Anthony Bourdain: I'm sentimental about New Jersey

Editors note: This story was originally published in April 2015. Anthony Bourdain, a New Jersey native and the star chef and host of the acclaimed "No Reservations," died Friday morning. Bourdain, 61, committed suicide, CNN reported. 

Crepes and caviar won't be on the menu when celeb chef and social critic Anthony Bourdain comes to New Jersey for the May 31 episode of CNN's "Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown."

Instead, it's hot dogs at Hiram's in Fort Lee; a cheesesteak at Donkey's Place in Camden; a sub and a pastrami sandwich with Southside Johnny at Frank's Deli in Asbury Park; and clams at Kubel's Restaurant in Barnegat Light.

Call it gourmet boardwalk food, if you will.

MORE: Anthony Bourdain, star chefand Leonia native, dies at 61

"I'm sentimental for it," said Bourdain in an interview with the Asbury Park Press. "The submarine sandwich, the Jersey red sauces, the cheesesteaks, the steamer clams — I love all of that stuff.

"Some will sneer at it but it's good food and good is forever."

The Jersey episode seeks the rustic — and rusty — beauty of the state's underbelly.

"New Jersey has got beaches, beautiful beaches, and they're not all crawling with 'roid-raging trolls with reality shows," said Bourdain, a native of Leonia, on the show. "I grew up summering on those beaches and they are awesome."

Bourdain also visits the Knife and Fork Inn, Docks Oyster House and Baltimore Grill in Atlantic City, where he also chats with married Jersey comics Rich Vos and Bonnie McFarlane.

He plays pinball with Southside Johnny at the Silverball Museum on the boardwalk in Asbury Park.

"This is important for children," quips Bourdain on the show while playing pinball on the "Slick Chick" machine. "Your first exposure to racy images of women are offset in some sort of '20s fetishistic alternate universe."

Bourdain and his crew filmed the Jersey episode in January.

Kubel's will have a viewing party for the episode when it airs on May 31. The season debuts at 9 p.m. Sunday, April 26 with a trip to South Korea.

Chris Jordan: cjordan@app.com