From 'happy dishwasher' to addiction to fame
Bourdain grew up in Leonia, New Jersey, and started working in kitchens in his teens -- including on Massachusetts' Cape Cod during the summer.
"I was a happy dishwasher," he said in a 2016 interview on NPR's "Fresh Air." "I jokingly say that I learned every important lesson, all the most important lessons of my life, as a dishwasher."
It was during those early jobs, he said, that he began using drugs, eventually developing a heroin addiction and other problems that he later said should have killed him in his 20s. He often talked of his addiction later in life.
On his award-winning series, "Parts Unknown," Bourdain brought the world home to CNN viewers. Through the simple act of sharing meals, he showcased both the extraordinary diversity of cultures and cuisines, yet how much we all have in common.
The news of Bourdain's death was met by profound sadness, where "Parts Unknown" has aired for the past five years. In an email to employees, the network's president, Jeff Zucker, remembered him as an "exceptional talent."
For the past year, Bourdain had been dating Italian actress Asia Argento. She remembered Bourdain as someone who "gave all of himself in everything that he did."
Last year, he advocated for Argento as she went public with accusations against disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein. "He was my love, my rock, my protector. I am beyond devastated."