Anthony Boudain was found dead in a hotel room in France on Friday morning. After investigating the scene, the local authorities have determined there was no sign of foul play in the celebrity chef’s passing.
“There is no element that makes us suspect that someone came into the room at any moment,” Christian de Rocquigny, prosecutor for Colmar in the Alsace region of France, told the Associated Press on Saturday.
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The investigation matched what CNN reported on Friday morning in that Bourdain’s death was by suicide by hanging. Authorities reported the Parts Unknown host hung himself with a bathrobe belt.
“It is with extraordinary sadness we can confirm the death of our friend and colleague, Anthony Bourdain,” CNN reported on Friday. “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.”
Olivier Nasti, owner of the Le Chambard hotel in Kayerberg where Bourdain died, also spoke to the AP 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,” Nasti said in a statement. “It is the whole family of French gastronomy that joins me, to renew our deep friendship to our bereaved American brothers.”
CNN aired an hour-long tribute to Bourdain on Friday night where numerous on-air anchors talked about their experiences working with Bourdain, and the sadness they felt after learning he had taken his own life.
Anchor Anderson Cooper, who lost his brother to suicide back in 1988, was visibly shaken by the news.
“Honestly it’s hard to even talk about him in the past tense at this point,” Cooper said. “It’s really… yeah, it’s really hard to imagine. I mean, you never really know what goes on in anybody’s head, and you never know what goes on in anybody’s heart. But certainly, the pain the he must have been feeling, at least in that moment, or in those moments, and the loneliness he must have been feeling, it’s just terribly sad to think about. And it makes me very sad for him to have succumb to that.”
Bourdain was 61 years old at the time of his death.
If you or someone you know needs help, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
