New Book Details Painful Last Days of Writer and Chef Anthony Bourdain

A soon-to-be-released unauthorized biography of celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain chronicles the painful final days leading up to his suicide in a French hotel on June 8, 2018.

The new book, “Down and Out in Paradise: The Life of Anthony Bourdain,” reveals text exchanges between Bourdain and his estranged girlfriend, Italian actress Asia Argento as well as his ex-wife Ottavia Busia-Bourdain, The New York Times reports.

“I hate my fans, too. I hate being famous. I hate my job,” Bourdain wrote in texts to Busia-Bourdain, the Times reports. “I am lonely and living in constant uncertainty.”

Bourdain’s life and career took him from New Jersey Boy Scout to college dropout, executive chef, bestselling author, and host of several food and travel series such as No Reservations and Parts Unknown.

At the time of his death, Bourdain had amassed a net worth of $8 million in his career as a chef, food and travel writer, and television personality, reports Celebrity Net Worth.

After dropping out of Vassar College, Bourdain followed his passion for food and enrolled in The Culinary Institute of America. He graduated in 1978 and worked at several New York City restaurants before becoming executive chef at Manhattan-based Brasseries Les Halles.

Bourdain’s writing career started in fiction. His first two books, Bone in the Throat and Gone Bamboo, were both mystery books.

Then, in 1999, Bourdain wrote an article about the secrets of what was going on behind the scenes in a Manhattan restaurant. He gave the article to his mother, Gladys Bourdain, an editor at The New York Times, and she gave it to New Yorker editor David Remnick’s wife.

The article, “Don’t Eat Before Reading This,” was published in the New Yorker on April 12, 1999, and set Bourdain on course for his successful career.

Bourdain expanded on the New Yorker article and, in 2000, published the book Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly. The book was a hit, and Bourdain followed it up with several other culinary books and articles in top magazines such as the New Yorker, Gourmet, Maxim, Esquire, and Town and Country.

The Food Network television series A Cook’s Tour was Bourdain’s first foray into television. In 2005, the Travel Channel premiered Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations. In the show, Bourdain explored the culture and cuisine of different cities and countries around the world.

Bourdain was in Strasbourg, France, shooting an episode of his latest show, Parts Unknown, at the time of his death.

Bourdain’s second wife, Ottavia Busia-Bourdain, controls his estate, the Times reports. The couple married in 2007 and were together for 11 years. They have a daughter, Ariane, who was born in 2007. Bourdain’s busy career strained his marriage, and the couple separated in 2016.

According to the Times, Bourdain and Busia-Bourdain remained close after the separation, and she was reportedly his closest confidante.

Throughout his career, Bourdain became a household name and a respected chef, writer, and TV personality. His success is reflected in not only his net worth but also his large fan following. Bourdain's legacy will thankfully live on following his untimely death.

If you or someone you know are experiencing suicidal thoughts, call, text, or message the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Dial or text 988, call 1-800-273-8255, or chat via their website.