Anthony Bourdain went to France. Cheese was eaten. Lots of cheese. And it was glorious.
Bourdain was accompanied on his travels by his partner in (culinary) crime Eric Ripert. Ripert — who is one of the best chefs alive — took Bourdain to the part of the world that influenced him most. The food Ripert illuminated is the food that helped shape the world-class chef and offered a window into the psyche of both men.
As we mentioned, those psyches seem to be dominated by cheese. Melted cheese. Fondue’d cheese. Blocks of cheese. Hell, Bourdain and Ripert even milked cows.
As always, we want to give you a visual guide to the places Bourdain hit in this latest episode. So let’s jump right into all the luscious locales and food porn from this episode of Parts Unknown.
Chamonix Mont-Blanc
The episode was based in the French Alps around Mount Blanc in southeastern France. It’s a bit like Switzerland if it were in France — the mountains are green and lush, the food is hearty (and cheesy), and the villages are postcard perfect.
Chamonix is really one of those places that is that beautiful.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BK6uKHfDyDl/
La Table de Plan Joran
https://www.instagram.com/p/BQ8khT0lr2k/
Turns out Bourdain and Ripert are great skiers. The dynamic duo hit the powdery slopes and then slid into the lodge for a feast of foie gras and veal with plenty of wine (and cheese).
La Crèmerie du Glacier
After more time on the slopes, Bourdain and Ripert tuck into another dairy-forward meal. This time it’s Croûte aux morilles. That’s a crusty piece of bread dipped in white wine and smothered in a creamy mushroom sauce. The meat-free dish sparked a conversation about the ethics of eating meat and “bovine flatulence” as Ripert calls it. Then some potatoes cooked with bacon arrive and the meat-free argument ends.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BTBnYpuAQJk/
Hotel du Buet
At the Hotel du Buet the due enjoyed Raclette — that’s a huge chunk of melty cheese that’s smeared on anything — and fondue. At this point, if one of them were to get a cut, brie would ooze from their veins.
Chalet Valhalla
Bourdain and Ripert stayed at a dope AF chalet where they pretended to be New Wave filmmakers who love a good splattering of blood on pure white snow. The chalet is a bit like living in a postcard that you stick up on your fridge to motivate you to take a leap one day. It’s that idyllic.
And, you can stay at this place too… if you find yourself in the French Alps.
