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Celebrity chef understands West Virginians

There is a pride in the people of West Virginia.

It’s born in back-breaking labor, a connection with nature and a hard-scrabble lifestyle which hasn’t always been looked upon in the best light by the rest of the nation.

Even with all the changes of the last century, we still have stereotypes to bear. We aren’t always understood by those who live elsewhere, and there still are those who don’t always remember West Virginia is a state.

But, when they do come, we welcome them and show them a hospitality not matched by most.

Anthony Bourdain recently experienced some of that West Virginia pride and hospitality for himself.

A chef and author known for his travel-based television programs, Bourdain recently visited several areas of our state for his program “Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown.”

In his shows, Bourdain has a tendency to offer a few of his own observations, but let the people he meets tell their own story.

While being interviewed by a reporter from “The Welch News,” during his visit, Bourdain said, “I would never in my life dare, as a New Yorker, give advice to West Virginians. That’s what everybody’s been doing for 200 years and I don’t want to be that guy.”

He said he didn’t understand the intolerance so many others show toward West Virginia, and wanted to help showcase what makes the state so incredible.

He sees the pride in the work and the culture.

He saw a similar pride during a recent visit to Pittsburgh for another episode of his program.

It’s about tradition and family, and knowing you put in a hard day’s work to make a difference.

“How deeply people identify, whether they still work in the coal industry or not, with that history and tradition. I understand this well from Pittsburgh,” said Bourdain. “People who haven’t worked in the steel industry for two generations are still very proud of that blue collar difficulty. A business that may have ground them down and failed them many, many times but that was still so much a part of who they are. I think that romantic attachment is something people miss.”

He also sees the problems we are facing, not only recognizing them as problems seen in other parts of the country, but also identifying them as problems he himself has faced.

Bourdain has been quite open about his own past with drug use. He sees the effects on West Virginia now.

He expressed concern about the way politicians use the state for their own means, eventually to forget about us once they feel we are no longer useful.

He also is wary about the attention his show might bring, and whether it will change the state for the worse.

Personally, while the program may bring a few more visitors, I hope it does bring one more thing…understanding.

We do have major issues. They are problems that can’t be fixed with promises from politicians who only step foot here a couple of times a year for a rally.

They are problems that need hard work, cooperation and the kind of resiliency West Virginians have shown throughout our history.

We have generations of families who have worked in the coal mines and steel mills.

We take pride in that, just as we take pride in our state’s natural beauty.

We fight for what we have, because that’s what we’ve always done.

We know what we have here, even if others don’t.

Well, now there’s one more person who understands at least a little better.

“Heaven is here. It’s got its problems, big problems even,” said Bourdain. “but I’m in the best place on Earth.”

(Howell, a resident of Colliers, is managing editor of The Weirton Daily Times, and can be contacted at chowell@weirtondailytimes.com or followed on Twitter @CHowellWDT)

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