Beloved television host, personality, and chef Anthony Bourdain is dead after committing suicide, CNN is reporting this morning. He was 61.
CNN confirmed Bourdain’s death on Friday and said the cause of death was suicide.
“It is with extraordinary sadness we can confirm the death of our friend and colleague, Anthony Bourdain,” the network said in a statement Friday morning. “His love of great adventure, new friends, fine food and drink and the remarkable stories of the world made him a unique storyteller. His talents never ceased to amaze us and we will miss him very much. Our thoughts and prayers are with his daughter and family at this incredibly difficult time.”
Bourdain was in France working on an upcoming episode of his award-winning CNN series “Parts Unknown.” His close friend Eric Ripert, the French chef, found Bourdain unresponsive in his hotel room Friday morning.
Bourdain toiled for years in New York City kitchens before rising to fame with his best-selling book, Kitchen Confidential, when he was in his mid-40s. That book led to a successful Travel Channel show, No Reservations, and he’s spent the past few years hosting a popular travel/food show for CNN, Parts Unknown.
In recent weeks and months, Bourdain had been a vocal public supporter of the #MeToo movement. He’s been an advocate over the need for change in regards to the treatment of women in the restaurant industry, and his girlfriend, actress Asia Argento, has been one of the more prominent actresses who’ve come forward to accuse Harvey Weinstein of monstrous behavior. Bourdain regularly used his social media channels to express support for Argento and others like her who were coming forward to detail years of horrific abuse.
Bourdain was a towering figure in the modern world who had a tremendous impact on food, travel, and culture across the globe, as evidenced by the early reactions to his death. On a more personal note, Bourdain was a good friend to this website, graciously making himself available for long, rambling interviews and discussions with our commenting community, even in the early days of Uproxx when we were not that well-known and getting access to celebrities was difficult.
We, and the world, will greatly miss him.
