Anthony Bourdain: reportedly dead

[goingtotravel]

Huge Bourdain fan and was devastated yesterday hearing of his death. His approach to new cultures, food, and locations really impacted how we travel. Will miss seeing how easily he was able to connect to people and his ability to tell a story. Can't imagine another food/travel/culture show even coming close to what he did.

 

[WhoDaresWins]

I looked forward to A.B.'s programs and thoroughly enjoyed them. I first became aware of him when I picked up newly published "Kitchen Confidential" at the library. What an eye opener to a different world that was! Underbelly was an understatement. I admired him for overcoming his addictions and turning his life around to find great success in middle age. He kept enough of his gritty bad boy edge to be intriguing yet had a sort of mellow humanism and philosophical bent that made millions feel a connection to him. I feel like I lost someone I knew because he had the gift of drawing you in to his adventures.

 

[Nemo2]

Tying into other threads, very apropos:

"Travel isn’t always pretty. It isn’t always comfortable. Sometimes it hurts, it even breaks your heart. But that’s okay. The journey changes you; it should change you. It leaves marks on your memory, on your consciousness, on your heart, and on your body. You take something with you. Hopefully, you leave something good behind.”

Anthony Bourdain

 

[Go-NoGo]

Fast Company's interview with AB, their last full interview :

He talks about his beginnings, the breaks he got, and how lucky he was.
Most memorable line "Somebody offers you a million dollar to represent an anti-diarrhea medication, ... you will always be that guy with the shits"

pure unfiltered AB.

RIP

 

[Rianne]

RIP Anthony Bourdain

Depression is no joke. Anthony went from selling books on the street for drug money and in 20 years became the best selling author about travel and food. He was brilliant and tortured at the same time, as many true artists.

 

[retirementguy1]

A great write-up by Mike Rowe on Anthony from Mike's FB page.


On this particular evening, stretched out on a suspicious comforter held together with the DNA of previous guests, I stumbled across a smart-aleck on The Travel Channel eating fermented shark meat in Iceland, and telling his producer he’d be dead by morning. I had to laugh. Just a few hours earlier, I had been eating a fermented hoagie in an open sewer, and lodging a similar prediction with my own producer.

Naturally, I was intrigued by what appeared to be a kindred spirit, Forrest-Gumping his way around the world, pushing the bounds of non-fiction television. The show was called “No Reservations,” and no – I didn’t think it was better than Dirty Jobs. But I did think it was every bit as good, and the more I watched, the more I grew to appreciate this subversive chef’s naked contempt for all the fakery of traditional production. I loved the way he went out of his way be seen as a “traveler,” not a tourist. It reminded me of my own attempts to be seen as a “guest,” and not a host.

[mod edit]

Link to full article:

https://www.facebook.com/TheRealMikeRowe/

 

[WestUniversity]

A great write-up by Mike Rowe on Anthony from Mike's FB page.


On this particular evening, stretched out on a suspicious comforter held together with the DNA of previous guests, I stumbled across a smart-aleck on The Travel Channel eating fermented shark meat in Iceland, and telling his producer he’d be dead by morning. I had to laugh. Just a few hours earlier, I had been eating a fermented hoagie in an open sewer, and lodging a similar prediction with my own producer.

Naturally, I was intrigued by what appeared to be a kindred spirit, Forrest-Gumping his way around the world, pushing the bounds of non-fiction television. The show was called “No Reservations,” and no – I didn’t think it was better than Dirty Jobs. But I did think it was every bit as good, and the more I watched, the more I grew to appreciate this subversive chef’s naked contempt for all the fakery of traditional production. I loved the way he went out of his way be seen as a “traveler,” not a tourist. It reminded me of my own attempts to be seen as a “guest,” and not a host.

[mod edit]

Link to full article:

https://www.facebook.com/TheRealMikeRowe/

Mike has such a way with words. Great article...

 

[YVRRocketSurgery]

Really enjoyed Bourdain's shows both from a foodie perspective and the human element of things; how food brings people together. We've tracked down some of the places in his shows to eat there. Most interesting was likely the tiny hole in the wall mom and pop sushi joint in Osaka. They were curious why us foreigners were eating in their kind of nondescript shop. Anthony Bourdain of course. That was the conversation starter!


We're not that adventurous for trying some really exotic foods but his shows exposed us to trying stuff like Epoisses de Bourgogne, budae jigae, egg salad sandwiches and chicken bites from Lawson , etc.



Really sad that so many people whose work were an inspiration to many others feel the need to take their own lives.

 

[O2Bfree]

Too bad Bourdain didn't work through his angst and use his story-telling talents to write a book about that. Might have saved a few lives, including his own.

 

[Richard8655]

Of all the TV travel shows, he was the only one who delved so deeply into the local culture and social issues. He often had meals with the poorest folks in the country he visited, showing real people and their genuine cuisine. Will miss him and his series greatly.