The Bourdain Dinner — Five Years of Love and Legacy
- Justin Morales
- Oct 22
- 4 min read
Updated: Oct 23
A night of service, soul, and remembrance at the 5th Annual Anthony Bourdain Suicide Prevention Dinner.
I could have written about the delicious food, but the experience was the main course. Monday night, October 20th, was one of those rare nights that remind you why we do this. At The Corner in Litchfield, Connecticut, we gathered for the 5th Annual Anthony Bourdain Suicide Prevention Dinner, an event that’s become one of the most meaningful traditions in our industry. Every year, this dinner raises awareness and money for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, but more than that, it brings together the people who understand what it means to serve , not just guests, but each other.
Two years ago, I sat at that dinner as a guest. This year, I got to be part of it , behind the bar, shoulder to shoulder with two absolute pros, Khalid Williams and Olivia Olsen. We moved like a jazz trio: Olivia commanding service, Khalid running point, and me holding the middle, and living my best life, doing what I always loved most. Behind us, Chris Snyder, the house bartender, humbled himself to barback even though he’s a killer behind the stick. That kind of humility says everything about the spirit of the night. I love me some pre-shift and this one was legend.
And when the rush slowed, I ran food , alongside Amy White, editor of my book Serving Life: Behind Bars, Kitchens, and Hospitality , a true industry pro herself and food writer, and Myles Walsh, another hospitality lifer who now sells POS systems but still carries that spark we all recognize. Everyone in that room , chefs, servers, runners, dishwashers, photographers , donated the one thing we have the least of: time. And they gave it gladly.
The lineup of chefs was an all-star team !
Billy Grant, a legend I grew up admiring.
Damon Daye, whose restaurant once beat mine at the Crazies for Best New Restaurant , and I was genuinely proud to lose to him.
X Santiago, endlessly creative.
Renée Touponce, pure fire and kindness rolled into one.
Chanteun Thanh, steady, humble, talented.
Prasad Chirnomula, a master whose food feels like a warm conversation, which I will always make time for.
And of course, the heartbeat of it all,
Chef Carlos Perez, the man who puts this whole thing together and somehow still cooks with soul like it’s his first day on the line. Even the legendary industry Photographer, Lisa Nichols, of Bread and Beast, was there capturing the soul of the night.
These are our people. The ones who don’t have time to spare but show up anyway. The ones who work 70 hours a week and still give their day off to serve someone else’s cause. There were no egos in that kitchen — just purpose, passion, and love. It felt like coming home. Like being part of the 1992 Dream Team of hospitality. Everyone there — from the hall-of-fame chefs to the food runners — played their part with pride and grace.
Originally, I was just going to donate Up n’ Down Rock & Bourbon as a raffle prize. Then I thought, hell, I’ll donate some for service too. But when Chef Carlos asked if I wanted to jump behind the bar, I didn’t hesitate. Yes, Chef. Because I’ve lost too many coworkers, too many friends, too many good humans to suicide, addiction, and depression. It’s a sad cliché in our business — but if I can help change it, I’m in every time.
This night wasn’t about press or prestige. It was about something deeper. It was about being there for each other. About honoring those we’ve lost. About remembering that even when we’re exhausted, we can still give. The service was incredible — but what I got in return filled my soul tenfold.
When people ask me, what hospitality really is, I think of nights like this. Nights where love outweighs ego, where giving feels effortless, and where you remember that we’re all just trying to feed the world , and sometimes, heal it.
One of my humble contributions behind the bar was the Yuzu Foamy , made with Up n’ Down Rock & Bourbon, Fruitful Blackberry Lemonade, a splash of ginger ale, and topped with a yuzu and ginger liqueur egg white foam, finished with fresh citrus and a fried basil leaf. Light, balanced, and just playful enough to make people pause and smile , the kind of drink that tastes like the night itself: bittersweet, bright, and full of life.
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