Anthony Bourdain took his love of food, culture, and conversation back to Los Angeles for season nine of CNN’s Parts Unknown. Over the course of several shows, Bourdain has done more than a few episodes in the City of Angels, but this time he focuses his lens on Latinos.
“What if we look at LA from the point of view of the largely unphotographed – the 47 percent of Angelenos who don’t show up so much on idiot sitcoms and superhero films?” Bourdain asked in voiceover. In the episode that aired last Sunday, the former chef/current TV host gorged on Tacos Indiana 2 Taco Stand‘s pastor and lengua offerings, mole at Gish Bac Restaurant, camarones borrachos at Mariscos Chente, and Cielito Lindo‘s famous taquitos.
While chomping on Mexican cuisine, Bourdain makes his way around the city discussing Trump’s plan for mass deportations with Raul Hinojosa-Ojeda, a Professor of Chicano Studies at UCLA; Elisa Sol Garcia of Boyle Heights Bridge Runners; stand up comedian and former Daily Show correspondent Al Madrigal; and Gustavo Arellano, the Editor of OC Weekly. He also chatted with famed tattoo artist Mister Cartoon, MMA Fighters and brothers Nick and Nate Diaz, and actor/professional scary guy Danny Trejo.
Before heading to Trejo’s Cantina for drinks the host shared his wish for Trejo to run for president, “I would totally vote for him,” Bourdain said. “He looks good with his shirt off. Donald Trump can’t say that. Bill Clinton can’t say that.”
The season opener took a deep look into the souls of Los Angeles’ Latinos and it revealed a community that’s in pain. The collection of voices heard throughout the episode reiterated they don’t feel accepted in their own country. Bourdain retorted that this country can’t function without Latino immigrants. That the agricultural and food industry would collapse. But it went even deeper.
Bourdain revealed the deep connection he feels to the community, in particular back when he worked in restaurants. “The chefs I worked with were mostly Mexican.. or from Ecuador… That’s who picked me up when I fell down,” he said.
You can watch the season nine Los Angeles episode on cable VOD, CNN mobile app, iTunes, Amazon Video, and desktop at www.cnn.com/go.
Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown airs Sundays at 9 p.m. on CNN.