Anthony Bourdain

My favorite chef hands down, no one was as real and up front in your face as him. You will be missed greatly but your print you left in the culinary world will never been forgotten. You gotta love how real and straight up he was never sugar coating shit. True legend.

Bourdain was a world-famous chef, author of several books and frequently watched television series, including CNN's travel documentary and tv-series "No Reservations" & "Parts Unknown". He won various TV prizes. He often spoke of his struggle with drugs as a young adult and the bumpy path towards a glorious career.

The bittersweet life of the top chef

As a child he becomes fascinated by food during visits to France, where his grandparents from father's side come from. As a teenager Bourdain gets a job in a restaurant as a dishwasher. As he said: "You had to put plates in the dishwasher and they had to come out clean. I wanted to be able to do that quickly and well, to get recognition from people whom I admired ", says Bourdain in 2017 against The Guardian. "When I was promoted and allowed to bake fries I was super happy." When he finished high school in 1973, Bourdain went to Vassar College in New York for two years, but he did not finish his studies. He did have a job in Provincetown, Massachusetts. In his twenties he becomes addicted to heroin, weed and lsd. In 1978 it is possible to graduate from a cooking course at the Culinary Institute of America. He immediately became a chef after completing his culinary training. Something he later sees as a mistake: "I would have been better off taking a modest job at a top restaurant to learn the tricks," he told Newsweek in 2011.
As a thirties he works for various restaurants in Manhattan. In 1998 he leads Brasserie Les Halles at the age of 42. In the year 2000, at the age of 44, Bourdain became a real star with the publication of 'Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly'. The book is an elaboration of an article that Bourdain wrote for The New Yorker in 1999, and immediately becomes a bestseller. For his television work, he will receive four Emmys and the Peabody Award in 2013.

"Up until my 44th I had never had health insurance," says Bourdain in 2011. "I never paid the rent on time, had an overdue tax debt, ten-year-old credit card debts. I lived as a brash student, even worse. I lost sight of a top career. "

"I'm still alive, I'm in my third or perhaps fourth life," says Bourdain in 2016, looking back on his rapid advance to world renown. "I should have died in my twenties. I became successful in my forties and my father was fifty. It feels as if I have stolen a car and always look in the rear-view mirror, to see if there are already flashing lights from the police. But it will remain silent for the time being."

As you move through this life and this world you change things slightly, you leave marks behind, however small. And in return, life — and travel — leaves marks on you. Most of the time, those marks on your body or on your heart are beautiful. Often, though, they hurt.” I think my first influence into travel and culture through food was from Anthony Bourdain and he is still one of my top inspirations. I remember thinking that he had the best job in the world.

Travel, food and meeting new people and being able to share it with everyone on a personal level that felt like he was a friend of yours even if you had never met him. Someone you can relate with and would love to have a meal and a drink with. Inspiring people to get on their feet and travel the world and try new things. It shows more and more that everyone has demons and is dealing with something that not everyone is aware of. I hope if anyone else is having problems they seek out help from people who care about them rather than go down this other path that is unfortunately gaining popularity.

He really broke the mold, pushed the culinary world and was the most brilliant chef for me. He leaves chefs and fans around the world with a massive foodie hole and super good human character and spirit that simply can not be replaced. Rest in peace chef