The Best Anthony Bourdain Shows, Ranked

A Cook’s Tour is Anthony Bourdain’s first show, so it’s a good place to start when diving into his work. It aired for only two seasons and just 35 episodes on the Food Network. It’s an exciting watch because it finds Bourdain at the start of his TV journey. It’s fun to watch him figure it out as he goes with a lighter tone than some of his future projects. Though everything on these shows (people, places, food) is inherently political, this series is the least overtly political. 

If you’re looking for a light-hearted, food-based show to pair this one with, Somebody Feed Phil (2018) may be a good one. It’s impossible for me to pick a favorite episode from any of his shows. I get something different from all of them every time I watch them. That said, I really enjoy Season 1, Episode 18, “The French Laundry Experience,” because you can see how much it means to Bourdain to experience Thomas Keller’s cooking on the show. I also like seeing Bourdain in these places in this show and how he revisits them differently in his future shows. 

The Layover is so interesting because it feels the least like the rest of Bourdain’s work. It scratches the surface with food, but is less about connecting with people and more about making the most of a place in the least amount of time. Therefore, The Layover doesn’t really give Bourdain the same opportunities to get under the surface, as he does elsewhere.

Then again, it is a travel show on Travel Channel, so it isn’t that surprising. With two seasons and 20 episodes, The Layover is Bourdain’s shortest, fastest-paced project. In that quickness, it misses some of the spark I’ve come to love from him. If you’re looking for a different angle on the travel experience, I really enjoy Solo Traveling with Tracee Ellis Ross (2025).

The Mind of a Chef is perhaps one of Anthony Bourdain’s lesser-known projects. That makes it an underrated gem for fans to find. It won the Outstanding Culinary Program at the 41st Daytime Emmy Awards in 2014. Its first five seasons aired on PBS before it moved to Facebook Watch for its sixth season, following chef Danny Bowien. Remembering Facebook Watch makes me miss Elizabeth Olsen’s stellar performance in Sorry For Your Loss (2018) all over again.

Compared to the other shows on this list, Bourdain doesn’t appear on screen for The Mind of a Chef. Instead, he was an executive producer and narrator of the documentary series that explored chefs’ lives and the stories behind the food they cook. Bourdain’s dedication to craft is also in his web series (and one of his final projects), Raw Craft (2015). 

No Reservations is the show that people probably think of first when they think of Anthony Bourdain. It’s the first TV show where he has more creative control, writing the piercing and memorable narration for the episodes. This show is also where Bourdain starts to really dive into culture and people-based stories through food. No Reservations is the deeper work I love to see from him after finding his footing through A Cook’s Tour and The Layover. 

This show—also on the Travel Channel—marries all the concepts from his previous work into something sharper and more personal. That sentiment is present in the three times he visits Vietnam in No Reservations. It’s also in the show’s longevity. Though it aired for nine seasons, it has 144 episodes, making it Bourdain’s longest show on this list. It’s really hard to imagine Bourdain moving on to the next show on the list without No Reservations. If you want more food and travel adventures through the eyes of a different chef, there are plenty of seasons of Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern (2007) to enjoy. Bourdain is even in an episode!

Parts Unknown is Bourdain’s last and best show in my eyes. I understand those who say that it doesn’t quite clear the bar that No Reservations sets. Maybe I just hold it in this number one spot because it’s the show that I come back to the most; it’s my personal favorite. Even now, years after it ended, I probably watch an episode a week. The Season 8 premiere in Hanoi, Vietnam, where Bourdain has a meal and a beer with President Barack Obama, is excellent.

Parts Unknown is Bourdain’s most finely-tuned and politically and socially aware show. Produced by CNN, the series ran for 12 seasons, with 104 episodes. That final season was produced after Bourdain’s death. In turn, the Season 12 premiere is the last Parts Unknown episode with his narration. I know I’m not alone in saying that Anthony Bourdain’s voice and perspective are deeply missed in that season of Parts Unknown and well beyond it.