RIP Anthony Bourdain

I, like many, still can’t believe it. From the outside, you never know what’s going on with someone, but it just doesn’t add up. Between his show, writings, interviews and having the opportunity to see him twice, he appeared so centered.

In October 2016, I saw him in Boston after visiting Trillium earlier in the day. In part of the evening, he addressed foodies and beer culture. He said he didn’t rate food any longer just enjoyed it. He went on to talking about being in sf and noticing people ordering flights and making notes on each pour rather than enjoying it as an accompaniment to being social. He continued and described eating a dish with friends on a Caribbean island w a red stripe and how it was just perfect.

Whatever happened, it’s a tragic ending to a life well lived. I’m thankful for the philosophy he shared with those who would listen.

 

I am not saying that antidepressants are the cause of an uptick in suicides, and I agree the proliferation of firearms along with huge socioeconomic disparities have more to do with why people are actually becoming depressed and seeking suicide as an answer, however there are studies that show that as people seek help for depression and start taking medication they find themselves no longer completely debilitated by their condition. Unfortunately in some cases once that condition lifts a bit and the suicidal thoughts are still there it creates a perfect storm. I am not advocating against medication, in some cases it is the only viable option. I am merely stating that it is common knowledge in the mental health field that suicide threats increase when chemical treatment for depression begins.

 

I was binging on some of his shows the other night. Nothing but respect for the guy. One episode in particular he was revisiting the area of Massachusetts where he grew up and looking back on his youth. He said something to the effect of man I don't know why I was so angry in my 20s and seemed to have life in perspective.

Just goes to show just when you think you have overcome a personal problem that's right when it sneaks back up on you. Tis a shame.

All of us as beer advocates can learn from how he approached beer as something to drink with a meal or at a location but never the primary source of stimulation.

 

Like the Dalai Lama, Bourdain seemed to have an intense interest and curiousity in people, all people. There was such honesty, modesty, dare I say even humility? He had an appetite for life it's own self - and, like the Dalail Lama, he was grateful for hospitality and always ate what others were happy to share with him.

 

I was a professional chef for 20 years. This man ate and drank his way across the world. His opinion was invaluable, for me at least. The world lost an unapologetic man and told it how it was. I will forever miss the quality feedback from this man. I am deeply saddened by this loss.

 

Never cared for him much. Or his politics and ideology.

 

Well, good for you.

 

Not trying to make light of your comment but it reminds me of the Rick & Morty episode where Tiny Rick is pleading for help while singing and everyone just ignores and dances along. Funny moment because you think how can everyone just ignore blatant calls for help, but then you have situations like what you mentioned and it's clear that the satire wasn't just an exaggeration of how we react.

 

If you read his books and listened to him early in his career ,he had a distant dark side to his thoughts,and I am sorry if I my thoughts do not match yours,but in Rome episode he states" God will not help you" I loved his No
Reservation shows much more than Parts Unknown.It is tough to continue the life away from drugs.His memory will
live on.It was the Rome Layover

 

His shows were always pretty interesting though. His suicide doesn't surprise me however, as even though most people say "he had it all, a dream job etc", there was always sort of a darker element to his work. Seems like every time he'd have a lighter moment, you pretty much knew that shortly after that he'd having something downcast to say. Long before his death he just never struck me as being a genuinely happy fellow for very long.

I wasn't so much a fan of the man either, but I do greatly admire much of his work. Rest in peace sir, and may his young daughter somehow find as much comfort in her life going forward as possible.

 

So great an RIP thread has reduced to antidepressant fear mongering and factually muddy dogma.

Amazing dude. Met him twice. Nice as can be and very true to the person he put out to the world. I can't say I'm surprised but he had a lot of valuable input. If you loved him or hated him, agreed or disagreed, the man sparked conversations. Better than most of the drivel here .

 

Sounds like I missed out on a worthwhile person, based on the respect being shown here, and other tributes. I guess it is a worthy topic here due to his apparent love of drinking beer.

Glad to see the focus being brought to bear on the mental health crisis in this country, which doesn't result only in mass murder, but also in many other negative consequences such as an epidemic of suicide. Hopefully it will be met with less apathy and denial than it has been recently when attention has been focused due to tragedy.

 

Great man, lots of enemies. Plenty conspiracy theories floating around, so I'm not the only one who said "bullshit" when labeled a suicide

 

Very sad. Just never know what someone is going through. I’ve been in some dark places myself...even thought of drinking alone when in those dark places.
However, I always thought, no...libations are for the good times, hence the term “happy hour”, why not stay focused to work through to another day beyond the darkness even if I have to crawl to get there. But I digress...I like the Lou Brown philosophy of “hanging around & giving them all a nice big shit burger to eat.”
Being from the CLE, I’ll always enjoy that episode of No Reservations & seeing Tony sitting down w/Harvey Pekar & Marky Ramone

 

A big thank you for posting all of that info! For anyone interested, they spend some time on Kolsch beer throughout the episode, but Dusseldorf and Uerige are also featured in a very brief side trip.

 

I think the sentiment behind this is wonderful, but sometimes you have to progress from taking notes and nerding out over flights to really appreciate the simplicity of a cold Red Stripe, or High Life, or whatever to wash down a burger or some noodles. You know?

His whole ethos was that the food and drink that millions of people enjoy every day have merit and value, simply on account of the fact that people share them with one another. Not everything needs to be artisan, small batch, limited to be good. Those things can also be appreciated, but there is something about a simple dish, prepared in a home kitchen or a hole-in-the-wall spot by someone who has made it hundreds of times that is far deeper and more significant than any gourmet or cutting edge restaurant. Probably going to taste better and be more satisfying, too.

 

Jim Harrison is the greatest writer that too many people do not know. I treasure his work.

 

As do I.

Edit - The next time in Montana the Murray is on my list. The Hitching Post in Melrose on the banks of the Big Hole River is too, they have a picture of Jim Harrison behind the bar.

 

One more thing, the wife and I have been to the Dunes Saloon in Grand Marais MI, and the Vierling in Marquette MI, which both are mentioned in his works.

Edit - for those that don’t know, Jim Harrison was a favorite of the Chef set. He wrote about hunting, fishing, cooking what he harvested from the land. He also had traveled extensively.

Jim Harrison was found dead with a pencil in hand at his writing table, working until the end.

 

His thinking and writing is a fine melding of Loren Eiseley's erudition and Cormac McCarthy's style.