Enjoy the Ride

Today is a day to remember Tony Bourdain

People of Substack, 

It is hard to believe that Sunday will be the fifth Bourdain Day, a holiday created by my friend Eric Ripert to celebrate the birth of our friend Tony, who would have been 67 this year. 

I have so many memories of Tony, and I shared many of those with you last year here on Longer Tables. I talked about how 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 how without a moment of hesitation Tony agreed. That was who he was, so ready to be a part of anything that would help lift people up. 

There was a trip back in 2009 when he and I went to Catalunya to visit the legendary elBulli and meet the great chefs Ferran Adrià and his brother Albert for an episode of No Reservations. 

The last show we did 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 and I thought about it a lot when I traveled back to Asturias with my daughters to film José Andrés and Family in Spain. When we were there filming I thought a lot about how he would share the food and the culture of a place through a screen and make it come to life and I tried to do that. Not as well as him, but he was with me. He was a poet. He was a guy that understood the moment and was able to transform the moment into a phrase that we’ll forever remember. I feel I was very blessed to know him.

Tony and me in Asturias. Maybe some of you know, but during this scene we were actually looking directly at the bathrooms in order to have the beautiful scenery behind us … the challenges of being a TV star like Tony!

Last year when I wrote about Bourdain Day we had the most (and the longest) comments we have ever had on a post here on Longer Tables, with so many of you sharing favorite memories and moments with him, or where you watched him or listened to him or read him. 

I’ll share a few here. One was from Stephanie Zarpas, who was a producer on CBS’s The Early Show who wrote about what she believed was his first ever appearance on national television, back when The Early Show was helmed by Bryant Gumbel. She wrote:

“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.”

Lynne Gulizia shared this amazing memory of meeting him 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.

Susan McClure told us this—I love the idea of Tony being in the kitchen with me when I am cooking:

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.

Kathie Lou Eldridge wrote this simple line that’s true for so many of us:  “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.”

I really miss him too. So my friends, today the way to honor Tony is simple. You can follow one (or more!) of his commandments from one of my favorite quotes of his: 

“Eat at a local restaurant tonight. Get the cream sauce. Have a cold pint at 4 o’clock in a mostly empty bar. Go somewhere you’ve never been. Listen to someone you think may have nothing in common with you. Order the steak rare. Eat an oyster. Have a negroni. Have two. Be open to a world where you may not understand or agree with the person next to you, but have a drink with them anyways. Eat slowly. Tip your server. Check in on your friends. Check in on yourself. Enjoy the ride.”