Anthony Bourdain Receives Honorary Doctorate At CIA

HYDE PARK, NY — Anthony Bourdain, chef and television personality, delivered the keynote address at the Culinary Institute of America commencement Dec. 19 and received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters in Culinary Arts degree.

Bourdain told the 143 graduates and their families that the CIA is an institution which he was very grateful to have attended.

“It was incredibly important to me,” he said. “I had a good time here, and I’m grateful for all of the skills I learned and the experiences I had.”

Bourdain began his culinary career as a dishwasher on Cape Cod during summers while attending Vassar College in Poughkeepsie. He enrolled at the CIA, graduating in 1978.

During more than two decades of cooking at top New York City restaurants, Bourdain began writing. A magazine article in The New Yorker led to the bestselling “Kitchen Confidential.” He went on to write several novels, non-fiction books and cookbooks before turning to television. Both “A Cook's Tour” and the Emmy-winning “Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations” featured episodes recorded at the CIA. He can now be seen on “Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown” on CNN, a show with five Emmy Awards for which he has also served as executive producer.

In his address, Bourdain asked the graduating class what kind of place do you want to work in and what kind of leaders do you want to be.

“Please go out there in this new world that is being created right in front of us right now,” he said, “and change that world for the better.”

The CIA graduation ceremony, including Bourdain's address and the bestowing of his honorary doctorate, can be seen online.

Photo caption: CIA President Tim Ryan presenting Anthony Bourdain with an honorary doctorate from The Culinary Institute of America on Dec. 19, 2017. Photo credit: CIA/Phil Mansfield.