Today, the world mourns the loss of Anthony Bourdain. The celebrated author, cook and television personality was found dead in his France hotel room of apparent suicide.
CNN confirmed in a news report.
CNN confirmed in a news report.
Anthony Bourdain was born on June 25, 1956 in New York City to his father Pierre, a music industry executive, and mother, Gladys, a staff editor at the New York Times. Having French grandparents, he spent summers in the country with his family; he recounts his first oyster encounter during his family holiday in his first autobiography, Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly.
"I took it in my hand, tilted the shell back into my mouth as instructed by the by now beaming Monsieur Saint-Jour, and with one bite and a slurp wolfed it down. It tasted of seawater . . . of brine and flesh . . . and, somehow . . . of the future.
Everything was different now. Everything.
I'd not only survived—I’d enjoyed."
The novel put The Culinary Institute of America graduate on the map, as he famously told tales of the “dark side” of the industry through his jobs at various New York City kitchens and eventually leading the team at Les Halles brasserie. Bourdain’s other penned works include A Cook’s Tour, The Nasty Bits, and Medium Raw: A Bloody Valentine to the World of Food and the People Who Cook, among others. This is only the tip of the editorial iceberg for the incredibly gifted storyteller; Bourdain contributed to countless publications including Food Arts magazine, the New York Times, The New Yorker and Maxim.
Everything was different now. Everything.
I'd not only survived—I’d enjoyed."
The novel put The Culinary Institute of America graduate on the map, as he famously told tales of the “dark side” of the industry through his jobs at various New York City kitchens and eventually leading the team at Les Halles brasserie. Bourdain’s other penned works include A Cook’s Tour, The Nasty Bits, and Medium Raw: A Bloody Valentine to the World of Food and the People Who Cook, among others. This is only the tip of the editorial iceberg for the incredibly gifted storyteller; Bourdain contributed to countless publications including Food Arts magazine, the New York Times, The New Yorker and Maxim.
Bourdain may best be known for his travelling and culinary adventures in his portfolio of television programs: A Cook's Tour ran from 2002 to 2003, Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations and The Layover aired for several seasons on the Travel Channel; and the latest, Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown on CNN. Through all of these, Bourdain showcased various cultures and its people through food. “I think when you travel as much as I have, you—I don’t want to say more humble—but become aware of how other people live, how hard their lives are, how big the world is,” he said in an interview with CBS This Morning.
Anthony Bourdain—who describes himself as an “enthusiast” across his social media platforms—will be remembered as just that, a true enthusiast of life, and who challenged people to think differently about the way we view food and travel.
Our deepest condolences go out to Mr Bourdain’s family and daughter through this tragic time.
If you are having thoughts of suicide, call Samaritans of Singapore (24-hour hotline) at 1800 221 4444; Tinkle Friend at 1800 274 4788 or Care Corner Counselling Centre (in Mandarin) 1800 353 5800.
Images courtesy of the Parts Unknown Facebook page.
Anthony Bourdain—who describes himself as an “enthusiast” across his social media platforms—will be remembered as just that, a true enthusiast of life, and who challenged people to think differently about the way we view food and travel.
Our deepest condolences go out to Mr Bourdain’s family and daughter through this tragic time.
If you are having thoughts of suicide, call Samaritans of Singapore (24-hour hotline) at 1800 221 4444; Tinkle Friend at 1800 274 4788 or Care Corner Counselling Centre (in Mandarin) 1800 353 5800.
Images courtesy of the Parts Unknown Facebook page.
