The 61-year-old took viewers around the world, including the Middle East, with his popular TV series.

Tributes are flowing for Anthony Bourdain, a celebrated US chef, writer and TV presenter, who took his own life at the age of 61.

Throughout his career, Bourdain took viewers around the world with his popular television series, Parts Unknown. The show launched in 2013 after he joined CNN in a move that many viewed as risky for both the network and Bourdain.

He was found dead in a hotel room in France’s Strasbourg, where he had been working on an upcoming episode of his programme, CNN said in a statement on Friday.

Last year, Bourdain boiled down the main idea behind Parts Unknown for the New Yorker magazine: “I travel around the world, eat a lot of s***, and basically do whatever the f*** I want.”

The show featured meals in both out-of-the-way restaurants and the homes of locals, providing what the New Yorker called a “communion with a foreign culture so unmitigated that it feels practically intravenous.”

Bourdain visited the occupied West Bank and Gaza in 2013, showcasing local food and highlighting life under the occupation.

The Palestinians of Gaza have lost a good friend in Anthony Bourdain, whose integrity and basic human decency made his Parts Unknown episode on Gaza easily the best thing CNN has ever done on Palestine https://t.co/mdjHFTyDgP — Tony Karon (@TonyKaron) June 8, 2018

I will miss him. Watch this speech where he talks about #Palestine . #Anthony_Bourdain 's acceptance speech at the MPAC Media Awards https://t.co/xxQGRcYWWa — Sinan Antoon سنان أنطون (@sinanantoon) June 8, 2018

Anthony Bourdain is dead. A true loss. One of the few voices in #US media that gave nuanced, interesting views on #Lebanon & #Gaza. A personal hero of mine with his book(s), who inspired me to cook better as well. — Nabih (@nabihbulos) June 8, 2018

He also went to Libya where he looked at life after long-time ruler Muammar Gaddafi.

He concluded the episode by saying: “This is a place that’s filled with a lot of extraordinary people who have done an extraordinary thing on very short notice, under very difficult circumstances, and at a very difficult time – who are continuing to do the best they can, and I wish them well.”

He visited Oman and Lebanon in 2015.

It wasn’t his first time in Lebanon, where he had gone to shoot an episode of the show No Reservations in 2006. The show was interrupted by the outbreak of war between Hezbollah and Israel, but Bourdain’s love for Lebanon was cemented.

“There’s no place else even remotely like it. Everything great and all the world’s ills all in one glorious, messed up, magical, maddening, magnificent city. Beirut. It’s good to be back,” he said.

Also in 2015, CNN aired Bourdain’s show on Iran.

“I am so confused. It wasn’t supposed to be like this. Of all of the places, of all the countries, all the years of traveling, it’s here in Iran that I am greeted most warmly by total strangers,” he said.

"Of all the places, of all the countries, all the years of traveling, it's here in Iran, that I am greeted most warmly by strangers." #RIP #AnthonyBourdain — Dr. Nina Ansary (@drninaansary) June 8, 2018

Bourdain’s profile began to soar in 1999 when the New Yorker published his article Don’t Eat Before Reading This, which he developed into the 2000 book, Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly.

He went on to host television programmes, first on the Food Network and the Travel Channel, before joining CNN.

“His love of great adventure, new friends, fine food and drink and the remarkable stories of the world made him a unique storyteller,” CNN said in its statement.

“His talents never ceased to amaze us and we will miss him very much.”

Here are some social media reactions to Bourdain’s death:

RIP Anthony Bourdain. He did right by Africans in his TV programs. Like this https://t.co/MZFGQYmXwo — Africa Is a Country (@africasacountry) June 8, 2018

Bourdain on Palestine: It’s a measure I guess of how twisted and shallow our depiction of a people is that these images come as a shock to so many. The world has visited many terrible things on the Palestinian people, none more shameful than robbing them of their basic humanity. — Diana Buttu (@dianabuttu) June 8, 2018

Black folks loved this man because he didn't appropriate, when it came to us all he could do was celebrate. He told the world we were the center of Southern&Brazilian food and he let us speak for ourselves. #AnthonyBourdain was the John Brown of food media. — Michael W. Twitty (@KosherSoul) June 8, 2018

#AnthonyBourdain covered the crises in Puerto Rico with respect- a reminder of what honest media can do- he gave a platform to food sovereignty work in PR & let all know US policies are starving our ppl to serve US corporate interests- his passing is a real loss -may he RIP🌻 — Elizabeth Yeampierre (@yeampierre) June 8, 2018