Anthony Bourdain's Daughter Is Not a Public Figure, and That's How He Wanted It

Now that a new documentary about his life has hit theaters, a renewed focus has been placed on Anthony Bourdain's life as a public figure. The film, which is called Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain, is an unvarnished look at every aspect of Anthony's life, including his family life. As the documentary explores some details from that part of his life, fans are naturally curious to learn more about his teenage daughter.

Anthony Bourdain's only child is Ariane, a daughter he had with his second wife Ottavia Busia-Bourdain. Although the documentary attempts to paint a comprehensive picture of Anthony, Ariane is not a prominent part of it. The documentary features footage of Anthony carrying his child when she was younger, but it only offers the smallest of glances at who she is now.

Viewers don't see the teen version of Ariane until the very end of the film when she's seen holding hands with her mother and walking away from the camera. As it turns out, Ariane's limited role in the film was an intentional choice on the part of Ottavia, who was honoring an agreement she made with Anthony before his death.

“Tony and Ottavia had always decided to keep their daughter out of the public eye and so even though Tony’s gone, I think that was something that Ottavia still believes, and I get it,” director Morgan Neville told The New York Daily News. “We used a bunch of shots of his daughter when she was younger, but now that she’s a teenager, it just felt crossing the line to really do it."

Morgan said that, when it came to the ending, he wanted to include some footage of Anthony's family in the present day. “But when I explained this idea I had for Ottavia at the end, as kind of just checking in with people in the film, she sent me that video. And it was great. It was a chance to feel like they’re still here, and they’re still moving on.”

Although Roadrunner doesn't feature Ariane in a prominent role, it does feature interviews with plenty of people who had relationships with Anthony, including Ottavia, his brother, and a number of other colleagues and friends.

The film examines who Anthony was, including his magnetic, buoyant personality and his struggles with depression.

The TV host was best known for his shows about food No Reservations and Parts Unknown, but Anthony was an author before he was a TV personality. His book, Kitchen Confidential, detailed his time working in restaurant kitchens, and became a best seller in part for the way it explained the restaurant industry, warts and all.

Anthony died by suicide in 2018, but his legacy is still being unpacked. He was one of the world's best known food personality, and Roadrunner attempts to get at what made him such a beloved, special person to his friends, family, and fans.