Anthony Bourdain, the celebrated chef, author, and travel documentarian, was known for his candidness and his commitment to exposing uncomfortable truths. His fearless commentary extended beyond food and culture, often touching on broader issues of politics and morality. One of the more intriguing—and perhaps lesser-known—topics that Bourdain frequently criticized was former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger. In Bourdain’s worldview, Kissinger represented everything wrong with U.S. foreign policy, and the chef never minced words when discussing him.
For some, Bourdain’s criticism of Kissinger was surprising. What did a chef and travel host have to do with geopolitics? For others, especially those familiar with Bourdain’s values and worldview, it was no shock at all. His opposition to Kissinger was grounded in a deep-seated disdain for abuses of power, exploitation, and disregard for human suffering—values Bourdain carried with him throughout his life and career. This article will delve into the complexities of Anthony Bourdain’s relationship with Henry Kissinger’s legacy, how it influenced Bourdain’s worldview, and why this critique became a central part of Bourdain’s public persona.
The Making of Anthony Bourdain’s Political Conscience
Before examining Bourdain’s critiques of Kissinger, it is important to understand how and why a celebrity chef would become so vocal about global politics. Anthony Bourdain was more than just a culinary expert—he was a storyteller, traveler, and thinker who approached the world with a critical eye. His work on No Reservations and Parts Unknown allowed him to explore various cultures, cuisines, and communities, but it also put him face-to-face with the political realities shaping those places.
Bourdain’s travels exposed him to the disparities between wealth and poverty, the lingering effects of colonialism, and the impacts of U.S. foreign interventions in places like Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America. His innate sense of justice, combined with a skepticism toward power, led him to become more vocal about the ways in which certain political figures shaped the world—often to the detriment of vulnerable populations. Bourdain’s worldview was one that valued authenticity, empathy, and respect for local communities, and he loathed those he believed had exploited or harmed those communities for political gain.
The Vietnam War and Bourdain’s Early Criticism of Kissinger
One of the most significant reasons Bourdain was so outspoken about Henry Kissinger was the former Secretary of State’s involvement in the Vietnam War. Kissinger, who served as National Security Advisor and later as Secretary of State under Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford, was a key architect of U.S. foreign policy during the Vietnam War. His strategies, including the secret bombings of Cambodia and Laos, were aimed at weakening North Vietnamese forces and ending the war on terms favorable to the United States. However, these bombings resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of civilians and left lasting scars on the region.
Bourdain, like many others who grew up during the Vietnam War era, was deeply affected by the conflict. He was part of a generation that witnessed the futility, destruction, and moral ambiguity of U.S. involvement in Vietnam. The war was televised, and the images of napalm bombings, the My Lai massacre, and the suffering of the Vietnamese people were seared into the collective consciousness of Americans.
In his writings and interviews, Bourdain made it clear that he saw Kissinger as one of the primary figures responsible for the war’s devastation. In his book A Cook’s Tour, Bourdain famously 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.”
This visceral anger was not simply based on abstract political disagreements. Bourdain’s travels to Southeast Asia brought him face-to-face with the long-term consequences of Kissinger’s policies. He witnessed firsthand the poverty, trauma, and scars left by U.S. intervention in Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam. The landmines still buried in Cambodian fields and the decimated infrastructure were physical reminders of the destruction wrought by the bombings Kissinger had orchestrated.
Bourdain’s anger toward Kissinger was deeply personal—rooted in the suffering he saw in the places that Kissinger’s policies had affected. He saw Kissinger not as a shrewd diplomat but as a war criminal who had inflicted untold harm on innocent people.
The U.S. Bombing of Cambodia: Kissinger’s Dark Legacy
Bourdain’s outrage toward Kissinger was particularly focused on the secret U.S. bombing campaign in Cambodia, which Kissinger orchestrated during the Vietnam War. The Nixon administration, with Kissinger as a key advisor, sought to destroy North Vietnamese sanctuaries in Cambodia, believing that these areas were providing crucial support to the communist forces fighting in South Vietnam. However, this secret bombing campaign, known as Operation Menu, expanded far beyond military targets, hitting Cambodian villages and killing thousands of civilians.
The bombings destabilized Cambodia and contributed to the rise of the Khmer Rouge, a brutal regime that would go on to commit genocide against its own people. Historians argue that the devastation caused by the U.S. bombings created the conditions for the Khmer Rouge’s rise to power, as they exploited the chaos and destruction to gain support from the Cambodian people. The Khmer Rouge’s reign of terror resulted in the deaths of an estimated 1.7 million people.
Bourdain, who visited Cambodia several times throughout his career, was acutely aware of this history. In his television show No Reservations, Bourdain traveled to Cambodia and met with survivors of the Khmer Rouge regime, exploring the country’s tragic past. He expressed profound empathy for the Cambodian people and deep anger toward those, like Kissinger, who he believed were complicit in creating the conditions that led to such suffering.
In one episode of Parts Unknown, Bourdain spoke about the legacy of the U.S. bombings and Kissinger’s role in them. “The people of Cambodia are still dealing with the aftermath of decisions made in far-off places by people who had no understanding of what their actions would mean on the ground,” he said. For Bourdain, the horrors of Cambodia’s past were not distant history—they were ongoing realities, and Kissinger’s policies were at the root of that suffering.
Bourdain’s Broader Critique of U.S. Foreign Policy
While Kissinger was a frequent target of Bourdain’s ire, the chef’s critique extended beyond just one individual. Bourdain’s disdain for Kissinger was emblematic of his broader criticism of U.S. foreign policy, particularly its interventions in developing countries. He believed that American political and military actions often caused more harm than good, destabilizing regions, exploiting resources, and leaving ordinary people to suffer the consequences.
Bourdain’s travels took him to many places that had been affected by U.S. interventions, from Central America to the Middle East. In these places, he met people who had been caught in the crossfire of U.S. military and political actions. Whether it was the ongoing conflict in Palestine, the war in Iraq, or the drug wars in Latin America, Bourdain saw a consistent pattern of U.S. involvement exacerbating suffering rather than alleviating it.
This skepticism toward American foreign policy made Bourdain a vocal critic of figures like Kissinger, who represented the pinnacle of realpolitik—where the pursuit of national interests often took precedence over ethical considerations. Bourdain’s worldview was fundamentally opposed to this kind of cold, calculating approach to global affairs. He believed in empathy, human connection, and a deep respect for the people and cultures he encountered. Kissinger’s actions, in Bourdain’s eyes, were the antithesis of these values.
Kissinger’s Defenders and the Counterarguments
It is important to acknowledge that Henry Kissinger remains a highly polarizing figure, with both fierce critics and staunch defenders. While Bourdain and others have accused him of war crimes and ethical violations, Kissinger’s supporters argue that his actions were necessary to navigate the complex geopolitics of the Cold War. They credit Kissinger with helping to end the Vietnam War, opening diplomatic relations with China, and securing arms control agreements with the Soviet Union.
Kissinger himself has defended his record, arguing that his decisions were made in the context of a dangerous and unpredictable global environment. He has claimed that his policies were intended to protect U.S. interests and prevent the spread of communism, which was seen as a major threat during the Cold War era.
However, for critics like Bourdain, these justifications fall flat. They argue that Kissinger’s actions, particularly in places like Cambodia and Chile, were morally indefensible, regardless of the geopolitical context. To Bourdain, the lives of ordinary people in these countries mattered more than the abstract chessboard of Cold War politics.
The Legacy of Bourdain’s Critique of Kissinger
Anthony Bourdain’s critique of Henry Kissinger is a testament to his refusal to stay silent on issues of moral and political importance. While Bourdain could have easily stayed within the realm of food and travel, he chose to use his platform to speak out against what he saw as injustices perpetrated by powerful figures like Kissinger.
Bourdain’s condemnation of Kissinger was not just a one-off statement—it was part of a broader worldview that emphasized empathy, respect for other cultures, and a deep sense of justice. His criticism of U.S. foreign policy, and Kissinger’s role in it, was rooted in his belief that the powerful should be held accountable for the harm they cause to ordinary people around the world.
In the years since Bourdain’s passing, his critique of Kissinger remains relevant as debates about U.S. foreign policy and the legacy of figures like Kissinger continue. Bourdain’s voice, though no longer with us, still resonates as a reminder of the importance of speaking truth to power and standing up for those who have been marginalized and exploited by the decisions of the powerful.
In the end, Anthony Bourdain’s unflinching critique of Henry Kissinger serves as a powerful example of how one individual can use their platform to challenge the status quo and speak out against injustice—even when that injustice is perpetrated by some of the most powerful figures in the world.
