Anthony Bourdain brings guts and glory to Dayton

Anthony Bourdain, chef, meat evangelist and the closest thing to Mark Twain this side of the 21st century, will appear at the Victoria Theater next month. Bourdain is speaking nationwide, and his tour grants food and travel enthusiasts the opportunity to listen and interact with the “Bad Boy of the Culinary World.”

Since his bestselling book “Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly” was released in 2000, Bourdain has been the eyes and ears to millions of repressed travelers, taking them inside of restaurants and kitchens around the world. He explores the heart of the people through the most binding of all human practices and creates a moving canvas of ever-changing characters and visual attractions in his hit TV show “No Reservations.” Nominated for two Emmy’s and receiving one for “Outstanding Cinematography For Nonfiction Programming,” “No Reservations” is not only one of the most sincere shows on television, it is one of the most visually captivating.

The sincerity behind Bourdain’s musings is what many of his viewers are attracted to. With “Kitchen Confidential” he developed a narrative that combined tales from his youth and witty industry incites, both of which left the audience with a sense of familiarity that few authors can attain. Those insights are what local “Fressa” food truck owner Matt Halpin recalled. The clever perceptions gave Halpin a look behind the line before his trip down the culinary rabbit hole.

“It was a nice little heads up on how kitchens work and the restaurant industry [works].”  Halpin said. “This is what you’re going to find, this is what you’re going to see and there is nothing you are going to do that changes it usually. And, you got to learn how to live with it.”

Halpin isn’t the only service member that has been influenced by the Chef-at-large.  Server at “Olive” Cassidy Platt gives an artful description of how the books and television shows have changed her perception of the kitchen.

“Anthony Bourdain forged a bridge between the seemingly separate worlds of restaurants and libraries,” Platt said. “At the same time he brought to life the vivid characters who work behind the scenes feeding America's diners. He made restaurant life tangible.”

Now making himself more tangible and more relatable than ever Bourdain will appear at the Victoria Theater on Nov.18. Ticket information is available at anthonybourdainontour.com.