‘No foul play’ in Bourdain death
Toxicology tests are being carried out on his body
There’s no evidence of foul play or violence in celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain’s death in a French hotel room, a French prosecutor said.
The famed cook, writer and host of the CNN series Parts
Unknown killed himself Friday in a luxury hotel in the ancient village of Kaysersberg, Christian de Rocquigny, said the prosecutor of Colmar in France’s eastern Alsace region.
Rocquigny said there did not appear to be much planning in the television personality’s suicide.
“There is no element that makes us suspect that someone came into the room at any moment,” he said, adding that a medical expert had concluded that there were no signs of violence on Bourdain’s body.
Rocquigny said toxicology tests were being carried out on Bourdain’s body, including urine tests, to see if the 61-yearold American took any medications or other drugs, in an effort to help his family understand if anything led him to kill himself.
Olivier Nasti, the chef and owner of Le Chambard, the luxury hotel in Kaysersberg where Bourdain took his life, paid tribute to his colleague.
“It is with great respect for the leader, the author, the TV entertainer, the visionary Anthony Bourdain that I express all my condolences to his family and to the anonymous people around the world who he made dream so much,” Nasti said.
“It is the whole family of French gastronomy that joins me, to renew our deep friendship to our bereaved American brothers,” he added.
Kayserberg Mayor Pascal Lohr said his town is extending its grief “to the entire United States.”
Bourdain filmed a segment of his show last week at the Michelin-starred Auberge d l’Ill in nearby Illhaeusern, where staff are reeling from his death.
“You actually don’t really believe it. You think it’s probably a fake,” the restaurant’s sommelier, Herve Fleuriel, said, recalling “that great chef who was here on Wednesday lunch.” It was one of his last meals. Fleuriel described what Bourdain ate — goose liver, frog’s legs, fish and pigeon — and a lively exchange Bourdain had with close friend chef Eric Ripert about the wine and food and how to pair them.
“They looked like they were pretty happy.”