Reflections on Anthony Bourdain, Celebrated Chef and TV Host Who Opposed Racism and Xenophobia

By catherine lizette gonzalez Jun 08, 2018

Anthony Bourdain, the award-winning chef, author and tv host, was found dead today (June 8) in his hotel room in Strasbourg, France. CNN confirmed that Bourdain died by suicide. He was 61.

Bourdain spent two decades working in the restaurant industry before he went on to document his experience working in New York City’s culinary world. He first published an influential essay in The New Yorker that explored the restaurant universe of cooks and servers. Bourdain eventually became a television host, hosting the travel and food shows “No Reservations” on Travel Channel and CNN’s "Parts Unknown."

When White people write about food, it’s often told through a fetishistic, colonialist gaze. But Bourdain, a White man, centered the narratives of the places and people who he visited and spoke to. He educated viewers on how colonialism and resistance movements shaped food all over the world.

In his writing and in interviews, Bourdain remained outspoken about racism in the food industry, including the denigration of immigrant restaurant workers, the culinary world’s racist classification of "fine dining" and the lack of mentorship and support for Black chefs. His advocacy for marginalized groups extended beyond the culinary world. In 2017, he emerged as an ally in the #MeToo movement, after his partner, Asia Argento, came forward with accusations of sexual misconduct against Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein.

Bourdain’s show "Parts Unkown" aimed to battle xenophobia and intolerance by showing the humanity of people of color everywhere. In 2014, the Muslim Public Affairs Council honored him for an episode that highlighted Gaza. In his award acceptance speech, Bourdain vocalized his support for Palestinians. “The world has visited many terrible things on the Palestinian people, none more shameful than robbing them of their basic humanity,” he said. “People are not statistics. That is all we attempted to show."

On Friday, people of color on Twitter mourned Bourdain’s death by sharing reflections on how his legacy impacted their lives and communities.

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