EXCLUSIVE: Anthony Bourdain’s Producer Says Dude is a Mystery

content of the article

Tom Vitale was about to board a plane to India when he received the shocking news.

content of the article

His friend and colleague Anthony Bourdain was killed by his own hand in a small hotel in France.

content of the article

The death of the 61-year-old chef, reluctant TV star and all-round bon vivant stunned the world who fell in love with Bourdain through his book. kitchen confidentialbut mainly for his CNN show, parts unknown.

As his producer, Vitale spent 14 years touring the world with Bourdain, beginning with A cooking tour just months after graduating from college in 2002.

“The Tony I knew wasn’t too different from the one you saw on TV, except it was cut a lot better,” Vitale said The Toronto Sun in an exclusive interview.

“There was a lot more thought going on behind the scenes than people realised, because the show looked effortless. Tony was quite a demanding person and he never tried to hide that.”

content of the article

Recently, Bourdain was back in the news two years after his death on June 18, 2018. The reason was an explosive, unauthorized biography, Down and out in paradise (Simon and Schuster).

Journalist Charles Leerhsen’s book focuses mostly on the celebrity chef’s troubles over the past year, his heartache over splitting up with Italian femme fatale, actress Asia Argento, and his growing unease with fame.

Vitale wrote his own Bourdain book last year, In the Weeds and Behind the Scenes with Anthony Bourdaina collection of essays about his twelve years on the road with the star.

Featured Video

He began working for Bourdain in 2006, shortly after graduating from college, eventually becoming the star’s director and producer. They have traveled to dozens of countries, including exotic locations such as Brazil, the Azores and Bourdain’s favorite country, Vietnam.

content of the article

“Tony had a big personality and we showed that a show can be different,” Vitale said, adding that the couple “continuously worked, created and evolved.”

“He always accelerated, that wasn’t a warning sign at the time.”

It’s been an exciting ride for a young producer and director, Vitale said of the 100 episodes they’ve made together.

And then it ended with the tragic death of Bourdain, the man everyone wanted to have a beer with on a terrace in Hanoi or share a taco in Tampico. Vitale said writing his book about their great adventures was therapeutic.

“It was quite an experience writing it. I couldn’t go back to TV. I think my book is part travelogue and part sense of what it was like to be there to share the experience,” added Vitale.

content of the article

“It was a hell of a ride. So many different parts, so many different episodes. Iran was great drinking beer with Barrack Obama in Vietnam… but it was often more stressful than it looked.”

It seemed the non-stop action appealed to Bourdain as if he would lose himself if he stopped.

“Tony was always on the move and was the kind of person who always left you in the dark, he couldn’t be caught by a single thread, he was many, many,” Vitale noted.

One of Bourdain’s big struggles was with his international face, which accelerated towards the end of his life.

“Tony has always had an awkward relationship with being famous, the attention made him squirm a little,” Vitale noted. “But towards the fans, he was always incredibly respectful and kind, even when he was uncomfortable. He likened it to a “kissing booth.” But that was also part of what made him such a compelling character.”

content of the article

Working on parts unknown and having Bourdain as your boss could be chilling.

It wasn’t an equal deal. As Vitale said New York Post In 2021, one minute he’d want to nominate you for an Emmy, the next he’d threaten to “put jumper wires on your testicles.”

Four years later, Vitale is still struggling with Bourdain’s sudden, untimely death.

“In any case, I’m still shocked to this day. I found it atypical and unexpected. It’s still kind of shocking,” Vitale said.

“Television is an interesting way to make a living, and working on Parts Unknown was electrifying. Like many people, I have trouble watching these shows now.

He added: “Tony was my friend but much, much more than that… bigger than that. I’m very grateful for the experience and for knowing him.

“I was hanging out with the most fascinating person I have ever met. I think my book gives readers a sense of what it was like to be there.”

[email protected]

@HunterTOSun