Anthony Bourdain was one of those great food writers. Part Hemingway, part Epicurious, he created a legacy that should stand out for its' culinary boldness.Yet there is another legacy lurking there. It's creating a stir for his fans and his family.
Regular contributer KimSeverson delved into this in today's New YorkTimes Wednesday Food section.Bourdain tragically took his life in 2018 in an Alsace-Lorraine hotel room. His family and friends instantly closed ranks and remained mum on what had happened. That all changed last year when two events happned. They were interviewed for an upcoming documentary called "Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain" and a brand new biogrpahy by journalist Charles Leerhsen . The book ,published by Simon and Shuster is Down And Out IN Paradise: The Life Of Anthony Bourdain". Mr. Leerhsen, who has written biographies on everyone from Ty Cobb to Butch Cassidy captures every aspect of the food writer's life. His telling is different than the others/It's unvarnished ,often times showing Bourdain in a very bad light. He said in an interview that he wanted to write a book "without that dutiful sheen of an official Bourdain product. He does cover Bourdain's life from a sullen teenager in Leonia New Jersey to his years at Vassar and the Culinary Institute of America , or the CIA. There is BOurdain's rise to a food writer and TV celebrity. Yet apart from this glamor , Leerhsen also covers Bourdain's addictions and his isolation along with his cold treatment of his young daughter.
Without a doubt the Bourdfains are upset with this. His brother Christopher sent Simon and Shuster two emails calling the book "hurtful and defammatory fiction". The publisher's vice president and senior counsel, Felice Javit responded with they disagree that the material is defammatory and they'll stand by the publication.One person who hasn't pushed back is Mr. Bourdain's ex-wife Ottavia Busia Bourdain. she allowed Mr. Leerhsen access to her late husband's e mails and messages from Mr. Bourdain's phone. Other info came from his first wife Nancy Pitkoski who did provide a valuable source of information. The book delves very deeply with his last relationship actor Asia Argento, a controversial figure herself. She was one of the first to accuse Harvey Weinstein of sexual misconduct and was one of the architects of the #MeToo movement. She was later accused of sexual misconduct herself with actor Jimmy Bennett who was twenty years younger than her. She was thirty-seven to his seventeen. She also controlled Mr Bourdain and according to the book they fought as he gave her large sums of money.It does show him in a bad light. His friend Eric Ripert says it's all fiction.
The best legacy from Anthony Bourdain is his own words. watch his shows .,Read his essays. That shows the true character of the man.
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