American celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain has been found dead in his hotel room in France while working on his CNN series on culinary traditions around the world, the network announced Friday. He was 61.
CNN confirmed the death, saying in a statement he was found unresponsive Friday morning by friend and chef Eric Ripert, who regularly appears on Bourdain’s show "Parts Unknown." The network called it a suicide without providing any additional details.
CNN said Bourdain was in Strasbourg filming an upcoming segment in his series.
"It is with extraordinary sadness we can confirm the death of our friend and colleague, Anthony Bourdain," the network said in a statement. "His love of great adventure, new friends, fine food and drink and the remarkable stories of the world made him a unique storyteller. His talents never ceased to amaze us and we will miss him very much. Our thoughts and prayers are with his daughter and family at this incredibly difficult time."
Strasbourg police and emergency services did not immediately have information about the death.
In his travels, Bourdain has eaten everything from rotten shark to sheep testicles.
"Is there anything you won’t eat?" CBS News’ Anthony Mason asked Bourdain in 2016.
"I’ve eaten a lot of bad food, I’ve eaten a lot of putrefied food," Bourdain said. "It’s when no one cares at all, that’s soul-destroying. I mean, maybe I take it too seriously, but I will literally — a really carelessly made burger by a large cynical large company, the contempt implicit in that transaction can really send me into a spiral of depression that will last for days."
