Obama shares touching tribute to Anthony Bourdain: 'He taught us about food's ability ... to make us a little less afraid of the unknown'

Carlos Barria/Reuters

U.S. President Barack Obama talks with Anthony Bourdain after an interview at a shopping area of Hanoi, Vietnam May 24, 2016.

• President Barack Obama shared on Twitter a tribute to celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain, who died Friday at age 61. 
• Obama wrote, "He taught us about food - but more importantly, about its ability to bring us together. To make us a little less afraid of the unknown. We'll miss him."
• Bourdain met and interviewed Obama in Hanoi, Vietnam, for his show "Parts Unknown" in March 2016. 

Fans around the world are remembering and celebrating the life of Anthony Bourdain, the beloved celebrity chef and travel show host who died Friday morning from an apparent suicide at the age of 61.

Bourdain hosted CNN's "Parts Unknown," where he traveled to places all around the world and highlighted the cuisines and cultures he found. 

One of the many people who shared a tribute to Bourdain was former US President Barack Obama, who was featured on an episode of "Parts Unknown" filmed in Hanoi, Vietnam, in March 2016. Obama was in Asia for a multi-country state visit, and he met Bourdain for an interview over bun cha noodles and local beer in an authentic local restaurant. 

In a piece published for CNN in March 2017, Bourdain wrote about how much he enjoyed his experience interviewing the president. 

"I can tell you that Barack Obama was, in spite of having had a high-ranking leader of the Taliban whacked in Pakistan a few days previous, very relaxed and at ease. He seemed to enjoy himself sitting on a low plastic stool eating noodles and pork bits with chopsticks," Bourdain wrote. 

Bourdain also remarked upon how warmly received Obama was in Vietnam - and how the locals were excited he and Bourdain opted for a little-known local specialty instead of the more mainstream spring rolls and pho.