Foodie Experience an Evening with Anthony Bourdain & Eric Ripert at the Warner Theatre Washington D.C.

Friday May 21, 2010 Foodie Experience visited the grand old Warner Theater in Washington D.C. with Anthony Bourdain and Eric Ripert. Anthony Bourdain is the author of Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly and the Host of the Travel Channel's No Reservations. Eric Ripert is painfully French, an author, owner of the Westend Bistro, and most importantly a chef. The two are old friends and have worked together often. Then event was causal on stage with a few simple couches and a table. The two men laid back with MIX 107.3's Tommy McFly as host for 90 minutes of unscripted conversation then a question and answer session with the audience.

McFly would keep the conversation going if there was ever a lull between Ripert and Bourdain which both men seems completely capable of doing. At times though they would simply stop talking and look around for a few seconds until McFly popped a question to the two. Both men plugged their respective books and restaurants. Just like any natural conversation it flowed from topic to topic until the Q&A started.

Bourdain is outspoken in his support of chef's who continue to serve Foie gras and is firmly opposed to others who would remove it from menus. He also fees that personal eating habits should not be legislated and shows that most American's have no idea where their food comes from. The animal rights portion I also agree that animals enduring painful conditions should be banned because a stressed animal produces bad meat and that's not something I would want to eat. Ripert got a big grin on his face during this and echoed support when Bourdain finished.

My girlfriend said this would be fun and she's a big fan on anyone making food on TV. So we got drunk before and arrived in high sprits. They also sell drinks at the Warner Theater so why not? Then afterwards we went for more drinks. The crowd reflected this you were either drunk, high, or an aspiring chef or restaurant owner.

Questions and Answer Session

Ushers armed with microphones walked around the audience selecting people to walk into the isle and ask either man a question. They answered under two dozen questions on a wide range of topics from food, cooking, opening a new restaurant, working on television, what you eat on the weekends, etc.

There is a funny thing between Ripert and Bourdain because an audience member would ask a question and Ripert wouldn't understand so Bourdain would literally say the samething again and move his arms a bit then Ripert would understand. Ripert participated, but Bourdain stole the show, I don't mean that as a slight, I just don't think he completely understood everything that was going on. If this was France the guy probably wouldn't have shut up.

While filming on location in Beirut for No Reservations Hezbollah kidnapped Israeli soldiers. Israel's response was fast and grim as Bourdain and crew watched from their hotel balcony as the country was dismantled. They dismantled the mini bar and waited for word from the State Department through the Beirut Embassy. He and his crew were saved by Marines from the USS Nashville. One of the Marines who rescued Bourdain and crew was at the Foodie Experience and gave Tony one of their coins. He got about as choked up as any hardnosed New Yorker can. He was honestly touched as we all were.

Here were some of the better questions:

Q: How do you both stay so thin? I mean sometimes on No Reservations I see you go back for 4^th's and 5^th's yet you never gain any weight.

A: Bourdain - I don't snack much or eat before I do an episode. The crew will sometimes stop for lunch beforehand and I'm stuck there starving watching them eat.

A: Ripert - Not a lot of junk food or fast food and uhhhh that's it. (Both men laugh)

Q: In your book Kitchen Confidential you talked about how the staff was always getting high and then just making the food. Is that still common place today?

A: Bourdain with laughter - I've been out of the kitchen for 10 years, ever since I wrote the book so lots changed since then. I don't know, anymore. (Guestures with a shrug that he doesn't know, but makes a face like it's still totally the same.)

Q: Do either of you have any advice on picking a location for a restaurant, my wife and I are about to open one and we're scouting locations? Also how do you select what to serve or focus on at your restaurants?

A: Bourdain - Location doesn't matter so much, foot traffic helps, but find out whatever it is your good at and do it relentlessly.

Theater Information

Location - N.W. at 513 13th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20004

Metro - Metro Center, two blocks away

Parking - Yes, two garages available click here for more info.

Phone - 202.783.4000

Smoking - Outside

Dress Code - No dress code, please have some shame.

Drinks - Beer, wine, hard stuff

Other - The lines are all terrible and crowded so get there as early as possible.