The Basic Meals Anthony Bourdain Believed Everyone Should Master

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If you know anything about Anthony Bourdain, you know that food was a central part of his life. So, it should come as little surprise that when asked about what meals every man should know how to cook — in a 2014 interview with Men's Journal — he was quick with a response, and it was much more than one dish. "In an ideal society, everyone over 12 should be able to cook a few basic things reasonably well," Bourdain explained, adding that feeding both themselves and several others should be considered a "basic life skill." But what dishes did Bourdain believe everyone should know how to cook?

"Everyone should know how to make an omelet," the celebrity chef noted. "Everyone should know how to roast a chicken properly, how to grill a steak properly, [and] how to make a basic — very basic — stew or soup." Despite his deep love for all things culinary, his view was not so much that everyone needed to be a master chef or that one needed to have a list of impressive signature dishes. He had his, sure, and always showed respect for those that cooked well. But like any expert in their respective field, he knew that learning the basics and knowing how to do a few things right was really the most important part.

For Bourdain, those dishes mentioned above were considered, essentially, cooking 101 — an entry-level course. After that comes a classic homemade pomodoro sauce, as well as cooking a simple pasta dish. "It would make the world a better place if we all knew how to cook pasta properly," the celebrity chef added.

On that list of dishes for everyone to master, there is one in particular that Anthony Bourdain had strong opinions about when a person ought to learn: the omelet. For him, it was tied to another rite of passage. In his book "Medium Raw," Bourdain continued this idea. "I have long believed that it is only right and appropriate that before one sleeps with someone, one should be able — if called upon to do so — to make them a proper omelet in the morning," Bourdain explained. "Surely that kind of civility and selflessness would be both good manners and good for the world." Again, Bourdain expressed a reverence for basic technique. It doesn't have to be fancy; you just need to do it right.

Bourdain would surely raise a glass to those who take their culinary pursuits well beyond these basics, but everyone has to start somewhere. And despite traveling and dining all over the world, including in many of the fanciest and more experimental restaurants out there, the foods that Bourdain loved most tended to be simpler fare. They were things like a well-made batch of french fries from Les Halles, hot dogs from Gray's Papaya, or a simple dish of mapo tofu.

So, if you, like many, admire the way Bourdain walked through life, embrace the simplicity of his best cooking lessons. You don't need to master everything — and definitely not all at once. Start with the basics. Learn to make a simple omelet, and practice roasting a perfect chicken. Once you've mastered his simple list, you'll have a solid foundation to build from... Of course, picking up a copy of his cookbook "Appetites" surely wouldn't hurt either.