Tributes are pouring in from the regional F&B industry after American chef and TV personality, Anthony Bourdain, died at the age of 61 on June 8, 2018.
Bourdain was in Strasbourg, France, while working on the TV series ‘Parts Unknown’ for CNN. He was discovered unresponsive in his hotel room by his friend Eric Ripert, who was with him during filming the show. The cause has since been believed to be suicide.
Anthony was my best friend. An exceptional human being, so inspiring & generous. One of the great storytellers who connected w so many. I pray he is at peace from the bottom of my heart. My love & prayers are also w his family, friends and loved ones. pic.twitter.com/LbIeZK14ia— Eric Ripert (@ericripert) June 8, 2018
CNN confirmed this in a statement: “It is with extraordinary sadness we can confirm the death of our friend and colleague, Anthony Bourdain. 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.”
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In the Middle East industry, a number of industry stalwarts have expressed shock and sadness at the news.
Bourdain, from New York City, was an alumni of the Culinary Institute of America and worked in a number of restaurants in the city. His book Kitchen Confidential was an eye-opener into the world of restaurants and kitchens. Other books in his portfolio include A Cook's Tour, Anthony Bourdain's Les Halles Cookbook, No Reservations, and Medium Raw, among others. He was also a fiction writer, along with writing columns in various publications.
His TV shows include A Cook’s Tour, No Reservations, The Layover, and Parts Unknown, and Bourdain also made special appearances in other programmes.
Tributes poured in internationally, with President Barack Obama also sharing a moment he shared with the chef.
“Low plastic stool, cheap but delicious noodles, cold Hanoi beer.” This is how I’ll remember Tony. He taught us about food — but more importantly, about its ability to bring us together. To make us a little less afraid of the unknown. We’ll miss him. pic.twitter.com/orEXIaEMZM— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) June 8, 2018