Bourdain was a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and a veteran of many professional kitchens during his career, which included several years spent as an executive chef at Brasserie Les Halles in Manhattan. In the late s Bourdain wrote an essay about the ugly secrets of a Manhattan restaurant, but he was having difficulty getting it published. According to the New York Times , his mother Gladysβthen an editor and writer at the paperβhanded her son's essay to friend and fellow editor Esther B.
Bourdain became a media darling almost overnight. His first food and world-travel television show A Cook's Tour ran for 35 episodes on the Food Network in and In , he began hosting the Travel Channel 's culinary and cultural adventure programs Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations β and The Layover β Although best known for his culinary writings and television presentations, along with several books on food and cooking and travel adventures, Bourdain also wrote both fiction and historical nonfiction.
On June 8, , Bourdain died while on location in France, filming for Parts Unknown , of suicide by hanging. Anthony Michael Bourdain was born in Manhattan on June 25, His father, Pierre β , was a classical music recording industry executive. Anthony's younger brother, Christopher, was born a few years after him. Anthony grew up living with both of his parents and described his childhood in one of his books: "I did not want for love or attention.
My parents loved me. Neither of them drank to excess. Nobody beat me. God was never mentioned so I was annoyed by neither church nor any notion of sin or damnation. Bourdain stated that, although he was considered Jewish by halacha 's definition, "I've never been in a synagogue. I don't believe in a higher power. But that doesn't make me any less Jewish, I don't think". His family was not religious. At the time of Bourdain's birth, Pierre was a salesman at a New York City camera store, as well as a floor manager at a record store.
In his youth, Bourdain was a member of the Boy Scouts of America. Bourdain's love of food was kindled in his youth while on a family vacation in France when he tried his first oyster from a fisherman's boat.
