Anthony Bourdain – An Icon Dies

I am by every definition a foodie. Food is passion, food is love, food is comfort.

All of our senses are engaged with food. Our sense of smell at a barbecue, our sense of taste when we cherish the spices of a complex Indian dish, our sight when we look at the vibrant colors of steamed vegetables, the slurping sound we make when eating raw oysters, and the feeling of ripeness when we pick our fruits at the grocery store.

Food is pleasure and food is discovery. Of course, it nourishes us, but more importantly it gives us joy.

I have never excluded anything from my diet without trying it first. And there are few things I exclude after having tried them.

Food is about our origin and our roots, but most importantly food is about the roots and origins of our fellow human beings. Exploring food means exploring the world, exploring culture and humanity.

But food is also togetherness. Whether we break bread with our children around the dinner table, or with family at a big holiday or in a restaurant – from hole-in-the wall to fancy – eating is a social event.

We share our happiness with each other and laugh. And we share our sorrows and cry. This is where human interaction is most effective.

This is why the passing of Anthony Bourdain has particularly struck me and – I believe so many in this country and beyond.

Tony was open to all foods and all points of view. He reached deep and far to understand our differences and to recognize our commonalities. And it was all through food. We have lost our captain in this most human of explorations, the discovery of food.