It's no secret that Tony Loved Nonna's. Italian Nonna's to be more specific.
Yes, Anthony Bourdain loved Italian food and experienced it firsthand in Southern Italy, including at the home of a nonna.
Nonna Maria's house
Bourdain ate homemade orecchiette with tomato and pepper sauce and cacioricotta cheese at Nonna Maria's house in Lecce. He also enjoyed the strong-willed host and the conversation.
Pasta
Bourdain was known for his love of pasta and said it was his favorite thing to prepare as a chef. His favorite dish was Cacio e Pepe.
Italian heritage
Bourdain believed that food in Italy carries the weight of the country's heritage, history, and ingenuity. He said that Italians take food seriously, and that family feuds can break out over pasta shapes and grape varietals.