NEW YORK: President Barack Obama dined in Hanoi, Vietnam, on Monday with CNN personality Anthony Bourdain, whose "Parts Unknown" food travelogue is one of the network's most popular nonfiction series.
Bourdain met with Obama to discuss the purpose of Obama's trip to Asia and his interest in the people, food and culture of Vietnam, CNN said.
A huge crowd gathered outside the restaurant Bun cha Huong Lien, then let out a cheer when the president came out. Obama shook a lot of hands and waved repeatedly before vanishing into the motorcade.
While 54-year-old restaurant owner Nguyen Thi Lien knew a foreign television crew was on the way, she had no idea they would be bringing a very special guest.
"His presence in our restaurant was a great surprise for my whole family, who could never have imagined it, even in our dreams," she told AFP on Tuesday.
US Secret Service and local police closed down the streets surrounding Bun Cha Huong Lien eatery on Monday evening.
A large crowd gathered outside the restaurant, letting out a cheer as Obama exited.
Surrounded by a coterie of bodyguards, he stopped to greet excited locals, many capturing the moment on their phones, before being whisked away in his limousine.
"Obama was nice, smiling, cheerful and popular with everyone," the shop's owner told AFP, adding that she regretted not posing for a picture with the president.
Bourdain posted a picture of the dinner on his Instagram feed with the caption "The President's chopstick skills are on point".
Bourdain later tweeted that the meal cost $6, and he picked up the check.
Bourdain's show has been on CNN since 2013. For each episode the chef travels to a different part of the world to explore that area's culture, primarily by sharing in the area's distinct native cuisine.
The interview with Obama will be featured in the eighth season of "Parts Unknown," which begins in September.
AP/AFP
