Celebrate “Bourdain Day” Today With Good Eats

June marks a year since the devastating death of prolific chef and globe-trotting gourmand Anthony Bourdain. In the wake of his death, legislative approval of an official food trail was established in his hometown of New Jersey. More recently, chefs Eric Ripert and José Andrés established June 25 as Bourdain Day, celebrating the life of Bourdain on his birthday. 

The chefs announced Bourdain Day with the launch of Anthony Bourdain Legacy Scholarship in partnership with the Culinary Institute of America.

“We hope that this scholarship will help his memory live on for students who want to experience the world as Anthony did — through cuisines and cultures everywhere,” they told CNN Travel.

With that, the best way to celebrate Bourdain Day is the only way we can think of – good eats, good company and maybe re-runs of your episodes from Parts Unknown or No Reservations. Here are five of Bourdain’s favorite things, no matter where he was in the world. 

1. Eggs: “An egg on anything makes it better.”
2. Meat: “To me, life without veal stock, pork fat, sausage, organ meat, demi-glace, or even stinky cheese is a life not worth living.”
3. Mac ‘n’ cheese: “I have an unholy and guilty attraction to fast-food macaroni and cheese. During the morning I get these horrendous cravings for Popeye’s mac and cheese, and, uh, I will often disguise myself to try to slip into Popeyes.”
4. Jiro’s Sushi Restaurant in Tokyo: “Ideally, my last meal would be at Sukiyabashi Jiro, a tiny sushi bar below street level in Tokyo. It serves some of the finest quality sushi anywhere on the planet. I’d be alone at the sushi bar.”
5. Fitzgerald’s Bourbon: “My favorite Kentucky bourbon? Very very old Fitzgerald, that’s some nice stuff. If you were to present me with a bottle of very very very very very old Fitzgerald, I don’t know if it exists, but man that’s good.”

Check out this list for more on Bourdain’s favorite things.

[Featured Image: Shutterstock]