How Anthony Bourdain’s Friends Realized Something Was Wrong at His Hotel

Anthony Bourdain’s friends did not see him Thursday night and grew worried on Friday morning, according to reports surrounding the chef’s suicide.

The New York Times ran an extensive piece on the hours lead-up to the discovery of Bourdain’s body, which occurred in his hotel room on Friday morning. Bourdain was in the French town of Kaysersberg filming for his CNN series, Parts Unknown.

The TV personality was tag-teaming the experience with his close friend Eric Ripert, a fellow chef based in New York City. Apparently the two had standing plans to eat dinner at the restaurant Winstub located inside Le Chambard, the luxury hotel Bourdain was staying at.

The Parts Unknown host was MIA for the pair’s Thursday night meal, according to waiter Maxime Voinson. This confused Ripert, but he ultimately wrote the missed meal up to Bourdain’s curiosity for cuisine.

“Mr. Ripert thought it was strange,” Voinson told The Times. “We thought it was strange. Mr. Bourdain knew the chef, Monsieur Nasti; he knew the kitchen. Maybe he went out and ate somewhere else, we said, but we didn’t think much of it.”

The next morning is when worries mounted. Bourdain missed the Friday morning breakfast he had planned with Ripert, making two meals in a row that the food connoisseur missed.

“His friend (Ripert) was waiting at breakfast, and waiting and waiting,” Voinson said.

Ripert, who is the chef for Le Bernardin, then called Bourdain on his cell phone but his friend did not pick up. He then coordinated with the Le Chambard receptionist to enter Bourdain’s room out of concern.

At 9:10 a.m. local time, Bourdain’s body was discovered in the bathroom of his hotel room. He was apparently taken his own life by hanging himself with the belt of his bathrobe.

Authorities were then contacted, and Bourdain’s CNN crew, who were waiting at a nearby market, was informed there was an emergency.

Prosecutor Christian de Rocquigny, the prosecutor for Colmar in the Alsace region of France, was since spoken with media about the resulting investigation. Investigators have drawn the conclusion that Bourdain’s suicide was not thoroughly thought out. Instead, it appeared to be “impulsive.”

“This leads us to suspect that not much preparation and premeditation went into the act, and leads us more in the direction of an impulsive act,” de Rocquigny told The Times.

The prosecutor also clarified that no foul play was involved in Bourdain’s death.

News of his death soon was soon revealed by CNN and a wave of shock and sadness began to strike Bourdain’s friends and fan across the globe.

If you or someone you know needs help, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

Photo Credit: CNN