Here's How Anthony Bourdain Managed To Eat So Much While Filming His Shows

There are very few television hosts who made eating and traveling look as effortless and joyful as the late Anthony Bourdain. Whether on "No Reservations" or later on "Parts Unknown," he routinely sat down to multiple meals a day, surrounded by curious locals and his intrepid camera crew. Whether it was eating his favorite soup in the world in Vietnam or a multi-course feast at night, Bourdain made it all look so easy. But from the comfort of our couches, we all understandably wondered: How did he manage to eat so much without exploding? It came down to careful strategy, pacing, and experience.

As a tall and rangy fellow, Bourdain certainly had a fast metabolism to help him along. But he rarely cleaned his plate the way television editing might suggest. He sampled thoughtfully. A few bites here, a shared plate there, with plenty of leftovers for his six-person crew. He knew that he needed to eat enough to taste and respond authentically, but gorging wasn't necessary. 

He also paced himself, and his producers made sure of that, too. In a 2018 interview with People, he explained: "They try not to beat up on me and not schedule two big eating and drinking scenes in one day." Bourdain further explained that when off-camera, he would fast in order to build up a bigger appetite. If a celebratory cookout was coming up, everyone planned accordingly. Crews made sure the filming schedules were designed to protect big food moments.

Of course, Anthony Bourdain didn't always have the healthiest habits. He was an infamous two-packs-a-day smoker until the birth of his daughter in 2007. In an interview with a Singapore news outlet, Bourdain offered another explanation for his slim physique: "I'm hyperactive, neurotic. I chain-smoke, drink too much and don't snack. A lot of times I don't have lunch, other times, I'm at a 22-course tasting meal." That hyperactivity is probably what led him to Brazilian jiujitsu, an intense martial arts and combat sport that no doubt kept him moving and in shape after he quit smoking.

Bourdain also had years of professional conditioning. Before television, Bourdain spent decades working as a chef. Restaurant kitchens are physically taxing environments where meals are irregular and often eaten quickly, on the fly. That lifestyle builds a certain tolerance for small, hurried bites one day, but a big feast the next. In the same interview, he clarified: "Life is different every day. I don't have a compelling need to eat three full meals a day."

But when Bourdain did eat, he made sure to enjoy it. Whether at his favorite fast food fried chicken chain, where he sometimes used a disguise to order mac and cheese, or an eclectic seafood restaurant in Paris, he focused on eating for the sheer pleasure of it. When the whole world is your buffet, it's easy to take a beat. Bourdain's trick was to always approach food with curiosity, rather than gluttony.