Anthony Bourdain's mother says his body is stuck in France
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Anthony Bourdain’s body is stuck in bureaucratic red tape in France, leaving funeral plans for him temporarily on hold, the celebrity chef’s mom told The Post on Sunday.
Bourdain’s family is still waiting for the French government to allow the TV chef’s body to be flown back to the US for burial, after he hanged himself in his French hotel room Friday.
“They won’t be shipping his remains back for a couple of days because of formalities,” said Gladys Bourdain, 83.
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But the mom said that is pretty typical of the “ces’t la vie” country.
“Listen, I lived there for five years — nothing is done quickly,” she said.
The mom added that the funeral plans for her son are in the hands of his estranged wife, Ottavia Busia Bourdain, because Ottavia is legally still his next of kin.
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“Although they’re separated, she’ll be in charge of whatever happens,” the mom said. “We haven’t talked for a couple days. I’m sure she’s as broken up as I am.”
Bourdain and his wife remained on good terms after their split and shared the raising of their 11-year-old daughter, Ariane, according to reports.
Bourdain, 61, was found dead by chef-pal Eric Ripert on Friday hanging by a bathrobe belt in his room at the Le Chambard hotel in Kaysersberg-Vignoble, France.
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The French Ministry of Justice, which handled the investigation into Bourdain’s death, did not respond to requests for comment Sunday.
This article originally appeared in Page Six.