Food shows are a success in today’s programming. Almost every day, there is an episode airing that is entirely dedicated to food and/ or nutrition in general. Shows such as the Great British Bake Off, Gordon Ramsey’s Hell’s Kitchen are among the few that have become a staple on TV today. Travel food shows have not been left out either. Shows such as No Passport Required, Taco Trip, The Feed and The Taste are some of the few shows that have brought a fresher twist to the whole cooking shows genre. In these shows, viewers get to see their favorite restaurateurs leave the comfort of their kitchens to travel the world and learn about various cuisines.
What is the show No Passport Required about?
No Passport Required is a 6-part series that is made by Eater in collaboration with PBS. It is hosted by Chef Marcus Samuelsson who is renowned for his cooking expertise and his cookbooks. Eater is a network that is entirely dedicated to food and consists of a chain or network of local food experts. The show follows Chef Samuelsson as he explores the various cities and towns in America and their ever-changing and growing food cultures. From the Vietnamese community in New Orleans to the Guyanese culture in Richmond Hills in Queens, viewers got to experience various stories from the various characters that were featured on the show such as Lena Sareini who is a pastry chef in Detroit. The show has been an enormous success which has attributed to it getting a renewal for a second season where Chef Marcus will head out to cities such as Seattle, Boston, and Las Vegas to explore the food landscapes in these cities and learn about their historical importance.
Here are five reasons why you should watch No Passport Required
1. The show features different cuisines
Chef Samuelsson travels to various cities in America to try and take in their various food cultures. In the process, he gets to give viewers a glimpse of those cuisines and he even provides recipes for the various foods from that cuisine. In the second season, he visits Houston Texas and looks at the West African culture. Chef Samuelsson introduces the West African culture to Non-Africans and samples their various foods such as the famous Jollof rice and goat soup which are common and a favorite in the West African region.
2. No Passport Required talks about other things other than food
In his travels to the cities, he gets to sample cuisines from different countries and ethnicities in the world. Aside from that, he also takes viewers through the history of the various cultures of his visits. In his West African Houston tour, he explores the West African and American roots and culture. Through the show, viewers were able to learn more about the origin of the now staple United States food that is the Italian-American cuisine. Viewers also learned about Chinese culture and some of the stories behind their various favorite dishes such as sushi. He focuses on a particular city’s subculture and talks about what inspires him about that culture. Chef Marcus brings out the warmth of every culture’s people to light and their excitement in that food scene.
3. The show celebrates unity and togetherness
Chef Samuelsson is, in fact, an immigrant himself. According to Eater, he was born in Ethiopia but got his upbringing in Sweden. Although he is a celebrated restaurateur, chef, and renowned author, he understands all too well the struggles that come with being from a different culture. He uses the show No Passport Required to show how food can bring people together. He celebrates food and is seemingly quite passionate about sharing a vibrant side to America’s communities both new and old. Through the show, he seeks to change the conversation around the issue of immigration not by complaining or bad-mouthing the regime but by seeking out the immigrant pockets that make part of the growing American community.
4. Chef Samuelsson is a guest
Unlike most cooking shows around today where the chef (and host) dictates everything and everyone to do something, Chef Samuelsson is a guest in his own show. He visits various restaurants and even makes home-cooked meals with some of the characters on his show that he meets. Every time he visits a city, his main idea is to find out more about that city and its historical culture and significance and what its people have to offer. No Passport Required appeals to viewers on a deep-seated level because he connects with the city’s occupants on another level emotionally through conversations with them.
5. No Passport Required tries to give equal opportunities for every cuisine
There are a ton of cuisines around the globe today, each one with their own history and background to their origins. Chef Samuelsson, when talking to The Salon, said that he tries not to have a favorite to go back to because according to him, that would deny other cuisines a fair shot. He stated that every city has provided them with a pleasant experience and although he has had a few personal favorites and great reception, he prefers not to play favorites with the cities in order to ensure that they reach a wider cuisine range as they have limited time with so much to cover.
Conclusion
No Passport Required as the name suggests offers viewers a chance to explore various cuisines in the food landscape in America. The show also provides a big boost for the various restaurants and businesses that are featured on the show. As more people view the show, more people are inclined to visit the restaurants and give positive reviews thus bringing more foot traffic to the restaurant which in turn helps in boosting sales. No Passport Required addresses important issues and that is one of the major reasons why it’s gained favor with its viewers.
The show airs on PBS at 9:00 on Tuesdays.
