Anthony Bourdain Found Dead At 61 Of Apparent Suicide In France

Celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain is dead of an apparent suicide after being found unresponsive in his hotel room in Strasbourg France.

Bourdain, who was reportedly in France filming for an upcoming segment of his show "Parts Unknown," was found by his close friend and fellow chef Eric Ripert, reported CNN’s Brian Stelter. He was 61.

CNN confirmed to Stelter that the cause of death was suicide.

"It is with extraordinary sadness we can confirm the death of our friend and colleague, Anthony Bourdain," the network said in a statement 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."

Bourdain was known as a swaggering, globetrotting gourmand with a lust for life. With "Parts Unknown," which was equal parts food and travel show, he transformed himself into a forceful advocate for the cultures and cuisines of lesser-known corners of the globe. He was long open about his past drug addictions, and embraced the image of the bad boy chef while acknowledging the difficulties of his past.

"I should’ve died in my 20s," he said in a 2016 interview with Biography.com. "I became successful in my 40s. I became a dad in my 50s. I feel like I’ve stolen a car – a really nice car – and I keep looking in the rearview mirror for flashing lights. But there’s been nothing yet."

Bourdain leaves behind an 11-year-old daughter.

If you are having thoughts of suicide, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 (TALK) to speak with someone confidentially and for free, or go to SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for a list of other resources.

[Photo: Getty Images]