By Michael Hernandez
WASHINGTON (AA) – Anthony Bourdain, the celebrity chef who inspired a generation with his global culinary adventures, died aged 61 on Friday.
CNN, the television network Bourdain most recently worked with, said the cause of death was suicide.
“It is with extraordinary sadness we can confirm the death of our friend and colleague, Anthony Bourdain, ” CNN said in a statement.
“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. ”
He was in Strasbourg, France, taping a segment for his show, Parts Unknown, when friend and frequent television guest Eric Rippert found him in his hotel room unresponsive, according to the news network.
Commonly referred to as a “bad boy chef “, Bourdain used food to expose his audience to parts of the world that are often out of bounds for the average person.
He began his run on CNN with an episode in Myanmar, which had until recently been off-limits for most Americans, and would later travel to post-Ghadaffi Libya, Palestine and Iran. His show often pivoted between edgy and refined, showing both the most exquisite dining the world has to offer and the importance of a simple meal.
But the fame Bourdain garnered over the course of his career was not always so certain for the former line cook.
He battled heroin addiction early on in his life, but rose to fame after penning an article in the New Yorker that would go on to become his acclaimed tell-all book about the restaurant industry, Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly, in 2000.
Reactions to his death began pouring in early Friday morning.
“Stunned and saddened by the loss of Anthony Bourdain. He brought the world into our homes and inspired so many people to explore cultures and cities through their food. Remember that help is a phone call away US:1-800-273-TALK UK: 116 123, ” fellow celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay said on Twitter.
Former President Barack Obama, whom Bourdain broke bread with in Vietnam during an episode of Parts Unknown, posted a photo of himself with the chef in Hanoi, with a simple caption: “RIP Anthony @Bourdain. “
Bourdain is survived by his daughter, Ariane, and ex-wife Ottavia.
