Anthony Bourdain, Prolific Storyteller, Is Dead at 61

We lost one of our great storytellers today. Anthony Bourdain, celebrated author and host of award-winning show Parts Unknown, was found dead at the age of 61. CNN broke the news this morning that Bourdain had died from apparent suicide.

CNN released the following statement:

“It is with extraordinary sadness we can confirm the death of our friend and colleague, Anthony Bourdain. 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 was in France shooting the most recent season of Parts-Unknown. His close friend, Eric Ripert, apparently found him unresponsive in his hotel room.

As the news broke this morning, many people took to Twitter to share their disbelief.

Bourdain came into the spotlight in 2000 with his book Kitchen Confidential, which gave us a glimpse into the often wild and uncertain underbelly of the restaurant scene. Since then he has filmed countless hours of television detailing different aspects of food culture around the world. He has forever changed how and why we talk about food the way we do.

If you or someone you know needs help, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).