MUMBAI: Chef, author and television personality Anthony Bourdain who has been seen in India on shows on channels like TLC, will join news broadcaster CNN as host of a new weekend programme, creating a signature showcase for the network’s coverage of food and travel.

The show airs early next year.

CNN Worldwide executive VP, managing editor Mark Whitaker.said, "For more than a decade, nthony Bourdain has been a trailblazer in educating Americans about different cuisines and cultures around the world, as well as an outspoken commentator on social trends ranging from the rise of celebrity chefs to the impact of fast food chains to the spread of vegetarianism and veganism. Examining the world through the prism of Tony’s unique expertise and passions continues CNN’s long-standing commitment to international reporting and to promoting global understanding."

Slated to air domestically on Sundays in prime time with repeat airings on Saturday nights, it will mark a further step in broadening and distinguishing CNN’s weekend programming from its traditional weekday news coverage. The show will be shot on location and examine cultures from around the world through their food and dining and travel rituals.

The series will be produced by Zero Point Zero Production with executive producers and founders Chris Collins and Lydia Tenaglia, along with executive producer Sandy Zweig.

Zero Point Zero Production has been working with Anthony Bourdain for over a decade, producing 'Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations', 'The Layover', 'A Cook's Tour', and 'Decoding Ferran Adria'.

Bourdain, whose reporting has taken him from the culinary capitals of Europe, Asia and North and South America to such historically war-torn or isolated regions as Vietnam, Mozambique, Uzbekistan and Romania, will also offer commentary on other CNN programs and platforms, domestically and internationally, providing insights into current events and debates around food and health and other cultural conversations.

He said, "I’m really looking forward to coming over to CNN. I think the world is going to get a whole lot bigger for me. I hope that old fans and new ones will be excited about what’s coming down the road."

Bourdain has been the host of the Travel Channel series 'Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations' since 2005. He previously hosted 'A Cook’s Tour' on the Food Network and has appeared on US cable network Bravo’s competition series 'Top Chef' and written for HBO’s New Orleans-based drama 'Treme'.

Bourdain is also the author of non-fiction and fiction books, including 'Kitchen Confidential' and 'A Cook’s Tour'. He now oversees his own line of books from Ecco, a division of HarperCollins, the first three of which are scheduled to be released in 2013.