Anthony Bourdain, the beloved foodie and TV personality that introduced thousands to the sights and tastes of the world, has been found dead at the age of 61. His cause of death is suicide, as has been confirmed by his network CNN. 

“It is with extraordinary sadness we can confirm the death of our friend and colleague, Anthony Bourdain,” said CNN. “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’s body was found in France, where he was working on the next episode of his highly-praised ‘Parts Unknown’ TV series. He was found by the French chef and his close friend Eric Ripert, who said he was unresponsive in his hotel room Friday morning. 

Bourdain’s personal way of introducing new foods and new lands to viewers was universally hailed, making travelling look easy and inspiring. His earlier show ‘No Reservations’ earned him the nickname “the Elvis of bad boy chefs. He was also known for advocating for minorities as well as campaigning for rights related to restaurant workers. 

In 2013 he was awarded a Peabody Award, and his show was praised for “expanding our palates and horizons in equal measure. Anthony Bourdain is irreverent, honest, curious, never condescending, never obsequious. People open up to him and, in doing so, often reveal more about their hometowns or homelands than a traditional reporter could hope to document”.

Anthony Bourdain’s suicide comes soon after the suicide of fashion designer Kate Spade, who was found hanging by her own scarf in her Manhattan apartment last Tuesday, and months after Swedish DJ Avicii also took his own life. 

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RIP Anthony Bourdain

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Johnathan Cilia

Johnathan is an award-winning Maltese journalist interested in social justice, politics, minority issues, music and food. Follow him at @supreofficialmt on Instagram, and send him news, food and music stories at [email protected]