Bourdain relishes in the dish, saying, “These beans really are magical beans.” They nerd out over an enormous platter of spider crab during a scene in which Andrés takes a piece of the crab and shoves it underneath Bourdain’s nose so he can smell what seafood is supposed to smell like.Īfter their mountain hike, the pair enjoys fabada, a rich bean stew that Andrés refers to as the defining dish of Asturias. Where the two come together, of course, is over food: Andrés and Bourdain share a palpable appreciation of good food and the work that goes into creating it. In the episode, Andrés leads Bourdain around Asturias’ rugged environment they hike to a remote village, consider the dangers the Asturians endure when fishing for gooseneck barnacles off jagged ocean cliffs and discuss the traditions of salmon fishing and the meaning behind it. Their relationship is hysterical, and both Bourdain and Andrés appear gleefully aware of the parts they play and how to best work off each other. Their pairing doesn’t stick to the script of the classic clown-befriends-grouch trope that we so often see: Andrés definitely brings out Bourdain’s goofy side. Bourdain, on the other hand, trudges across this bridge in his boots, unmoved by his friend’s energy, in a militaristic fashion. Andrés assumes the role of a jolly, boisterous host he flies across an unstable bridge with the energy of a kid, arms out for balance, imitating a bird. But through Andrés, we get a better look at the guy whose closest friends affectionately called him “Tony.”īourdain and Andrés play a kind of odd couple, and they’re a pleasure to watch on screen. It’s not the same when chef José Andrés, who brought Bourdain to his hometown of Asturias, Spain, subs in to chronicle the adventure.

Sunday’s episode of Anthony Bourdain’s “ Parts Unknown” is the first in which Bourdain doesn’t serve as the show’s narrator.

Parts unknown