Friday, June 8, 2018

RIP Anthony Bourdain

People are waking up to the news that chef, author and TV personality Anthony Bourdain was found dead in a Paris hotel room. His employer, CNN, reports that Bourdain took his own life. He was 61.

CNN released this statement:

"His love of great adventure, new friends, fine food and drink and the remarkable stories of the world made him a unique storyteller. His talents never ceased to amaze us and we will miss him very much. Our thoughts and prayers are with his daughter and family at this incredibly difficult time."

Season 11 of the Emmy-winning "Parts Unknown" debuted on the network last month. Earlier this spring, Bourdain was in the neighborhood filming scenes for an episode to air this fall. Among his stops: Ray's Candy Store, John's of 12th Street, Veselka and Max Fish, among many others. He documented his travels through the East Village and LES on his Instagram account...


The amazing @kembrapfahler_ #thevoluptuoushorrorofkarenblack #NYC

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The man who changed the world: @fab5freddy #NYC

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In February 2009, Bourdain's previous show, "No Reservations," aired an episode titled "Disappearing Manhattan." In the last segment, he stopped by Sophie's on Fifth Street to meet with writer Nick Tosches... here is a grainy clip showing 90 seconds or so of the three-minute scene...



As Bourdain said, "Sophie's in the East Village remains a good place to stop time."

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

First Kate Spade. Now Anthony Bourdain. Both New Yorkers. Both insanely wealthy, famous, and beloved. Both who left incredible legacies. Just because certain people seem to embody everything, it doesn't negate the pain and darkness they were concealing. My heart goes out to both of their families who now have to live without them.

Depression and mental illness doesn't discriminate. Boy. This is a shocker. Bourdain was bigger than life. Heartbreaking. So fucking sad :(

Brian said...

Mental illness is a bummer. Spade and Bourdain were incredibly accomplished and we'll liked. It is a little shocking they both committed suicide. Bourdain did a show on The Bronx that I thought got it right. We are in the media capital of the US and yet The Bronx is totally ignored except for some mythology about rap music.

blue glass said...

i am not so sure that suicide represents a mental illness, or that being overwhelmed is an illness.
considering that the world we live in is on the path to self-destruction and that insanity is the new norm - perhaps these two souls saw reality and couldn't face what normal has become.

such a loss

Giovanni said...

I have solid proof that life isn't fair: Only the wrong people are killing themselves.

Eden Bee said...

I am so sad about this.

Giovanni said...

I passed by his now closed restaurant Les Halles on Park and 28th today. There was a big crowd of mourners and gawkers, taking pictures, a few of them crying. The front is covered with heartfelt notes to Anthony, telling him how much he affected people’s lives, inspiring them to cook and travel and to appreciate other cultures. Unlike most other celebrity chefs, he made food and travel about storytelling, to teach us about the people,’places and foods we might never have known about before. To say the least,’he will be missed by a world that desperately needs his kind of voice.


Anonymous said...

@blue glass:
Perfectly said.