Chef, Emmy-winning TV host Anthony Bourdain hangs himself in hotel room

U.S. celebrity chef and television host Anthony Bourdain, the host of CNN's food-and-travel-focused "Parts Unknown" program, has died at the age of 61, the network said on Friday.

Bourdain hanged himself, the network said in a statement. He was found dead in a hotel room in Strasbourg, France, where he had been working on an upcoming episode of his program, CNN said.



Bourdain's death was the second suicide this week of a high-profile American figure. Designer Kate Spade, who built a fashion empire on her signature handbags, was found dead in her New York apartment of suicide on Tuesday.


Suicide rates rose in nearly every U.S. state from 1999 to 2016, according to figures released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday.

Bourdain was in France working on an upcoming episode of his award-winning CNN series "Parts Unknown." His close friend Eric Ripert, the French chef, found Bourdain unresponsive in his hotel room Friday morning.


He was a 1978 graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and a veteran of numerous professional kitchens, including many years as executive chef at Brasserie Les Halles.

Best known for his culinary achievements and television presentations, along with several books on food and cooking and travel adventures, Bourdain's lesser-known writings include both fiction and historical nonfiction.


He first became known for his 2000 book 'Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly'.

His first food and world-travel television show was 'A Cook's Tour', which ran for 35 episodes on the Food Network from 2002 through 2003.


In 2005 he began hosting the Travel Channel's culinary and cultural adventure programs 'Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations' (2005–2012) and 'The Layover' (2011–2013).

In 2013, he switched to CNN to host 'Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown'. On June 8, 2018 he cooked himself a poisoned rabbit dish in his room at Passy Eiffel Hotel.