Business Insider/Sarah Jacobs
- Anthony Bourdain, the celebrity chef who hosted CNN's "Parts Unknown," was found dead on Friday morning, CNN reports.
- CNN said Bourdain's body was found in France, where he had been working on new episodes of the show, in which he traveled the world and reported on local cuisine and culture.
- Throughout the late 2000s and 2010s Bourdain racked up an impressive reel of awards and nominations for his work, but he struggled at times with drug abuse.
Anthony Bourdain, the celebrity chef who hosted CNN's "Parts Unknown," was found dead Friday morning, CNN reports.
Bourdain's body was found in his hotel room in France, where he had been working on new episodes of "Parts Unknown," in which he traveled the world and reported on local cuisine and culture. The apparent cause of death was suicide, CNN said, with early reports indicating he hanged himself.
"It is with extraordinary sadness we can confirm the death of our friend and colleague, Anthony Bourdain," CNN in a statement Friday morning. "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 quite a character" President Donald Trump said of Bourdain to reporters at the White House on Friday. "Very sad," he commented.
In 2000, Bourdain wrote "Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly," which detailed his life as a chef. The book, which became a best-seller, marked the beginning of his breakout as a crossover star, leaving behind day-to-day chef work to explore opportunities in storytelling in print and on-screen.
Throughout the late 2000s and 2010s Bourdain racked up an impressive reel of awards and nominations for his work.
In a 2017 interview with The Guardian, Bourdain reflected on his life in kitchens and said he'd been able to find peace out of a chaotic upbringing, saying he had "put aside my psychotic rage, after many years being awful to line cooks, abusive to waiters, bullying to dishwashers."
"Nowadays I still have a rather withering ability to be sarcastic and displeased but I'm not screaming at anyone," he told The Guardian.
Bourdain was born in New York City and grew up in New Jersey. He would have been 62 on June 25. Despite his success, Bourdain was known to struggle with drug addiction and had a history of heroin use.
"I was an unhappy soul, with a huge heroin and then crack problem," Bourdain said in The Guardian interview. "I hurt, disappointed and offended many, many, many people and I regret a lot. It's a shame I have to live with."
Bourdain is survived by a daughter and by his girlfriend, the Italian actress Asia Argento. Argento is a vocal critic of the Hollywood film producer Harvey Weinstein, whom she has accused of sexual assault.
Just one day before Bourdain's death, the New York City Medical Examiner's Office confirmed that the designer Kate Spade's cause of death earlier this week was a suicide.
If you or someone you know is struggling with depression or has had thoughts of harming themselves or taking their own life, get help. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255) provides 24/7, free, confidential support for people in distress, as well as best practices for professionals and resources to aid in prevention and crisis situations.