Anthony Bourdain’s Hangover Cure

In preparation for the holiday season, advice from a world-famous drinker on how to approach the morning after

Train photo from the author.

Anyone who’s seen an episode of Parts Unknown, No Reservations, or even A Cook’s Tour knows that Anthony Bourdain could drink. Whether he was in Russia, the Sichuan region of China, or rural Louisiana, he was always thoroughly enjoying the local spirits. There are episodes where we watch him toss back enough booze to take out a platoon of barflies and the four members of Led Zeppelin.

One of Bourdain’s legendary pieces of travel advice was “drink heavily with locals whenever possible.” In my experience, it’s a great rule to follow. Although, the drinking doesn’t have to be ‘heavy.’ It’s not necessary to smash a dozen shots and hit a discoteca until 4 am, simply catching a buzz with locals and chatting it up is enough to get a more inside and authentic look at a place.

One can get unfiltered advice and recommendations that would never appear in a CNN Travel List, Lonely Planet, or sub-Reddit. Occasionally, an invite is extended and a cookie-cutter travel plan is completely flipped on its head as one finds themselves unexpectedly surfing in the North Atlantic or staying at a small farm and showering in a Costa Rican waterfall — I was lucky enough to do both.