THE LOSS OF ANTHONY BOURDAIN

Anthony Bourdain's death is a sad event in culinary and entertainment history. He was definitely the rocker chef of this modern day. His cool rock star attitude started a new craze, chefs wanted to be him. They wanted to tell it like it is, "Hey I understand Tony, we did coke and weed, and shit like that in kitchens when we were starting out, and we're still doing it."

I first heard of Bourdain through my manager at a restaurant I used to do prep work at. She says, "Hey Ron I just read Kitchen Confidential, by Anthony Bourdain." Who is that? Well, I went out to the nearest Walden Books and read the book. I am cheap. But the stories he told I could relate myself. OK, I wasn't hard core like Anthony, but hard enough that I'd wake up on someone's couch dazed and confused. Or having a pitcher of beer in the chiller, and lines of coke in the restroom. Not trying to copy Bourdain's stories, but I understand myself what that book was all about. Thank God Bourdain wrote that book. In the past chefs were boring assholes. So full of themselves. But Anthony, he told a story, and man could he ever!

Well you all know him by now, I do not have to go and tell you what he was about, you can look it up yourselves. What I'm getting at is why did he have to take his own life? I'll miss his stories on CNN. He's gone forever, only his reruns on YouTube will keep him alive.

I wish Anthony would have talked to someone about whatever it was he was going through. So sad. When I heard of his death, recollections of the deaths of Kurt Cobain, Bonn Scott, John Bonham, Keith Moon, Chris Cornell, and Chester Bennington echoed loudly. Why those guys? They were rockers, much like Bourdain. They lived that life.

But with each suicide, I hope someone will learn, that taking their own life really is the easy way out. I'm not the most religious person, or God fearing, or spiritual. But I do believe Bourdain's life had much to offer. His test was not over yet. Maybe I'm wrong. But I question his soul if it is resting in peace, if there ever is such a thing. I mean I won't know until I die myself. Whatever. It's just sad this talented chef and story teller is gone from the fans, he taught more than what food was about, but people and the culture behind the foods. That's why I can't digest other food shows, where it's like scripted reality BS. If Bourdain's work was totally scripted, it was for the betterment of humanity, and I'll take those scripted shows any day. Well Tony, if you somehow are floating around us unseen, take it easy man.