Anthony Bourdain was definitely one of the few authentic voices before his death. He could make casual remarks about soup, jet lag, and a late-night meal in Vietnam that could be very meaningful, much more than half the TED Talks available. Anthony Bourdain quotes are famous in the whole world.
The reason why it was stuck wasn’t the sugar. It was the dirt. The damage. The truth. And maybe the timing also. He did not mind whether he had an appearance of being wise or woke. He was also not attempting to inspire someone but he writes Inspirational Quotes for Women to Empower, and maybe that’s the very reason he still does.
So here’s a bunch of things he said. Quotes, yeah. But also little verbal sucker punches. Stuff you hear once and never quite shake off.
No themes. No categories. Just words, like he said ’em. Take what you want. Leave the rest.
Your body is not a temple, it’s an amusement park. Enjoy the ride.
I think about this more than I should, honestly. Like when I’m debating eating something that probably isn’t great for me. Or booking a flight I can’t quite afford. Or doing anything “irresponsible” but weirdly alive.
Travel isn’t always pretty. It isn’t always comfortable.
He knew. He’d been everywhere. Not just the glossy spots, but the cracks. The ugly parts. The kind of travel that gives you food poisoning, sunburn, and existential dread. And yeah, you still remember it better than any resort.
If you’re twenty-two, physically fit, hungry to learn and be better… travel.
Let’s be real: this quote isn’t just for 22-year-olds. It’s for anyone who hasn’t figured it out yet (which is… everyone). Don’t wait until it makes sense. Just go. Get lost. Be awkward somewhere new.
Without experimentation… we become static, repetitive, and moribund.
He really said moribund. Who uses that in real conversation? But the point stands. If you stop trying weird stuff, new food, new routes, new questions, you’re not living. You’re looping“I don’t have to agree with you to like you or respect you.”
Not many people live like this anymore. Especially online. But Bourdain, he’d sit and eat with people totally different from him and actually listen. Not to win an argument. Just to understand.
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I’m not afraid to look like an idiot.
And thank god for that. Half his charm was in the cringe. The mispronunciations, the awkward silences, the times he didn’t “get it” until the fourth bite. That’s how most of us live anyway. He just didn’t pretend otherwise.
Good food is very often, even most often, simple food.
No foam. No edible gold. Just grilled meat on a stick. A soup with no name in a back alley. Food that tastes like memory and muscle, not presentation.
I wanted adventures… I wanted to ride out into a desert on a camel.
He wasn’t kidding. Bourdain had this itch that never went away. The kind that makes you sell your stuff and buy a one-way ticket. The kind that doesn’t care if it’s practical.
Open your mind, get up off the couch, move.
There’s no “10 steps to better living” here. Just this. Movement. Curiosity. Not needing a big reason to go—just going.
“Skills can be taught. Character you either have or you don’t.”
Some people might hate this line. But honestly? It tracks. Being good at something doesn’t mean much if you’re not decent as a human being.
The Lines That Don’t Sound Deep… Until They Do
A few of these, you’ll probably skim right past. Then they’ll circle back later when you’re standing in a gas station in the middle of nowhere at 2 a.m. And you’ll go—oh.
“I’m not looking to achieve happiness.”
Wild, right? Everyone else is out here chasing bliss. Bourdain wasn’t interested. He wanted truth. Or adrenaline. Or a plate of something unfamiliar with a cold beer“Travel changes you… and travel leaves marks on you.”
It’s subtle. But so true. Sometimes those marks are stretch marks from eating too much ramen. Sometimes it’s a new way you say “thank you.”
“One doesn’t take the A-train to Mecca.”
Meaning, don’t expect the meaningful stuff to be easy. You have to earn it. Sweat a little. Maybe suffer. But man, it stays with you longer when you do.
“Luck is not a business model.”
He busted his ass to get where he got. Even if he made it look effortless, it wasn’t. This one’s less quote, more reality check.
“Food should be part of the bigger picture.”
Eating isn’t an event. It’s context. Culture. Timing. Who you’re with. Where you are. The story behind what’s on the plate.
“The truly great meals… are about context and memory.”
That one meal you remember best? It probably wasn’t the most expensive. But it was tied to a moment you didn’t realize mattered until later.
A Scatter of Quotes That Don’t Need Explaining
- “Good food is honest. It tells you where it’s from.”
- “Maybe that’s enlightenment enough: to know that there is no final resting place of the mind.”
- “We are, after all, citizens of the world—if we choose to be.”
- “There’s a kind of romanticism to getting lost.”
- “We learn as much by staying still, sometimes. But I still prefer moving.”
- “What nicer thing can you do than make someone breakfast?”
- “There’s no substitute for experiencing a place with your feet.”
- “I wanted to write the kind of book you’d read on the toilet.”
- “Sometimes the best moments are when everything falls apart.”
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FAQs
- Where are these quotes from?
Mix of his books, interviews, and TV shows. Nothing pulled from Pinterest or cheesy quote sites. - Why do people still talk about him?
Because he was real. No fluff. No brand. Just a guy who said what he meant, even when it stung. - What’s the best thing he ever said?
That depends on what kind of day you’re having. For some it’s “Enjoy the ride”. For others, it’s “I’m not looking to achieve happiness”. - Did he plan to be this influential?
Nope. He just wanted to tell stories and eat food. The rest sort of… happened.
Kamran Shahzad is a seasoned writer with a passion for meaningful moments. At Veltsio, he shares heartfelt wishes, thoughtful gift ideas, and creative ways to make every occasion extra special.