KUALA LUMPUR: Millions around the world were in shock upon learning yesterday that popular chef and travel documentarian Anthony Bourdain died at the age of 61 in an apparent suicide.
According to CNN, Bourdain was in France working on an upcoming episode of his award-winning CNN series, Parts Unknown.
Through his award-winning food shows, Bourdain took viewers along with him on trips across the globe to explore diverse cultures and cuisines.
Malaysia was no exception.
The renowned chef made several visits to Malaysia throughout his career, exhibiting to the rest of the world some of his all-time favourite foods to eat, places to visit, and friends that he made along the way.
Here are some of our favourite instances of Anthony Bourdain in Malaysia:
1. Gushing over ‘the breakfast of Gods,’ asam laksa, in Penang
"Every time I come to Malaysia there's one thing I gotta have...laksa."
In a 2012 episode of his travel show No Reservations, Bourdain raved about the local dish which he later described as ‘The breakfast of Gods.’
In the episode's introduction, the documentarian said that he usually prefers not to speak directly to the camera as he feels it is "artificial and awkward." However, Bourdain explained that he had to make an exception at the Pasar Air Itam laksa stall on Jalan Pasar because he wanted to share the "joy".
"If you like noodles and spicy stuff that comes in a bowl…you would really like this," Bourdain said, after taking his first bite of laksa.
"Wow I almost said yummy there. What the f*** is happening to me?"
2. Returning to Aunty Aini's in Negri Sembilan for chicken rendang
In 2015, the storyteller made his way to Negri Sembilan for the second time to film an episode of Parts Unknown at Aunty Aini's Garden Cafe in Nilai.
Bourdain described the actress-turned-chef Aini as "charming" and "fabulous", and her kampong-style dishes as having been "prepared with a staggering finesse and precision."
"Who taught you to cook?" he asked while digging in to the roast beef, poached egg, and chicken rendang laid out in front of him.
"When we were small, my grandmother would say stuff like, I don’t care who you are, if you can't cook you are nobody to me," Aini replied.
"There's no teaching Malay cooking here, it just comes from your grandma's kitchen, your mom's kitchen. You learn by smelling, by seeing, that's how I teach my children to cook."
3. Proclaiming his love for char kuey teow in Borneo
"I love you, noodles!"
In a 2015 episode of Parts Unknown, Bourdain's first order of business when arriving in Borneo was to beat his jet lag with some of the Malaysian delicacies he craved the most.
"I don't want to get all heavy and philosophical at this point, but why I'm here, what my mission is, what I expect to find – basically retracing my steps and all that – we'll talk about that later. But right now: noodles!"
"Look at that greasy, fatty... yes. Come to daddy," said Bourdain while admiring his plate of char kuey teow.
"Reveal yourself to me, my love," he jokingly said to a piece of black pepper crab before eating it.
4. Getting a second traditional Iban tattoo in Borneo
"I was broken hearted and at a crossroads in my life when I first went up the Skrang River in Borneo. The people I met there, ten years ago, who hosted me and my crew in their longhouse, who fed us and looked after us, treated me with great kindness. When the chiefs invited me back for their yearly harvest festival, Gawai, I said I would come," explained Bourdain.
In the same Parts Unknown episode in Borneo, Bourdain decided to continue his tradition of memorialising his trip to the island with a tribal tattoo.
"If you were wondering by the way, if this hurts – two guys hammering away at my sternum with a bamboo club and sharp needles – yes, yes it hurt, a lot. And you can be damn sure if I wasn't on television while it was happening, I'd be whimpering and yelping like a gut-shot poodle," he said, according to Eater.
Despite the "ill advised" tattoo, Bourdain added that, "It's one of the most beautiful places on earth – as remote and as different from where I grew up as any place could be. The people are lovely - and the food, as everywhere in Malaysia, incredible." – SAYS.COM
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