Anthony Michael Bourdain was born June 25th, 1956 to French and Jewish parents in New York City. Although he grew up in New Jersey and later traveled the world, Bourdain spent a significant portion of his life in the Hudson River Valley.

He was called the original rock star of the culinary world, but he was not the thick-skinned, grungy kitchen rat from Manhattan that he positioned to the world in 1999 when he first found fame at the age of 43. Anthony Bourdain — Tony to those who knew him well — was a sensitive suburban poet and artist.