REMEMBERING MY MENTOR – ANTHONY BOURDAIN

ANTHONY BOURDAIN

“TRAVEL IS NOT A REWARD FOR WORKING, IT’S AN EDUCATION FOR LIVING”

Today I’m with the thousands filled with grief and disbelief at the passing of a great gastronomic icon and trailblazer, Anthony Bourdain.  More so because he was my personal friend, my mentor, my teacher.  He was the one that provided inspiration for my cooking and my writing – there was none better.

We live in a world where celebrities are in constant limelight with criticisms, controversy and praise and few are the accolades where chefs and gourmands have left their mark.  That wasn’t the case with Tony.

His renowned article “Don’t Eat Before Reading This” that appeared in the New Yorker in April of ’99 created waves of controversy.  Before then, no-one had showed any candor regarding the goings-on in the restaurant arena, or as he put it the culinary underbelly.  It changed the lives of many, owners and employees alike, toiling and sweating for 16 hours diurnally.

The outspokenness and tone in his article rippled through every eating establishment, where even consumers are still feeling remembering those words today.  It was the supporting pillar for his groundbreaking Kitchen Confidential, in which his famous phrase “I never eat fish on Mondays” came about.  If you aren’t familiar with NYC, the reason behind his quote was because fish markets were closed on Sundays and the fish served on Mondays was left over from Fridays.  Of course, all that has changed because that was back in ‘99.

His sarcastically dark sense of humor and his childhood vulnerability about his drug days is deeply reflected throughout his books.  Tony was an original and passion is what best describes him.  He left a visionary legacy of stepping stones with his verve and quintessential philosophy of “eat first and ask questions later”, clearly imbedded in his travels which delved into the culinary, global cultural heritage coupled with his radical approach to political topics with cunning intelligence.

Nothing is more evident than with his CNN series “Parts Unknown” which acquired global acclaim winning 5 Emmy awards.  His guile and zest were as contagious as his words, where you felt obliged to carry a pair of chopsticks or a fork everywhere and through his travels he made all of us feel like you’d been his lifelong pal.  He made us experience actual awareness through food, drawing us in, educating and taking us on unforgettable journeys, transforming our lives though food in a purely emotional way.

I fervently hope he knows how he’s transformed people’s lives, including mine.  The kindness he bestowed me and his belief in me is what transformed me, and what nurtured my culinary and writing passion.  The world is lackluster and dimmer tonight as I sip my glass of pinot with a heavy heart toasting his lifelong passion.  I lost my mentor today.  Thank you for your legacy my friend and Godspeed.

If you are having thoughts of suicide, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-784-2433 or text 741741

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