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Food

Anthony Bourdain Dead at 61

The chef and television host was found unresponsive in his hotel room by Eric Ripert.
Photo: Getty Images

Anthony Bourdain, chef, writer, and host of television shows including Parts Unknown and Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations, has died.

CNN confirmed Bourdain’s death this morning, stating that the cause of death was suicide. He was 61.

The network, which broadcasts Parts Unknown, issued a statement that read: “It is with extraordinary sadness we can confirm the death of our friend and colleague, Anthony Bourdain. 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 Parts Unknown. His friend, the French chef Eric Ripert, found him unresponsive in his hotel room.

Rising to fame in 2000 with his bestselling memoir Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly, Bourdain quickly became an irreverent voice in the world of food media. He went on to host A Cook’s Tour on Food Network and the Travel Channel’s Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations, as well as writing widely on his escapades in food and travel. In 2013, he won a Peabody Award for his work on Parts Unknown, with judges lauding the chef for "expanding our palates and horizons in equal measure."

Bourdain joined MUNCHIES on a Chef’s Night Out in 2012, beginning with cured meats and cheese at Salumeria and ending after many beers at Brasserie Les Halles, the Manhattan restaurant that featured in Kitchen Confidential.

If you or a loved one are in need of help, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. In Canada, visit suicideprevention.ca for more information on how to get help.