Éric Ripert, José Andrés Honor Anthony Bourdain On His Birthday
Beloved chef and TV host Anthony Bourdain would've turned 63 on June 25. In his honor, two of his friends, French chef Éric Ripert and Spanish-American chef José Andrés, have declared June 25 "Bourdain Day," and are urging fans to celebrate with a simple tribute anyone can make.
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"On this day we will celebrate the life, legacy and birthday of our dear friend Anthony," Ripert wrote in an Instagram post showing a video of the two chefs. "Wherever you are and whoever you're with, on June 25, join Chef José Andrés and I by taking a moment to post and share your tributes and memories of Anthony using #BourdainDay and wish him peace, love and a very Happy Birthday on his journey."
In the video, the two clown around like old pals, with Andrés teasingly translating Ripert's words, even though both speak in English. The two urge fans to raise a toast to Bourdain on his day, and manage to spill a lot of liquid while demonstrating.
Bourdain's death by suicide, which happened while he was in France filming an episode of his CNN show "Parts Unknown," stunned friends and fans alike. The chef first came to fame in 2000 with his book, "Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly," and went on to host numerous food and travel shows.
Bourdain has been gone for a year, but he's definitely not forgotten. A professor at Nicholls State University in Louisiana taught a class this spring about Bourdain and his influencers. A memorial book about Bourdain was published in May, and CNN is producing a feature documentary about Bourdain's life that will play both in theaters and on the cable news channel. Travelers can now trace Bourdain's culinary footsteps in New Jersey, the state where he was raised, by following the new Anthony Bourdain Food Trail. His memory lives on, too, in the 11 ways Bourdain forever changed the food world.