The culinary
world is reeling this morning after reports that chef, author, and
television star Anthony Bourdain has died of an apparent suicide. Bourdain, 61,
was in Paris filming an episode of his CNN television series 'Parts
Unknown'. In a statement, CNN said "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 rocketed to stardom following his first article in the New Yorker which led to the
publication of his tell-all memoir Kitchen Confidential. The book, along with the
rise of TV shows glamorizing chefdom, helped lead to a renewed
interest in the profession. 'Kitchen Confidential' also
foreshadowed some of the industry's problems like substance abuse
and sexism in the workplace.
Through his pioneering television shows, which have aired
for nearly 15 years on different networks, the former chef
introduced people to new cultures and expanded their culinary
horizons. His work led to several awards, including a Peabody Award
in 2013 for 'Parts Unknown'. Recently Bourdain became an outspoken
advocate for women in the #metoo movement.
The star had battled several demons in his life, including
substance abuse and depression. His death, along with other recent
high profile suicides, shows that mental health issues affect
everyone regardless of success or financial status. If
you, or anyone you know, is suffering from depression, please know
that there are people who can help. Following is a list of free
resources available to anyone who needs help:
- In the United States, the National
Suicide Prevention Lifeline is available at
1-800-273-TALK (8255)
- In the UK, visit www.samaritans.org to find a list of help
lines
- In Canada, visit suicideprevention.ca for an up-to-date
list of Distress Lines across Canada by province and
territory
- In Australia, visit the website Lifeline or call
13 11 14. They also offer a online chat service
- In New Zealand, Lifeline Aotearoa provides free
24-hour counseling and phone help lines. Call 09 5222
999 if you live within Auckland or 0800 543 354 for
those outside of Auckland