This Was Anthony Bourdain's First Real Job In The Kitchen

Throughout his legendary career, Anthony Bourdain established himself as an intelligent and opinionated culinary icon. Whether it was turning television viewers on to his favorite hidden gems around the U.S. or enlightening them on what sushi to avoid buying, there was much he had to say about food and culture. Of course, it can be assumed that his wisdom and wit were cultivated, and he wasn't always the snarky, globetrotting chef we came to know and love. In fact, Bourdain got his first kitchen job not by hovering over a hot stove or as an aspiring sous chef but as a humble dishwasher.

Prior to Bourdain's illustrious career, his first kitchen gig was washing dishes at the tender age of 18 after flunking out of college. While scrubbing and rinsing plates and cutlery may not be the most glamorous role, Bourdain cherished it. Looking back, he felt that working as a kitchen dishwasher taught him many life lessons. Bourdain claimed he started the role as a lazy teenager, but working in the kitchen instilled in him discipline, a sense of pride, and respect. Eventually, he was moved to the cooking line, but realized he didn't have the skills to keep up with his peers. This led him to enroll at the Culinary Institute of America, pursue a variety of jobs as a cook and chef, and build a lifelong career as a cultural icon.

Many celebrity chefs got their start in various roles, sometimes far removed from the stardom they'd find. For example, Ina Garten left her career on the White House Office of Management and Budget team and opened a specialty food store, which she had no prior experience in. This led her to write her first cookbook, which gave way to her fame. Bobby Flay began his career as a busboy at a restaurant in New York called Joe Allen, where he impressed Allen himself and earned an education from the French Culinary Institute. Alton Brown is another whose cooking career began outside of the kitchen. He left a decade-long career in cinematography to become an accredited chef, allowing him to create his cooking show "Good Eats," where Brown taught you about food science and history over 16 seasons from a home that may or may not have been his.

It's always worth learning how our culinary heroes got their start. Although Anthony Bourdain began in a modest role, the man grew to become an award-winning celebrity chef and author. Following his unfortunate passing, Bourdain left an undeniable influence; he showed the world that any meal can be both poetic and adventurous. Further, and in simplest terms, his rebellious nature helped make food cool, injecting the culinary world with a sense of counterculture and punk rock. It's simply incredible to think that Bourdain's career may not have happened if it weren't for dirty dishes.