Anthony Bourdain Brought Me Closer to Jesus

This blog entry is from a Facebook post written on 6/8/2018...

It’s taken me a while to put into words how I’m feeling after hearing the news that Anthony Bourdain took his life this morning. My initial reaction was to throw my phone across the room as I saw the headline. I actually cried out so loud that my family came running into my room! My heart broke and tears began to form (and still are). Why would he do this?! Suicide?! Really??!! WHY???!!!

Anthony Bourdain had a deep impact on my life. He was a catalyst for my love of food and cooking. Besides my grandmother, my mom and maybe Jacques Pepin, I credit Bourdain for being one of my biggest culinary influences and invigorating in me a desire to learn everything I could about cooking and being a chef. He was a phenomenal communicator and showed us all that eating is cool. He wasn’t best known as a chef, but as a professional eater and reminding us that food is not just putting fuel in your belly or that eating is just a social event for the rich elite with their haute cuisine. He confirmed for me what I already knew- that cooking and eating is awesome and it’s totally acceptable to embrace it and enjoy it and to bless your friends and family with great, homemade meals. Bourdain broke the stigmas and stereotypes of cooking, threw open the curtain of the restaurant industry and brought the fun and enjoyment back to eating.

He never said anything bad about someone’s cuisine- he wasn’t a food critic. He was a food endorser. He was always open to try anything (which was ultimately part of his demise) and fully immersed himself in anyone’s culture. I was greatly jealous of that inhibition. He inspired me to get out of my comfort zone and try new foods, and embrace different cultures. This attitude helped me grow deeper in my understanding that God made everything and that He gave us all that we need for nourishment and sustainment and that it tastes GOOD! (Genesis 1) God didn’t have to do that- he could have just given us a piece of cardboard to eat every day. Instead, as part of His great love for us, He gave us an endless smorgasbord of culinary creations at our fingertips and minds to cook it and taste buds to enjoy it. Again, God didn’t have to do that. Anthony Bourdain helped me to see this and appreciate how good, and great and creative and glorious our God is, without ever mentioning His name. I don’t think pointing me to Jesus was ever part of Bourdain’s motives or intent, but he did, and I dreamed of the day I could share this with him and thank him for it…

There couldn’t have been two more different people in this world then he and I, but his story resonated with me. He was a true rebel in every sense of the word, and I’m the ultimate rule follower. From what he wore to how he talked to how he lived, Anthony Bourdain broke all the norms. From his affluent upbringing to his down-and-out days as a heroine junkie in New York City, Anthony Bourdain used all of his life experience to share the behind the scenes life of real chefs and what life is truly like to serve people from behind a stove. My eyes were opened to how a meal makes it’s way to our tables at a restaurant and the possible turmoil it took to get there. He helped the marginalized food preparers in our society have a voice and be recognized and respected for the hard work they do everyday all so we can enjoy a bloomin’ onion or a kobe wagyu steak. Thank you, Anthony for helping me not take for granted anymore where our food and meals come from.

Fame, fortune, freedom. Bourdain seemed like he had it all. But, it ultimately wasn’t enough for him. He wasn’t satisfied. He was still searching.

Today, in my tears, I’m reminded once again that there is only ONE thing that satisfies. ONE thing that brings true happiness. ONE thing that I can put my hope in- Jesus Christ, and the world desperate needs Him.

Jesus obeyed His Father and came to earth as a human to die on the cross for you and for me to satisfy God’s wrath against sin. We deserved to die, but Christ died in our place so we can be seen as holy in God’s sight. He then rose on the 3^rd day and conquered sin and death. We can have eternal life that is only found in Him, if we put our faith and trust in Jesus, not in chasing the empty desires of this world (John 17:3).

Bourdain provided for me a conduit into the culinary world that led me down a trail of cookbooks, chefs, techniques, restaurants, cities and cultures and a way of life that brought me inspiration and energy to cook and serve others. All great things, but ultimately don’t lead to true, abundant life (John 10:10). My prayer today is that I will point people to the only conduit that leads to the life-saving grace of Jesus Christ, not temporary pleasures that will rot and fade away. Jesus is the only path to true life-sustaining nourishment, satisfaction, pleasure and joy. He loves us and wants to have a relationship with us. That is the message that I want to endorse. This is what truly changed my life and I pray it will change your life too. Humble yourselves before Jesus today and trust in Him with all your heart and soul and mind and He will make your paths straight (Proverbs 3:5,6).

If you or someone you know might be at risk of suicide, here are ways to help:

Call 1-800-273-8255 to reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.