“I don’t want to sound like a snob. I am a snob, but I don’t want to sound like one.”
– Anthony Bourdain, interviewed in Restaurant Hospitality (18 things we learned from Anthony Bourdain)
Just to be clear. I’m posting this not to diss Bourdain — like he’d care — but because I love exactly what he is saying.
Lovely turn of phrase:
“It’s like getting into a hot tub at Hugh Hefner’s house after Ron Jeremy just got out: No good can come of this.”
Ant’ony comes up in discussion at BA all the time. I only wish he’d spend as much time learning about the goodness of his beverages (anything, not just beer) as he does about food — they do go hand-in-hand Tony.
Well, he’s stated numerous times why he doesn’t — he’s an addict, and an obsessive, and he has said in his books and in interviews that if he truly went in on, say, good red wine, the results would not be pretty. There are enough other people to promote good drink going hand-in-hand with good food — it doesn’t have to be Bourdain.
Interesting, but I’m not sure I understand his thinking. If he was truly an addict — shouldn’t he steer clear of booze? And cigarettes? Though, I guess he’s quit smoking.
That said, as much as he gushes about good food and cooking, and slams other TV “personalities” for not having the same sense he does, I cringe every time he reaches for a Heineken.
Presumably, he doesn’t feel he has a problem with his vodka or Heineken consumption. When he did hard drugs, he ended up selling all his possessions. He suggests that something similar might be the case were he to truly explore fine wine. I’d extrapolate that to fine beer as well. Who knows? But I don’t blame him for not testing this.
I guess that makes some sense — too much focus/attention would draw him in too far.
Being a snob isn’t a good thing.
I wasn’t voting for snobbery, but for honesty.
I understand this line of thought completely. When I taste a beer that is not good, and there are MANY of those out there, I cringe and think to myself “what were they thinking, releasing this beer to the public?” I was talking to a friend who tried a New Belgium bomber this weekend and was completely underwhelmed. I mean, NB puts out consistently drinkable beer, even with their dabblings and experiments. This one was not good, and my friend is an avid brewer who brews GOOD beer. As a homebrewer myself, I think I am a beer snob, and not just any beer will satisfy my craving. Just sayin’