Anthony Bourdain dead at 61

[Nomsdotcom]

Or he killed him self because he was tired of the bull****. Like some of the bull**** in this thread. Who knows why he killed himself? I sure don’t. I see a lot of people trying to put themselves in his shoes and act like they know what he was thinking, or why he did what he did based on his public persona. You don’t and can’t. That’s where we all fall flat and eff things up. Pretending we know what everyone around us is thinking based on our personal ego based experience.

That applies to a very small extent.

The knowing that we need certain things and will do certain things to get certain things.

But the further away we get from basic survival needs, the more complex and intricate this whole thing gets...

+100

 

[cheflarge]

JOSH........ GREAT POST!!! Speak the truth, brother!

 

[brianh]

It’s natural and totally normal for people to talk about why we think things have happened.

 

[StonedEdge]

Lets look at the positive side, at least dying young is great for selling your books and stuff so there's that. Plus you get to be remembered while you're still relevant instead of fading away into obscurity. This might have literally been the best choice in his opinion for someone so internally disturbed and never happy or at peace with themselves. Also love how overnight those who've been saying "Bourdain couldn't cook so he wrote instead" or "Bourdain is an overrated one-trick pony, not even a real Chef" are all pouring their hearts out going "he brought gastronomy to ordinary folks and knew how to keep it real"...funny how dying changes people's views so quick.

 

[WildBoar]

Also love how overnight those who've been saying "Bourdain couldn't cook so he wrote instead" or "Bourdain is an overrated one-trick pony, not even a real Chef" are all pouring their hearts out going "he brought gastronomy to ordinary folks and knew how to keep it real"...funny how dying changes people's views so quick.

Agree 100% -- went from Sellout! Sellout! to "he was an inspiration, helped give me purpose, brought the outside world into our pro kitchens" etc. I never could understand the negativeness in the past over him -- almost everyone I have met who cooks hopes there is a way out of it later in life where they can make a nice living and not have to work 75 hour weeks. Yet when he did just that, he was roasted for being a poor cook and selling out. I am a bit sad it took his death for so many to reveal how they really felt, vs bellowing some macho BS they were mainly repeating because they heard someone else say it. That all being said, I am in no way, shape or form a professional cook, and I know many in the profession think different then I do.

 

[labor of love]

If you need a person of celebrity statue to somehow personify your line of work in order to give you a deeper sense of gratification....well I’d say there’s better people out there to do it. People that actually push culinary forward. Or people that maintain its proud history. AB was an entertainer, if you can appreciate him for what he is then kudos.

 

[krx927]

RIP Tony. Me and my kids will miss you greatly, all the evenings we spent watching the uncle that eats (No Reservations). I can still watch reruns...

 

[Mucho Bocho]

The reruns now viewed post hominid are quite poignant.

 

[StonedEdge]

The reruns now viewed post hominid are quite poignant.

Exactly what I felt as I watched some of the oldies over the weekend.

 

[Interapid101]

The reruns now viewed post hominid are quite poignant.

+2

FWIW, I think Bourdain was more than just an entertainer. He did, to a certain extent, influence cuisine. No celebrity chef was an ambassador of cuisine in quite the same way.

 

[StonedEdge]

His thing was that he was an ambassador for regular, poor, working class, regional, seasonal food. The old school stuff that keeps people in remote far away places from starving. As in, he celebrated the small things more than he did 3 Michelin Stars and famous last names.

 

[apicius9]

In the beginning - after reading KC - I found him a bit too rough around the edges and expected him to be an arrogant sob. That clearly changed over time. It was strange to read about his last days. I had spent a few days in the Alsace last summer and ate at the place he stayed at with ER probably sitting at the same table, waiting for him to come down for breakfast...

Stefan