I saw Bourdain’s show on Montreal but my favorite of all his shows was the one where he went into the West Bank in Israel profiling both Palestinian and Israeli restaurants and then finally a West Bank Vegetarian restaurant co owned by a Palestinian Man and his Israeli Jewish wife. Bourdain delicately handled the political and cultural issues, made no judgments on anyone, and used the different cuisines to celebrate the diversity of the cultures. He was a unifying force - using cuisine to bring people together and tell remarkable stories.
Anthony Bourdain RIP
- Thread starter Steely Dan
- Start date
Spending years in the kitchen of various restaurant really helped him forged who he became. A kitchen is the last refuge of many misfits. I have spent my 20's as a barman at various hotels. I have seen quite a lot of kitchen staff. Many of the base staff consists of ex cons, disturbed and/or socially weird people, many many immigrants. I remember one place where the Chef would end every shift by playing People are strange by the Doors out lout in the kitchen. You learn to carefully deal and respect these people. No choices. I did not know back then but what I learned there I used it all my life after.
Bourdain spoke to dishwasher exactly the same as he did with Obama.
He will be greatly miss.
Bourdain spoke to dishwasher exactly the same as he did with Obama.
He will be greatly miss.
You're right and now Americans go to the restaurants he visited in Québec city as a pilgrimage, taking selfies at the table he sat at etc... Best publicity ever!you're right it was Dave McMillan and Fred Morin from joe beef... missed the begining of the episode, then got the name wrongI just read that he did a whole other episode with them about quebec...bourdain helped put quebec on the culinary map
There was an episode in Montreal with Martin Picard and Normand Laprise where the three of them go for a 24h straight binge, stoping at Shwartz, etc, drinking in the box of a pick-up truck, crazy fun decadence.
A guy's guy, beloved the world over, another sad day, his passing, the feeling it leaves me with reminds me of Robin Williams or when Québec singer song-writer André "Dédé" Fortin performed a hara-kiri with a kitchen knife 18 years or so ago.
Jalimon, t'as lu le Plongeur?
https://www.leslibraires.ca/livres/le-plongeur-stephane-larue-9782896982721.html
https://www.leslibraires.ca/livres/le-plongeur-stephane-larue-9782896982721.html
Truly sad story. Bourdain had a gift for weaving history, culture and personality in his global travels to eateries famous or obscure. He seems to have conquered past demons in coke, heroin, and alcohol but apparently could not escape whatever demon led him to this tragic end. He'll be missed.
EagerBeaver
a show that I loved (it's no longer on, but you can find it on you tube) was À table avec l'ennemi (dinning with the enemy)
https://tv5.ca/a-table-avec-lennemi
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpqt9413SYI
It was a journalist and a chef that would go to these high conflict places around the World.
Of course you learn something on the conflict but the interesting particularity of this show is they desperately try to find people who are willing to eat together, sometimes they are sworn enemies. You also follow Charles-Antoine Crête (the chef at the https://montrealplaza.com) in the different local markets trying to make a great meal.
a show that I loved (it's no longer on, but you can find it on you tube) was À table avec l'ennemi (dinning with the enemy)
https://tv5.ca/a-table-avec-lennemi
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpqt9413SYI
It was a journalist and a chef that would go to these high conflict places around the World.
Of course you learn something on the conflict but the interesting particularity of this show is they desperately try to find people who are willing to eat together, sometimes they are sworn enemies. You also follow Charles-Antoine Crête (the chef at the https://montrealplaza.com) in the different local markets trying to make a great meal.
EagerBeaver
I distinctly got the impression that his Palestinian show was telling the Palestinian perspective of the conflict. Most Americans don't know all the details and the history of the conflict. At the very end of the show, I believed Bourdain mentioned the reverence and reward for Palestinian terrorists and their families. I think it was his way of trying to balance the tone of the show.
While I watched and enjoyed his shows, I rarely accepted Bourdain's political POV. I've heard these political views elsewhere. He was an East Coast Liberal. Some people were upset by the politics in the CNN show, but I don't mind hearing someone's views.
I distinctly got the impression that his Palestinian show was telling the Palestinian perspective of the conflict. Most Americans don't know all the details and the history of the conflict. At the very end of the show, I believed Bourdain mentioned the reverence and reward for Palestinian terrorists and their families. I think it was his way of trying to balance the tone of the show.
While I watched and enjoyed his shows, I rarely accepted Bourdain's political POV. I've heard these political views elsewhere. He was an East Coast Liberal. Some people were upset by the politics in the CNN show, but I don't mind hearing someone's views.
Bourdain Show in Israel
Let’s not forget Bourdain’s mother is Jewish so he had to be very careful to tell the Palestinian side but he did so without making judgments. The highlight of the show was the vegetarian resto where he was served hummus by the Palestinian man and his Jewish co-owner wife, and the Palestinian buddy of his who served him Falafel in Jerusalem. Bourdain had worked with the Palestinian chef somewhere in the USA (may have trained him, can’t recall), and when the dude started his own restaurant in Jerusalem, Bourdain reconnected with him. That was a really good show and another thing I recall is Bourdain also visited the settlements and spoke to the settlers. So it was fairly balanced from my perspective and he kept his own politics out of it in favor of allowing others to speak and opine.
Let’s not forget Bourdain’s mother is Jewish so he had to be very careful to tell the Palestinian side but he did so without making judgments. The highlight of the show was the vegetarian resto where he was served hummus by the Palestinian man and his Jewish co-owner wife, and the Palestinian buddy of his who served him Falafel in Jerusalem. Bourdain had worked with the Palestinian chef somewhere in the USA (may have trained him, can’t recall), and when the dude started his own restaurant in Jerusalem, Bourdain reconnected with him. That was a really good show and another thing I recall is Bourdain also visited the settlements and spoke to the settlers. So it was fairly balanced from my perspective and he kept his own politics out of it in favor of allowing others to speak and opine.
One of bourdain’s best quotes:
It seems that the more places I see and experience, the bigger I realize the world to be. The more I become aware of, the more I realize how relatively little I know of it, how many places I have still to go, how much more there is to learn. Maybe that's enlightenment enough - to know that there is no final resting place of the mind, no moment of smug clarity. Perhaps wisdom, at least for me, means realizing how small I am, and unwise, and how far I have yet to go.
It seems that the more places I see and experience, the bigger I realize the world to be. The more I become aware of, the more I realize how relatively little I know of it, how many places I have still to go, how much more there is to learn. Maybe that's enlightenment enough - to know that there is no final resting place of the mind, no moment of smug clarity. Perhaps wisdom, at least for me, means realizing how small I am, and unwise, and how far I have yet to go.
I started reading Bourdain’s famous, career launching book “Kitchen Confidential” last night. The edition I have has a forward written by Bourdain a few years ago and is a retrospective on what has happened in his life since the book was published in 2000. He mainly talks about how genuinely surprised he was at the success of the book (which he only expected to be read by chefs) and at the reaction to the book by those in the industry, which was MUCH more positive than what Bourdain was expecting. He expected to be viewed cynically by chefs reading the book; instead he was revered as a conquering hero. Bourdain also alludes to some very critical comments he made in the book which were not well received in all quarters- in particular, his blistering criticism of vegetarians and of fellow chef Emeril Lagasse.
He says he misses being a Chef at Les Halles in NYC, while conceding that he was likely at the “end of the line” as a line chef when the book fortuitously became an international best seller.
Looking forward to reading a chapter every night before bedtime.
He says he misses being a Chef at Les Halles in NYC, while conceding that he was likely at the “end of the line” as a line chef when the book fortuitously became an international best seller.
Looking forward to reading a chapter every night before bedtime.
He tells of himself that he was broke till the age of 41, it might be he had a hard time handling his wealth in later life.
He does mention in the Foreword to Kitchen Confidential that he never had health insurance in his life until age 42 after that book came out and was a huge bestseller.
Another thing he writes is that eating his first oyster, at age 9 on a family vacation in France, was as momentous an event in his life as losing his virginity. He also said that he didn’t realize it at the time, but it sent him on the road to becoming a chef.
His stories about his first job as a dishwasher in a seafood restaurant in Provincetown, Mass. are very interesting. He lived an interesting life. It’s sad reading the book now after his suicide.
Another thing he writes is that eating his first oyster, at age 9 on a family vacation in France, was as momentous an event in his life as losing his virginity. He also said that he didn’t realize it at the time, but it sent him on the road to becoming a chef.
His stories about his first job as a dishwasher in a seafood restaurant in Provincetown, Mass. are very interesting. He lived an interesting life. It’s sad reading the book now after his suicide.
I have to say EB that between eating a dozen oyster or having sex I would hesitate Some people can daty so well they gave fantastic orgasm to the girl. Not me... But I can open a dozen oyster in a few minute
No wonder he was broke until his first book came out. Cooks, even chef, do not make that much money... On top of that he was on and off heroine and cocaine.
All this forged his humility and humanity. Trump should have been a dishwasher for a while...
Cheers,
Some people can daty so well they gave fantastic orgasm to the girl. Not me... But I can open a dozen oyster in a few minute No wonder he was broke until his first book came out. Cooks, even chef, do not make that much money... On top of that he was on and off heroine and cocaine.
All this forged his humility and humanity. Trump should have been a dishwasher for a while...
Cheers,
Anthony Bourdain, was more than a chef. He was a passionate, but he also got the balls to speak about the dark sides of profession. I have a thought for him, but also for my colleagues cooks who suffer silently about depression and chronic pain without health issurance.
Working in a restaurant as cook is still my favorite sport (except sex of course), but that's a fucking dirty and unpaid job. To become a celebrity as Bourdain, cook have to cross a very hard journey, and loose mental health on the road.
Rest in power !
Working in a restaurant as cook is still my favorite sport (except sex of course), but that's a fucking dirty and unpaid job. To become a celebrity as Bourdain, cook have to cross a very hard journey, and loose mental health on the road.
Rest in power !
I have been a fan of Bourdain ever since I read his first book years ago, before he became really famous from the various incarnations of his TV show. I became even more of a fan after watching his shows over the years. His suicide is sad for his fans but especially for his family and friends. I wish that he could have gotten the help that he needed before he took his life.
Knowing the problems that he had over the years with drugs and alcohol, it's not surprising that he struggled with mental health problems.
However I had not known much about his personal life, especially his couple of marriages and his most recent relationship with Asia Argento, the Italian actress and director who is also one of Harvey Weinstein's main accusers. At first thought, it might seem that his relationship with Argento and her status as a #MeToo icon had nothing to do with his suicide.
However, I am wondering why Rose McGowan, another Weinstein accuser, felt compelled to issue a very public declaration that Argento was not at fault for Bourdain's suicide. Frankly, when I read about McGowan's melodramatic statement, it made me think that Argento probably was somehow part of the explanation for his suicide. I wouldn't say that she caused it or drove him to it, but I suspect that Bourdain must have been troubled by his relationship with Argento.
Knowing the problems that he had over the years with drugs and alcohol, it's not surprising that he struggled with mental health problems.
However I had not known much about his personal life, especially his couple of marriages and his most recent relationship with Asia Argento, the Italian actress and director who is also one of Harvey Weinstein's main accusers. At first thought, it might seem that his relationship with Argento and her status as a #MeToo icon had nothing to do with his suicide.
However, I am wondering why Rose McGowan, another Weinstein accuser, felt compelled to issue a very public declaration that Argento was not at fault for Bourdain's suicide.
Frankly, when I read about McGowan's melodramatic statement, it made me think that Argento probably was somehow part of the explanation for his suicide. I wouldn't say that she caused it or drove him to it, but I suspect that Bourdain must have been troubled by his relationship with Argento.
Maybe this story explains why Asia Argento wanted her friend Rose McGowan to shout to the world that Argento had nothing to do with Bourdain's motive for suicide:
https://pagesix.com/2018/06/12/papa...a-argento-with-french-reporter-regrets-shots/
Rino Barillari, the paparazzo who caught Asia Argento dancing in a Roman restaurant with French reporter Hugo Clément, regrets he took the photos and sold them to Chi, an Italian magazine.
Argento’s recent lover, Anthony Bourdain, 61, committed suicide on June 8, five days after the photos first appeared online.
“If I had known, I would have stopped,” the photographer told La Verità. “A picture is not worth a life. If that shot triggered suicide . . . this would make me suffer.”
Clément, 28 — who covered famine in Congo and the threats gay men face in Tunisia — accompanied Argento, 42, to the speech she made at the Cannes Film Festival in May, when she said, “In 1997, I was raped by Harvey Weinstein here.”
Another photographer, Agostino Fabio, took pictures of Argento and Clément holding hands and hugging on the streets of Rome, but pulled them off the market on the heels of Bourdain’s death.
Barillari snapped the two dancing after dinner at Ristorante Camponeschi. “Everyone looked at them,” he told La Verità. “She looked like a possessed doll . . . a scene of crazy sensuality.”
When Argento realized she and Clément had been photographed, she asked Barillari to delete the shots, he said.
But Argento’s friend, actress and fellow Weinstein accuser Rose McGowan, released a statement Monday saying, in part, that Bourdain and Argento were in a “free relationship” and “loved without the borders of traditional relationships.”
Argento and Bourdain last made a public appearance together at an event in New York in April.
More on the story in these links:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5836947/Friends-feared-Anthony-Bourdains-crazy-love-Asia-Argento.html
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5807979/Asia-Argento-embraces-Hugo-Clement-shared-attack-Harvey-Weinstein-Cannes.html
Lyin' Eyes.
https://pagesix.com/2018/06/12/papa...a-argento-with-french-reporter-regrets-shots/
Rino Barillari, the paparazzo who caught Asia Argento dancing in a Roman restaurant with French reporter Hugo Clément, regrets he took the photos and sold them to Chi, an Italian magazine.
Argento’s recent lover, Anthony Bourdain, 61, committed suicide on June 8, five days after the photos first appeared online.
“If I had known, I would have stopped,” the photographer told La Verità. “A picture is not worth a life. If that shot triggered suicide . . . this would make me suffer.”
Clément, 28 — who covered famine in Congo and the threats gay men face in Tunisia — accompanied Argento, 42, to the speech she made at the Cannes Film Festival in May, when she said, “In 1997, I was raped by Harvey Weinstein here.”
Another photographer, Agostino Fabio, took pictures of Argento and Clément holding hands and hugging on the streets of Rome, but pulled them off the market on the heels of Bourdain’s death.
Barillari snapped the two dancing after dinner at Ristorante Camponeschi. “Everyone looked at them,” he told La Verità. “She looked like a possessed doll . . . a scene of crazy sensuality.”
When Argento realized she and Clément had been photographed, she asked Barillari to delete the shots, he said.
But Argento’s friend, actress and fellow Weinstein accuser Rose McGowan, released a statement Monday saying, in part, that Bourdain and Argento were in a “free relationship” and “loved without the borders of traditional relationships.”
Argento and Bourdain last made a public appearance together at an event in New York in April.
More on the story in these links:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5836947/Friends-feared-Anthony-Bourdains-crazy-love-Asia-Argento.html
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5807979/Asia-Argento-embraces-Hugo-Clement-shared-attack-Harvey-Weinstein-Cannes.html
Lyin' Eyes.
I do agree with you on that one. It seems the relationship was kind of troubling for him. His entourage was actually worried since he had met Asia.
I don`t know enough about his life, besides the obvious hype, to make a decision on what type of person he was.
I am a pro nature and pro animal rights person and I don`t much care for trophy hunters and their like.
From what I heard he hated vegetarians, he ate live flesh, he hunted and trapped. Did he eat dog, cat, whale or dolphin ?
I judge people by the way they treat nature. Trump gets an F....what does Bourdain get.
I am a pro nature and pro animal rights person and I don`t much care for trophy hunters and their like.
From what I heard he hated vegetarians, he ate live flesh, he hunted and trapped. Did he eat dog, cat, whale or dolphin ?
I judge people by the way they treat nature. Trump gets an F....what does Bourdain get.
Bourdain seemed like a fascinating person to listen to whenever i'd see him being interviewed on tv. I never really watched his tv show but ever since his death i've been watching repeats and i must admit that i'm hooked on his show. I loved the one he made while in Montreal. I also loved the one he made while in Marseilles a few years ago.
I believe it's wrong to conclude he must have been very depressed prior to committing suicide. From what i've read the authorities believe he likely hadn't planned to kill himself in the days leading to the suicide and it's very likely he killed himself impulsively. Who knows maybe he was under the effect of drugs or alcohol when he decided to kill himself. There was no suicide note or prior warning. He was supposed to show up for dinner with his best friend and never showed up. Then his friend (Eric Ripert) figured something was wrong when Bourdain also didn't show up for breakfast. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary prior to the tragedy. Many people regularly have very dark days once or twice a year and all kinds of negative thoughts cross their minds. Maybe Bourdain was having such a day and impulsively hung himself. Will we ever find out the truth behind his gesture and state of mind?
All i know is that he touched a lot of people and many people were very saddened by his death. He left his mark. And now we still have all those memories of him that will keep him alive forever.
I believe it's wrong to conclude he must have been very depressed prior to committing suicide. From what i've read the authorities believe he likely hadn't planned to kill himself in the days leading to the suicide and it's very likely he killed himself impulsively. Who knows maybe he was under the effect of drugs or alcohol when he decided to kill himself. There was no suicide note or prior warning. He was supposed to show up for dinner with his best friend and never showed up. Then his friend (Eric Ripert) figured something was wrong when Bourdain also didn't show up for breakfast. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary prior to the tragedy. Many people regularly have very dark days once or twice a year and all kinds of negative thoughts cross their minds. Maybe Bourdain was having such a day and impulsively hung himself. Will we ever find out the truth behind his gesture and state of mind?
All i know is that he touched a lot of people and many people were very saddened by his death. He left his mark. And now we still have all those memories of him that will keep him alive forever.
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