Latest news with #EverybodyLovesRaymond
New York Post
6 hours ago
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Why Ray Romano hated the 'Everybody Loves Raymond' name
Everybody loves photos. 'Everybody Loves Raymond' is the latest show to get an exhibit at the Paley Center for Media in Manhattan, displaying costumes, props, and around 300 photos from the classic sitcom. 'Almost all of the behind-the-scenes footage was shot by me. It's probably the most documented TV show ever,' series writer and exec producer Tom Caltabiano exclusively told The Post. Advertisement 'I met Ray [Romano] in probably 1989. And I take pictures of everything, so I took a lot of pictures of Ray when we were doing stand-up together on the road. Then, he just happened to become famous… [as] I was writing [on 'Everybody Loves Raymond'], I started taking more photos, but I was 100% unofficial.' 12 A script for 'Everybody Loves Raymond' displayed in the Paley Center exhibit. Courtesy 12 Patricia Heaton, Ray Romano, Doris Roberts, Brad Garrett and Peter Boyle in 'Everybody Loves Raymond.' ©CBS/Courtesy Everett Collection Advertisement 12 Ray Romano and Patricia Heaton in 'Everybody Loves Raymond.' ©CBS/Courtesy Everett Collection / Everett Collection 'Everybody Loves Raymond' ran for nine seasons on CBS, from 1996 to 2005. The sitcom followed Raymond 'Ray' Barone (Romano), a sports writer living with his family in Long Island. Patricia Heaton co-starred as his wife, Debra, Brad Garrett played his brother, Robert, and Doris Roberts and Peter Boyle played his parents. By the end of the show's run, Caltabiano took 30,000 photos, making the 300 on display just a fraction of the total. He explained that it's rare for a writer to be on staff 'for the entire series from beginning to end,' which is also why the show is so well-documented. Advertisement The exhibit is currently open and runs through Sept. 7. Some props include Robert's police uniform, and the fictional family's toaster and yellow coffee canister. 12 The toaster displayed in the Paley Center exhibit. Courtesy 12 Costumes and behind the scenes photos displayed in the Paley Center exhibit. Courtesy Advertisement 12 Tom Caltabiano attends the 30 Years Of 'Everybody Loves Raymond': An Evening With The Legends Of The Classic Sitcom event at The Paley Museum on June 16, 2025 in New York City. Getty Images Visitors can also pose for photos on the couch from the show, but curator Jason Lynch told The Post that those are recreations to avoid any mishaps. 'We just wanted guests to have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the family's furniture and take a photo and feel like they are part of the family. Which is also the feeling you get watching the show,' he explained, adding that everything else in the exhibit is original. For Caltabiano, tracking down the props and costumes for a show that's been off the air for 20 years wasn't too difficult. 'It was such a tight-knit group that worked on the show. It was so personal to everybody involved, so they did have so many things already. That certainly was a big help in putting this together,' Lynch explained. Romano's manager, Rory Rosegarten, had a lot of props such as the toaster and canister. 'He had a bunch. And we still have more coming from various places in the country…it's shocking how dispersed it was,' said Caltabiano. 12 Lew Schneider, Maggie Wheeler, Patricia Heaton, Ray Romano, Phil Rosenthal, Tom Caltabiano, Cindy Chupack and Aaron Shure attend PaleyLive: 30 Years of 'Everybody Loves Raymond' at The Paley Museum on June 16, 2025 in New York City. Ron Adar/Shutterstock Advertisement 12 The coffee canister on display at the Paley Center exhibit. Courtesy 12 Doris Roberts, Ray Romano, Brad Garrett and Peter Boyle in 'Everybody Loves Raymond.' ©CBS/Courtesy Everett Collection Caltabiano himself rescued some papers that are displayed in the exhibit. 'The wardrobe department takes a Polaroid photo of every single actor of every single wardrobe change from every scene of every episode,' he explained. Advertisement When the show ended, they were going to be tossed into a dumpster. 'I was like, 'Oh man, if I could save these from 'I Love Lucy' can you imagine how valuable they were?' At that time, we ended two days ago, so it's not as much of a nostalgia, but I saved them all. So I store them all in my basement, and when I look at them, I'm like, 'wow, what a record of every single moment of the show.'' The exhibit also has a glass display case showing Romano's list of alternate titles for the show, including, 'That Raymond Guy,' 'Concerning Raymond' and 'Um, Raymond.' 'Ray was tortured by the name,' Caltabiano explained. Advertisement 'Because Ray in real life is a modest guy and he's like, 'Everybody loves Ray, what if the show stinks? Every journalist is going to be like, oh really, everyone loves Ray?'' 12 Ray Romano's list of alternate names for the show, displayed in the Paley Center exhibit. Courtesy 12 Robert's police badge on display at the Paley Center. Courtesy He quipped, 'Thank God it was a hit. He had to make it a hit just to overcome that title!' Advertisement Similar to the show, in real life, Romano's brother was a cop. Romano's sibling used to joke about saving people and getting shot at during his job, while Romano instead 'tells jokes and gets an award…everybody loves Raymond!' After they put that in the script, he said series creator Phil Rosenthal's wife, Monica Horan, who was also in the series, said 'that would be a great title for the show.'' 12 Around 300 behind the scenes photos taken by Tom Caltabiano are on display at the Paley Center exhibit. Courtesy 'And then Ray was like 'Oh no. Are you kidding me?'' he recalled. 'So, he called [David] Letterman, and he called the president of CBS and said 'Please, can we change the show name?' So the president said, 'Look, if it's a hit, we'll change it.' And then it became a hit and the president says, 'Well, we can't change it now!'' When asked if a reboot or revival could ever happen, Caltabiano said, 'Well, I believe in the works is a reunion show where Phil and the cast reunite and talk about clips and their favorite moments. Doing a newly scripted reboot – that I don't know. Honestly, without Peter Boyle and Doris Roberts, it would be a completely different show,' he said, referring to how Boyle died age age 90 in 2016, while Boyle died at age 71 in 2006. But, he added, 'Never say never.'
New York Post
a day ago
- Entertainment
- New York Post
‘Everybody Loves Raymond' creator reveals John Lennon was best man at Peter Boyle's wedding
All you need is love. 'Everybody Loves Raymond' creator Phil Rosenthal recently revealed that John Lennon served as the best man at actor Peter Boyle's 1977 wedding. Rosenthal, 65, shared the surprising news while celebrating 30 years of 'Everybody Loves Raymond' at the Paley Center in New York City on Monday. 11 John Lennon served as the best man at 'Everybody Loves Raymond' star Peter Boyle's 1977 wedding. CBS via Getty Images 11 Creator Phil Rosenthal shared the surprising news on Monday during an 'Everybody Loves Raymond' 30-year reunion in NYC. Getty Images Ray Romano (Ray Barone), Patricia Heaton (Debra Barone) and Maggie Wheeler (Linda Gruenfelder) were also in attendance. Boyle, who portrayed Romano's on-screen father, Frank Barone, in all nine seasons of the CBS sitcom from 1996 to 2005, died from multiple myeloma in 2006 at the age of 71. 'Two interesting things about Peter Boyle,' Rosenthal said while remembering the late actor. 'He studied to be a monk when he was younger. I asked him, 'Why'd you give it up?' And he says, 'There weren't enough girls there.'' 11 'Two interesting things about Peter Boyle,' Rosenthal began during a discussion about the late actor. Getty Images 11 'You know who the best man at his wedding was? John Lennon,' Rosenthal revealed. 'He was cool, Peter Boyle.' Bettmann Archive 'And the other thing is, I wonder if you know this. You know who the best man at his wedding was? John Lennon,' Rosenthal added. 'He was cool, Peter Boyle.' Boyle met his wife, Loraine Alterman, in 1974 on the set of Mel Brooks' 'Young Frankenstein.' Alterman was working as a reporter for Rolling Stone magazine at the time, and Boyle, who was starring in the film as Frankenstein's monster, allegedly asked her out while still wearing his costume and makeup. 11 Boyle married his wife, former Rolling Stone reporter Loraine Alterman, in 1977. FilmMagic 11 Alterman was good friends with Lennon's wife, Yoko Ono, which was how Boyle and the Beatles star connected. Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images 'He actually was out of makeup when we met, but let him have it his way,' Alterman clarified during an interview with The New York Times in 2001. The pair began dating, and they married in 1977. Alterman, who also worked as a music critic for Rolling Stone, was friends with Lennon's wife, Yoko Ono. It was through Ono that Boyle became close to the Beatles star. 11 'At the last minute, I asked John to stand in as my best man. And he said yes,' Boyle said in 2005. 'The rest is history.' WireImage 11 'He is John Lennon,' Boyler added one year before his death. 'And everything he does is memorable.' Redferns 'My wife and I had a very low-key wedding,' Boyle told Philadelphia magazine just one year before his death. 'At the last minute, I asked John to stand in as my best man. And he said yes. The rest is history.' 'He is John Lennon,' the actor added, noting that Lennon did not perform at the wedding. 'And everything he does is memorable.' Three years after Boyle and Alterman's wedding, Lennon was tragically shot and killed by Mark David Chapman outside his residence at The Dakota in NYC on Dec. 8, 1980. The 'Imagine' singer was 40 years old. 11 Lennon was shot and killed by Mark David Chapman outside his residence at The Dakota in NYC on Dec. 8, 1980. Getty Images Meanwhile, Rosenthal revealed that he would never reboot 'Everybody Loves Raymond' during the show's 30-year reunion in NYC on Monday. He explained that it would be 'impossible' without Boyle and Doris Roberts. Roberts portrayed Marie Barone on the show and passed away from natural causes in 2016 at the age of 90. 'I'll be honest with you, I'm a student of TV, and I've seen the shows that try to come back and do reboots. They're never as good,' Rosenthal told People shortly before the reunion event kicked off. 'So I'm happy with the memory.' 11 Boyle passed away in 2006 at the age of 71. His 'Everybody Loves Raymond' wife, Doris Roberts, passed away in 2016 at the age of 90. CBS via Getty Images 11 Rosenthal revealed that he would never reboot 'Everybody Loves Raymond' because it would be 'impossible' with Boyle and Roberts. Getty Images 'It's not the show that I miss doing,' he added. 'We did it. We did 210 episodes. That's a lot of anything. We decided to stop when we felt like it was enough. We weren't canceled. We stopped for a reason. What I miss are my friends. That's what I miss. All the people who made the show with us.' Brad Garrett, who played Romano's older brother, Robert Barone, on the beloved sitcom, said something similar when asked about an 'Everybody Loves Raymond' reboot earlier this month. 'There won't be,' Garrett said at the premiere of Disney Pixar's 'Elio' in Los Angeles on June 10. 'And I'm just saying that because that's something that Ray and Phil [Rosenthal] have always said.' 'There is no show without the parents. They were the catalyst, and to do anything that would resemble that wouldn't be right to the audiences or the loyal fan base,' he added. 'And it was about those two families, and you can't get around that.'
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Somebody Feed Phil: 5 Ingredients That Make Phil Rosenthal's Netflix Travel Show a Delicious Treat
Tucked away inside the thousands of TV shows available in Netflix's library, like a tiny hole-in-the-wall restaurant that doesn't advertise but thrives on word of mouth, sits an absolute gem of a travel show. Somebody Feed Phil, returning for Season 8 this Wednesday on the streamer, follows comedy writer and Everybody Loves Raymond creator Phil Rosenthal as he travels the world making friends and trying exotic new cuisines. Travel shows are a dime a dozen, of course, and Somebody Feed Phil does hit a lot of the familiar notes we know so well from the genre. But there's something exceptional about it, too: a special sauce, if you will, that makes it one of the most consistently satisfying and uplifting shows anywhere on television. More from TVLine Land of the Lost Reboot in the Works at Netflix The Sandman's Final Season Trailer Features Dream's Return to Hell, Warns 'All Good Stories Come to an End' For First Time, Streaming Viewing Topped Broadcast and Cable Combined in May With Somebody Feed Phil serving up a new season that takes him everywhere from Amsterdam to Guatemala to Las Vegas, we thought we'd take a closer look at the five ingredients that make the show such a joy to watch. If you're already a fan, you may be able to guess what's on the menu. And if you haven't watched yet? You're in for a treat. Plus, join us in the comments below for a buffet of your favorite memories. The success of any travel show hinges on its host, and luckily, Somebody Feed Phil has an excellent one in Phil Rosenthal. Goofy and enthusiastic, Phil brings an everyman approach to his travels: He's not a food expert, but he's a food lover, diving into strange local delicacies with an infectious curiosity. (His wide-eyed stares and delighted yelps when sinking his teeth into a new dish are a staple of the show by now.) He's also a veteran sitcom writer, so he knows how to tell a joke, and Phil never fails to crack up strangers on the street who don't even speak his language. Food and laughter are two international languages, and Phil speaks both fluently. Somebody Feed Phil's cinematography is top-notch, with gorgeous shots of delicious food being prepared and served that could double as glossy magazine spreads. (Try to get through an episode without drooling.) Phil's adventurous palate leads to some amazing discoveries as well, with him trying everything from feijoada stew in Rio de Janeiro to deep-fried hot dogs in Chicago. He doesn't always love what he tries, to be honest, but along the way, he's introduced us to dozens of far-flung foods that we'd love to sample. Through seven seasons so far, Phil has traveled the world and back, heading to more than 40 cities around the globe and exposing us to cultures we'd never be able to see at home. At least once per season, Phil's travels have shown us a beautiful international location that goes straight onto our travel bucket list, from Bangkok to Madrid to Kyoto. And it's heartwarming to see Phil instantly make friends with people from another land and find ways to connect with them despite their many differences. Travel is an unparalleled education, and Somebody Feed Phil is certainly an education in the myriad ways humanity can thrive. Phil might travel solo, but he's not really alone: His brother Richard is the showrunner and travels with him, and the two have a hilarious sibling rivalry that pops up in just about every episode. Phil also checks in with famous friends on his travels, with cameos from Patton Oswalt, Tracy Morgan and NBA legend Dwight Howard. His most reliable travel companions, though, were his parents Helen and Max, who Phil checked in with every episode via laptop video for an endearingly awkward chat. Helen and Max passed away in recent years, and the show paid tribute to them in a lovely Season 6 episode, and since then, Phil's friends like Ray Romano and Ted Danson have joined him on video to keep the tradition alive. It's that kind of heart that places Somebody Feed Phil a cut above the rest of the travel show pack. A lot of Netflix shows have us reaching for the 'Skip Intro' button… but we wouldn't dare touch it when the Somebody Feed Phil theme song comes on. A boisterous tune from the band Lake Street Dive that lays out Phil's mission in hummable form, the theme song is a perfect introduction to the show and a fantastic warm-up for all the fun ahead. We love it almost as much as we love the show that follows it. Are you a frequent flier with ? Let us know what you love about the show in a comment below. Best of TVLine Young Sheldon Easter Eggs: Every Nod to The Big Bang Theory (and Every Future Reveal) Across 7 Seasons Weirdest TV Crossovers: Always Sunny Meets Abbott, Family Guy vs. Simpsons, Nine-Nine Recruits New Girl and More ER Turns 30: See the Original County General Crew, Then and Now
Forbes
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Netflix's New Season Hit Show ‘Somebody Feed Phil' Inspires Travel Joy
. Relax and lean into the best feel-good gustatory adventures around the world with multi-award-winning funnyman Phil Rosenthal, who energetically returns for a stellar new Season 8 of Netflix's popular travel show Somebody Feed Phil, which premieres June 18. This year's fresh lineup of home-field and far-flung journeys spotlights delectable food, warm friendships, picturesque landscapes, dazzling discoveries, spirited camaraderie and laughter galore. Like a beacon, Rosenthal spreads his illuminating outlook and smiles across the miles, encouraging viewers to travel, which he credits to opening minds and hearts. 'Travel makes the world better and makes your life better,' he often opines. 'You come away with a new perspective on life.' This uplifting nine-episode series touches down in Amsterdam, Tbilisi, Sydney, Adelaide, Manila, Las Vegas, Guatemala, San Sebastián and Boston. Here is the trailer, a brief peek: Rosenthal's globetrotting gallops have galvanized an enormous and devoted fan following. In addition to being the creator, executive producer and host of Somebody Feed Phil, Rosenthal headlines the rollicking podcast Naked Lunch with David Wild; readily fills U.S.A. and international theaters on travel-centric speaking tours; pens best-sellers, such as Somebody Feed Phil The Book; and gives back through his Somebody Feed The People, a philanthropic initiative of the Rosenthal Family Foundation, which supports community-building through food, partnering with organizations that access solutions to food insecurity. It also helps the career development of chefs and restaurant workers. His inimitable humor was honed decades ago as the creator, writer, executive producer and showrunner of the popular sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond, starring comedian Ray Romano, which ran for nine seasons on CBS. In other words, Rosenthal brings a lot to the table. 'Food, I always say, is the great connector and laughs are the cement,' muses Rosenthal. 'I feel very lucky. Everybody doesn't get to live their dreams. Sure, I've worked hard to get it. But I am lucky and grateful for it.' Cheers: Rosenthal toasts new friendships bridged on the road. Comfortably packed with colorful sites as well as insights, the unscripted episodes brim with verve and playfulness. Here is a small sampling of goings-on this season. In Amsterdam, Rosenthal savors herring, smoked eel, pancakes and stroopwafel, as well as dines with Bridgerton star Claudia Jessie. In the Basque region of Spain, Rosenthal roams through the culinary capital of San Sebastián, devouring pintxos, impressive seafood and Txakoli wine. In Boston, Rosenthal steps along the Freedom Trail, exploring multicultural eateries and reveling in Southie diners, North End cannoli and Peruvian cuisine in nearby Cambridge. In the country of Georgia, notable as the birthplace of wine, Rosenthal delights at the city of Tbilisi, picks grapes, eats khachapuri (soft, cheese-filled bread) like a mountain man and receives a massage at an ancient sauna. In Australia, Rosenthal relishes a life-changing breakfast at Bondi Beach, sails Sydney Harbor and visits an Aboriginal vineyard in Adelaide. In Las Vegas, Rosenthal eyes the city's steakhouses with Ray Romano and Brad Garrett, then tastes bold flavors in its arts district. In Manila, Rosenthal feasts on pork sisig, shares a roadside meal with Jeepney drivers and encounters his first boodle fight on a tour of Filipino cuisine. In Guatemala, vibrant culture and rich volcanic soil serve up memorable events as Rosenthal wanders and wonders with Claudia, his family's longtime babysitter and friend. Indeed, so much of Rosenthal's raison d'etre is enlivened by his cherished family and pals, many of whom are involved in Rosenthal's work projects. His brother Richard Rosenthal is Somebody Feed Phil's executive producer and showrunner; their on-camera repartee is a golden fan-favorite. Eat, drink and be merry: Rosenthal with buddies Donny Osmond (singer, dancer, actor, television host) and David Wild (writer, music critic, podcast host). 'The world would be better if we all could experience a bit of other people's experiences, to walk in others' shoes,' Rosenthal once told me during one of our past interviews. This message is his resounding refrain that has stood the test of time, as well as: 'If you give out nice, you'll get nice back.' Meating at a Las Vegas steakhouse: Rosenthal with longtime friends comedians-actors Ray Romano and Brad Garrett. Even with a busy calendar, Rosenthal seems genuinely happy to ever buoy his audience's happiness. At this point in his on-the-go-go-go schedule, how does he stay whole and keep chill, even when others want a slice of him? 'It has never been a burden and it is still not a burden,' he told me. 'I'm an older guy. I have not been famous my entire life. My joke is: It's amazing to wake up at this age and suddenly find myself Harry Styles! Ha! This is only a nice experience. People are only nice to me. It never bothers me when they come up to me. It never bothers me when they write to me or ask me questions. It is only nice, very loving and sweet.' Fishing for laughs: Rosenthal makes a splash with spectacular seafood. For my previous two seasons' coverage of Somebody Feed Phil, read: 'Somebody Feed Phil' New Season, March 1: Fantastic Travel-Food Fun and 'Somebody Feed Phil' Season 6—From Croatia To Nashville.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Phil Rosenthal on His Favorite Food Destinations, the Best In-flight Meal of His Life, and How Ray Romano Inspired 'Somebody Feed Phil'
Phil Rosenthal has built a travel career (and following) on his infectious enthusiasm for seeing the world on Somebody Feed Phil, but his first taste of wanderlust didn't come from a passport stamp or a five-star meal—it stemmed from a 7-Eleven in Atlanta. He was just nine years old, sipping on a Slurpee during a family trip, when it hit him: "Wow, I need to travel more." Rosenthal didn't grow up globe-trotting and jet-setting. Instead, his early windows to the world came through pages and screens. "We didn't have a lot of ways to see other worlds; we only saw it on TV, movies, and books," he told Travel + Leisure. Then, at the age of 23, came a life-altering courier flight to Europe. "My first stops were Paris and Florence, and that was when my life was changed forever," he recalled. The trip didn't just expand his worldview; it reshaped his priorities. "I knew this is what my extra money is for: to save up for these experiences, to save my money to travel." At the time, he had no idea travel would one day become his job, but the seed was planted, and it would grow in an unexpected place: the writer's room of Everybody Loves Raymond. During a casual conversation with actor Ray Romano, he asked where the actor was going on vacation between seasons. When Rosenthal learned Romano was going to the Jersey Shore, he asked if he had ever been to Europe. The actor hadn't, and said he wasn't interested in something "different." So Rosenthal did what writers do: he turned the moment into an episode. "I said, 'We're doing that episode. I'm going to send you in the show to Italy as you and you're going to come back as me—someone who's excited about traveling.'" It took three years to make the episodes happen, and it was the only time the series filmed abroad. "I saw what I wrote—this character who didn't want to go and is complaining the whole time, and then suddenly gets it—happen to Ray Romano, the person. When this happened 25 years ago, I thought, 'What if I could do this for other people?'" That question became the foundation for Somebody Feed Phil, but the path to turn his vision into a show wasn't a straight one, even with a hit series under his belt. He wrote other sitcoms before fully pivoting to a show that inspires people to travel. "People think I did Raymond and they just gave me a show and whatever I want. No, it took 10 years. Was it worth it? Yes."What's your go-to plane snack? there anything you won't eat on a flight? If you can eat in the lounge or before the flight, I like that better than plane the best in-flight meal you've had? Korean Airlines made a samgye-tang soup, with the whole baby chicken in a pot. I just thought that was as good as a you have a restaurant red flag? If there's a tourist menu, don't go your favorite food souvenir? Parmesan Reggiano. You can vacuum seal it. I love a food Rosenthal, travel doesn't require luxury—it just requires action. And his advice is straightforward and simple: don't wait. "Go and don't put it off. You're never going to be as young as you are right now. So go while everything still works," he told T+L. "I tell young people all the time that you don't have to have a lot of money. You just got to get there. You can stay on a friend's couch, you can stay in a youth hostel. Doesn't matter; you're there. And just being there, meaning anywhere else on Earth, is everything." His ethos is that travel isn't just a personal journey, but rather an opportunity to quietly shift the world's perspective. "You make the world a little better because you represent where you're from, and people get to see this is what, you know, a real American looks like. Forget the news. If you're a half-decent person, you're spreading a little bit more love in the world. And what you get back is invaluable, because it literally changes your perspective on life, and that's something you bring home with you." Now, Somebody Feed Phil is returning to Netflix, and the season 8 itinerary takes viewers to destinations like Amsterdam; Tbilisi, Georgia; Sydney and Adelaide in Australia; Manila, Philippines; Las Vegas; Boston; and Guatemala. The Guatemala episode, in particular, holds deeply personal value for Rosenthal. "Guatemala is one place I never thought about going, but we had a nanny from there. She would make us little dishes from there that were always delicious. So when the idea of doing Guatemala came up, I said, 'Let's bring Claudia home.' We brought her with us. That's one of my favorite episodes because she's part of the family." Beyond the personal connection, he was blown away by the food scene. "You think you know what the cuisine is going to be like. And then it's really surprising. The young people are doing kind of modern takes on the authentic Indigenous foods. It's like nothing I ever had; it's really great." Another standout this season? Spain's culinary gem: San Sebastián in the Basque Country. "It's so gorgeous, and the food culture seems to have everything." As for his all-time favorite episode, Rosenthal doesn't hesitate to mention the challenge and fulfillment of filming in his hometown, New York City. "I was very nervous to do New York because everyone's done it. It's been more represented than maybe every other city in the world, because it's in every TV show and every movie. So how do I do the definitive New York? I realized I can't. But I can do my New York—and that turns out to be the key, always, you do what means the most to you." The episode includes one of his favorite scenes: going to his parents' apartment. When the cameras aren't rolling, Rosenthal finds himself returning to tried-and-true destinations (London, Paris, Japan, and Spain, to name a few), though the age-old travel dilemma remains. "The more I travel, the more I fall in love with places. So you want to revisit the places you love, but you also realize, 'I gotta see the rest of the world.' Who knows what I'm missing? So what I usually try to do is—if it's my own vacation—a place I love with another place I haven't been." When asked about standout food cities, Rosenthal is quick to spotlight Bangkok. "The city has some of the best food I've ever had in my life. Some of the best things I ever ate were in Thailand." Among those unforgettable bites is a $1 bowl of khao soi, the meal he said he still thinks about from his travels in Chiang Mai. The Northern Thai curry noodle soup is typically made with a coconut-based broth, a protein like chicken or beef, and topped with crispy noodles and pickled mustard greens. As for food cities that don't get the culinary credit they deserve, Rosenthal offered up two surprising answers: Orlando and Las Vegas. "They're similar in that they both have these giant tourist attractions—The Strip and Disney World—that were built and maintained by immigrants over many decades. These immigrants came and set up their communities around the big tourist attraction on the outskirts. So they have a fabulous Chinatown, Thai towns, and Indian restaurants—these are microcosms of America, which is made up by immigrants. So yes, there are great restaurants on The Strip and some fun places to eat in Disney World but the real Magic Kingdom is the real world outside. No one thinks of these cities as great food destinations, but they are." Rosenthal's golden rule for travel is not to overplan. He credits these unscripted moments, whether chance encounters or local recommendations, as the key to unforgettable travel experiences. "Leave some room in your schedule, as we do when we make the show, for serendipity, for stuff to happen," he said. Of course, a little research still goes a long way. When looking for restaurants, Rosenthal keeps it simple. "I Google 'best restaurants in Chiang Mai,' and then I don't go by just one review. I look at all the reviews, I start cross-referencing and note the same places start popping up in all the lists. And we have such resources now, like people who blog and Instagram. Instagram is a little dangerous because sometimes you're thinking that the most photographed thing is the best, and it's not. So you can't just go by that." (For the show, though, he credits his production company in New York and their team of fixers around the globe.) And as for the bottomless meals Rosenthal appears to devour on screen, it's not quite what it looks like. "A lot of people think that I ate all that stuff in one day, and it looks like, 'Oh, my God, he eats so much.' But we film for a week and that scene is probably all I ate that day. And if I looked excited, it's because it's the only meal I've had." The show's popularity has taken Rosenthal on the road with his live show, where he gives fans a behind-the-scenes look at his global adventures. And he's doing exactly what he set out to do as a nine-year-old with a Slurpee: see the world—and bring the rest of us along for the ride. Read the original article on Travel & Leisure
