I severely dislike Bourdain, not because he’s a douchebag heroin addict and drunk (which he is), but because he once said that people over the age of 35 have no business getting into culinary jobs. He said that if you’re over 35, you’re not able to move fast, your tastebuds are shot, and your creativity is gone.
I heard him say this as I was in culinary school at the age of 45. Suffice it to say, that was a downer.
I later asked Tom Douglas, the ‘father of Pacific Northwest cuisine” about older chefs, and his thoughts were that...no matter what Bourdain said...if you can do the job, there’s no reason for someone not to hire you.
That’s why I’m doing what I’m doing, 10 years later.
I used to watch Billy Ruiz on RFD. His show was Cowboy Flavor and he cooked pioneer style on Dutch ovens with a California/Spanish/Western flair. He always stayed true to his roots and style.