Bourdain was in France working on an upcoming episode of his CNN series Parts Unknown when he was found unresponsive in his hotel room this morning. The cable news network reported that the cause of death was suicide. News of Bourdain’s passing comes three days after the fashion designer Kate Spade committed suicide and a day after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a report on rising suicide rates in the United States. “It is with extraordinary sadness we can confirm the death of our friend and colleague, Anthony Bourdain,” the network said in a statement. “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.”
‘The Elvis of Bad Boy Chefs’
Born June 25, 1956, in New York City, Bourdain graduated from the Culinary Institute of America. After working in several restaurants, he became the executive chef at New York’s Brasserie Les Halles. Outside the kitchen, he was a best-selling author. His nonfiction book Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly, a behind-the-scenes look at the restaurant business, was published in 2000. In the book, Bourdain wrote candidly about his past drug use, which included cocaine and heroin. A sequel, titled Medium Raw: A Bloody Valentine to the World of Food and the People Who Cook, was published in 2010. Bourdain hosted many TV series, beginning with A Cook’s Tour on the Food Network. He joined CNN in 2013 as host of the Emmy Award–winning Parts Unknown, a food and travel show. In a July 2014 article in Smithsonian Magazine, Bourdain was described as a culinary rock star and “the Elvis of bad boy chefs.”
Celebrity Deaths and Suicide
Bourdain’s is the latest celebrity death linked to suicide, following the passing this week of the internationally renowned designer Kate Spade. Spade, 55, died in her New York apartment on Tuesday. Her death was ruled a suicide yesterday by the city medical examiner. In 1993, Spade and her husband founded the handbag and accessories company that bears her name. It has since become a global brand with 300 stores worldwide. Nearly 45,000 lives were lost to suicide in 2016 alone. It is a leading cause of death in the United States, and rates have been rising despite increased prevention and awareness efforts. According to the CDC, suicide rates increased in almost every state between 1999 and 2016. Only Nevada saw a 1 percent decline. Overall, suicide rates have risen more than 30 percent in half the states since 1999. In a state-by-state breakdown, the increases were as high as 57.6 percent. The CDC reports that more than half (54 percent) of people who died by suicide did not have a known mental health condition. Many factors can contribute to suicide risk, including relationship problems, financial troubles, health issues, and substance abuse. For immediate help regarding suicidal thoughts or ideation, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 (TALK) or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741.
