occasionally doesn't like something. At every least, it provides a little change of pace.

I would pay $250 to meet Guy Fieri and slap him in the face with a wet trout

I love the Travel Channel, I'll pay $30 for Balcony seats to see Tony, but not more than that. I don't care if he hates Baltimore, let's face it, it's a war zone lit up with the cold blue lighting of Police camera boxes. But the parts that are beautiful (Mt. vernon area is my favorite) are very beautiful.

"I think you could put Fieri in front of a fly-clouded dumpster, and when the camera rolls, he'd be beaming about how it was the BEST dumpster he'd ever picked scraps out of."

I really, really, really wish we had comment of the week.

Or how about Guy Fieri? Is he a notch above Bourdain, because he said good things about Baltimore when he came through, just like he does about EVERY place he goes?

It's more than I find greater credibility in Bourdain's ability to accomodate fine dining and street food in the same food vocabulary. If he was at El Bulli or some pho stall in Hanoi, I could still trust Bourdain to be himself.

I have trouble envisioning Guy Fieri speaking authoritatively about any food that doesn't look like it belongs on This is Why You're Fat.

I don't mind food populism. I think it has an important place in food media - but I think of that as something different from revelling in the lowest-common denominator.

To Hell with Anthony Boudain.... on his last trip to the City he could have visited landmark crab cake haunts ( Obreki's, G&M, Faidleys), cool new spots ( Salt, Paso, Red Door ) or referenced our town's distinction as having one of the lowest food borne illness rates in the US... but settled on "fried ghetto strip-mall white fish" as his story highlight for his last visit! Smoke up Tony and go back overseas...

G_A_D, that's what he does in almost every US city. He seems to love the hole-in-the-wall restaurants. Actually, he loves those all over the world.

I'll readily grand that Bourdain's projection of "realness" can be quite an affectation sometimes.

But it's at least as disingenuous to not admit that Baltimore does have those "fried ghetto strip-mall" joints - and plenty of them.

Is it any different from celebrating "The Wire" or "Homicide" or John Waters' canon? They're all about unseemly aspects to the city, too.

Or is it just because it's Bourdain?

For all the things I don't like about him, I wouldn't begrudge him his ability to celebrate aspects of food that can be overlooked among the fooderati.

You know whats the point of hearing some blokes talking on cookery for 250? I mean the Frenchie probably cant even talk right as most learn the wrong way talking and then end up in the wrong place and hasnt learned the proper stateside manner of talking. Whats they gonna say, like dont turn the burner up too high? Its like monkeys trying to type Shakespear. It just doesnt make sense, you know.. Why not keep the cookery folks on the griddle with their bits and keep monkeys doing monkey bits right?

Sam,

How exactly did Anthony "slam" Baltimore in that episode? He incorrectly included Baltimore in the Rust Belt, but other than that, I don't see it.

Seems like your homerism clouds rational thought.

The event seems like a fun night to me...and I like that it's happening in Baltimore...a bit unusual and atypical little night. If this were popping up in other cities, wouldn't you lament that Baltimore isn't getting such things? I would.

Thanks for posting this a day after the event. I really would have liked to attend. Where's Liz Large when you need her?

It's on May 22. MAY 22.

Let's see, I hate that crap place Baltimore where I couldn't score any decent smack. I will revisit that hole. Hmm, who should I get to show me the culinary hot spots? How about a convicted murderer who played a socipathic murderer for drug dealers in Baltimore.

No agenda there. Maybe he could do a show on favorite ice cream parlors of pedophiles on Long Island. Or a tour of the Columbine killers' favorite fast food joints.

Revenge motive or not, it was a stupid show.

Woops. May 22nd. Thought it was March. My bad.

Every city has its ghetto area. Of ALL the actors on the Wire, Bourdain chose to hang out with the thuggiest real life gangsta.

I don't mind that he showed the street food of our area -- like lake trout, pit beef -- but Mo's>? For reals?

Why doesn't he have any interest in the cool foodie things going on at places like Woodberry Kitchen, Dogwood, Gertrude's, or old-school places that abound?

He just needed Baltimore to fit into his little, tidy -- yet gross and scummy -- box. Now people can have the privilege of paying $250 to meet him in person. I can only imagine the goofs and lo-sahs who will add to his pockets so that he will be financially able to get all high and mighty on some other city he hates. He hates everywhere below the Dixie line, but he'll eat live worms in developing nations so that he can portray himself as open-minded.

Let that Jersey boy go the hell back to Jersey. I'm sure even New York is tired of his played out, burned out *ss. Yuck.

I don't like Bourdain as much as I used to. I find him to be rather inconsistent, as he is far more critical of Western culture, particularly American culture, than he is of other cultures, particularly Southeast Asian ones.

That said, I still like the format of his show on the Travel Channel and his sarcastic wit.

Now, as to this show at the Hippodrome, it seems pretty lame. I'm sure the audience will be filled with all kinds of insufferable, wannabe foodie types.

What he said

Did people read the whole post? Food featured will be from "Woodberry Kitchen, The Wine Market, Dogwood and other restaurants."
Sounds like Bourdain does have some interest in "the cool foodie things going on" in Baltimore

baltimoregal, is there any evidence that Bourdain was personally involved in selecting the restaurants that will be participating in the Hippodrome's Foodie Experience? If not, he's just a hired hand who's looking to pick up a check at the end of the night. (Ditto for Ripert.)

I've never been an Anthony fan. Think it's because he comes across a bit condescending. I agree with the posts above about Guy being better than Anthony. Yeah I'm sure Anthony's resume might be beefier but Guy is coming up in the world. Has anyone seen his new show Minute To Win It? I know it's not food related, although he got me with the M&Ms and Oreo's they have on the show, but he's def entertaining and he just has such a positive energy. Whereas Anthony is always so blah. And if you put those 2 up against each other in the show Anthony wouldn't stand a chance!

I've never been an Anthony fan. Think it's because he comes across a bit condescending. I agree with the posts above about Guy being better than Anthony. Yeah I'm sure Anthony's resume might be beefier but Guy is coming up in the world. Has anyone seen his new show Minute To Win It? I know it's not food related, although he got me with the M&Ms and Oreo's they have on the show, but he's def entertaining and he just has such a positive energy. Whereas Anthony is always so blah. And if you put those 2 up against each other in the show Anthony wouldn't stand a chance!

Well, Guy doesn't have the gourmet, international chops of Bourdain. So, it's comparing apples and oranges... that being said, Bourdain's extreme jadedness is so very 20 years ago -- when his heyday was. I think his palette is probably burned out by years of cigarettes, booze, coke, and smack. That's why he only likes kimchee and not dessert now. Guy Fieri has a zest for life and that is more entertaining.

Bourdain: so glad that you've seen it all, done it all.

If The Ramones made caskets like Kiss does, I guess he'd be all set.

Anon, no offense, but you are kind of a moron.

Robert wrote, "I'm sure the audience will be filled with all kinds of insufferable, wannabe foodie types."

As opposed to Internet message boards, where kettle points out the pot's sable tint.

Will you be standing at the door, making the distinction between foodies and wannabe foodies? It sounds like a decent event. If it's not your thing, don't go. But I don't see the point in being condescending towards those who do chose to go.

Guy Fieri has a zest for life and that is more entertaining.

You say 'zest for life', and I say "irritating developmental disorder".

Po-tay-to, po-tah-to.

My distaste for Guy Fieri is not dissimilar from my loathing of Rachel Ray. We get it. You like comfort food.

But if you really have nothing to teach me that doesn't consist of "deep fry and smother it in sauce", then I really have no interest in watching your spastic facial gymnastics.

I realize matters of taste and preference aren't the sort of thing one can really argue rationally - I like Coke, you like Pepsi.

But Guy and Rachel are a particularly useless product of populist food media.

I'm with El G. I can't change the channel fast enough when that buffoon is on. Watching him shove food into his maw is disgusting. He also has the table manners of a raccoon in a dumpster.

No, OMG--a raccoon is more fastidious.

For some reason, this week's xkcd made me think of this thread.

Draw your own conclusions.