People of Substack…as some of you may know, today is the birthday of one of my friends, Anthony Bourdain. A few years ago, the great Eric Ripert and I announced a new holiday to be added to every one of our calendars…BOURDAIN DAY…to celebrate the birth of our friend Tony.
Let’s use this space to share our favorite memories of Tony … I’ll go first!
Way way back, in 2005, I asked him if he would want to help with a fundraiser for the nonprofit DC Central Kitchen, founded by my mentor Robert Egger, and without a moment of hesitation Tony agreed. He was so selfless and generous, helping to raise millions of dollars for the women and men of Washington DC, to help them get a good culinary education.
The man who raised millions for DC Central Kitchen
Then in 2009 he came to the original minibar…no, not the one with 12 seats at 8th and E in Washington, but the first one was really just six seats within my old restaurant Café Atlantico. I was so happy to show him the food that we made, the innovations we were working on.
Me and Tony at the original minibar (see how small it was?)
Then there was the incredible moment in 2009 when he and I went to Catalunya to visit the legendary elBulli and meet the great chef himself, Ferran Adrià (and his brother Albert) for an episode of No Reservations. I got to take him around the region and show him all of the thing that make Catalan food unique…and how Ferran became one of the best chefs in history.
Me, Ferran, and Tony at elBulli
And of course, our last show together was when he visited me in Asturias, where I was born, to see, taste, and smell the food of my childhood. That memory is always bittersweet for me…I even wrote a bit about it here if you want to read more and watch the episode.
A beautiful day in Asturias
For many many years, Tony has been one of my heroes, truly a voice of the voiceless, telling the stories of people and places that needed to be told. Let’s celebrate him today with a shared meal, a cold drink, and some great memories.
How can one admire somebody so much when they have never met? Tony shaped my life from the very first episodes of No Reservation I watched as a teenager. As a lower class Puerto Rican kid, I only believed the way I would see the world was through his shows. No way I could ever afford to see the world, right?! But then I watched how he treated other people, his curiosity, generosity and the way he used his words to describe things so vividly that it made you feel as if you knew what he was talking about. That taught me to appreciate in a different way. Not just wanting to travel just to see the world, but to feel it and live it. When I finally got the opportunity to travel, I had to do it alone because all of my friends didn’t want to save money, so as Tony would say, ‘Fuck it!’ I traveled solo. 25+ countries later, I’ve eaten at restaurants I found at random. I’ve bought random people drinks at the bar and asked them for recommendations. I’ve eaten at strangers’ homes. I learned to travel like him and it’s been one of the greatest joys of my life. So much so, that my wife always smirks when I decide to do something off-the-wall and says, ‘just like Bourdain, huh?’
I watched his shows religiously and when I saw one of his last shows (Hong Kong), I actually wept. I felt as if I was him, inside his head and I felt that he felt like he had done everything he set out to do. It was a weird feeling because for the first time since I had been watching, I felt him differently and just a week later, he was gone. I received a text about the news at work and I lost it. My idol was gone and I know I’m not the only person who felt this way. I went home and rewatched the Hong Kong episode and some of my other favorites. I ordered all of his books and read them within weeks. To some it may sound obsessive, but I think most of his fans would relate. After inspiring me for so long while he lived, I found a new source of inspiration posthumously in his writing and published my first fiction book, WHAT’$ ¥OUR NUMB€R?, which I know for a fact, he would’ve loved. It’s very similar to his style and some of his favorite reads and I honestly don’t think I would’ve picked up the pen had this all happened a different way. Thank you Anthony Bourdain for sharing your life with us. We fucking miss you dearly but we have an infinite amount of memories that will carry on your legacy for generations to come!
This is a piece I wrote the day Anthony passed on. I hope you enjoy it. Here's to him today and every single day, friends.
An open Letter to Anthony Bourdain
(Written June 8, 2018)
Hi Tony,
I’m not sure if it’s okay to call you by your nickname, but I want to. I called in sick from work today and am pulling books off my shelf to stack on my mosaic coffee table. Not just the ones you wrote either, but ones I bought that you recommended on your shows: The Belly of Paris by Emile Zola and Hotel Bemelmans by Ludwig Bemelmans. Your Kitchen Confidential sits on the top. My dad does this sort of display with his vinyl records at my parents’ home whenever a legendary musician passes away, as an ode, a memorial, for several weeks. I’ve adopted the tradition and made it my own by honoring late authors with their writings. It’s warm and muggy today, and I don’t want to leave my apartment in Northampton, Massachusetts, but I’m here by myself. What happened to you? Can I tell you about my day?
My mom calls and wakes me this morning at 7:45, telling me she’s just read that you’ve died. My body shoots up in bed, and I shout, “NO, NO, NO!” I furiously check every news outlet on my phone hoping it’s a false report. I call and wake my husband, Joel, and tell him. He’s working on the West Coast today, so it’s only 4:45 for him, but I don’t care. I’m feeling helpless. He’s speechless, so I shut my eyes and cry myself back to sleep. What happened to you? Why?
I wake up an hour later and feel almost as sick and defeated as I did the day after the last “Presidential” election. This is bad. I’ve never felt so sad over someone I’ve never met. My heart and stomach are aching. I really didn’t understand how so many people could be so devastated over Prince or Carrie Fisher or David Bowie or Robin Williams when they passed. How could I? I didn’t know them. How could my friends feel so sad? I didn’t get it... until now.
I groggily stagger over to my laptop and start tearing up again. Only yesterday I queued up the No Reservations episode from Greece to watch with Joel this weekend. We’re heading there soon, and you always know how to show us the way in our travels around this crazy world. The open tab is still brightly searing my eyes, staring at me. I don’t know when, if ever, I’ll bring myself to watch it now.
It’s not just your books and shows that make you so special to me. It always feels like you are talking directly to me when I read your words, and I hear your voice in my head. I hear it now. I always re-watch your shows to guide me, like a friend, to the best bars and bookstores in whichever city I’m visiting next. You speak my language. Would I have discovered Bemelmans Bar or Kitchen Arts & Letters on the Upper East Side without your help? Without your guidance, would The Long Hall and The Palace be my first spots to enjoy whiskey and a pint every January that I visit Dublin? It feels as though I’ve lost a mentor, a pal. I feel selfishly lost, like you took a part of me with you. And my family and friends now know that if they’ve ever traveled with me, they’ve lost you too.
Your storytelling truly resonates with me. And I hoped you were someone I’d get to give a big hug to and thank someday for influencing not only my writing, but my fearless, adventurous spirit. And I’m very aware I’m not the only one.
People ask me today if I know about your disdain for vegetarians and vegans? Of course I do, and it’s also a reason I wanted to meet you so badly. Joel always said you’d totally change your mind about vegans after meeting me, but that’s not the point. Your disapproval of this lifestyle was not superficial. I believe you always wanted people to just be more gracious when traveling, and open-minded when offered food. It wasn’t a disdain of anything, but rather a love of accepting things that are different and outside our comfort zones. I also recall watching you at some sort of vegan temple or monastery years ago on a show, and you were nothing but appreciative.
Only two nights ago while watching The Food Network, my mom asks how “we” feel about you these days, when discussing the development of celebrity chefs being called out by women. I reply, “Oh my god. He’s one of the good guys. His girlfriend was allegedly raped by Harvey Weinstein, and he’s not only using his platform to stick up for her, but for all women. He’s a loud and proud proponent of the #metoo movement. And even though he’s never been accused of anything, he’s apologized on behalf of the whole boys’ club restaurant industry in general. He’s a true mensch.”
You could have gone either way with your thoughts on #metoo, and I honestly may have given you a pass had you gone the other way, but that’s just me and how I feel about men I want to sleep with. The bigger point is that you stepped up respectably, way up. Talk about sexy.
Did the scandal get to you? Did Weinstein’s people get to you? Were you terminally sick from an illness and wanting to end your life on your own terms? Were you suicidal-sad from years of seeing more of this world’s underbelly than one person should have to see? I’m sorry for all the questions, I really don’t know what to think. I’m crushed.
Can I mention one more thing? Your meeting with President Obama in Vietnam will always live on as one of my favorite television episodes of all time. I couldn’t stop kvelling over you two, two of the most beautiful men sitting together sharing noodles and beer. Men who truly are diplomats, men who want to make this world a better place. My heroes. I still hope I get to meet one of you someday, it just won’t be you.
My dad tells me tonight how weird it is to watch all these people younger than him pass on. I share with him how sad I feel, and he says, “This makes me want to take better care of myself, not just for the people I love, but for myself.” We’re walking to the liquor store, where he purchases Balvenie scotch. I think you’d approve, Tony. Tonight we will toast you in gratitude... to my friend I never got to meet. May you find peace in your new parts unknown.
My favorite memory of Anthony Bourdain was when I produced what I believe was his very first appearance on national television. It was on CBS’s The Early Show helmed by Bryant Gumbel. Tony had come on the show to promote Kitchen Confidential. At that time he was, of course, unknown to most of us. Bryant was so impressed by Tony that during the cutaways — the bits of the shows that are covered by local news in most TV markets — he could not stop talking about him. After the interview, I walked Tony out to Madison Avenue to wait for his car service. I remember him as quiet, reserved. He invited me to his book party that evening and I went. I saw him once again in person when he interviewed Jacques Pépin at the 92nd Street Y, two stellar artists on stage together. Unforgettable! The recording of that evening is on YouTube. I still find it hard to believe he left the world in the way he did.
My late mother's celebrity crush was Anthony Bourdain. She loved loved loved him, thought he was "the cat's pajamas." Watched his shows, read his books. Since he had a bad boy persona, it made me see my buttoned-down mom in a different way when she gushed about him. I'd watch No Reservations with her. I appreciated that he'd pretty much go anywhere and eat anything, and that he wasn't always in Michelin Star Restaurants.
Mine is a memory that is dear to me for two reasons. It Included Tony and my dad. Dad was a huge fan of Tonys, he watched, laughed and savored every minute of his TV shows. So when Tony was going to be in town for show, I got us tickets. My husband, 90+ year old Dad and myself went to this show which was mostly attended by young, tattooed aspiring chefs, I imagine. We grey hairs stood out. He did not disappoint.
All of us enjoyed every minute of the show, but the best memory for me was the joy it gave Dad and how he talked to everyone about it for days later. Dad died in 2017 at 97 year old.
I never met him, but you nailed it "he was the voice of the voiceless." He went off the beaten path to explore absolutely everything. I listen to a lot of books on tape and have learned that the narrator can make it or break it. Tony narrating his own book made a great story even better! I often talk to him while I'm cooking thinking "ok, Bourdain, help me knock this one out of the park!" Rest assured that Tony Bourdain is not close to being forgotten. No way. He is dearly missed every day.
I am a great admirer of Tony’s television shows, for the same reasons many have already mentioned. The evolution of his storytelling, always connected to food but ultimately about understanding and empathy among people of the far-flung world. But even more memorable to me is his writing. Kitchen Confidential was mesmerizing, shocking, and uproariously funny. He even brought his unique voice and sarcastic humor to his Les Halles cookbook (which I’ve worn to ruin, exactly as I think he envisioned).
I never met Tony, but I still felt a great impact from him. In the entryway to my home, there is a large poster that reads, “I am in love with people I have never met and cities I have never seen.” I know it’s from a YA author and ended up in a movie, but it always makes me think of Tony.
Many many moons ago as a young inspiring Chef I interviewed with Chef Anthony to be his Sous Chef. While I did not get the gig...I did end up having one of the best conversations ever with a Chef I truly admired. Such a cool, curious and smart man....who I am still learning from today
My husband and I went to an event where Tony Bourdain read from his book Kitchen Confidential. Afterward at the signing, my husband asked him if he had ever eaten French fries in Belgium (he had not – I hope he eventually did) and they exchanged a little small talk. I, on the other hand, could not say a word because I was so star-struck.
We have since celebrated Bourdain Day by eating at hole-in-the-wall immigrant-owned restaurants. Thanks for the reminder of his birthday; we will find another place to patronize in his honor this evening.
Everything dimmed the day he died. I felt the same way when the Kennedys, MLK, and John Lennon left this Earth but Anthony Bourdain's end was worse. He had taken us to places we'd never be able to go in person and made it seem as though we'd actually shared his space and tasted, and smelled, and listened, as rain hit broad leaves and trickled into a swamp or evaporated on dry, cracked earth. He knew how to describe how a chili pepper can change your day and in the same breath describe his awe over being a father. His appreciation for every good thing may have been so intense because he knew how fleeting our experiences, and life, can be. Thank you Tony, for your generosity and your ability to make all of our worlds bigger and better but, without you, less luminous.
Met him many years ago at an airport TSA point in San Diego. It was during the time he was writing for the HBO show Treme. I don't usually like to bother famous people, but he was someone I'd admired so much I just had to say hello. He was still putting on his watch and belt when I approached him, and he immediately engaged me with a smile. I told him that I recognized his unique voice in the writing arc in Treme before I even saw the credits. He met my gaze and we talked for a few moments. He told me it was one of the nicest compliments he'd received. He was so genuine and in the moment. He really made me feel like we made a simple momentary connection.
I cried for days after he died, and still miss hearing him describe the people and humanity of each of the places he visited. He had such compassion and interest in everyone and how they lived their lives. I've tried to travel with the same openness.
We are on a short wine tasting trip in the Paso Robles area of California. We'll raise a glass in his honor this evening (and then have a Negroni when we return home)! Miss him so.........
Yes, to Bourdain Day! I can't even imagine what it must be like for those who actually knew Tony because for someone like me who only knew him through his shows and his books it still feels very raw and unreal.
However, today is a day to celebrate. The elBulli episode of No Reservations is still my favorite episode of that series, followed by when he was in Madrid and went to Casa Salvador. I will never forget what the owner, Pepe, said about Ava Gardner, "Danger on two legs."
My favorite episodes of Parts Unknown were also those that had you and/or Eric Ripert. The chemistry was magical just like Tony was magical.
I don't recall what series or episode it was where Tony was eating tripe. Who knows, there was probably more than one. But whatever episode it was influenced me in ordering tripe when I was in Italy. It's not that I am a squeamish eater, or would ever turn tripe down if offered to me, but it was not something I would seek out. But when I was in Florence with my dad in 2013 the restaurant had what they said was a family specialty: a kind of tripe stew. If it hadn't been for how Tony talked about the tripe he was eating on whatever episode that was I would never have order it. Simply put the tripe stew was fabulous.
I think we all have memories watching him on No Reservation. His words and video transported you to a new place. You felt like a friend and a special guest. He expanded your mind with his words.
I never met Tony but once knew one of the owners and a manager of the Les Halles restaurants and heard some tales of what it was like working with him. I have read all of his books and of course watched all of his shows; and in my house we always refer to him as Tony, you know "Tony says this or that" as if we really knew him because he made people feel as if we all did know him.
For several years circa 2004 - 2006 I had a client in NYC and spent a week a month there. My hotel was a block from Les Halles which quickly became my go to spot for lunch, dinner, drinks. They stayed open late so it was a terrific hangout. Many many nights Tony would come out of the kitchen and hang out/table hop in the dining room. Eric Ripert would frequently join him. He was friendly, garrulous and hilariously funny. We had many spirited exchanges. I had loved him long before that but the combination of his marvelous kitchen and his even better hospitality and good humor were such a treat. He was an incredibly special person and his spirit will live forever.
What I loved about Tony B. was his authenticity. He was "What you see is what you get" All his shows were so down-to-earth and entertaining. He took you to exotic places and showed you exotic food. I wish him a very Happy Birthday, wherever he is.
My favorite Anthony Bourdain memory is accidentally discovering "Parts Unknown" after tuning the TV to CNN one Sunday night about ten years ago. What struck me first was his narrative voice, his ability to tell a story. I thought to myself "who is this writer and why have I never read him? Was this guy ever on Selected Shorts?" It was that familiar. Oddly enough, I had read his book on Typhoid Mary many years before while researching Irish emigration to New York but didn't put one and one together until a friend reminded me of having read that book.
I miss his voice on Sunday nights. He had the right attitude about life but I think he found himself imprisoned by celebrity and he couldn't escape. Thank you for keeping him in our memories and for carrying on his legacy - as well as for all the good work you do feeding people.
Anthony Bourdain opened my eyes to why travel and food matters. I was raised in a conservative household that did not prioritize travel because they found a resort town that they liked that had food and booze and my dad could get his TV version of Rush Limbaugh (aka early Fox News). I was literally raised to become someone in their likeness, and I was doing a good job until I went to a Jesuit university where all of that conservative hatred started to come undone, and then when I moved to New Haven I met people who weren't like me and I liked them a lot, and I realized I didn't want them to have fewer rights. It took me years to undo the indoctrination I experienced as a child, but I was better for it.
ALL that said, Bourdain offered a tantalizing version of life, and we went to Catalonia because of him many times, and we went to San Sebastian for a magical weekend nearly four years ago. I was absolutely gutted by his death ,and I had what I can only say was a spiritual experience while we were there--months after his death, and we happened to time our visit to when the city was celebrating itself.
The story goes as this: we started going through San Sebastian on a Sunday and we were theplayedre on a regatta, so places that were normally closed were open, like La Haizea. My goal was to get to La Ganbarra, but they didn't open until noon, so we had some time, and we went to La Haizea which was open for the regatta and was wonderful. (Also a Bourdain pick that we thought we wouldn't be able to get to given that it was Sunday.)
The sky ended up opening up and being bright and blue and gorgeous, and a guitarist was playing "What a Wonderful World " as children were playing in the Plaza de Constitucion, and I felt a fucking hit in the gut when I heard it as we were en route to Ganbara and I fucking quietly wept as we ate mushrooms and raw eggs and drank txakoli.
I walked into a bar in Miami & sat down. I sensed that the place had some interesting history, so I asked the barkeep about it. He told me some yarns about the bar and also mentioned that the seat I am sitting in was Tony's favorite spot. I thought about moving, but I decided to stay.
He took me to places I have only dreamt of going and quite probably will never get to see, and did it as only he could do. With humor, humanity and what always struck me as a bit of mischief. I was angry with him for a while until I learned it was for selfish reasons- I knew I would miss him horribly. I love that you did this for him. Thank you.
I went to culinary school before I went to law school. I'll never forget picking up Kitchen Confidential, opening it up as I was drinking a beer in Folly Beach, SC, and thinking to myself how much I identified with some of the craziness that Tony laid out so well. Every cook that read that book could see themselves in some of those stories, or be inspired to tell other crazy adventures with their colleagues as a result of having read Kitchen Confidential. Tony spent his life telling and showing us all wonderful stories, giving us a front row seat to his life, his insights, his unique perspectives. I still watch his shows and wish that he was still here telling us new stories and making us all think about our place on this planet.
Hi Chef - That’s for highlighting this. Tony was and still is a major hero of mine (you are as well). I discovered him while reading his awesome book - Kitchen Confidential - on a very long flight to India in early 2001. Since then I have read almost everything Tony wrote and have watched most of the episodes his various shows multiple times. One memorable moment was seeing Tony do a live stand up show in Baltimore where I live in 2011.
How can one admire somebody so much when they have never met? Tony shaped my life from the very first episodes of No Reservation I watched as a teenager. As a lower class Puerto Rican kid, I only believed the way I would see the world was through his shows. No way I could ever afford to see the world, right?! But then I watched how he treated other people, his curiosity, generosity and the way he used his words to describe things so vividly that it made you feel as if you knew what he was talking about. That taught me to appreciate in a different way. Not just wanting to travel just to see the world, but to feel it and live it. When I finally got the opportunity to travel, I had to do it alone because all of my friends didn’t want to save money, so as Tony would say, ‘Fuck it!’ I traveled solo. 25+ countries later, I’ve eaten at restaurants I found at random. I’ve bought random people drinks at the bar and asked them for recommendations. I’ve eaten at strangers’ homes. I learned to travel like him and it’s been one of the greatest joys of my life. So much so, that my wife always smirks when I decide to do something off-the-wall and says, ‘just like Bourdain, huh?’
I watched his shows religiously and when I saw one of his last shows (Hong Kong), I actually wept. I felt as if I was him, inside his head and I felt that he felt like he had done everything he set out to do. It was a weird feeling because for the first time since I had been watching, I felt him differently and just a week later, he was gone. I received a text about the news at work and I lost it. My idol was gone and I know I’m not the only person who felt this way. I went home and rewatched the Hong Kong episode and some of my other favorites. I ordered all of his books and read them within weeks. To some it may sound obsessive, but I think most of his fans would relate. After inspiring me for so long while he lived, I found a new source of inspiration posthumously in his writing and published my first fiction book, WHAT’$ ¥OUR NUMB€R?, which I know for a fact, he would’ve loved. It’s very similar to his style and some of his favorite reads and I honestly don’t think I would’ve picked up the pen had this all happened a different way. Thank you Anthony Bourdain for sharing your life with us. We fucking miss you dearly but we have an infinite amount of memories that will carry on your legacy for generations to come!
Luis Diaz
This is a piece I wrote the day Anthony passed on. I hope you enjoy it. Here's to him today and every single day, friends.
An open Letter to Anthony Bourdain
(Written June 8, 2018)
Hi Tony,
I’m not sure if it’s okay to call you by your nickname, but I want to. I called in sick from work today and am pulling books off my shelf to stack on my mosaic coffee table. Not just the ones you wrote either, but ones I bought that you recommended on your shows: The Belly of Paris by Emile Zola and Hotel Bemelmans by Ludwig Bemelmans. Your Kitchen Confidential sits on the top. My dad does this sort of display with his vinyl records at my parents’ home whenever a legendary musician passes away, as an ode, a memorial, for several weeks. I’ve adopted the tradition and made it my own by honoring late authors with their writings. It’s warm and muggy today, and I don’t want to leave my apartment in Northampton, Massachusetts, but I’m here by myself. What happened to you? Can I tell you about my day?
My mom calls and wakes me this morning at 7:45, telling me she’s just read that you’ve died. My body shoots up in bed, and I shout, “NO, NO, NO!” I furiously check every news outlet on my phone hoping it’s a false report. I call and wake my husband, Joel, and tell him. He’s working on the West Coast today, so it’s only 4:45 for him, but I don’t care. I’m feeling helpless. He’s speechless, so I shut my eyes and cry myself back to sleep. What happened to you? Why?
I wake up an hour later and feel almost as sick and defeated as I did the day after the last “Presidential” election. This is bad. I’ve never felt so sad over someone I’ve never met. My heart and stomach are aching. I really didn’t understand how so many people could be so devastated over Prince or Carrie Fisher or David Bowie or Robin Williams when they passed. How could I? I didn’t know them. How could my friends feel so sad? I didn’t get it... until now.
I groggily stagger over to my laptop and start tearing up again. Only yesterday I queued up the No Reservations episode from Greece to watch with Joel this weekend. We’re heading there soon, and you always know how to show us the way in our travels around this crazy world. The open tab is still brightly searing my eyes, staring at me. I don’t know when, if ever, I’ll bring myself to watch it now.
It’s not just your books and shows that make you so special to me. It always feels like you are talking directly to me when I read your words, and I hear your voice in my head. I hear it now. I always re-watch your shows to guide me, like a friend, to the best bars and bookstores in whichever city I’m visiting next. You speak my language. Would I have discovered Bemelmans Bar or Kitchen Arts & Letters on the Upper East Side without your help? Without your guidance, would The Long Hall and The Palace be my first spots to enjoy whiskey and a pint every January that I visit Dublin? It feels as though I’ve lost a mentor, a pal. I feel selfishly lost, like you took a part of me with you. And my family and friends now know that if they’ve ever traveled with me, they’ve lost you too.
Your storytelling truly resonates with me. And I hoped you were someone I’d get to give a big hug to and thank someday for influencing not only my writing, but my fearless, adventurous spirit. And I’m very aware I’m not the only one.
People ask me today if I know about your disdain for vegetarians and vegans? Of course I do, and it’s also a reason I wanted to meet you so badly. Joel always said you’d totally change your mind about vegans after meeting me, but that’s not the point. Your disapproval of this lifestyle was not superficial. I believe you always wanted people to just be more gracious when traveling, and open-minded when offered food. It wasn’t a disdain of anything, but rather a love of accepting things that are different and outside our comfort zones. I also recall watching you at some sort of vegan temple or monastery years ago on a show, and you were nothing but appreciative.
Only two nights ago while watching The Food Network, my mom asks how “we” feel about you these days, when discussing the development of celebrity chefs being called out by women. I reply, “Oh my god. He’s one of the good guys. His girlfriend was allegedly raped by Harvey Weinstein, and he’s not only using his platform to stick up for her, but for all women. He’s a loud and proud proponent of the #metoo movement. And even though he’s never been accused of anything, he’s apologized on behalf of the whole boys’ club restaurant industry in general. He’s a true mensch.”
You could have gone either way with your thoughts on #metoo, and I honestly may have given you a pass had you gone the other way, but that’s just me and how I feel about men I want to sleep with. The bigger point is that you stepped up respectably, way up. Talk about sexy.
Did the scandal get to you? Did Weinstein’s people get to you? Were you terminally sick from an illness and wanting to end your life on your own terms? Were you suicidal-sad from years of seeing more of this world’s underbelly than one person should have to see? I’m sorry for all the questions, I really don’t know what to think. I’m crushed.
Can I mention one more thing? Your meeting with President Obama in Vietnam will always live on as one of my favorite television episodes of all time. I couldn’t stop kvelling over you two, two of the most beautiful men sitting together sharing noodles and beer. Men who truly are diplomats, men who want to make this world a better place. My heroes. I still hope I get to meet one of you someday, it just won’t be you.
My dad tells me tonight how weird it is to watch all these people younger than him pass on. I share with him how sad I feel, and he says, “This makes me want to take better care of myself, not just for the people I love, but for myself.” We’re walking to the liquor store, where he purchases Balvenie scotch. I think you’d approve, Tony. Tonight we will toast you in gratitude... to my friend I never got to meet. May you find peace in your new parts unknown.
My favorite memory of Anthony Bourdain was when I produced what I believe was his very first appearance on national television. It was on CBS’s The Early Show helmed by Bryant Gumbel. Tony had come on the show to promote Kitchen Confidential. At that time he was, of course, unknown to most of us. Bryant was so impressed by Tony that during the cutaways — the bits of the shows that are covered by local news in most TV markets — he could not stop talking about him. After the interview, I walked Tony out to Madison Avenue to wait for his car service. I remember him as quiet, reserved. He invited me to his book party that evening and I went. I saw him once again in person when he interviewed Jacques Pépin at the 92nd Street Y, two stellar artists on stage together. Unforgettable! The recording of that evening is on YouTube. I still find it hard to believe he left the world in the way he did.
My late mother's celebrity crush was Anthony Bourdain. She loved loved loved him, thought he was "the cat's pajamas." Watched his shows, read his books. Since he had a bad boy persona, it made me see my buttoned-down mom in a different way when she gushed about him. I'd watch No Reservations with her. I appreciated that he'd pretty much go anywhere and eat anything, and that he wasn't always in Michelin Star Restaurants.
Mine is a memory that is dear to me for two reasons. It Included Tony and my dad. Dad was a huge fan of Tonys, he watched, laughed and savored every minute of his TV shows. So when Tony was going to be in town for show, I got us tickets. My husband, 90+ year old Dad and myself went to this show which was mostly attended by young, tattooed aspiring chefs, I imagine. We grey hairs stood out. He did not disappoint.
All of us enjoyed every minute of the show, but the best memory for me was the joy it gave Dad and how he talked to everyone about it for days later. Dad died in 2017 at 97 year old.
I may not have known of Jose and WCK without Tony. There are many things I can say, but that is most important.
I never met him, but you nailed it "he was the voice of the voiceless." He went off the beaten path to explore absolutely everything. I listen to a lot of books on tape and have learned that the narrator can make it or break it. Tony narrating his own book made a great story even better! I often talk to him while I'm cooking thinking "ok, Bourdain, help me knock this one out of the park!" Rest assured that Tony Bourdain is not close to being forgotten. No way. He is dearly missed every day.
I am a great admirer of Tony’s television shows, for the same reasons many have already mentioned. The evolution of his storytelling, always connected to food but ultimately about understanding and empathy among people of the far-flung world. But even more memorable to me is his writing. Kitchen Confidential was mesmerizing, shocking, and uproariously funny. He even brought his unique voice and sarcastic humor to his Les Halles cookbook (which I’ve worn to ruin, exactly as I think he envisioned).
I never met Tony, but I still felt a great impact from him. In the entryway to my home, there is a large poster that reads, “I am in love with people I have never met and cities I have never seen.” I know it’s from a YA author and ended up in a movie, but it always makes me think of Tony.
Many many moons ago as a young inspiring Chef I interviewed with Chef Anthony to be his Sous Chef. While I did not get the gig...I did end up having one of the best conversations ever with a Chef I truly admired. Such a cool, curious and smart man....who I am still learning from today
My husband and I went to an event where Tony Bourdain read from his book Kitchen Confidential. Afterward at the signing, my husband asked him if he had ever eaten French fries in Belgium (he had not – I hope he eventually did) and they exchanged a little small talk. I, on the other hand, could not say a word because I was so star-struck.
We have since celebrated Bourdain Day by eating at hole-in-the-wall immigrant-owned restaurants. Thanks for the reminder of his birthday; we will find another place to patronize in his honor this evening.
Everything dimmed the day he died. I felt the same way when the Kennedys, MLK, and John Lennon left this Earth but Anthony Bourdain's end was worse. He had taken us to places we'd never be able to go in person and made it seem as though we'd actually shared his space and tasted, and smelled, and listened, as rain hit broad leaves and trickled into a swamp or evaporated on dry, cracked earth. He knew how to describe how a chili pepper can change your day and in the same breath describe his awe over being a father. His appreciation for every good thing may have been so intense because he knew how fleeting our experiences, and life, can be. Thank you Tony, for your generosity and your ability to make all of our worlds bigger and better but, without you, less luminous.
Met him many years ago at an airport TSA point in San Diego. It was during the time he was writing for the HBO show Treme. I don't usually like to bother famous people, but he was someone I'd admired so much I just had to say hello. He was still putting on his watch and belt when I approached him, and he immediately engaged me with a smile. I told him that I recognized his unique voice in the writing arc in Treme before I even saw the credits. He met my gaze and we talked for a few moments. He told me it was one of the nicest compliments he'd received. He was so genuine and in the moment. He really made me feel like we made a simple momentary connection.
I cried for days after he died, and still miss hearing him describe the people and humanity of each of the places he visited. He had such compassion and interest in everyone and how they lived their lives. I've tried to travel with the same openness.
We are on a short wine tasting trip in the Paso Robles area of California. We'll raise a glass in his honor this evening (and then have a Negroni when we return home)! Miss him so.........
Yes, to Bourdain Day! I can't even imagine what it must be like for those who actually knew Tony because for someone like me who only knew him through his shows and his books it still feels very raw and unreal.
However, today is a day to celebrate. The elBulli episode of No Reservations is still my favorite episode of that series, followed by when he was in Madrid and went to Casa Salvador. I will never forget what the owner, Pepe, said about Ava Gardner, "Danger on two legs."
My favorite episodes of Parts Unknown were also those that had you and/or Eric Ripert. The chemistry was magical just like Tony was magical.
I don't recall what series or episode it was where Tony was eating tripe. Who knows, there was probably more than one. But whatever episode it was influenced me in ordering tripe when I was in Italy. It's not that I am a squeamish eater, or would ever turn tripe down if offered to me, but it was not something I would seek out. But when I was in Florence with my dad in 2013 the restaurant had what they said was a family specialty: a kind of tripe stew. If it hadn't been for how Tony talked about the tripe he was eating on whatever episode that was I would never have order it. Simply put the tripe stew was fabulous.
I think we all have memories watching him on No Reservation. His words and video transported you to a new place. You felt like a friend and a special guest. He expanded your mind with his words.
JTR
I never met Tony but once knew one of the owners and a manager of the Les Halles restaurants and heard some tales of what it was like working with him. I have read all of his books and of course watched all of his shows; and in my house we always refer to him as Tony, you know "Tony says this or that" as if we really knew him because he made people feel as if we all did know him.
For several years circa 2004 - 2006 I had a client in NYC and spent a week a month there. My hotel was a block from Les Halles which quickly became my go to spot for lunch, dinner, drinks. They stayed open late so it was a terrific hangout. Many many nights Tony would come out of the kitchen and hang out/table hop in the dining room. Eric Ripert would frequently join him. He was friendly, garrulous and hilariously funny. We had many spirited exchanges. I had loved him long before that but the combination of his marvelous kitchen and his even better hospitality and good humor were such a treat. He was an incredibly special person and his spirit will live forever.
He took me places with parts unknown and shared the one thing we all love and have in common, food. I never met him but I really miss him.
What I loved about Tony B. was his authenticity. He was "What you see is what you get" All his shows were so down-to-earth and entertaining. He took you to exotic places and showed you exotic food. I wish him a very Happy Birthday, wherever he is.
Many years of wonderful memories of watching his presence ❤️
My favorite Anthony Bourdain memory is accidentally discovering "Parts Unknown" after tuning the TV to CNN one Sunday night about ten years ago. What struck me first was his narrative voice, his ability to tell a story. I thought to myself "who is this writer and why have I never read him? Was this guy ever on Selected Shorts?" It was that familiar. Oddly enough, I had read his book on Typhoid Mary many years before while researching Irish emigration to New York but didn't put one and one together until a friend reminded me of having read that book.
I miss his voice on Sunday nights. He had the right attitude about life but I think he found himself imprisoned by celebrity and he couldn't escape. Thank you for keeping him in our memories and for carrying on his legacy - as well as for all the good work you do feeding people.
Anthony Bourdain opened my eyes to why travel and food matters. I was raised in a conservative household that did not prioritize travel because they found a resort town that they liked that had food and booze and my dad could get his TV version of Rush Limbaugh (aka early Fox News). I was literally raised to become someone in their likeness, and I was doing a good job until I went to a Jesuit university where all of that conservative hatred started to come undone, and then when I moved to New Haven I met people who weren't like me and I liked them a lot, and I realized I didn't want them to have fewer rights. It took me years to undo the indoctrination I experienced as a child, but I was better for it.
ALL that said, Bourdain offered a tantalizing version of life, and we went to Catalonia because of him many times, and we went to San Sebastian for a magical weekend nearly four years ago. I was absolutely gutted by his death ,and I had what I can only say was a spiritual experience while we were there--months after his death, and we happened to time our visit to when the city was celebrating itself.
The story goes as this: we started going through San Sebastian on a Sunday and we were theplayedre on a regatta, so places that were normally closed were open, like La Haizea. My goal was to get to La Ganbarra, but they didn't open until noon, so we had some time, and we went to La Haizea which was open for the regatta and was wonderful. (Also a Bourdain pick that we thought we wouldn't be able to get to given that it was Sunday.)
The sky ended up opening up and being bright and blue and gorgeous, and a guitarist was playing "What a Wonderful World " as children were playing in the Plaza de Constitucion, and I felt a fucking hit in the gut when I heard it as we were en route to Ganbara and I fucking quietly wept as we ate mushrooms and raw eggs and drank txakoli.
visit.
His genuine interest in the world, all of it, with never a hint of condescension is what I will always treasure about Anthony Bourdain.
I walked into a bar in Miami & sat down. I sensed that the place had some interesting history, so I asked the barkeep about it. He told me some yarns about the bar and also mentioned that the seat I am sitting in was Tony's favorite spot. I thought about moving, but I decided to stay.
Cheers Tony, wish that I had met you.
He took me to places I have only dreamt of going and quite probably will never get to see, and did it as only he could do. With humor, humanity and what always struck me as a bit of mischief. I was angry with him for a while until I learned it was for selfish reasons- I knew I would miss him horribly. I love that you did this for him. Thank you.
My favorite show was when he was in Finland cooking with that eldely woman.Rest easy tony
I went to culinary school before I went to law school. I'll never forget picking up Kitchen Confidential, opening it up as I was drinking a beer in Folly Beach, SC, and thinking to myself how much I identified with some of the craziness that Tony laid out so well. Every cook that read that book could see themselves in some of those stories, or be inspired to tell other crazy adventures with their colleagues as a result of having read Kitchen Confidential. Tony spent his life telling and showing us all wonderful stories, giving us a front row seat to his life, his insights, his unique perspectives. I still watch his shows and wish that he was still here telling us new stories and making us all think about our place on this planet.
Hi Chef - That’s for highlighting this. Tony was and still is a major hero of mine (you are as well). I discovered him while reading his awesome book - Kitchen Confidential - on a very long flight to India in early 2001. Since then I have read almost everything Tony wrote and have watched most of the episodes his various shows multiple times. One memorable moment was seeing Tony do a live stand up show in Baltimore where I live in 2011.