MOUTHING OFF  

FROM THE BRAIN
OF BOURDAIN

Chef, writer, and TV travel show host Anthony Bourdain died in 2018 at the age of 61. Here are some of the best things he ever said about three of the best things in life: food, travel, and philosophy.

“Without experimentation, a willingness to ask questions and try new things, we shall surely become static, repetitive, and moribund.”

“What nicer thing can you do for somebody than make them breakfast?”

“Your body is not a temple. It’s an amusement park. Enjoy the ride.”

“Skills can be taught. Character you either have or you don’t.”

“As you move through this life and this world you change things slightly, you leave marks behind, however small.”

“PEOPLE CONFUSE ME. FOOD DOESN’T.”

“If I’m an advocate for anything, it’s to move. As far as you can, as much as you can. Walk in someone else’s shoes…or at least eat their food.”

“Plans should be ephemeral, so be prepared to move away from them.”

“I became successful in my forties. I became a dad in my fifties. 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.”

“Perhaps wisdom is realizing how small I am, and unwise, and how far I have yet to go.”

“You’re never going to find perfect city travel experience or the perfect meal without a constant willingness to experience a bad one. Letting the happy accident happen is what a lot of vacation itineraries miss.”

“If I believe in anything, it is doubt. The root cause of all life’s problems is looking for a simple answer.”

“Travel is about the gorgeous feeling of teetering in the unknown.”

“AN OUNCE OF SAUCE COVERS A MULTITUDE OF SINS.”

“Under ‘Reasons for Leaving Last Job,’ never give the real reason, unless it’s money or ambition.”

“Context and memory play powerful roles in all the truly great meals in one’s life.”

“I don’t have an agenda, but I do have a point of view…and it might change from minute to minute.”