It’s hard to believe that it’s been three years since we lost one of its most entertaining, likable, and exasperating cultural personalities. Anthony Bourdain was one of those special people who found a way to engage folks from all walks of life: Travelers, writers, food lovers, and readers alike. Bourdain was equally impressive as a filmmaker, chef, mystery writer, cookbook author, TV personality, and social commentator.

Even though I never met Bourdain I always felt that I knew him. We both grew up just outside of New York City and it had an outsized impact on our lives. And there were other life experiences that we both shared that don’t bear exploring here.

To honor his legacy, a new documentary titled Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain will be in theaters on July 16th (trailer above). I’m looking forward to seeing Bourdain on the screen again. Until then, I think that I’ll go back and re-read my favorite of his fictional works: The Bobby Gold Stories.