Anthony Bourdain dead at 61

I am angry.
And very sad.
Sad for his family, and all who cared about him.
And for those who appreciated his views of the world, and his desire to explore it.
May he find peace in whatever comes next.

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I think what I appreciate most about him was his belief that in breaking bread together we can find common ground. He saw worth in different cultures and made those lives accessible, more understandable, through the lens of food.

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Devastating news, huge loss for foodie/culinary world. He was truly an icon.

R.I.P.:rose:

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I’m talking with non-foodie friends, many who knew him through the travel shows - they are stunned, too, and talking about what they learned about the world because of where he went, what he filmed, the people he spoke with, and the stories he told.

Interesting that they see him less as a food person and more as a traveler and storyteller.

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I’m sick of waking up to death, destruction and Trump.

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So incredibly sad. He delighted the world in showing perspectives that may not be as evident. I know I learned a lot from the stories he told.

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“What I do is not complicated,” Bourdain told the New York Times in 2005. “Any stranger who shows an honest curiosity about what the locals think is the best food is going to be welcomed. When you eat their food and you seem happy, people sitting around a table open up and interesting things happen.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/arts-and-entertainment/wp/2018/06/08/anthony-bourdain-has-died-at-61-according-to-cnn/

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Very, very sad. :frowning:

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That has been our dining MO for years and years. Great way to meet people also.

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It’s so hard for me to comprehend that he didn’t see what a great force for good he was in the world and that we need more like him, not fewer. What sad news.

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I’m disappointed though not surprised. He was open about his self-destructive, antisocial tendencies.

The Hong Kong show he made with Asia Argento and Christopher Doyle was one of his best.

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I’m just overwhelmingly sad about this. I’ve read all his books, watched every single episode of his shows, was thrilled that he visited my motherland (Sri Lanka) not just once, but twice! I met him a few years ago and he was so nice despite me being a giddy star struck idiot. Here’s a corny photo from that day. :broken_heart:

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An American and International cultural icon who through his writing and shows, was able to connect with people all over, tell their stories via understanding of social political economical circumstances as well as connecting culture, history, art, and of course showcasing the food and its origins, while injecting his signature humor and quick snappy one liners that defined his style. He showed people the rest of the world in a different light, that you can also see the world without being a tourist being bus’d around like sheeple, while touching people’s hearts and minds.

Some of his restaurant picks may not be the best (many likely were arranged with known locals), but did show the rest of the world likely what they were not aware of (not everyone is an Opinionated About Dining jet setter or spendy Instagrammer).

As always, splendid commentary on all of his shows, more so with Parts Unknown.

Rest in peace, Mr. Bourdain.

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My first thought was, “No, we need him in the world”. It’s as though the colors dimmed a bit without him in it.

No Reservations was the first “grownup show” my son and I watched together. Tony was so big and charismatic and goofy; my son thought he was a hero. The show introduced so many concepts: kindness, curiosity, politeness, geography, embracing the unknown.

I think what my child learned subconsciously is that although children in other countries dress differently and have different houses, they all like to play, and they all love to eat their mother’s food, and we are all regular people. Tony spent so much time In people’s homes, and the generosity the world over was a beautiful message.

Tonight we are going for Vietnamese food, and we will eat noodle soup with fish balls in Tony’s honor.

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So well said.

Everywhere we’ve gone today, people are talking about him. Isn’t that wonderful?

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from reddit:

In 2010, I covered a Bourdain book-tour stop at The Fox Theatre in St. Louis where a boy with leukemia asked his culinary idol where he should go eat - anywhere in the world - once he’s in remission. Bourdain didn’t hesitate: Spain. But then after Bourdain left town and our story about the tour appearance ran, his assistant reached out to me, privately. Bourdain wanted to help send this kid to Spain and make it the time of his life. So, with the help of Make A Wish, Evan Piña-White went to Spain. We wrote about that but our story doesn’t mention Bourdain’s involvement (per his wishes). He set the kid up at the best restaurants & helped make the trip incredible. He was special. ~ Evan Benn, editor-in-chief of Miami Herald

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this makes me so sad. I really loved his snarky sense of humor, his endless curiosity of food, people and places and how all us have so much more in common than the things that separate us. I will miss watching his adventures and reading his words…

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I don’t happen to believe in an after-life but if there is one I hope he’s reading and knowing how important he was.

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I’m stunned and gutted. He was sui generis when it comes to food / travel journalists - he went beyond the food, he explored culture and the human condition. Tony’s passing was a true loss that affected me more than any other of a public figure.

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