Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations

Tony's debut episode of this new series has him visiting Paris. He explores the city's famous catacombs, tries some absinthe, checks out one of the city's major meat markets, and spends the night in the room where Oscar Wilde died.

In this special two-hour season two premiere, Tony's culinary journey takes him to the main hubs of Asian cuisine: Japan and China. In Japan, he visits Osaka, where he learns all about the Hanshin Tigers-Yomiuri Giants baseball rivalry; to Japan's version of vaudeville, manzai; and to kuidaore (eating oneself to ruin) where he samples takoyaki, okonomiyaki and later sushi. From there, Tony meets up with an old friend, Michiko, and they travel to Kisoji for a water purification ritual; learn the exchange of meishi and help celebrate Obon. Later, Tony attends a Hanshin Tigers game. In China, a country Tony has never visited, he attempts to tackle as much of its cuisine and culture as he can in a short period of time. Beijing is Tony's first stop, where he samples Peking duck, the nasty bits of a sheep, and a variety of noodles at a noodle house. Tony gets a lesson in Chinese calligraphy and visits a doctor for some traditional Chinese medicine such as acupuncture, fire cupping, and electroacupuncture. From there, Tony is off to Sichuan province, where he receives an unorthodox ear cleaning, visits the Jianfu Temple, center of Taoism during the Tang Dynasty, and samples Szechuan hotpot. He ends his visit in a village outside of Chengdu for a family dinner that uses the old methods of Chinese cooking.

Ireland is steeped in history and traditions, both oral and written. It is also steeped in the myth that it has the worst food on the planet. New York chef and travel television host Anthony Bourdain is traveling to Ireland to dispel those myths.

The country of Singapore is serious about food. The cuisine of Singapore borrows from Chinese, Indian, Malaysian and Indonesian traditions. Along the way, it uses the cheap and plentiful ingredients of the the country to make the food available everywhere.

In Season 5 of his Emmy-nominated series, No Reservations, Bourdain goes local once again, practicing the martial artistry of kendo in Tokyo, perfecting the not-so-subtle art of chasing lizards in Saudi Arabia, and finding unexpected genealogical connections in Uruguay.

Tony travels to Panama, which is rumored to have originated from an Amerindian word meaning "an abundance of fish." One of Tony's stops includes the Mercado de Mariscos, a swank new fish market to sample the national go-to dish: ceviche.

Tony visits Haiti, a country dealing with a cholera epidemic and an impending hurricane. During his trip, Tony meets with Sean Penn in the tent city built by his relief group. At the end of his trip, Tony is unsure of what the future will hold for Haiti.

Tony travels to Mozambique and finds himself in a mysterious, post-colonial Africa. From Portuguese ruins on Mozambique Island, to the vibrant metropolis of Maputo, Mozambique doesn't look like anyplace Tony has been so far.