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Resurfaced Anthony Bourdain Quote Slamming Henry Kissinger Resurfaces After Kissinger's Death
A passage from a book written by late celebrity restaurateur and chef Anthony Bourdain resurfaced online in which he slammed former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger.
Kissinger—who served under the administrations of Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford and played a key role in U.S. foreign policy between 1969 and 1977—died at his home in Kent, Connecticut, on Wednesday at the age of 100.
One of Kissinger's long list of controversies as a war criminal was his association with the U.S. bombing of Cambodia conducted under Operation Menu during the Vietnam War.
The late geopolitical consultant and diplomat was responsible for the deaths of tens of thousands of Cambodian civilians, which Bourdain noted in his 2001 book, A Cook’s Tour: In Search of the Perfect Meal.
Reflecting on a past visit to Cambodia in the book, Bourdain—who died in 2018—wrote:
"Once you've been to Cambodia, you’ll never stop wanting to beat Henry Kissinger to death with your bare hands."
"You will never again be able to open a newspaper and read about that treacherous, prevaricating, murderous scumbag sitting down for a nice chat with Charlie Rose or attending some black-tie affair for a new glossy magazine without choking."
"Witness what Henry did in Cambodia—the fruits of his genius for statesmanship—and you will never understand why he's not sitting in the dock at the Hague next to Milošević."
"While Henry continues to nibble nori rolls and remaki at A-list parties, Cambodia, the neutral nation he secretly and illegally bombed, invaded, undermined, and then threw to the dogs, is still trying to raise itself up on its one remaining leg."
The passage has been making the rounds online after news of Kissinger's death.
Bourdain also verbally expressed his disdain for Kissinger on camera, seen in the Indonesian episode of his food and travel show, Parts Unknown, which you can see here.
Social media users shared their thoughts.
@EmissaryOfNight Been to Cambodia and agree with Bourdain \n\nSuch peaceful kind ppl caught in the politics of the war mongers— (@)
This wasn't the first time Bourdain expressed animosity for Kissinger.
In a 2017 New Yorker profile on Bourdain, his publisher, Dan Halpern, praised Bourdain as as a "statesman" after Parts Unknown raised awareness about political conflicts in other countries.
In response, Bourdain asserted:
“I’m not going to the White House Correspondents’ dinner. I don’t need to be laughing it up with Henry Kissinger.”
Bourdain criticized journalists and other high-profile personalities rubbing elbows with Kissinger despite him having blood on his hands:
“Any journalist who has ever been polite to Henry Kissinger, you know, f**k that person."
“I’m a big believer in moral gray areas, but, when it comes to that guy, in my view he should not be able to eat at a restaurant in New York.”
Powerful words.