This hit really hard. Growing up in a tiny apartment, Tony was literally always on the tv. No joke like literally four hours a day every day between 2pm and 6pm. I can't listen to his monologues now without thinking about the sounds and smells of dinner being made in the other room, my parents folding laundry, all that. Tony was on the tv so much that he felt kind of like a family friend, like an uncle or something (weird to have a familial parasocial relationship with a celeb like that, looking back), with his stories and his jokes, and idk if i realized that until he died in 2018.
But anyways it's very reassuring to read this and know i'm not alone in it. The power of a great post i guess. Tony had such a weird role in our lives and i hope he realized it in at least some way while he was alive. And also kitchen confidential is an absolute ride, love that book sm
It’s so funny to me that introvert/intellectual kids all had the same relationship with Tony growing up. He was just SO cool. And by watching him, we felt cool by association in a way. You’re definitely not alone. And we definitely get to honor him today by facing all the opportunities that life has to offer to us ( and writing about them lol)
Reading Kitchen Confidential inspired me to at least give one semester of culinary school a go. Bourdain was one of a kind. I mourn celebrities who’ve had an impact on my life as well. They helped me, through their art, be the person I am today. For me, it was Anthony Bourdain in the culinary field and Robin Williams in the realm of acting and theatre. May their souls rest in peace.
Oh wow.. Robin Williams is another one that hits really deep for me too. I think it feels right to mourn and honor someone that made you who you are today. Because even though you’ve never met them, they’re with you on your personality, they’re with you on little things like jokes you make or good dishes you love making… They’re not really gone, although they’re not physically present.
I loved Bourdain and was lucky to see him live during his Guts and Glory Tour in 2013. I’ll never forget it. It was wonderful to revisit those memories while reading your beautiful text.
hi, Juliana!!! Thank you so much! It brings me so much joy that you saw him and appreciated him while he was still here with us and i feel so happy to know that i brought back good memories to you!!! 🫶🏻🫶🏻🥹
This is so beautiful Amanda 💗 he was a true legend!! My boyfriend introduced me to him and his work and he truly was such a special human.. not only for his love of food and restaurants but PEOPLE and THE WORLD and as you said, he’s an amazing writer too!! I loved this tribute to him so much
sonja!!! i’m so glad you’re here (always) and it means the world to me that you read this and appreciated it. And exactly, although he’s no longer with us, his love continues because loving someone or something is never a waste. Love is never ending! 🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻
This day is always a hard one for me. I was so enamored with Tony...I too grew up with him. "A Cook's Tour", then "No Reservations", and "Parts Unknown". My family called them all "the Tony show" as in "Did you see that stew on this week's Tony show?!?" I read and reread Kitchen Confidential, it was holy scripture in the restaurant world. I'm glad you dumped all those boyfriends who didn't get it, because fuck them...if I have to be hopelessly sad every June for an eternity, I'm fine with it. It's a reminder that someone you never met can touch you deeply and live in your heart always.
hi, Eileen! Thank you so much for your words! He really was with us throughout our whole life and he will stay with us forever through our memories… thank you for a beautiful comment! 🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻
Second I saw Anthony Bourdain, I had to click! I’ve been listening to Parts Unknown podcasts non stop everywhere and am currently reading ‘Kitchen Confidential’. Unfortunately, when searching about celebrities you don’t know, there’s the odd chance you’ll find out that they died after you’ve started to fall in love with them and for Bourdain and hooks, I felt the same sadness finding out I would never get to meet them and that they are no longer with us. His New Yorker essay on food was the first time I had read a publication on an interest that wasn’t mine that I was still gripped upon and I think you have captured the essence of Bourdain’s ability to open himself up and create room to share very well in this read❤️
thank you so much for this comment!!! i appreciated it SO much. And i agree, it’s so sad that they’re no longer with us, and there’s nothing for us to do besides appreciating the masterpieces they left behind. And by doing that, maybe we feel them with us a little bit. They’ll be alive in our hearts forever. 🫶🏻
Some how in that piece whe nhe says, "shut up you're spoiling the view." That says a lot. I don't know why, it just sticks with me. I guess we get caught up in so much in our lives, we miss the view. It means something. It's true. I was crushed on hearing of his passing. Funny, I still think of him too. Not like you but it just does, no dreams though. That quote just sits with me. It's burned into my brain.
I REALLY need to watch parts unknown!! I’ve only seen a couple eps but I have long been a big traveler and I just love the way he approaches travel, so focused on culture!! ❤️
I randomly stumbled across your page, saw Tony's face and immediately clicked--I'm glad I did. This is so poignant. It's crazy and beautiful how one seemingly random person can bring together so many people with his genuinely magical spirit. Thank you for this beautiful piece!
I love this sm! Tony loved Vietnam! I’m currently here and embracing how he loved the people and especially the street food. I’m in foodie paradise and dedicating every beer to my guy.
you’re in vietnam?!! oh my god that’s so cool. Vietnam is a place that i dream of visiting because of Tony. His appreciation for Vietnam was so so sweet and it does feel like such a special place. The foodie paradise indeed!
perfectly said, he was a rare soul. I was absolutely hooked on his personality, wit, the way he could pull a story out of his guests on Parts Unknown, the food! Everything about what he stood oozed joie de vivre and authenticity. His death hit me like a shockwave as well. I was not surprised to see he was a writer either because he just had that forward thinking curiosity for people and places, sharing laughs over food with us. It all just felt like being at home with a family friend for all the explorers who admired him in his lifetime. Long Live Tony's memory in all of us.
Oooof this tugged at the ol ticker pretty hard ❤️I have to say as a documentary skeptic I was pleasantly surprised by ‘Roadrunner’. But you’re right, he surely would’ve loathed it.
The last few months, I first found out about Anthony Bourdain and fell in love. My gut twisted when I found out he was in no longer alive then it wrenched again when I found out why. People like him are beacons of humanity. People like him are those who we need now. I wonder what he would’ve thought of Covid… I wonder what he would’ve thought of everything.
Yes!!! We need people like him so much these days… I really have a huge hole in my heart because of that, the world is really missing someone like him. And i have no doubt he would be on the human side of things when it comes to all these matters! Because he was so human, above all else…
This hit really hard. Growing up in a tiny apartment, Tony was literally always on the tv. No joke like literally four hours a day every day between 2pm and 6pm. I can't listen to his monologues now without thinking about the sounds and smells of dinner being made in the other room, my parents folding laundry, all that. Tony was on the tv so much that he felt kind of like a family friend, like an uncle or something (weird to have a familial parasocial relationship with a celeb like that, looking back), with his stories and his jokes, and idk if i realized that until he died in 2018.
But anyways it's very reassuring to read this and know i'm not alone in it. The power of a great post i guess. Tony had such a weird role in our lives and i hope he realized it in at least some way while he was alive. And also kitchen confidential is an absolute ride, love that book sm
It’s so funny to me that introvert/intellectual kids all had the same relationship with Tony growing up. He was just SO cool. And by watching him, we felt cool by association in a way. You’re definitely not alone. And we definitely get to honor him today by facing all the opportunities that life has to offer to us ( and writing about them lol)
Reading Kitchen Confidential inspired me to at least give one semester of culinary school a go. Bourdain was one of a kind. I mourn celebrities who’ve had an impact on my life as well. They helped me, through their art, be the person I am today. For me, it was Anthony Bourdain in the culinary field and Robin Williams in the realm of acting and theatre. May their souls rest in peace.
Oh wow.. Robin Williams is another one that hits really deep for me too. I think it feels right to mourn and honor someone that made you who you are today. Because even though you’ve never met them, they’re with you on your personality, they’re with you on little things like jokes you make or good dishes you love making… They’re not really gone, although they’re not physically present.
I loved Bourdain and was lucky to see him live during his Guts and Glory Tour in 2013. I’ll never forget it. It was wonderful to revisit those memories while reading your beautiful text.
hi, Juliana!!! Thank you so much! It brings me so much joy that you saw him and appreciated him while he was still here with us and i feel so happy to know that i brought back good memories to you!!! 🫶🏻🫶🏻🥹
This is so beautiful Amanda 💗 he was a true legend!! My boyfriend introduced me to him and his work and he truly was such a special human.. not only for his love of food and restaurants but PEOPLE and THE WORLD and as you said, he’s an amazing writer too!! I loved this tribute to him so much
sonja!!! i’m so glad you’re here (always) and it means the world to me that you read this and appreciated it. And exactly, although he’s no longer with us, his love continues because loving someone or something is never a waste. Love is never ending! 🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻
This day is always a hard one for me. I was so enamored with Tony...I too grew up with him. "A Cook's Tour", then "No Reservations", and "Parts Unknown". My family called them all "the Tony show" as in "Did you see that stew on this week's Tony show?!?" I read and reread Kitchen Confidential, it was holy scripture in the restaurant world. I'm glad you dumped all those boyfriends who didn't get it, because fuck them...if I have to be hopelessly sad every June for an eternity, I'm fine with it. It's a reminder that someone you never met can touch you deeply and live in your heart always.
hi, Eileen! Thank you so much for your words! He really was with us throughout our whole life and he will stay with us forever through our memories… thank you for a beautiful comment! 🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻
Second I saw Anthony Bourdain, I had to click! I’ve been listening to Parts Unknown podcasts non stop everywhere and am currently reading ‘Kitchen Confidential’. Unfortunately, when searching about celebrities you don’t know, there’s the odd chance you’ll find out that they died after you’ve started to fall in love with them and for Bourdain and hooks, I felt the same sadness finding out I would never get to meet them and that they are no longer with us. His New Yorker essay on food was the first time I had read a publication on an interest that wasn’t mine that I was still gripped upon and I think you have captured the essence of Bourdain’s ability to open himself up and create room to share very well in this read❤️
thank you so much for this comment!!! i appreciated it SO much. And i agree, it’s so sad that they’re no longer with us, and there’s nothing for us to do besides appreciating the masterpieces they left behind. And by doing that, maybe we feel them with us a little bit. They’ll be alive in our hearts forever. 🫶🏻
Some how in that piece whe nhe says, "shut up you're spoiling the view." That says a lot. I don't know why, it just sticks with me. I guess we get caught up in so much in our lives, we miss the view. It means something. It's true. I was crushed on hearing of his passing. Funny, I still think of him too. Not like you but it just does, no dreams though. That quote just sits with me. It's burned into my brain.
You should really check his work out, you’ll love it! Tony was such a chill guy, and his whole body of work is impeccable. He was just the coolest!
I REALLY need to watch parts unknown!! I’ve only seen a couple eps but I have long been a big traveler and I just love the way he approaches travel, so focused on culture!! ❤️
OMG PLEASE DO!!! It’s so so cool. 🥹🥹🥹🥹
Incredible writing Amanda! I truly loved this
Thank you so much!! 🥹✨🫶🏻💌
I randomly stumbled across your page, saw Tony's face and immediately clicked--I'm glad I did. This is so poignant. It's crazy and beautiful how one seemingly random person can bring together so many people with his genuinely magical spirit. Thank you for this beautiful piece!
oh my god, Amalia!!! I really don’t get why i’m only seeing this now but thank you so much for this! i really appreciate it so much! 🩷✨🫶🏻🥹💌🌟
I love this sm! Tony loved Vietnam! I’m currently here and embracing how he loved the people and especially the street food. I’m in foodie paradise and dedicating every beer to my guy.
you’re in vietnam?!! oh my god that’s so cool. Vietnam is a place that i dream of visiting because of Tony. His appreciation for Vietnam was so so sweet and it does feel like such a special place. The foodie paradise indeed!
perfectly said, he was a rare soul. I was absolutely hooked on his personality, wit, the way he could pull a story out of his guests on Parts Unknown, the food! Everything about what he stood oozed joie de vivre and authenticity. His death hit me like a shockwave as well. I was not surprised to see he was a writer either because he just had that forward thinking curiosity for people and places, sharing laughs over food with us. It all just felt like being at home with a family friend for all the explorers who admired him in his lifetime. Long Live Tony's memory in all of us.
Exactly!!! He felt like a close friend🫶🏻 Thank you so much for this comment!!!
Oh to be seen the way you see Tony Bourdain! Beautiful, beautiful piece. Also-- I still cry over Steve Irwin.
Awww Cassidy!! Thank you so much for this comment!!! 🫶🏻🥹 Awww, i love Steve Irwin also!
bourdain forever ❤️
🥹🫶🏻
Oooof this tugged at the ol ticker pretty hard ❤️I have to say as a documentary skeptic I was pleasantly surprised by ‘Roadrunner’. But you’re right, he surely would’ve loathed it.
hi daisy!!! thank you so much for reading this, i really appreciate it!! and you’re so right, i have no doubts he would’ve hated all of these lol
The last few months, I first found out about Anthony Bourdain and fell in love. My gut twisted when I found out he was in no longer alive then it wrenched again when I found out why. People like him are beacons of humanity. People like him are those who we need now. I wonder what he would’ve thought of Covid… I wonder what he would’ve thought of everything.
Yes!!! We need people like him so much these days… I really have a huge hole in my heart because of that, the world is really missing someone like him. And i have no doubt he would be on the human side of things when it comes to all these matters! Because he was so human, above all else…