As a tangentially-observant Jew, I abstain from eating Pork in most situations. For me (as for other reform/conservative Jews) it constitutes the bulk of what it means to "keep kosher". Much of the satisfaction I derive from watching Bourdain's show (and food shows in general) comes from eye-gagging on the bundles of deliciousness he consumes. Sadly, I just can't experience such pleasure from the consumption of a foodstuff that is prohibited by my faith.
Going beyond Bourdain's show, I have observed a general trend for foodies to relish in consumption of the obscure, the local and the traditional. Picky eaters are not rewarded in today's culinary world. While the boldness of celebrity chefs like Bourdain or David Chang is to be commended, the implicit messaging in their dining choices that one has to eat stir-fried pork, chili pepper or any other foodstuff that may disagree with someone's religious or digestive preferences seems to exclude those who maintain such preferences from becoming "serious" connoisseurs.
Am I arguing that celebrity chefs observe all laws of kashrut or Halal (or veganism or vegetarianism, for that manner) in their dining choices? Absolutely not. But, I wish there was more conscientiousness of the privilege entailed in chef's consumption of certain dishes and in the health- and social-related inequities that accompany the centrality of a particular dish in national or regional cuisine.
Take the role of pork in Spain for instance. The very centrality of Jamon to Spanish cuisine is largely a by-product of the Spanish Inquisition's efforts to ferret out Crypto-Jews and Crypto-Muslims. By serving sausage- and seafood-laden Paella at local festivals or requiring grocers to display large pork legs in their windows, the 15th-century Spanish Catholic church interrogated Jewish- and Muslim-converts' allegiance to their old faiths.
Jamon, commonly regarded as a "must-try" food in Spain
Nowadays, in an era of rising Islamophobic and nationalist sentiment in Europe, Pork is once again being weaponized. France's Republicans and Front National insist on the removal of Pork-free options from school menus in the name of laicite (a code-word for "Frenchness"). In Germany, far-right activists in the eastern state of Saxony made death-threats against a kindergarten that added pork-free options to its cafeteria.
The latter episode, in particular, presents a jarring contrast to Bourdain's visit to the Rhineland city of Cologne in episode 7, where he munches on various pork schnitzels and sausages at local taverns while touting the city's "welcoming" culture to refugees.
I, for one, as much as I love traditional German cuisine, have never brought myself to consume a pork sausage on my visits to Germany precisely because it serves as a marker of belonging in a majority identity from which ancestors were systematically excluded.
I am blessed with having friends from multiple backgrounds (Jewish, Hindu, lactose-intolerant, etc.). Whenever I host a gathering, I try to make dishes that everyone at the table can enjoy.
While celebrity foodies shouldn't have to adjust what they eat to accommodate the tastes of their viewers, they should acknowledge that the dishes they indulge may not be appealing to all of their viewership. On the opposite end of the kitchen, chefs should recognize that a diverse population has a diverse array of dietary preferences.
The best cuisines derive from the combination of ingredients and techniques of multiple traditions. Viewed in this light, having to satisfy a diner's tastebuds while accommodating their dietary preferences should be viewed as a force for positive change, rather than an imposition.
