Anthony Bourdain Finds His Culinary Calling in First Trailer for Biopic ‘Tony’

The first trailer for the new Anthony Bourdain biopic, Tony, has arrived, providing an intimate look at the early life of the late culinary icon. Set for a theatrical release this August, the A24 production is directed by Matt Johnson (Blackberry) and features The Holdovers star Dominic Sessa in the lead role.

The film explores Bourdain’s journey before he became a household name, focusing on his time as an aspiring writer who stumbled upon his passion for cooking. The narrative centers on a transformative summer in 1975, when a 19-year-old Bourdain took a job at a restaurant in Cape Cod.

“I’m actually not a fucking cook,” Sessa exclaims in the tense, heated trailer. “I’m a writer. But I said I know how to cook.”

Joining Sessa in the cast are Antonio Banderas, who portrays the mentor chef at the restaurant, alongside Emilia Jones, Leo Woodall, Dagmara Dominczyk, Rich Sommers, and Stavros Halkias.

Following that pivotal summer, Bourdain’s career trajectory shifted toward the kitchen. He graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in 1978 and went on to lead the kitchens of prestigious establishments, including One Fifth Avenue. His global ascent began in 2000 with the publication of his best-selling memoir, Kitchen Confidential: Adventures In The Culinary Underbelly, which paved the way for his transition into television with A Cook’s Tour.

Bourdain’s estate has expressed their support for the project, noting that Tony avoids the tropes of a standard biopic. “Guided by the vision of director Matt Johnson, the film depicts one transformative summer in 1975 in Provincetown, Massachusetts. It is an interpretation, as that part of Tony’s life will always remain somewhat unknown,” the estate stated.

Director Matt Johnson has highlighted the striking parallels between Sessa and the late chef, noting that the actor’s own experiences mirrored Bourdain’s restless nature. “He is in every shot of the movie, and carries the entire story on his hunched shoulders,” Johnson remarked.