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He has a much broader culinary point of view than I think any of us will have. Also for some reason, it seems a lot of high caliber chefs don't look forward to vegetarians coming into their restaurants. Who knows, maybe he finds your "pro-veg" stance ignorant?

I'm really ambivalent about Anthony's stance on vegetarianism. On one hand, I read a quote where he said that being a veg was a "first-world luxury", which I agree with. Growing up, I was taught in my Chinese family that the "nasty bits" in most Chinese dishes were utilised because nothing could be wasted -- if you were starving, you used everything. On the other hand, I completely empathise with people who are vegetarians, whether because they feel it's unethical, cruel to animals, a healthier alternative, whatever their reasons are. I'm not going to mock them simply because they don't eat what I eat.

I definitely disagree with Anthony when he says that being a veg is essentially a pain in the ass to a chef -- if the chef is going to take it personally, he's in the wrong field.

I am not looking for anyone to praise my choice to be a vegetarian. I did it because I felt like I needed to do it, for my own beliefs and conscience and there are certainly times when I kick myself because I miss out on some amazingly good food. So, no kudos to me for being a veg, but AB said, "Vegetarians are the enemy of everything good and decent in the human spirit, and an affront to all I stand for, the pure enjoyment of food."

Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/nikolas-kozloff/anthony-bourdain-coolness_b_322709.html

I think a good deal of what Bourdain is saying is with tongue firmly planted in cheek. I don't think he is condoning factory farms so we can all glut on hormone stuffed chickens pigs. I suspect he just really really likes meat...and as a restauranteur, knows that most people come to eat meat prepared in ways that they can't or won't at home. Most of the shortcuts of restaurant cooking that provide the unctuousness or umami (how's that for two overused food words) come by way of animal fat/stock. That's not to say that it can't be done meatless, just that it's way easier with it.

I have no idea, but I would suspect that he takes aim at those who become vegetarians not for reasons of environmental sustainability, however imagined but because of twee 'animals are too cute to eat' stances.

I don't know why a veg would want to watch AB's show. Eat what you want and don't fret over opposing views, including mine, which is along the lines of gutreactions. Life is too short not to enjoy the bounty provided to us for sustenance.

I'm vegan, and I liked watching Anthony Bourdain's show, back when I had a TV and the ability to channel surf.

I think it's just part of his image, but I think it is a bit unfortunate that he, say, compares vegans to Hezbollah, when vegans and vegetarians already have to take a lot of crap from people. There are some chefs (waves at Bayless) who are willing to cook vegetarian or vegan. It's not worth my energy to get too mad at AB. Which is funny, considering my sustained hatred of PETA.

Also, google "Hezbollah Tofu."

We, as humans, have consumed meat since we became a species. We are omnivore's, eating meat is kinda the reason we're all here. I don't see any fault in a person making the choice to not eat meat, it just doesnt make sense to me.

There are too many flavors out there for me to limit myself to plant matter for the rest of my life, I want to taste everything possible at least once before I leave this rock we all live on.

I think Tony's stance is that being a vegetarian seems to be the trendy thing to do nowadays. Like driving a "green" car and saying you're saving the planet but you wont walk 2 blocks to the store if you need some milk.
To each his own, I wouldnt worry too much about what someone else thinks.

I completely respect vegetarians and their veiws, even though I don't share most of them. And I also think Tony's extreme stance is overkill and somewhat of a shtick to entertain. But I understand the general feeling he has. I'm nuts about food - meat, poultry and fish are a big part of that and of my life, it's paramount to me. For instance, I don't think I could ever have a living-together serious relationship with a vegetarian. We'd have to cook and eat separate meals half the time, I'd have to make sure I never got any of my horrible animal fat anywhere near her veggies. I couldn't share my passion, she might judge me even though she doesn't say it and vice-versa. So I think choosing to become a vegetarian is a very very very big deal.

But I have a hard time understanding the intellectual reasoning behind the complete removal of all meat, fish and poultry (mfp). Why not just mostly eat veggies? Why ban all mfp. I can understand no red meat (cow CO2 emissions alone), etc. but can someone explain to me, and I'm genuinely asking, why would it be bad to eat a sustainable scallop? If you enjoy scallops but choose not to eat them for vegetarian reasons, what's the reason for not eating a sustainably procured scallop?

EliEats - the reasoning varies buy individual. Commonly:

- The belief that animal products are not ours to eat, provided we have other means of sustaining ourselves (in Western countries, we do). Those scallops should be eaten by their ecological predators.

- Environmental concerns. You said sustainable, but what does that mean, exactly? What are farm-raised scallops raised on? How polluted are wild ones? I stopped eating fish over concerns of pollution and overfishing, btw.

- All animals feel pain. I'm not convinced that a scallop's pain is comparable to, say, a cow's, but if you're vegetarian because you don't want other organisms to suffer, you're not going to eat seafood.

I'm pretty sure you could google this stuff and find explanations.

My take on Tony is that he is sooo passionate about tasting and savoring food, that if you limit yourself for whatever reason then he feels it a waste. Does that make sense?

I did say "ecological!" It's safe to say that human beings are not a natural part of the ocean ecosystem.

You are correct, no more than bears, seagulls and birds of all kinds and the many other animals that eat sealife, but do not live in the ocean. Perhaps the vegs ought to launch a re-education program for those species. It's the natural order. And there, my friendly Talkers, is likely the reason AB has such virulent opinions regarding our veg friends. They make no sense. I'm sure they don't feel arrogant, but they seem that way to me, as if it took their birth to reverse millennia of man eating meat.

I'm not in the Bourdain fan club, so we can be clear about that.

His stand on vegetarians probably stems from his willingness to eat just about everything and anything, and it doesn't make sense to him that people would exclude whole categories of food. And, if he was still cooking somewhere, he would probably find it difficult to cook for vegetarians, because he enjoys meat so much.

His attitude when expressing that opinion is part of his bad-boy persona. It's not just vegetarians he disdains. Some people find that charming.

Personally, I'm a meat-eater, but I don't care what anyone else chooses to eat or not eat. Because vegetarians need to have a balanced diet, many are more conscious of nutrition than the average person, and many eat a more varied diet than meat eaters who survive on fast food or a meat-and-potatoes diet. I'd rather cook for an adventurous vegetarian than someone who isn't adventurous at all.

I used to be a huge fan of Bourdain's; I watched his show, read his books, but he's kind of reaching tool-like status in my mind. The only way I can explain it, or rather, the only thing I can equate it to is my feelings toward Bill Maher: He's smart, funny, and I agree with him in many instances, but he's a disrespectful, pompous ass. I'm a firm believer of respecting people's beliefs and not challenging them or talking shit about them just because they're different than mine. I'm not going to call them stupid or throw facts and studies their way in an effort to convince them that I'm right and they're wrong.

I respect vegetarians, I used to be one for four years. I now eat meat and realize what a luxury it was to be a vegetarian. It's a luxury those in other struggling countries cannot afford. I don't ever take my food for granted and frankly, sometimes I feel guilt for eating the foods that I do or spending the amount I spend on groceries, for that matter. I know everyone can't do that and as a former vegetarian and current animal lover, I have a keen awareness of the suffering that took place so that I could eat a piece of chicken or a burger or whatever.

I say to each their own; everyone has their reasons for eating meat or not eating meat. The important thing is to not bite anyone's head off for their personal beliefs and to make an effort whenever you can to eat responsibly- whether that entails buying free-range chicken when you can or supporting local farmers that offer organic vegetables.

"He's smart, funny, and I agree with him in many instances, but he's a disrespectful, pompous ass."

wow. that sounds correct.

however, i am baffled by the thought that being vegetarian is a luxury. indian food is cheap to make and cheaper as vegetarian. same with pastas and stirfrys and soups.....

The real question is who cares what he says.

Sustainable food? Ecologically friendly food? Nice sentiment. Face it human agriculture is not environmentally friendly, it destroys biodiversity, produces CO2 emissions, and increases erosion and run off, even in the best managed farms. Sustaining the human population on this planet will not happen just because we are vegan or vegetarian. It will take science and education. Look around the world, organic farming can't sustain Africa, People are corrupt, opinionated and few are truly able to devote their life to improving the lot of all. There are more issues to feeding the planet than vegetable production, so let Bourdain be. He may be pompous or bigoted, but not ever having seen his shows or listened to him I have no opinion of his abilities. He is just another yammering voice to ignore.

Why do you need Bourdain, or anyone else to validate your choices? Who cares. Eat what you like.

@greenteacups - oh man this topic is a can of intellectual worms I'm not sure I want to open for myself today!

Here's my opinion on the whole thing.

I'm a PROUD concious consumer: I choose sustainable options whenever possible. I don't believe that choosing a vegetarian diet contributes to this (as you stated you believe) for many reasons. I'm also a climate-change activist, wildlife supporter and local-eats lover.

Bordain is just an arrogant guy: I wouldn't let his opinions bother you. Some of his opinions are worth thinking about though :)

Peace greenteacups

@ KarynMC I think Bourdain began relating vegans/vegetarians/animal rights activists with Hezbollah after a fellow chef's restaurant was vandalized. The anti foie gras crusaders poured concrete into all of the drains and left many threats at the scene. If I am not mistaken AB wrote about it in Nasty Bits or a Cook's Tour. Here is just one small example of that behavior.

http://www.superchefblog.com/2009/03/foie-gras-war-anti-foie-gras-vandals.html

Bourdain actually gave many compliments to Indian vegetarian cooking. The variety, complexity, and liberal use of spices are all something lacking in much of the veg cooking here in the West.

I have zero understanding of vegans or vegetarians that make meat like substitutes. Either do or don't do, none of this in between shit is acceptable.

Funny how I, as an avid hunter and fisherman, extol many of the same virtues as vegetarians when it comes to sustainablilty, organic, locally sourced, etc. Do you think I have ever met a vegan that can see or will respect my take on those issues?

(think Oscar Mayer Wiener)

Oh You wish we were all happy little vegans,
Cause that's what you want the world to beeeee,

And if we were all happy little vegans,
cows and pigs would be in love with me!

Damn, I actually feel dumber for spending 5 seconds typing that....

The thing to remember about Bourdain is this: He enjoys a very well-cultivated reputation as a bad-boy. It's his schtick. He's good at it. That having been said, I believe Bourdain was speaking, not about Vegetarians or Vegans in general, but their militant counterparts specifically. I am a vegetarian, now working my way to vegan, but I am not particularly militant about it, nor did I take offense to his comments at all. (I have seen him rave about vegetarian dishes on his show, especially the Indian and Asian ones.) It's just Bourdain being Bourdain.

Please folks, Bourdain has created a showbiz following and as much as I may enjoy his trekking around, he will not influence my vote. That part is my business...

@climbinghak, you probably met some and didn't know it. i respect hunting and fishing more than farming... the argument i run into with hunters is not about their act of hunting for food.
that part about vandalism i didnt know. while i may be a fan of peta and greenpeace concepts, its never cool to simply destroy with no obvious benefit. if you dont like his restaurants, dont go. its really that simple. you can even convince other people not to go. take it to the media and legislature. california will be banning foie gras in 3 years.

I agree with and share Bourdain's stance. But you'll notice that he's never aggressive about it. He doesn't go up to a vegetarian and call them an idiot, but if someone's talking with him and mentions they're vegetarian he'll call them out. he's also a celebrity, and while it is a true personal viewpoint, it's also a part of his media personality to be anti-vegetarian.

And while I find every argument against eating meat utterly confounding, I also don't really care. With everything in life if your beliefs have nothing to do with me, then you can carry on your merry way. it's the rare vegetarian who doesn't understand nutrition that gets malnourished. When I come across a vegetarian like that I may (if they're a friend) try and educate them a bit on their eating choices. But with all of the resources available I can't see that ever happening again in my life.

My biggest pet peeve is vegetarians claiming they want to leave a reduced carbon foot print, or something similar. Unless you're growing all of your own veggies, then your carbon imprint when you walk to the store to grab some beets is the same as mine when I go grab a ribeye from the same store. Both items have to be processed, packaged, and shipped to the store. Plus humans produce around 1% of all the carbon dioxide in the world, it's barely a blip on mother nature's radar.

purplesque mentioned above that killing animals for food is "unnecessary violence." And that is a perfect example of a personal belief that can't be challenged. I can question it, get to the bottom of the reasons, but I can't say that the statement is wrong for purplesque. it makes no sense to me, but until purplesque (or any other vegetarian) comes up and takes my steak off my plate and throws it on the floor I see no reason to confront them about their own choice.