Celebrity chef, author and television show host Anthony Bourdain was found dead on Friday morning in his hotel room in France, according to CNN.
The 61-year-old, who was in Strasbourg working on an upcoming episode for the 11th season of his show Parts Unknown, was found unresponsive by his close friend and fellow celebrity chef Eric Ripert.
"It is with extraordinary sadness we can confirm the death of our friend and colleague, Anthony Bourdain," CNN said in a statement Friday morning. "His love of great adventure, new friends, fine food and drink and the remarkable stories of the world made him a unique storyteller. His talents never ceased to amaze us and we will miss him very much. Our thoughts and prayers are with his daughter and family at this incredibly difficult time."
Bourdain rose to fame in the late 90s after he penned an article for the New Yorker titled "Don't Eat Before Reading This." He then turned it into a best-selling book in 2000 called Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly.
The success of the book brought him international fame, and turned him into one of the most sought after chefs in the world.
He hosted the show, A Cook's Tour, on the Food Network and Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations on the Travel Channel, which marked his television breakout and made him a two-time Emmy Award winner.
In 2013, CNN, a network known for breaking news and headlines, "took a risk" and brought Bourdain on board to host Parts Unknown. The show's 11th season premiered this May.
Although not nearly as known as his contributions to the culinary world, the New York native has also written a number of works of fiction.
He took home a Peabody Award in 2013, and gave the audience an insight into how he approached his work.
"We ask very simple questions: What makes you happy? What do you eat? What do you like to cook? And everywhere in the world we go and ask these very simple questions," he said, "we tend to get some really astonishing answers."
Bourdain was married to his high school sweetheart, Nancy Putkoski, for 20 years before divorcing in 2005. Two years later, he married Ottavia Busia and they welcomed a daughter, Ariane, in 2007.
After an amicable divorce in 2016, Nourdain began dating Italian actress Asia Argento, whom he met while filming an epsiode of his show in Rome.
CNN reports that Bourdain's death was a suicide, but no other details about the shocking tragedy have been released.
Bourdain's death happened just days after the iconic fashion designer Kate Spade took her own life in her Manhattan apartment. The officials say she was found hanging by housekeeping staff, and a note was left at the scene.
Suicide rates have increased by 25% across the United States over the last 20 years, according to a recent survey published by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
If you or anyone you know needs help, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.
