Anthony Bordain, a Chef & Author for All Seasons

To those of you who don't know Anthony Bourdain, he is a chef, author, media star, and "man of all seasons". You can see him on the Travel Chanel's show, "No Reservation", every week.

Bordain is what I consider, a real personality in the media circle. He offers a style that has branded his show, "No Reservations" a favorite, tuned in by millions of viewers every week.

What is not so well known, is where Anthony Bordain came from, before he was thrust onto the "Travel Channel".

Bordain does have a history. He didn't pop out of thin air, one day, with a knife in one hand and a degree from culinary school, in the other.

Tony grew up in New Jersey, went to the best, culinary school in the US, worked at several well known restaurants, in and around New York.

It was during these early years, Tony's drug use slowed down his career goals. His ambition to be a great chef, took a back seat to his growing addiction to heroin and use of cocaine.

Yet, even through these tough times, Anthony Bordain's burning desire for, something more, a better life for himself, pushed him on to overcome his drug abuse and move forward, in time.

In the mid 80s, Mr. Bourdain got the writer's itch, attended some writing classes, entered a methadone program and began submitting novels and articles to different publishing houses, until he got his name in print.

I would have to say, if it wasn't for Mr. Bourdain, the author, most of us would have never heard of him, except as just another chef, trying to make a decent living.

Bourdain finally submitted an article that took hold. The New Yorker magazine published his piece entitled,"Don't Eat Before Reading This". He had no credentials as a writer, but the subject matter and writing skill was compelling enough, that the magazine published his piece.

The article concerned certain practices restaurants have always used to pass off bad food, to the public. For instance, Tony gives some very sound advice to readers, about ordering fish on a Monday. You might just end up with Friday's smelly catch.

The "New Yorker" article, Tony wrote, was an instant grabber. It had a lot of the food critics and readers wondering, "Who is, Anthony Bourdain?"

Finally, It was his novel, "Kitchen Confidential", in 2000, that became a bestseller, throwing Tony into the spotlight, as a genuine author.

"Kitchen Confidential", is still his best work. Critics compared his style to, Hunter Thompson, the "Gonzo" journalist of "Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas", published over thirty years ago. Kitchen Confidential is still a big seller, especially at the college bookstores.

When you think of foreign, culinary dishes, such as, fetal duck eggs, raw cobra heart (still beating), bull's testicles; all the really great, classic dishes, think of Mr. Bourdain and his hit, reality show, "No Reservations".

This culinary genius, is right in the middle of living out his dream. From book signings, to his show, "No Reservations" on the Travel Channel, showing up as guest chef on "Top Chef" and blogging for Bravo TV; Mr. Bordain has to be one of the busiest men in the media, these days.

Tony just got married, again last year. He also has a baby daughter. He's on the road about ten months out of the year, with his show, so he must really be one of those father's who invented "quality time".

I can't help but like this guy. He makes no excuses and at the same time, Mr. Bourdain truly has a set of values, especially where cooking is concerned.

Tony does not hold back on his contempt for a lot of the other media chef's on the TV, these days. Bourdain feels most of the "media chefs", are butchering food and recipes, like, "fast food" hacks that work at Denny's.

Always outspoken, you can count on Tony Bordain, to be a chef first. It is this "chef" discipline that makes him one of the best culinary masters in this world, today.