Developing Interest: The Fascinated and the Restricted

Anthony Bourdain is a figure often discussed at my family home. My mother and stepfather are a fan of his show, and they were both devastated when he committed suicide. Yet, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that I had only come to know a surface level understanding of the complex life Bourdain lived.

In her presentation of the Bourdain, Anna Roccucci presented a side to the food critic that I had never previously experienced. Learning about his roots as a dishwasher who developed a desire to challenge those in the restaurant industry put into context the depth of knowledge Bourdain displays in his more modern work. His work as a social justice advocate within the food industry is quite impressive, along with his extensive written publication list.

Roccucci presented an enlightening timeline of Bourdain’s life, piecing together moments in a way which provided a clear understanding of how he became the figure with whom I am familiar.

However, while I think Roccucci effectively performed the assignment provided to her, I would have been interested to see how more time would have allowed her to expand upon her different points of discussion about Bourdain. She appeared to be both incredibly knowledgeable on and deeply intrigued by the author, and I think she could have provided even more fascinating bits of knowledge about him if given a lengthier platform upon which to speak.

In particular, I think this sentiment was one that I did not quite share with Roccucci when conducting the research for my own presentation. While I do think Nora Ephron is quite an intriguing individual, I did not find myself becoming to invested in the project due to the various time constraints I have been facing in balancing the work in my final year of my Bachelor’s program with the demands of pursuing the next steps in my academic and professional journey.