Lamma Lamma Ding Dong (A Stop on A Cook’s Tour)

Lamma Island and its power plant

After nearly one year of traveling, searching out great food, after reading local food blogs and photographing countless main courses, after touring markets on three continents, after eating in tiny local cafes where no one spoke English and cats begged mid-meal, after watching them make fish paste for goodness sake, finally, we have been validated. Today, Athony Bourdain, and his film crew were on our ferry to Lamma. Lamma is a small island in Hong Kong bay. It has 6000 residents, a power plant, no cars and a reputation for excellent seafood. We went for the seafood. I think Anthony did too. We got a late start on our day, it was noon by the time our ferry from central Hong Kong pulled out from the dock. We chose to sit outside. While hotter it was windier and more picturesque.

The famous foodie pretending he isn't being filmed

We were looking around and taking pictures when we saw Mr. Bourdain sit down on the other side of the deck. We knew it was him because six crew members followed him around, three of them carrying big cameras. If someone looks famous, they may be famous, or, you may be seeing things. However if they look famous and there are people with very large cameras following them, then there is no question: they are famous. Just in case you live under a rock: Mr. Bourdain wrote a best selling book about food and cooking (see Kitchen Confidential). Then, the Food Network followed him around the world as he looked for the perfect meal. He wrote a book about that experience which also sold a lot of copies (see A Cooks Tour). Now, he has another TV show where he wanders the world looking for interesting food. In short, this man has the job I want. Oh, wait, I had that job for a year. But now, that year is almost over and I need a real job. So, now I want the job of searching out good food, but this time the cameras can follow me. Yumm, that works for a career.

No, it isn't awkward at all Mr. Camera man.

I will just pretend you are not here

Andrew has little time for the culture of celebrity. He has no patience for celebrity gossip, and no time for fans harassing stars. Thus, I was pretty darn surprised when he got, well, a little star struck on the boat. Andrew took pictures of the scene, without asking. Very out of character. Of course, it was fair trade, the crew was filming us without asking our permission. In case you are wondering, it is very hard to sightsee and earnestly enjoy the wonder of Hong Kong bay when a very large camera is pointed at you and you suspect you will end up in Food Network background shots. This is made worse when it is sweltering and you look like a wet, pink pig. Still, this was our chance at food fame, so we tried not to ruin their shots. I made Andrew promise not to follow Mr. Bourdain though town to eat wherever he was eating.

We got off the boat and went to the restaurant recommended by our guidebook (note, not Lonely Planet, a different, less huge guidebook). As we were leaving the dock, Anthony was meeting fans and taking pictures. Our pride kept us from going to talk to him. Pride did not stop the Australian in her early twenties with large tattoos of two brains labeled “physic mind melding” from gushing to our foodie guru. He seemed obliging.

Looking, in the distance, it is our famous foodie "walking"

and pretending he is not causing a scene

We got seated for lunch as the film crew came running down the path (remember this is an island with no cars) and behind them sauntered Mr. Bourdain. I got the feeling he has become good at this “In an exotic place on my way to food. Locals, don’t mind the large cameras, just pretend I am a normal dude walking” saunter. We had a fantastic lunch.

The kid we shared a table with was a classic teen:

he ate everything and then ate more. I was awed by his calories consumption

After lunch we thought we might go for a walk across the island. Apparently, there are small villages and the remains of an older way of life connected to the sea. We walked for a bit and realized it was more then sweltering, it was “Colonel Kurtz gets hacked to bits while a water buffalo is slaughtered” hot. It was “go home, shower and crawl into a deep freeze mall” hot. We gave up, got iced teas and walked back to the pier. We felt a little bad about missing a possible cultural experience. We also felt a bit bad for not surviving more time out as tourists. Again, we were validated. Right as the boat was getting ready to leave I noticed large cameras inside. He hadn’t made it any longer than we did! As it turns out, the crew was filming Mr. Bourdain as he snoozed, sitting on a bench on the way home. This time he was in the air-con section

As we got off we asked Mr. Bourdain where we should eat next. He thought for a minute and said, “you know, I am quite fond of San Francisco’s La Taqueria and Little Star Pizza.” We agreed. Guess the next stop is SF.*

Lamma island from the ferry

*not all conversations have been reported accurately