Anthony Bourdain Mourned by Celebrity Chefs, Other Stars: ‘Heartbroken’

The chef turned Emmy-winning TV host died at age 61

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Prominent chefs and other TV personalities expressed shock on Friday at the death of chef turned TV star Anthony Bourdain at age 61.

“Stunned and saddened by the loss of Anthony Bourdain,” Gordon Ramsay tweeted. “He brought the world into our homes and inspired so many people to explore cultures and cities through their food.”

Longtime friend of Bourdain and fellow chef Éric Ripert found the “Parts Unknown” star unresponsive on Friday in his Paris hotel room, according to CNN. “Anthony was my best friend,” Ripert wrote on Friday. Read more on that here.

Chef and TV host Ming Tsai wrote: “Just so crazy. We lost an icon and incredible story teller.”

“Devastated. I don’t feel much else,” said Darren Aronofsky in a statement. “Tony was a loyal friend and an inspiration. Always sensitive, always connected, always inquisitive, always fun. We had great times exploring Madagascar and Bhutan together. I will never forget his spirit, his conviction, his professionalism, his passion, his love for his daughter, his love for Asia and her kids, his vision, his stories, his drive for justice, and his wicked sense of humor. Thank you Tony.”

The Travel Channel, which aired nine seasons of his show “No Reservations,” said: “We are stunned and deeply saddened to hear that the world is now without its global ambassador, Anthony Bourdain. He was an incredible talent who showed us beautiful, gritty, complicated and delicious places in every corner of the world. His wit and perspective will be missed. Our thoughts are with his family at this difficult time.”

According to the BBC, Bourdain’s body was found in a hotel room in a Strasbourg, France, where he was shooting an episode for CNN’s “Parts Unknown,” now in its 11th season.

Bourdain was working as executive chef of the New York city restaurant Brasserie Les Halles when he shot to fame with his 2000 tell-all best-seller “Kitchen Confidential.”

Two years later, he launched his first TV show, “A Cook’s Tour,” on the Food Network. Three years later, he joined the Travel Channel with “Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations,” picking up two Emmy Awards, and in 2011, hosted “The Layover.”

Many stars took the opportunity to note that Bourdain’s death came just days after that of fashion designer Kate Spade, also by suicide, and underscored the crippling effects of depression.

“I was saddened to hear of the deaths of Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain,” Emmy winner Bryan Cranston tweeted. “It illustrates that success is not immune to depression. We all need to be more aware of our friends who are suffering.”

Others tweeted contact information for suicide prevention hotlines and encouraged fans to seek out medical help if they were feeling overwhelmed.

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Rocker Iggy Pop, who was longtime friends with Bourdain, shared his reaction:

Bourdain, who voiced a character fashioned after his own persona in the fourth season of “Archer,” was remembered by the show’s executive producers Adam Reed and Matt Thompson: “On behalf of all the cast and crew of ‘Archer,’ we offer our deepest sympathies to Anthony’s loved ones. We will miss his great and genuine talent, and even more so his warmth, wit, and friendship. Rest in peace.”

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Thom Geier

Thom is an award-winning editor and writer with a keen knowledge of American pop culture and a knack for finding original approaches that inform and delight readers. He’s handled breaking news as well as long-term feature packages, mentored young writers who have become industry leaders, and developed fresh, shareable content across both print and digital…

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