Travel Channel's Bourdain Shares Stories, Laughs in Stamford

Anthony Bourdain is the host of “No Reservations” on the Travel Channel and the author of the New York Times bestseller “Kitchen Confidential.” While his job takes him all over the world, this past weekend brought him to Stamford to appear at the .

As Bourdain took the stage, he seamlessly blended some thoughtful lessons about travel and experiencing the world with cracks about his coworkers at the Travel Channel and the stars of Food Network.

“There will be no Rachael Ray jokes tonight because she sent me a fruit basket,” he said.

Bourdain did not shy away from speaking his mind when it came to other personalities, however, as well as shows such as "Iron Chef America" and "Hell's Kitchen." He emphasized that despite gripes about current personalities, he doesn’t have a problem with non-chefs in the food world.

“Julia Child was not a chef," he said. "She stood in her funny set and said, 'Let’s learn to cook better. Let’s learn to be better.'"

As a speaker, Bourdain charmed the crowd by walking a curious line between stand-up comedy and inspirational speaking. He regaled the crowd with advice about travel and tips for making the most of time abroad. As always, these tips were delivered with Bourdain's biting humor and ability to spin stories together to create a complete picture.

“If you have one day in New York City, just one day in your entire life, you don’t go to the best restaurant in town. The best, the most expensive restaurant in Paris, in London, in New York, it’s all about the same. You want to go where the locals go and eat what they do better than anywhere else. What does New York City do better than anywhere else in the world? I’m going to a deli,” Bourdain paused as audience members applauded. “And I’m having pastrami.”

Although he can be critical of his own country at times, Bourdain has used his experiences abroad to cast a different light on interactions back home.

“Traveling has taught me to appreciate my own country, that I can find common ground with anyone,” Bourdain said. “I may not have a lot in common with the Tea Party, but I figure we both like barbeque and we both like beer. That’s something.”

After this talk, Bourdain fielded question after question from the audience, thanking fans and discussing various favorite episodes. One fan asked about the recipe for aioli from his Provence show.

“Grasshopper, you and I will never know," he said. "Trust them when they say you will never learn how to make this. Foods like that sense fear."

Full of self-depreciating humor and stories of his turbulent past, Bourdain encouraged the crowd to get out there and see everything that they can.

“Eat, drink, live, have adventures,” Bourdain told the crowd. “I have the coolest job in the world… I know how lucky I am.”

Of the places he has traveled, Bourdain does play some favorites. As audience members told him their favorite episodes, he quipped that they were some his least enjoyable moments on the show.

"I’m not as happy in Scandinavian countries ... I don’t like clean countries, I like hot, passionate, barely-functioning countries with spicy food," he said.

The seventh season of “No Reservations” will premiere on Feb. 28  at 9 p.m. and will take place in Haiti. Other upcoming episodes will take him to Nicaragua, Cambodia, Vienna, the Ozarks and Japan.