tavis: good evening. first up, a conversation with the host of "no reservations," sebastian mallaby . he is out with the follow up to his best seller. also tonight, singer kelis is herer. she is out with her latest cd next month. she just released a cd -- just released a single. anthony bourdain and kelis coming up right now. james, and he needs extra help with his reading. >> i am james. >> yes. >> to everyone making a difference, you help us all live better. >> nationwide insurance proudly supports tavis smiley. tavis and nationwide insurance, working to improve financial literacy and the economic empowerment that comes with it.

>> ♪ nationwide is on your side ♪ >> and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. [captioning made possible by kcet public television] captioned by the national captioning institute --www.ncicap.org-- tavis: anthony bourdain is a popular tv host to continues his role on the travel channel series. he is also out now with a follow-up to his best seller. the new book is called "me iraq." -- "medium raw." i feel like i know you. i saw you on the other day. you just kept -- i kept

thinking this guy is following me. you were eating the whole time. you ought to be 300 pounds. >> i am a professional. when i know i am eating a big amount -- if i know i am having that kind of a day i am not eating breakfast. tavis: i was going to ask how you manage that. you went from place to place eating all the way through. >> i do my best. it is hard if you do too many shows in italy and france. i come back 10 pounds heavier. tavis: for those who have not seen your show, how does the show work? how do you figure out where you are going to go? >> i will sit around with a

camera guys and we look at a map of the world and say wouldn't it be cool to go there? what movie can be ripped off to make an interesting story? it is driven by the people i work with and my own desire -- i have the freedom to go anywhere i want. we have chosen to do shows based on our room conversation. i have a good job. tavis: from all your traveling, have you figured out yet the region of the world you most in joint the delights? >> southeast asia has a real grip on me. from the first time i went there it was a fulfillment of my childhood fantasies. i was a professional cook for 28 years and only 10 years ago i was still standing in a kitchen next to the deep fryer.

after "kitchen confidential" i found myself in a position to travel. when i was in vietnam's living the dream and it exceeded the reality, that was love at first sight. as many places as i have been, southeast asia has a real grip. tavis: i mentioned how successful "kitchen confidential" is and how it changed the genre of these books. what made it so successful? >> i think it's that i was not the other guy. when i am writing -- i did not think anyone would read this. all i hope was that people in the restaurant business in new york city would read it. i tried to stick with that model of not thinking about who might

like it or why. and move forward from there. i would guess and have been told that people like the show because i am not the other guy. i don't have a reputation to protect. i made it on the basis of a pretty obnoxious book, so nobody expects me to become adorable and diplomatic. tavis: the difference between that obnoxious book and your new book is what? >> i thought i was writing a much nicer book. i am a father now and happy and everything is going great. i thought i was writing a gentler book, but apparently there is some angry stuff in there. i have not changed that much.

tavis: you mentioned you have a daughter. you rather ingeniously turned her off to fast food. care to share that story? >> fast-food outfits have targeted small children in an effective way. it is kids' toys and bright colors, so they have no problem taking the low road and getting down on the level of children. what i am saying in the book is there is no taking the high road if you want to make the counter argument. as parents we want to win the hearts and minds of a child, you anything of that e coli or factory farming, you talk about cooties. you scare the hell out of them. tavis: ronald mcdonald has

cuddy's? >> allegedly. -- has cooties. it is not that hard to mess with kids' minds. kids are afraid of being the outcast. i am not saying it is -- it is not a diplomatic way to go but we are talking about a serious issue, keeping your kids out of the clutches of this major industry. i think extreme measures are called for. tavis: i heard that before. in the book you talk about the fact that you think cooking is a virtue and everyone ought to know how to cook. news flash, i don't cook. are you saying i am not

virtuous? >> i think you would be a better person. tavis: i am not a good person? >> if you could make an omelet you would be better. there are a few certain things. if we make it a virtue of the same way president kennedy made a physical fitness a virtue. every good should be good at sports or at least physically fit. or at least aspire to that. if all kids aspired to reach a point where they could feed themselves and a few friends this would be good for the world. tavis: sports is not for everybody. why should cooking be? >> you should be able to roast a chicken for yourself. you should be able to make an omelet for somebody you just slept with. [laughter]

tavis: i don't have a follow-up to that one. i could think of a bunch of follow ups, but i will leave that alone. >> i am not asking for eggs benedict. tavis: when did you start cooking? >> i was 17. i took a job as a dishwasher and fell in love with the subculture. it was like joining the circus. i felt very much in love with a life. tavis: for all the years in the kitchen, it did what for you? >> it taught me a few basic things, like showing respect for people you work with. in all your dealings with life, it taught me the importance of showing up on time always. and being the sort of person if i say i am going to do something i will deliver.

the only real rules that i respected. i was an angry kid and i found in the restaurant business the only people whose approval i wanted. it was the first time in my life that i went home feeling respect for myself. tavis: you get asked all the time, should i go to a culinary school? what do you tell people? >> the short answer is probably not if you are 32 andy always wanted -- you cook well at home and thought it was a good idea. it would be a great life. if the question is, should i go to a culinary school? probably not. if you are 22 and have worked in the restaurant business and you have experienced the lifestyle

and know what you are getting into before applying for $60,000 in student loans, by all means. tavis: but america is all about pursuing your dreams. >> it is a very physical job. you are on your feet for 10 hours a day. if you are coming out at 32 and a young person's profession, very physically demanding. people can be unkind if you don't keep up. you are probably making $10 an hour. that is maybe not what you pictured it s. tavis: in your own way you also hit this in the text. he mentioned you are on your feet all day long, but if you are overweight is not something you recommend.

yet half the shops i know are overweight. >> most of the busy kitchens i know, the backbone of the kitchen are pretty physically fit. it is going to be difficult for you if you are seriously overweight. just understand that you will be doing a couple hundred of these today getting into those low refrigerators. you are working in confined spaces. they don't tell you that before you apply to cooking school. that is something you should be considering. tavis: "no reservations" is good work. it seems maybe not as fun, but certainly as lucrative. you are slapping your name on everything that everyone else slaps their name on him and yet i have not seen them from you.

>> never say never. i think a lot of people confuse integrity with vanity. there is not a product line of cheap pots and pans. it is vanity. i just felt want to be the immodium guy. it would be embarrassing for me. but i am wrestling with it because i am the father of a 3- year-old. maybe i am looking to lose it to the right guy. [laughter] tavis: you keep setting me up so nicely. i will not bite. i could have put three of those over the fence. his name is anthony bourdain, bestselling author of "kitchen confidential pohick." good to have you on the program. up next, a senior kelis --singer

kelis. kelis is a grammy nominated singer whose cd will be available in july. you can already get her new single. here now is some of the video for "fourth of july." ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

tavis: very club- friendly. was that the plan? >> just to get people on the dance floor again. tavis: -- as got through talking to anthony bourdain, and who knew that kelis went to culinary school. >> i did. tavis: you are a bonafide shaft? -- bonafide chef? >> i am. i grew up with three sisters and my mom had a catering business. they are all in some field of medicine or social work amount so i was the only one left. i fell in love with it. you get to put yourself into it.

i figured why not do it the right way? tavis: so you have specialities? >> i do. tavis: the thing about being a chef is most would agree they love the opportunity to be creative as an artist. i guess that must turn you on. >> is fantastic. especially because it's still new for me. it is instant gratification. it's not like when you record a record and it takes months for people to hear it. this is today. you just put everything into your food. especially in the family we were up wind, breaking bread is so important. the fact that i can't put myself into something people can enjoy right now, that is the perfect night. tavis: there are two things

about the making of this cd i found interesting. you were pregnant during most of this process. that does what for you -- does what to the creative process when you are about to birth a baby? >> in my life looking at other women who have been pregnant while riding, -- writing, it is the closest to themselves. for me, it is a validating moment. i always knew i wanted to have kids and have been making my music all my life. the two together -- i was writing and i generally question myself. this is very just like, this is what it is. just being a creative person, it

is freeing. here it is. that is amazing. tavis: the other thing i found fascinating was then when you were doing this project you did not have a record deal. you must be scared out of your mind that you don't have a distribution channel yet, or there is a wonderful freedom with being able to go through the creative process without the pressure of having to do this. which is right? >> it is more the latter. i was on one label and i had taken four years to get off my label. i had no plans and did not make any provisions for when i got off. what do i do now? tavis: off to a culinary school prayer guess i will go coke. -- off to a culinary school.

guess i will go cook. >> there is a security in it. i finally got off and thought what will i do? that is when i went to the culinary school. i felt like i did not want to do this to this capacity. it just sucked the life and my desire for it out of me. going to school and separate myself is what got me to record. i was just reporting. -- i was just recording. tavis: you said it sucked the life out of you. you are talking about the process of doing the music thing? >> the business of music. in is an oxymoron. we both need each other, and what they don't go together. just being at that point and feeling like they belonged to

someone and not having a way out, it was frustrating. you forget why you started this. i signed when i was 17. 10 years passed and you go through the motions. you think it is not even fun anymore. i took some time for myself and went to a culinary school and started writing. tavis: operating yourself from the industry for a while, getting some distance -- separating yourself from the industry. that separation allow you to see what? >> for me the most obvious thing was i felt so -- fell so in love with -- i came home one day and had cooked for friends. i said i am really competitive.

they said are you serious? i did not because my general attitude is take it or leave it. i don't try to please everybody. but with food, you are either right or you are wrong. people's taste buds very, but there is a technique. i like the fact that i can do it right and be better than someone else. for me, falling in love with something else and realizing i can do something else i am good at, not having to make a record was such a relief that i felt like i don't have to do this. tavis: it frees me up to do it anyway because you choose to. >> i was just recording, there were no guidelines. there was no budget. tavis: [unintelligible]

>> literally. i have no budget, but -- i baked pies. come over and eat. and i was pregnant, so i did not care. i will be cooking anyway. [laughter] if you want to come over and enjoy this we can play a tune. that is how everything came together. tavis: how does that process impact the sound? >> is so honest. -- it is so honest. i brought a finished album to my label. the only reason i signed a major label was the fact that they took me as i am. that was the stipulation. i have been doing this for --

since i was a teenager. i want to do what i want. i feel like if this -- if i cannot put my heart in this then i don't need any part of it. they were both just like, ok. i was like, ok bind. -- ok , fine. there was no one hovering over. everyone asked what is your first single going to be? it was not the obvious radio- friendly, especially coming from what people were categorizing as r&d to something else as a blake -- black artists it is so segregated -- as a black artist. but i have always had that conversation.

i am just like, this is what i have. this is what i made , so either we will ride with it or i don't know what else i will tell you. tavis: frightfully they rolled with it and you can balance to it. -- thankfully they rolled with it. kelis, congratulations. when are you cooking again? >> any time. tavis: let's go, guys. that is our show for tonight. catch me on the weekends. you can access our podcast through our web site. i will see you back here next time. thanks for watching. keep the faith. ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ >> for more information on today's show, visit tavis smiley at pbs.org hancock. that is next time. see you then. >> all i know is his name is james, and he needs extra help with his reading. >> i am james. >> yes. >> to everyone making a difference, you help us all live better. >> nationwide insurance proudly supports tavis smiley. tavis and nationwide insurance, working to improve financial literacy and the economic empowerment that comes with it.

>> ♪ nationwide is on your side ♪ >> and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. [captioning made possible by kcet public television] --www.ncicap.org--