President Obama joins other big names in posting touching tributes to Anthony Bourdain
As the shocking news of Anthony Bourdain's death reverberated around the world, the world took to social media to remember the chef and TV personality, sharing memories and thoughts on the man who made such a large impact on his industry and beyond.
Bourdain rocketed to fame thanks to his 2000 book Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly, an early excerpt of which appeared in a 1999 issue of The New Yorker. He later wrote several more books -- and even a graphic novel -- and his writing continued to appear in places like the New Yorker and the New York Times.
Television was also a welcome home for Bourdain, who hosted several travel food shows, most notably No Reservations and Parts Unknown, and was a frequent guest on food-related shows like Top Chef.
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Through all of these works, Bourdain was, at times, brash and outspoken, the originator of the new wave of "celebrity chefs" that have dominated pop culture over the last decade-plus. But he was also authentic and vibrant, using his platform to bring a broadened sense of culinary and cultural experiences to the masses.
It was an amazing, expansive career, one that left a large imprint on millions, and the sadness of his death was felt by a wide swath of people who shared their feelings on his passing.
His girlfriend Asia Argento posted a statement on Thursday afternoon.
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His partner on-screen, Eric Ripert, also shared a statement later on Friday afternoon.
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And many big names were quick to share how he'd touched their lives -- and them was former president Barack Obama, who shared a dinner with Bourdain in Vietnam while he was still president in 2016.
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Finally, this thread from artist Shivana Sookdeo explains why Bourdain meant so much to so many. Be sure to click through to read the entire thing.
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Marcus Gilmer is Mashable's Assistant Real-Times News Editor on the West Coast, reporting on breaking news from his location in San Francisco. An Alabama native, Marcus earned his BA from Birmingham-Southern College and his MFA in Communications from the University of New Orleans. Marcus has previously worked for Chicagoist, The A.V. Club, the Chicago Sun-Times and the San Francisco Chronicle.
