Vegetarian Star

Anthony Bourdain took his CNN food show Parts Unknown to the Middle East to take part in the dishes that have made up the rich culture for centuries.

Bourdain made several stops in Israel and Palestine that had the usual vegan-hating chef sampling vegetarian dishes that made him forget he loved meat.

He spoke with food writer and cookbook author Yotam Ottolenghi about the origins of Middle Eastern falafel.

Ottolenghi explained that while many think the fried chickpea balls are from Israel, they are actually Palestanian in origin.

The ever so sarcastic Bourdain made his own commentary about the nature of the arguments that take place in the region.

Insisting that everything in Israel in contentious, Bourdain jokingy asked: “Where does falafel come from? Who makes the best hummus? Is it a fence, or a wall?”

Twenty minutes outside of Jerusalem, Bourdain ate a vegetarian meal at a restaurant ran by a Jewish woman and Muslim man. Much of the food prepared there is soured from ingredients grown in the restaurant’s own garden and is meant to reflect both sides of the couple’s heritage.

Photo: Adriankwok/Creative Commons

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