20 Brilliant Life Lessons From Anthony Bourdain


Anthony Michael Bourdain is an American chef, author, and television personality. Few people on the planet have lived the kind of globetrotting and adventure-filled life that chef and TV personality Anthony Bourdain has. You can probably learn a thing or two from the man.


1.) “Skills can be taught. Character you either have or you don't have.”


2.) “If you’re twenty-two, physically fit, hungry to learn and be better, I urge you to travel – as far and as widely as possible. Sleep on the floors if you have to. Find out how other people live and eat and cook. Learn from them – wherever you go.”


3.) “Don't lie about it. You made a mistake. Admit it and move on. Just don't do it again. Ever”


4.) "What nicer thing can you do for somebody than make them breakfast?"


5.) “Travel changes you. As you move through this life and this world you change things slightly, you leave marks behind, however small. And in return, life - and travel - leaves marks on you. Most of the time, those marks - on your body or on your heart - are beautiful. Often, though, they hurt.”


6.) "You learn a lot about someone when you share a meal together."


7.) “Your body is not a temple, it's an amusement park. Enjoy the ride.”


8.) “Maybe that’s enlightenment enough: to know that there is no final resting place of the mind; no moment of smug clarity. Perhaps wisdom...is realizing how small I am, and unwise, and how far I have yet to go."


9.) “I don't have to agree with you to like you or respect you.”


10.) “Good food is very often, even most often, simple food.”


11.) “If you look someone in the eye and call them a ‘fat, worthless, syphilitic puddle of badger crap’ it doesn’t mean you don’t like them. It can be – and often is – a term of endearment.”


12.) "Open your mind, get up off the couch, move.”


13.) “Luck is not a business model.”


14.) “There’s something wonderful about drinking in the afternoon. A not-too-cold pint, absolutely alone at the bar – even in this fake-ass Irish pub.”


15.) “Under 'Reasons for Leaving Last Job', never give the real reason, unless it's money or ambition.”


16.) “It’s very rarely a good career move to have a conscience.”


17.) “The way you make an omelet reveals your character.”


18.) “Context and memory play powerful roles in all the truly great meals in one’s life.”


19.) “Good food and good eating are about risk.”


20.) “Without new ideas success can become stale.”



Category and Tags
More stories by
From Borrowed Parts to a Culture of Its Own: The Story of Car Customization in Bangladesh

Twenty years ago, if you wanted to make your car your own in Dhaka, you had two real options: drive to Nawabpur and hope someone could fabricate what you had in mind, or wait for a relative abroad to bring back a single part wrapped in a suitcase. Th

Why So Many Young Bangladeshis Look Abroad for Opportunity ?

Every year, thousands of young Bangladeshis dream of building businesses of their own. Many have the ambition, creativity, and determination needed to succeed. Yet a large number eventually choose a different path: s...

Who Was Osman Hadi?

As an academic and an entrepreneur, should I speak about politics? Should I raise issues that matter? I believe the answer is yes. Politics shapes our societies. When political systems are poorly managed, everything ...

Apple launches digital ID, now passports can be shown on iPhone

The facility to add a passport and ID to iPhone and Apple Wallet has been launched. Photo: AppleApple has introduced the ability to add a passport to Apple Wallet. With the new Digital ID feature, iPhone and Apple Wa...

France Tests a Route that Allows Electric Vehicles to be Charged While in Motion

Photo: ElectreonThe production and use of electric vehicles is currently increasing worldwide because they are fuel-efficient and environmentally friendly. However, these vehicles can only be charged at home or at sp...

Follow Business Habit on Facebook, Twitter