Anthony Bourdain, RIP

Anthony Bourdain died yesterday.  I would have posted then, but I needed time to digest the news, so to speak.

Anthony Bourdain (1956-2018)

I don't want to use this post to talk about socio-political issues surrounding mental health or any of the "greater" issues...all that can wait for another post.  Instead, I want to reflect on what Bourdain's work has meant to me.

In the (let's callously call it) "World of Dead Celebrities," some have hit me harder that others.  Some I was sad to hear about their passing, some I couldn't care less (since I'm being brutally honest), some the manner of their death was more upsetting than the fact of death itself.  For me, Bourdain's death was saddening and the fact that it is apparently a suicide is even more upsetting.

Before anything else, my first career was as a chef.  I looked up to all the celebrity chefs, and Bourdain, in particular was an inspiration.  I liked that he wasn't one of those "overly bubbly" personalities that plague the Food Network, but spoke with a refreshing frankness, and not to mention, with his share of arrogance (seeing that "the industry" does require thick-skin and a healthy self-appreciation).  I also appreciated that his work went beyond a cooking show and a few cookbooks.  He relentlessly pursued more than a superficial presentation of food and dove straight into food culture.  Bourdain went well beyond the "comfortable" and it was this aspect of Bourdain's work that led me down the road of Nutritional Anthropology.

At the same time, while advocating for the preservation of traditional foodways and at times appearing staunchly anti-globalization, this also brought up the issue of exploiting the exotic "otherness" for the relentless consumption of tourists.  It's an interesting dichotomy.

All this being said, I hope that Bourdain finally overcome his demons and has the peace he was looking for.  I would wish that he rest in peace, but that doesn't seem like something he would like.  Instead, I wish he has left for one last extraordinary adventure.