THINK of New Orleans, and you just might think of jazz. Which is what “Treme,” HBO’s drama about loss and renewal post-Katrina, built its reputation on in its inaugural season, with stories about struggling musicians and a radio D.J., and lengthy interludes showcasing some of the city’s performers.

But increasingly cuisine has ventured out of the background, with pivotal scenes set in coffee shops and cafes, where plates run over with po’ boys, gumbo and beignets.

Then there is Janette Desautel, the resident chef played by Kim Dickens, who this season tests her mettle in New York after turning off the burners at her beleaguered New Orleans restaurant, Desautel's, which in real life is the restaurant Patois.

What follows is essentially “inside baseball for foodies,” said Anthony Bourdain, the chef, television personality and author of “Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly.” He was recruited by David Simon, the show’s creator with Eric Overmyer, to help write Janette’s story line, “a tale of a journey in three kitchens,” as Mr. Bourdain put it.