The Humble Dish Anthony Bourdain Called 'The Perfect Food'

Anthony Bourdain was one of the most influential, passionate, and down-to-earth voices in the world of food. As a chef, he had a deep respect for tradition, which was reflected in his cooking. That same reverence was just as clear in the way he talked about food, both in his writing and on screen. He didn't go in for some of the pretentiousness that the food world is sometimes known for. Though he could be blunt and irreverent, his passion for simple, well-made food and ingredients made it hard not to be swept up in the way he spoke about it. So maybe it's no surprise that he considered something as humble as a hard-boiled egg to be perfect.

In what became the final episode of Anthony Bourdain's series "Parts Unknown," he met New York musician and artist John Lurie. This was their first time meeting. They discussed New York and Lurie's history there while he put on a pot and boiled four eggs for Bourdain. At one point, he joked that he had seen Bourdain's show before, where he eats things like mouse head soup, which made Bourdain laugh. Lurie wondered if Bourdain would find the eggs as delicious as the fancy foods the chef was used to.

There was nothing fancy in Lurie's cooking or presentation. He gave Bourdain an empty plate and then the pot with the eggs in it. Bourdain accepted it graciously and declared that eggs are "the perfect food." They continued talking as Bourdain peeled an egg and ate it.

In a 2017 interview with The Guardian, Bourdain said "As I get older my tastes become simpler." He said that food like your grandmother's meatloaf was what made him happy. It makes sense that a hard-boiled egg would be so appealing to him. Bourdain had eaten some of the most well-prepared food in the world, crafted by famous chefs from every corner of the globe, but he said he had learned to experience food emotionally rather than critically. In that way, any pretension would be stripped away. What's left is unpretentious, good food, the kind that never needs to be fancy, as seen in many of the foods he loved.

There is an amusing post-credit scene in the final episode of "Parts Unknown," after Bourdain and Lurie appear to have wrapped up. The scene returns to the two men in Lurie's apartment. The artist points out that Bourdain never actually said the eggs were delicious, even though he had wondered earlier if he would. Bourdain realizes he didn't say the word aloud, but notes that he ate two of them, and that his silence spoke volumes. Anthony Bourdain died only a week after meeting Lurie. He even bought one of the artist's paintings, and they were fast becoming friends.

Bourdain included a recipe for boiling eggs in his "Les Halles Cookbook." It's extremely simple: place eggs in cold water, bring them to a boil, then let them rest for 10 minutes. He titled it "How to Hard-Boil a Freaking Egg."