I was stunned and heavily saddened by the news of Anthony Bourdain's suicide. Like many, I have been captivated by his vivid and genuine personality, gritty style, and wonderful storytelling ability. From his beginnings on "A Cook's Tour", to his latest "Parts Unknown", I have been thoroughly entertained, increasingly educated, and often enlightened. Although he is known mostly as a chef, Bourdain reached well beyond just the culinary world with his most recent shows. "Parts Unknown", in particular, used food and drink as a vehicle to introduce viewers to the history and culture of places most of us know nothing about. I especially liked that his travels weren't about clean and polished tourist attractions, and the very finest restaurants (although there were doses of that), but largely about real-world people with real-world problems, eating in their own kitchens or local gathering places. Above all else, I found his presentations to be genuine and human, which was refreshing in an increasingly plastic world. Also, "Kitchen Confidential" is the last (non-technical) book I have read from cover-to-cover...an embarrassingly long time ago. Bourdain had a big hand in inspiring me to develop into the mediocre home cook I am today. Thank you, Anthony Bourdain. RIP.
From my own experience, as the son of a suicide victim, it's often impossible to know the internal demons people struggle with. These struggles are often hidden by smiles and assurances that things are okay. It's only afterwards that we finally recognize (or acknowledge) some of the signs of their internal battle.
From my own experience, as the son of a suicide victim, it's often impossible to know the internal demons people struggle with. These struggles are often hidden by smiles and assurances that things are okay. It's only afterwards that we finally recognize (or acknowledge) some of the signs of their internal battle.
