I sat down with Anthony Bourdain for 15 minutes. These are the lessons I learned

My sister broke the news to me through an SMS message: “Nabalitaan mo na yung news kay Anthony bourdain” And with a quick Google search, I learned that the host/writer of CNN’s Parts Unknown has died of suicide at the age of 61.

Like most of my friends who quickly took to social media to pay their respects, I reposted a souvenir photo of the two of us (together with Singapore’s KF Seetoh) taken during the Townhall Chat with Anthony Bourdain last June 2, 2017.

The author with Anthony Bourdain and Singapore’s KF Seetoh at the press conference of 2017 World Street Food Congress

“Uncle Tony” was in Manila as the guest of honor of the 2017 World Street Food Congress and gave the local media an update to his latest pet project, the Bourdain Market that was slated to open in New York in 2019.

After the session with media members inside a function hall, select journalists were given more intimate sessions with the Bourdain, and I was lucky enough to be included.

Below are some of the things that I have learned during the town hall session and my quick, 15-minute talk with the late, great Anthony Bourdain.

Food can help make a better world. "Delicious food doesn’t exists in a bubble. I think the more that we know about food, where it comes from, and who’s making it, the better (it is) in the world.”

Street food can be life-changing. Asked about his earliest recollection of street food, he answered, without hesitation: “Oh, my first bowl of Pho? It was in Vietnam and it was kind of a religious experience.”

He shown light toward little-known cultures. Anthony Bourdain made the world pay attention to Asian food and culture. During our  conversation, he did the same for Muslim food. "That (Muslim food) is a huge, huge, incredibly diverse cuisine, whether is Muslim-Chinese which is incredibly delicious and a passion of mine. I’ve spent many, many happy trips to the Middle East, I’m a passionate lover of just about everything Lebanese, Pakistan."

The importance of balance. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) for Tony was the counterpoint to food. “I’m passionate about Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. It keeps me in shape, it keeps me happy. It’s a personal challenge that’s a very good adjunct to eating. I mean, if you’re going to eat a lot like I do, it’s really good to exercise a lot, which I also do, and jiu-jitsu is a way that I don’t even recognize that I’m exercising.”

 

The great @lucaslepri cuts through my reverse guard like a knife through soft cheese

A post shared by anthonybourdain (@anthonybourdain) on

Aug 27, 2016 at 3:32pm PDT

Knowing how to keep a secret is important. There are secret establishments that Bourdain won't tell his viewers about in respect for the locals. “There have been rare times on the show, when I find a place that’s just so awesome and the locals love it so much, that I won’t tell the people (audience) the name of the place. If you really want to find it, you can figure out the clues.”

Simple is best. Aside from Cebu lechon, which he has been quoted as saying “the best pig in the world”, Bourdain also sees the potential of Pampanga’s sisig not only as a featured food in Bourdain Market but also as a gateway for the world to notice and maybe appreciate Filipino food.

“It’s a low-impact, minimal-commitment, affordable dish that you can share. If you’re sitting around and drinking beer, around beer number four, that arrival of a good, authentic sisig is like the best thing ever. It’s got flavor, it’s got texture, it’s got integrity. It’s quick, easy, unpretentious, and absolutely delicious.”

The fact we will never get to hear him talk again, ask him another question, see him eat another bowl of his favorite Pho (Vietnamese noodles), and watch him go to lesser known destinations in search of stories, cultures, and adventures to tell give us a reason to pause and remember the wonderful life that Anthony Bourdain has shared with us.

Rest in peace, Tony. — LA, GMA News