15 Killer Anthony Bourdain Quotes

Is there anyone who doesn’t love Anthony Bourdain? He’s blunt, and honest, and never holds anything back.

At the same time, Bourdain somehow manages to be both humble and proud—obviously aware of his clout among chefs and foodies alike, but not rubbing it in our faces.

 

Today, Friday, I will be taking over the @Red Instagram account for a #NotSoFoodieFriday in hopes of helping to #86AIDS

A photo posted by anthonybourdain (@anthonybourdain) on May 22, 2015 at 4:40am PDT

His food-filled excursions to exotic places are always filled with awe and wonder (on my part, anyway), as he not only tastes all kinds of weird and wonderful local treats, but also immerses himself in the culture.

 

Thanks for treating me like family! #Entalau #Gawai #Sarawak

A photo posted by anthonybourdain (@anthonybourdain) on Jun 2, 2015 at 2:48am PDT

He’s the quintessential “cool guy,” who doesn’t even seem to be trying that hard. He just is. Which is why he’s cool.

And, just like Julia Child and Alton Brown, Anthony Bourdain has oodles of quotes I love—here are some of my faves!

15 Killer Anthony Bourdain Quotes

1. You learn a lot about someone when you share a meal together.

2. I’m not afraid to look like an idiot.

3. Context and memory play powerful roles in all the truly great meals in one’s life.

4. I, personally, think there is a really danger of taking food too seriously. Food should be part of the bigger picture.

5. I’m a pretty decent writer. It comes easy to me. I don’t agonize over sentences. I write like I talk. I try to make them good books.

6. If somebody crafts an interesting tweet that’ll lead me to their blog, I’m going to their blog.

7. Sometimes the greatest meals on vacations are the ones you find when Plan A falls through.

8. The celebrity-chef thing, even at its worst, its most annoying, its silliest, its goofiest, its most egregious and cynical, has been a good thing.

9. People are generally proud of their food. A willingness to eat and drink with people without fear and prejudice… they open up to you in ways that somebody visiting who is driven by a story may not get.

10. I think that if all kids aspire to reach a point where they could feed themselves and a few of their friends, this would be good for the world surely.

11. I always entertain the notion that I’m wrong, or that I’ll have to revise my opinion. Most of the time that feels good; sometimes it really hurts and is embarrassing.

12. I would like to see people more aware of where their food comes from. I would like to see small farmers empowered. I feed my daughter almost exclusively organic food.

13. I don’t have to agree with you to like you or respect you.

14. If you’re twenty-two, physically fit, hungry to learn and be better, I urge you to travel – as far and as widely as possible. Sleep on floors if you have to. Find out how other people live and eat and cook. Learn from them – wherever you go.

15. Skills can be taught. Character you either have or you don’t have.

If you’re a fan (or know someone who is), check out Amazon’s Anthony Bourdain Page for books, blog posts, biographical info and links to other chefs or related personalities you may also enjoy. And catch up on his series options via Amazon and Amazon Prime, here:

Last Updated on January 12, 2019 by Liza Hawkins