CrosswordNewsletters
DAILY BEAST
ALL
  • Cheat Sheet
  • Obsessed
  • Politics
  • Crime
  • Entertainment
  • Media
  • Innovation
  • Opinion
  • World
  • U.S. News
  • Scouted
CHEAT SHEET
    POLITICS
    • Fever Dreams
    • Biden World
    • Elections
    • Opinion
    • National Security
    • Congress
    • Pay Dirt
    • The New Abnormal
    • Right Richter
    • Trumpland
    MEDIA
    • Confider
    • Daytime Talk
    • Late-Night
    • Fox News
    U.S. NEWS
    • Identities
    • Crime
    • Race
    • LGBT
    • Extremism
    • Coronavirus
    WORLD
    • Russia
    • Europe
    • China
    • Middle East
    INNOVATION
    • Science
    TRAVEL
      ENTERTAINMENT
      • TV
      • Movies
      • Music
      • Comedy
      • Sports
      • Sex
      • TDB's Obsessed
      • Awards Shows
      • The Last Laugh
      CULTURE
      • Power Trip
      • Fashion
      • Books
      • Royalist
      TECH
      • Disinformation
      SCOUTED
      • Clothing
      • Technology
      • Beauty
      • Home
      • Pets
      • Kitchen
      • Fitness
      • I'm Looking For
      BEST PICKS
      • Best VPNs
      • Best Gaming PCs
      • Best Air Fryers
      COUPONS
      • Vistaprint Coupons
      • Ulta Coupons
      • Office Depot Coupons
      • Adidas Promo Codes
      • Walmart Promo Codes
      • H&M Coupons
      • Spanx Promo Codes
      • StubHub Promo Codes
      Products
      NewslettersPodcastsCrosswordsSubscription
      FOLLOW US
      GOT A TIP?

      SEARCH

      HOMEPAGE
      Half Full

      ‘Parts Unknown’ and Demons, Too, Apparently

      IN MEMORIAM

      Legendary food critic Mimi Sheraton reflects upon Anthony Bourdain’s life, legacy, and revolutionary impact upon multiple facets of American culture.

      Mimi Sheraton

      Updated Jun. 08, 2018 9:21PM ET / Published Jun. 08, 2018 9:20PM ET 

      Discovery Channel/Shuttetstock

      Parts Unknown and demons, too, apparently.

      And so we may long wonder what prompted the suicide of Anthony Bourdain in a French hotel on Friday at the age of 61. If anyone ever seemed to have it made, he did.

      Traveling the world as a culinary superstar, he adventured forth to dabble in the foods and cultures of far off lands as his whims and interests took him, all with expenses paid plus a generous income to boot. What’s not to like?

      Lithe and handsome, Bourdain could be courtly when he wanted to be, and as he was the only time we met during an interview I did with him for a story in the Guardian. He was the consummate showman who had savvy insights into what resonates in others, and with firm commitments to liberal and humanistic causes, plus a canny way with words.

      While already a successful professional chef, he obviously found the kitchen too confining for his abilities and interests. His first highly successful book, Kitchen Confidential, published in 2000, revealed the seamier, more onerous demands of the restaurant kitchen, often in suitably crude language. It inspired similarly vulgar usages in other food writers, an aspect of his work that I originally deplored—and maybe still do to some extent.

      But what matters most now, of course, is his contribution to our daily lives and to the food and travel worlds in general.

      At the very least and yet most obvious, he inspired an interest in food diversity and a respect for all cuisines no matter how bizarre they might seem to the uninitiated. Similarly, he extolled the wonders of travel and the rewards of actually seeing and experiencing far off places  and perhaps then applying new criteria in evaluating one’s own home territory.

      What always impressed me as I watched his various CNN journeys was the  sincere, deep respect he exhibited for the work of the most menial food craftsmen, making it plain that each task—no matter how grubby—added an essential element to the final result and so was valuable.

      Just about a week ago I saw a trailer for one of Anthony Bourdain’s  forthcoming CNN shows—perhaps for Hong Kong or Paris - and I thought he looked unusually drawn, gaunt, and exhausted. To his mother, Gladys Bourdain, who is my friend, and to his daughter, and his last love Asia Argento, I offer sympathy—as do we all.

      Perhaps Anthony Bourdain felt that he was on a world-wide treadmill and could only get off in one way.

      READ THIS LIST

      DAILY BEAST
      • Cheat Sheet
      • Politics
      • Entertainment
      • Media
      • World
      • Innovation
      • U.S. News
      • Scouted
      • Travel
      • Subscription
      • Crossword
      • Newsletters
      • Podcasts
      • About
      • Contact
      • Tips
      • Jobs
      • Advertise
      • Help
      • Privacy
      • Code of Ethics & Standards
      • Diversity
      • Terms & Conditions
      • Copyright & Trademark
      • Sitemap
      • Best Picks
      • Coupons
      • Coupons:
      • Dick's Sporting Goods Coupons
      • HP Coupon Codes
      • Chewy Promo Codes
      • Nordstrom Rack Coupons
      • NordVPN Coupons
      • JCPenny Coupons
      • Nordstrom Coupons
      • Samsung Promo Coupons
      • Home Depot Coupons
      • Hotwire Promo Codes
      • eBay Coupons
      • Ashley Furniture Promo Codes
      © 2023 The Daily Beast Company LLC