Dominic Sessa knew almost nothing about cooking before playing Anthony Bourdain in the movie *Tony*
Actor Dominic Sessa, who played the young Anthony Bourdain in the film *Tony*, had almost no culinary skills before filming began. The film, directed and written by Matt Johnson, chronicles the early life of the future chef, writer, and TV host, according to ABC News Australia.
The film is set in 1975. Sessa plays 19-year-old Tony, who, after being rejected by a writing school, ends up working at a seafood restaurant in Cape Cod. There, the protagonist begins working at the bottom of the kitchen hierarchy under the supervision of the chef, played by Antonio Banderas.
Johnson explained that it was important for the role not to teach Sessa how to cook in advance. According to the director’s vision, the character has no experience and doesn’t understand what he’s doing, and it would have been difficult to convincingly portray such clumsiness.
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At the same time, Banderas helped his young colleague learn the ropes in the kitchen, and not just on camera. Sessa said that he learned, among other things, how to shuck oysters. Chef Eli Sassman from Gertrude’s restaurant in Prospect Park taught him this skill.
The film is based on the early chapters of Bourdain’s quasi-autobiographical book *Kitchen Confidential* and focuses on the period before his fame and television career. The film also stars Emilia Jones as Nancy and comedian Stavros Chalkias as Stavros—a composite character representing the kitchen staff from the book’s early chapters.
*Tony* is scheduled to premiere in theaters on August 20.
