Anthony Bourdain once said he was 'never happier' than when he was standing in his backyard being a 'TV dad'

• "Roadrunner," a documentary about Anthony Bourdain's life, hit theaters on July 16.
• The documentary revealed that Bourdain rarely cooked at home before he became a dad.
• He said that once he had a daughter, he enjoyed being the "TV dad" who cooked in the backyard.

A new documentary about the life of Anthony Bourdain, titled "Roadrunner," shows the many ways in which the famous chef's life shifted throughout different stages of his career.

The film also sheds a light on how Bourdain's life changed after he became a father.

In an interview with the late author and TV host before his death - Bourdain died by suicide at the age of 61 in 2018 - included in the documentary, the chef said that for most of his life, he didn't think he would be a good father.

In a clip from the interview, he said he was "too self-involved, too messed up on drugs, and also afraid."

But his attitude changed once he and his second wife, Ottavia Busia, who he married in 2016, were expecting their daughter, Ariane. Busia said in the documentary that any doubts she had with regard to Bourdain becoming a dad disappeared once she saw how excited he was.

His friends also said that being a father shifted his attitude and the way he approached work and family.

"He got a kid and he wanted to be a good husband to Ottavia and everything changed for him," David Chang, a celebrity chef and friend of Bourdain, said in the documentary.

In an interview included in the documentary, Bourdain said he was "never happier than when I'm standing in the backyard being like a TV dad," because it made him feel "normal."

"You know, my whole life I was like a kid with my nose pressed against the glass wondering, 'What must it be like to have a kid, and you know, a normal family, and stand in the backyard with a silly apron, you know, barbecuing burgers?"

"When I find myself doing that, I am like ridiculously stupid happy," he added.

However, while Bourdain was married to his first wife, Nancy Putoski, he didn't spend much time in the kitchen at home, according to the documentary. Bourdain and Putsoki were married from 1985 to 2005.

"I don't cook at home," Bourdain said in a clip of an early interview. "I would love to tell you, you know, 'I go home and I cook fabulous little snackies for my wife.' I would be lying if I told you that. It's more like, 'Honey, call out for Chinese.'"

"Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain" hit theaters on July 16.