Anthony Bourdain

Anthony Bourdain was a professional chef and travel documentarian. Bourdain was born in Manhattan but spent most of his youth in the New Jersey suburbs. His love of culinary arts stemmed from his French background, and he briefly attended Vassar College before deciding to become a chef. Bourdian graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in 1978.

After graduating, the chef worked at numerous New York City restaurants. By 1998, he was promoted to executive chef at Manhattan’s Brasserie Les Halles, where he remained until it closed in 2017.

Throughout his career, Bourdain published multiple books spanning from culinary mysteries to travel memoirs. His first book, Bone in the Throat, was published in 1995, and some of his other works include A Cook’s Tour: Global Adventures in Extreme Cuisines (2001) and No Reservations: Around the World on an Empty Stomach (2007).

The chef was well known for hosting both cooking and travel shows, including A Cook’s Tour, Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations and Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown. He also appeared on the competition show The Taste as a mentor and judge, earning two Emmy nominations for the role.

Bourdain wed Nancy Putkoski from 1985 to 2005. Following their split, he married Ottavia Busia in 2007. The couple welcomed daughter Ariane the same year and divorced in 2016. He dated actress Asia Argento from 2016 to 2018.

Bourdain died by suicide while filming in France in 2018.