No Reservations

I loved the way that No Reservations uses food to explain a specific culture.  Through exploring the cuisine, Bourdain is able to make the viewer feel immersed in the society in a very specific way.  This unique approach portrays countless aspects of a culture in a way I had never been taught before.  By having Dana, a member of the Saudi Arabian society, lead the episode, Bourdain is able to evoke pathos, as I constantly found myself relating to her and attempting to understand her situation.  She was able to show that she maintains her western roots, while also being a part of the community in Saudi Arabia. However, Dana is not a typical Saudi Arabian woman since she was the first woman in the country to run her own company without the presence of a man. By having Dana host the episode, No Reservations was able to depict a unique perspective of Saudi Arabian culture by accessing it through food and the eyes of a leading figure in their community.  As the episode continues, Bourdain points out nuances of the culture that relates directly to western culture. He and Dana do this in an effort to show the similarities of the two societies.  Although there are drastic fundamental differences, it is clear that Saudi Arabia is more "normal" than most would imagine. The process of explaining this unique society through various meals and restaurants was a succesful way to present facts about the country while also activating pathos in order to make the experience more personal. Overall, I found the episode very captivating.  No Reservations had a way of teaching about the culture in a way that kept me interested and learning without even realizing it.