Very sad news to report on Friday (June 8) as revered celebrity chef and cultural force Anthony Bourdain has been found dead of a reported suicide. He was 61.
According to reports, Bourdain was discovered in his hotel in France, where he was staying while filming an episode of CNN’s Parts Unknown. “It is with extraordinary sadness we can confirm the death of our friend and colleague, Anthony Bourdain,” reads a statement released by CNN, via Buzzfeed. “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.”
Pretty much everyone has a Bourdain story, because Bourdain had a seemingly endless arsenal of stories of his own. Effortlessly cool, Bourdain was also a scholar of punk rock, particularly the furious noise that came out of Boston in the ’80s. And as we wrap our heads around the news today, we look back at one of our favorite Bourdain TV appearances, when he was in Boston filming an episode of Travel Channel’s No Reservations back in 2011.
In the episode, Bourdain saddles up to the bar of Dorchester’s Eire Pub, and alongside musician Mike Ruffino, presented to the world the story of “banned” Boston punk rock band The Unband.
Watch the clip below.
RIP, sir.
National Suicide Prevention hotline: 1-800-273-8255
Crisis Text Line: text HOME to 741741