Details of Anthony Bourdain’s suicide have been released, with authorities in France saying the celebrity chef used a bathrobe to take his own life in a hotel room.
Bourdain was found dead on Friday of an apparent suicide. On Saturday, the local prosecutor said that there were no signs of foul play and gave details on exactly how he took his life, the New York Post reported. Christian de Rocquigny said that the Parts Unknown host used the belt of his hotel bathrobe to hang himself. There were no signs that anyone else came into the room and no signs of a struggle on Bourdain’s body, eliminating the possibility of foul play.
Bourdain was staying at Le Chambard, a luxury hotel in Kayersberg, near where he was filming an episode of his CNN show. As the Washington Post noted, the chef and owner of the hotel paid tribute to Bourdain on Saturday.
“It is with great respect for the leader, the author, the TV entertainer, the visionary Anthony Bourdain that I express all my condolences to his family and to the anonymous people around the world who he made dream so much,” said Olivier Nasti, a friend of Bourdain. “It is the whole family of French gastronomy that joins me, to renew our deep friendship to our bereaved American brothers.”
Family members said they were shocked by Anthony Bourdain’s suicide. His mother, Gladys Bourdain, told the New York Times on Friday that she had no indication he was thinking of taking his own life.
“He is absolutely the last person in the world I would have ever dreamed would do something like this,” said Gladys, who had been an editor for the New York Times .
But other friends said Bourdain appeared to be in a “dark” mood in recent weeks. In past interviews, Bourdain had spoken about his battles with drug and alcohol abuse and trying to move beyond the difficult years of his 20s. Bourdain became a father late in life and spoke frequently about his motivation to live for his 11-year-old daughter.
Anthony Bourdain was also known for his advocacy for traditionally marginalized groups, using his travels for Parts Unknown to highlight the plight of oppressed people. He was also a vocal advocate for better workplace conditions for restaurant workers.
CNN mourns the loss of Anthony Bourdain. If you or someone you know needs help, please call the National Suicide Prevention hotline at 1-800-273-8255. pic.twitter.com/bpFEOuN8Un
— Parts Unknown (@PartsUnknownCNN) June 8, 2018
Prosecutors said they are still conducting toxicology tests to see if Anthony Bourdain had any drugs or medication in his system at the time of his death.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741. For readers outside the U.S., visit Suicide.org or Befrienders Worldwide for international resources you can use to find help.
