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Funny and unpretentious take on a saturated genre
This is an enjoyable, by-the-book show, but it rises above its better-known counterparts on the strength of the host. Ainsley does the typical sojourning to major cities, focusing solely on their street food. The subject matter is hardly new, being the stuff of innumerable YouTube channels, and the usual audience will tune in.
Ainsley overshadows the food here, and it is his verve that sets this show apart. He is simply more watchable than other presenters I have seen. He seems to be a jovial, down-to-earth person, and his reactions and descriptions are the straw that stirs the drink. Compared with Andrew Zimmern (good-natured enough but not terribly charismatic) and Anthony Bourdain (insufferably smug), he is a pleasure to watch. Indeed, Ainsley is essentially a foil to Bourdain: always light-hearted, never pretentious. For the diehard Bourdain fans, of which there appear to be many, this show will likely disappoint.
One of the funniest parts is his negative reactions, which others have decried. I love that he is honest about his likes and dislikes. He feels no need to play the part of fawning idiot and rhapsodize about how orgasmic each and every entrail and fermented drink is. Contrary to what some believe, a Westerner is not stuck with the Hobson's choice of being an arrogant overlord or a bootlicker. His sincerity, though always gussied up in humor, makes him far more believable to the average viewer since a foreign palate simply will not warm up immediately to all new flavors it encounters--tastes must often be acquired, as any remotely worldly person can attest. Again, he is the counterpart to so many of these foodie idols; his ego simply is not big enough to require feigned adoration for foods that do not agree with his palate.
He does not do so disrespectfully, and context is key. Typically, he expresses his displeasure only within earshot of his local companion, not in the face of the chef. And he rarely harps on it. And he does so comically, as when he said the fermented tofu tasted like "a baby's nappy." The one time I have seen that was debatable was when he ate the infamous putrified shark in Iceland, and other foods, with an Icelandic chef, but even there, he expressed the same predictable revulsion that nearly everyone gives--the chef laughed it off, as he is surely accustomed to that reaction.
Others have criticized the gimmicky segments, twice per most episodes, where he invades another's kitchen and makes his version of some local dish. Admittedly, this is a waste of time and elicits awkward moments where the locals have to pat him on the back for his ability. But it is a minor part of the show.
The "chance" encounters with fully bilingual locals are so staged as to be tongue-in-cheek, almost campy. Honestly, they add a touch of humor for me, and I cannot imagine anyone feeling hoodwinked by this.
In sum, this show does not take itself too seriously. Ainsley has a waggish nature and is very convivial with the locals. His commentary is often quizzical and humorous but not judgmental. The viewer is not going to learn much about the history or politics of the country, and of course only the surface of the food scene is scratched. Frankly, there are far better ways to learn about history than watching food shows. But this show is enjoyable, a good primer on the street food scene of cities around the world.
Ainsley overshadows the food here, and it is his verve that sets this show apart. He is simply more watchable than other presenters I have seen. He seems to be a jovial, down-to-earth person, and his reactions and descriptions are the straw that stirs the drink. Compared with Andrew Zimmern (good-natured enough but not terribly charismatic) and Anthony Bourdain (insufferably smug), he is a pleasure to watch. Indeed, Ainsley is essentially a foil to Bourdain: always light-hearted, never pretentious. For the diehard Bourdain fans, of which there appear to be many, this show will likely disappoint.
One of the funniest parts is his negative reactions, which others have decried. I love that he is honest about his likes and dislikes. He feels no need to play the part of fawning idiot and rhapsodize about how orgasmic each and every entrail and fermented drink is. Contrary to what some believe, a Westerner is not stuck with the Hobson's choice of being an arrogant overlord or a bootlicker. His sincerity, though always gussied up in humor, makes him far more believable to the average viewer since a foreign palate simply will not warm up immediately to all new flavors it encounters--tastes must often be acquired, as any remotely worldly person can attest. Again, he is the counterpart to so many of these foodie idols; his ego simply is not big enough to require feigned adoration for foods that do not agree with his palate.
He does not do so disrespectfully, and context is key. Typically, he expresses his displeasure only within earshot of his local companion, not in the face of the chef. And he rarely harps on it. And he does so comically, as when he said the fermented tofu tasted like "a baby's nappy." The one time I have seen that was debatable was when he ate the infamous putrified shark in Iceland, and other foods, with an Icelandic chef, but even there, he expressed the same predictable revulsion that nearly everyone gives--the chef laughed it off, as he is surely accustomed to that reaction.
Others have criticized the gimmicky segments, twice per most episodes, where he invades another's kitchen and makes his version of some local dish. Admittedly, this is a waste of time and elicits awkward moments where the locals have to pat him on the back for his ability. But it is a minor part of the show.
The "chance" encounters with fully bilingual locals are so staged as to be tongue-in-cheek, almost campy. Honestly, they add a touch of humor for me, and I cannot imagine anyone feeling hoodwinked by this.
In sum, this show does not take itself too seriously. Ainsley has a waggish nature and is very convivial with the locals. His commentary is often quizzical and humorous but not judgmental. The viewer is not going to learn much about the history or politics of the country, and of course only the surface of the food scene is scratched. Frankly, there are far better ways to learn about history than watching food shows. But this show is enjoyable, a good primer on the street food scene of cities around the world.
helpful•21
- aleawe
- Jul 13, 2018
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- Ainsley Eats the Streets
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