Anthony Bourdain, renowned chef, food critic and writer, passed away in France on Friday, aged 61. His untimely death, suspected to be a suicide, sparked an outpouring of grief on social media by celebrities and famous chefs all over the world, including in India, which Bourdain had visited several times for his  TV shows.

ON Friday morning, Bourdain's friend and fellow chef Eric Ripert found him unresponsive in his hotel room in Strasbourg, France. He was there to shoot for a new season of his hit food show, Parts Unknown, for CNN. Bourdain had visited India for the same show over a decade ago, when he rode second class in a local train in Kolkata, sampled street food, falooda and Bollywood in Mumbai.  

'In minutes, I felt like I had known him for ages'

"Anthony Bourdain was a super-relaxed person with zero affectation," said Nondon Bagchi, Kolkata-based musician and columnist, who appeared with Bourdain on an episode of No Reservations.  "What stayed with me was that he accepted food in the same way as you would different people in your life, with their individuality. He was open to food from every country and region."

Nondon Bagchi. Pic/Ronny Sen