In Memoriam

At 7:20 a.m.,  it was announced that Anthony Bourdain had committed suicide.

I was in my little cubicle at work, staring at my phone in disbelief. He was this juggernaut in a world I love, a man who cast a long shadow into every corner of food media. For a minute, I lost my breathe. I thought,’ no. This can’t be real.’ But it was, and is, real.

‘No Reservations’ was one of the TV programs to kindle my love of food and aspirations of travel. As a young girl, I was in awe of his bravery in these far away places I thought far beyond my reach. As a writer, I loved his every word. He was a master of an emerging craft, someone whose talents and skills were at levels we could only one day hope to achieve. And now he is gone.

There will be no more ‘No Reservations. No more ‘Parts Unknown’. No more guest appearances on Archer, no new books to capture us all. It is a unique emptiness in the world of celebrity, at least for me. I have never dreaded the silence that comes with the passing of a celebrity as much as I dread this.

So tonight, I will cook in his honor, drink in his honor, and eat well. These are the things he would want. Though Anthony Bourdain no longer walks to parts unknown, he has blazed a trail for us to follow in his absence. It is his example I will remember for as far as this experiment of mine will take me.

Thank you, Tony. Without your inspiration, I don’t think I would be the woman I am today.

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