COOK MAGAZINE - July 2018

En este número

It’s been over a month since chef, TV host and author Anthony Bourdian was found lifeless due to an apparent suicide.

That he was in France, filming for his show Parts Unknown and was found by friend and three-starred Michelin Chef Eric Ripert is somewhat poetic. He was in the home of fine food. He was back in France, his second home. France is where his family was originally from and where he spent summers as a child. Like many well-loved pop culture icons, he went out on top, and for millions of his fans, much too soon. What made his death even more shocking was that he took his own life. He who travelled and ate for a living, the guy who had the best job in the world just decided his life sucked and ended it.

The day Anthony Bourdain died, social media was flooded with posts about his life, his work and how he has been part of so many people’s lives. As far as the Philippines may be from Bourdain’s hometown of New York, based on how Filipinos were affected by his death, you’d think he lived and grew up here. But that was exactly why Anthony Bourdain became a worldwide sensation. His wit, sincerity, ability to empathize and just the way he interacted with everyone in his shows has endeared him to his multitude of followers. He is a master storyteller, never focusing on just the food or just the sights. His views on politics, on society, on the food industry and just about anything on earth is masterfully woven in between bites of mostly delectable food he travels the world for.

In his first show on the Philippines, No Reservations – Philippines, he got only a glimpse of our food, which disappointed many.

His claim of having had “the best pig ever” in Cebu was a consolation, but after his first trip here, most of us felt he should’ve tried more and stayed longer. There was so much more to taste and see, and wasting a section of the episode on Farmers Market, eating generic paluto food was a bit frustrating.
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