The Winning Bidder For Anthony Bourdain's Knife Just Revealed Their Location
Even though years have passed since Anthony Bourdain's death in 2018, the food world still mourns him. Bourdain was much more than a chef — he was a writer, a TV personality, and an avid traveler. He was beloved by his fans for his sardonic attitude and no-nonsense personality. The people who worked with him on his travels described him as modest and cautious. Despite the great fame that he had achieved by the time of his death, at 61 years old, he spent many years living a hardscrabble chef's life in the kitchens of New York City restaurants. He only opened his first savings account when he was 44 years old.
In the years since his death, his personal items have been, in some cases, auctioned off or sold. And if you're wondering what happened to Bourdain's beloved chef's knife, that was auctioned off as well. There was much speculation about who would win the knife, as there are countless people in the food world who revered Bourdain and collectors who would jump at the chance to own something that once belonged to the legend.
Per Fine Dining Lovers, the knife was made specifically for Bourdain by well-known master knife forger Bob Kramer. Bourdain called the knife his "prize possession." The knife was sent to auction in 2019, and initially, its price was set between $4000 and $6000. The knife was such a hot commodity though, that the bidding war ended at a whopping $231,250!
The famous chef's knife was won at auction by a friend
The highest bid for Anthony Bourdain's beloved chef's knife belongs to a restaurant in Singapore, The English House. This establishment also owns several other items that once belonged to Anthony Bourdain, and plans to display the knife alongside the other personal effects that it owns in an exhibition of possessions, art, and personal effects (per Fine Dining Lovers).
Some had worried that the knife had been bought by a private collector, never to be seen again, but fans of Bourdain can rest easy knowing that instead, the knife will be on display — should they ever find themselves in Singapore.
It's no coincidence that The English House ended up with several of Bourdain's personal effects. The restaurant's owner, chef Marco Pierre-White, was a friend of Bourdain's and the display is a tribute to him. The English House head chef, Gabriel Fratini, is honored to have some of Bourdain's most precious possessions stating, "Oftentimes, art collections like this is rarely accessible to the public, where they can be fully appreciated. The English House is honoured to be able to house his collection and preserve it in a way that lives on to inspire future generations."