Anthony Bourdain's 'Parts Unknown' Episode 1 Recap: First-Timers in Israel/Palestine
Skift Take
"Parts Unknown" is back and with two Emmys in its pocket. Season two's strong start in a challenging location highlights all the reasons that it stands out among travel and news TV: It uses a meal as the entry point to a deeper honest conversation about culture, politics, and people.
Anthony Bourdian's Emmy-winning series Parts Unknown returned to CNN for its second season on Sunday night.
It aired just as the program won two Emmys for best information series and outstanding cinematography for nonfiction programming for season one's trip to Myanmar.
Bourdain starts the season on a very strong note and an extremely challenging location. It is the well-traveled host's first time to Israel and Palestine.
As a self-described non-religious man, Bourdain says he comes to the state with few preconceived notions. He describes Israel as "pretty, awesome, and hip...like a southern California, only nicer" until the sight of young draftees in the streets remind him that he's not in San Diego.
The show gets straight to smashing cultural and culinary misperceptions as Bourdain walks through the streets of Jerusalem with Yotam Ottolenghi, chef and co-author of Jerusalem: A Cookbook.
Ottolenghi explains how falafel, popularly thought of an Israeli food, is actually Palestinian.
The duo then
