Hanoi Bun Cha Restaurant Owner Mourns Chef Bourdain

DNUM_AJZAGZCABI 20:47

The owner of the bun cha restaurant where Anthony Bourdain ate with Obama was shocked and heartbroken to hear that the chef had committed suicide.

Chef Anthony Bourdain (right) ate bun cha with US President Obama in 2016. Photo:CNN.

"I was very surprised and saddened to hear about Bourdain's death," Nguyen Thi Nga, owner of the Huong Lien bun cha restaurant, toldAFP."Bourdain was very nice and friendly. He complimented our noodles and dipping sauce. He loves Vietnamese food."

Chef, TV starAnthonyBourdain committed suicide in a hotel on June 8 at the age of 61, while filming for CNN's culinary discovery program in France.Bourdain visited Vietnam several times and left an impression on Vietnamese audiences when he ate a $6 bun cha meal with US President Obama in 2016.

At Ms. Nga's restaurant, customers today pay more attention to the table and chairs where Bourdain and Obama once sat. "I came here to share the pain when we lost such a talented chef. Bourdain was special because he had a great passion for Vietnamese cuisine," said customer Nguyen Quan.