French chef recounts serving Anthony Bourdain before his death

PARIS -- Four days before his death, celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain was tucking into sauerkraut and roasted ham in the eastern French town of Colmar, just miles from the village of Kaysersberg where his life ended. Julien Schroeder, the owner and chef of La Petite Venise, said Friday that he served the typical regional meal to Bourdain and Eric Ripert, co-owner of New York's famed Le Bernardin, while cameras rolled. 

Schroeder said a table of Americans didn't check the menu, instead requesting "what Mr. Bourdain is having."

Bourdain's body was discovered in on Friday. He died of an apparent suicide.

This handout image taken on Monday, June 4, 2018, shows Julien Schroeder posing with his wife Virginie Schroeder, center right, Eric Ripert, second left, and Anthony Bourdain, right.  Jean-David Schroeder via AP

Schroeder said Bourdain and Ripert didn't notice the cameras as they talked food, and he could feel that "it came naturally."

It's unclear where Bourdain's last Instagram photo was taken, but he shared an image of a similar meal last Monday with the caption: "Light lunch. #Alsace."

Light lunch. #Alsace

A post shared by anthonybourdain (@anthonybourdain) on

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