CNN honors the life of Anthony Bourdain

Reactions to Anthony Bourdain's death

By Meg Wagner and Brian Ries, CNN

Updated 2142 GMT (0542 HKT) June 8, 2018
21 Posts
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12:44 p.m. ET, June 8, 2018

CNN honors the life of Anthony Bourdain

Tonight at 10 o'clock, CNN will air a special report on the life and legacy of our colleague Anthony Bourdain. "Remembering Anthony Bourdain" will feature tributes from members of the CNN family reflecting on the impact of the uniquely gifted storyteller.

Tomorrow, starting at 8 p.m. ET, there will be a marathon of Bourdain's favorite "Parts Unknown" episodes with a special introduction from Anderson Cooper.

12:31 p.m. ET, June 8, 2018

A New York deli set out Anthony Bourdain's usual breakfast order

Barney Greengrass, a Jewish deli in Manhattan, set out Anthony Bourdain's usual breakfast order alongside an empty chair, according to a tweet from a reporter at CNN affiliate NY1.

On the table: Nova Scotia lox and egg scramble, bagels, coffee and juice.

"He was a customer here for many years," Barney Greengrass owner Gary Greengrass told CNN. "He came in the store [and] made everyone feel at home."

Greengrass remembers Bourdain's favorite breakfast order: Nova Scotia eggs and onions--sometimes a bagel.

"He was true to who he was; he was a regular guy," said Greengrass. "TV makes you famous but he never acted that way. Never looked for anything special.

12:10 p.m. ET, June 8, 2018

President Obama: Anthony Bourdain taught us about food's ability to bring us together

Former President Barack Obama says he'll always remember the meal he shared with Anthony Bourdain in Vietnam.

"He taught us about food — but more importantly, about its ability to bring us together. To make us a little less afraid of the unknown. We’ll miss him," Obama tweeted.

Bourdain and Obama dined together in Hanoi, Vietnam in 2016.

Over a dish of Bun Cha, Obama shared personal stories and reflected on his own international travels. 

Here's how Bourdain described the dinner:

I can tell you that Barack Obama was, in spite of having had a high-ranking leader of the Taliban whacked in Pakistan a few days previous, very relaxed and at ease. He seemed to enjoy himself sitting on a low plastic stool eating noodles and pork bits with chopsticks.I talked to him as a father, as an enthusiast for the region, and he responded with real nostalgia for the Indonesian and Hawaiian street food of his youth.

12:06 p.m. ET, June 8, 2018

How will you remember Anthony Bourdain's life and legacy? How did he impact you?

CNN mourns the loss of Anthony Bourdain, our beloved friend and colleague who died today at 61.

A gifted storyteller, writer, chef and activist, he inspired so many people to travel, to explore new cultures, and to connect with people around the world through good food and wide-ranging conversations.

We welcome here any memories, moments or inspiration “Tony” gave to you.

11:45 a.m. ET, June 8, 2018

This French chef shares a matching spoon tattoo with Anthony Bourdain

French chef Ludo Lefebvre shared a photo of his spoon tattoo in rememberance of Anthony Bourdain.

Bourdain has a matching tattoo, he said. Lefebvre and Bourdain were both judges on ABC cooking show "The Taste," which featured a spoon in its logo. They got the body art together in 2015, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

"Forever with me Tony. Looking at the spoon tattoo we share fills my heart with so much sadness today, but forever will be a reminder that you believed in me," Lefebvre tweeted.

11:38 a.m. ET, June 8, 2018

Emeril Lagasse: "Tony was a great soul, a mentor, a friend"

Anthony Bourdain and Emeril Lagasse speak at the Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival in February 2014
Anthony Bourdain and Emeril Lagasse speak at the Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival in February 2014 Dylan Rives/Getty Images for Food Network SoBe Wine & Food Festival

Superstar chef Emeril Lagasse tweeted that he's shocked and saddened by Anthony Bourdain's death.

He followed up with a second tweet with information for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline:

11:21 a.m. ET, June 8, 2018

Celebrity chefs share suicide prevention resources in tweets remembering Anthony Bourdain

Following Anthony Bourdain's death, notable chefs and celebrities are remembering their friend but also tweeting out information for the National Suicide Prevention Hotline, and other suicide prevention resources.

Here's what they've said:

"Cake Boss" star Buddy Valastro

Red Rooster head chef Marcus Samuelsson

Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay:

Food Network personality Simon Majumdar:

11:04 a.m. ET, June 8, 2018

Networks where Bourdain got his start remember the star chef

The Travel Channel and Food Network, which each ran an Anthony Bourdain show, have tweeted about the news of the chef's death.

"He was an incredible talent who showed us beautiful, gritty, complicated and delicious places in every corner of the world," the Travel Channel tweeted.

Food Network retweeted the Travel Channel's message, adding information for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline:

First, he hosted "A Cook's Tour" on the Food Network, then moved to the Travel Channel with "Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations," a breakout hit that earned two Emmy Awards and more than a dozen nominations.

In 2013, both Bourdain and CNN took a risk by bringing him to the news network still best known for breaking news and headlines. Bourdain quickly became one of the principal faces of the network and one of the linchpins of its prime-time schedule.

10:30 a.m. ET, June 8, 2018

Ted Allen: "Tony Bourdain made the world a smarter, better place"

TV personality and "Chopped" host Ted Allen shared a photo os himself talking with Anthony Bourdain.

"Tony Bourdain made the world a smarter, better place," Allen wrote.