How Eric Ripert Remembers “My Best Friend” Anthony Bourdain
Eric Ripert discovered Anthony Bourdain after his suicide in France on June 8, 2018.
Anthony Bourdain died by suicide nearly one year ago, and memorializing him on that occasion is a new book, released this week, Anthony Bourdain Remembered.
The book contains array of photos and memories of Bourdain, as well as quotes from a roster of famous names with special connections to the chef — such as Barack Obama, who famously shared beers with him on a plastic stool in Vietnam, Ken Burns, Questlove, humanitarian chef José Andrés, and others.
Also among the contributors is Eric Ripert, who discovered Bourdain's body during filming in France. “Anthony was my best friend," Ripert says in the book. "He was an exceptional human being, so inspiring and generous."
In the book, Riipert also calls Bourdain, "One of the great storytellers of our time who connected with so many around the world on a level rarely seen."
He added, "He brought us all on some incredible journeys.”
The book was originally intended as a “keepsake” for Bourdain's daughter Ariane, and the estate later agreed to share the book publicly.
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), text “help” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 or go to suicidepreventionlifeline.org.
