The Final Season of No Reservations Premieres Sep. 3

Traveller/reality show host/comic book author Anthony Bourdain is headed to CNN, but the last season of No Reservations has yet to air (it was maybe supposed to be the second half of the eighth season, but now they're calling it the ninth season). Anyway, from the Travel Channel comes a premiere date: September 3. The season opener is set in Austin, Texas (the above screenshot is of Bourdain at the celebrated Franklin Barbecue). Also on deck: Sydney, Australia; the Emilia–Romagna region of Northern Italy; the Burgundy region of France; Rio De Janeiro, Brazil; the Dominican Republic; and then finally, Brooklyn. The Travel Channel has a sneak peek slideshow and here's the press release:

TRAVEL CHANNEL BOWS THE FINAL SEASON OF THE EMMY® AWARD-WINNING SERIES “ANTHONY BOURDAIN: NO RESERVATIONS – THE FINAL TOUR”

THE NINTH AND LAST SEASON PREMIERES ON MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 3 AT 9:00 P.M. ET/PT, KICKED OFF BY A LABOR DAY MARATHON FEATURING THE BEST OF THE SERIES AT 12:00 P.M. ET/PT
CHEVY CHASE, MD (August 6, 2012) – After exploring over 60 countries, traveling more than 716,000 miles (which is the equivalent of circumnavigating the globe over 28 times) and tasting the delicacies of hundreds of cities, villages and towns, Travel Channel’s Emmy® Award-winning series will take its final bow. “Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations – The Final Tour” premieres its ninth and last season on Monday, September 3 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT. Fans will be able to revisit their favorite episodes from the past eight seasons during a special nine-hour marathon featuring the best of the best episodes beginning at 12:00 p.m., ET/PT.

Making his way around the globe, from east to west, Bourdain provides his unique point of view and biting observations in Austin, Texas, Sydney, Australia; the Emilia–Ramagna region of Northern Italy; the Burgundy region of France; Rio De Janiero, Brazil; Dominican Republic; and then back home to New York City. He heads just over the bridge to Brooklyn, for the final episode, where the melting pot of diverse cultures have all come together in one place they now call home.

“’No Reservations with Anthony Bourdain’ has been an iconic series for Travel Channel and will culminate with its final tour around the world,” said Andy Singer, GM, Travel Channel. “We look forward to introducing viewers to fresh POVs on travel entertainment through new and exciting programming and personalities, while satiating the appetites of our ‘No Reservations’ fans with encore performances of the acclaimed series.”

The one-hour season opener starts in Austin, where Bourdain soaks in all that is good in this hipster hotspot during the 2012 SXSW Interactive, Film and Music Festival. Austin may be known for its weirdness year-round, but this event brings together the music, movies and mixed media of quirky indie fans from around the country. Tony is here to figure out what exactly makes this event so crazy, so beloved and so unique. With legendary guitarist Alejandro Escovedo, and bands like Sleigh Bells, Neon Indians and The Golden Boys as his culinary and auditory Austin guides, Tony tastes some hardcore eats including offal tacos, dove enchiladas, fried shrimp heads, pork belly, foie gras and goat neck. Tony enjoys every moment in the city – a great week of music, fantastic food and partying with a bunch of cool new rock star friends.

The final season is packed with exciting adventures and culinary classics. Tony races a Ferrari around the Imola circuit in Emilia Romagna, dives with an 11-foot grey nurse shark in Australia and dines on the Dominican’s national dish, Sancocho (a stew with rice, beans and meat). He also rides the Cyclone roller coaster in Coney Island and drinks excessively with old and new friends everywhere he visits. New original specials that look back on some of the most dangerous, insightful and memorable moments will also be featured.

Starting today, fans can nominate and vote for their favorite episode to air before the finale on Facebook at facebook.com/NoReservations or on our website Travelchannel.com. In addition, “No Reservations” enthusiasts will be able to view online behind-the-scene slide shows, video recaps and share some of Tony’s best one-liners, known as “Bourdainisms.”

Launched in 2005, “No Reservations” features off-the-grid locations that challenge Bourdain to better understand the underlying stories behind a locale’s culture, people and traditional cuisine. With access to areas most will never see, viewers join Bourdain on his travels around the world – from places overwhelmed by poverty, natural disasters and war, to remote communities on the fringe, to decadent feasts created by the most renowned chefs. The special episode “Anthony Bourdain in Beirut” that aired between Seasons 2 and 3 was nominated for an Emmy® Award for “Outstanding Informational Programming in 2007.” In 2009, the series won the Emmy® for "Outstanding Cinematography For Nonfiction Programming.” In 2011, the Haiti episode received three Primetime Emmy® Programming nominations, and won a Creative Arts Emmy® Award for “Outstanding Cinematography For Nonfiction Programming.” Last month, the series was nominated for four 2012 Emmy® Awards in the following categories: “Outstanding Picture Editor For Nonfiction Programming;” “Outstanding Cinematography For Nonfiction Programming;” “Outstanding Nonfiction Series;” and “Outstanding Writing for Nonfiction Programming.”

“Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations” is produced by Zero Point Zero for Travel Channel. For Zero Point Zero, the executive producers are Chris Collins, Lydia Tenaglia and Anthony Bourdain. The executive producer for Travel Channel is Stone Roberts.

· All No Reservations Coverage on Eater [-E-]
· All Anthony Bourdain Coverage on Eater [-E-]