I remember the day Anthony Bourdain died last year, and I will probably remember it for many years, if not until the day I die.

My girlfriend found out through social media before I did. At first, she was reluctant to tell me about the tragic headlines circulating across the internet. She even considered hiding my phone so that I wouldn’t see the daunting CNN alert. But she realized I would find out one way or another during that day.

When she finally mustered the nerve to tell me, she delivered the sad news with an apologetic tone, as if she knew Bourdain’s passing was just wrong — so very wrong. Bourdain’s unexplained suicide was undoubtedly a grave, unspeakable injustice perpetrated on foodies and Bourdain fans around the world.

The bad boy chef who came on the scene, looking like a hardened New York version of Billy Idol, brought with him a Rebel Yell unique to the culinary world. He made his fans scream Mony, Mony for almost two decades, and now he is gone forever.

With a seemingly incredible work ethic, Bourdain typed away on his stories and novels during the early morning hours, before completing 12-hour shifts on his feet all day and night as an executive chef at various New York City restaurants. Among his many gifts as a writer, was his ability to capture the amalgam of grittiness and charm simmering in the back of New York City restaurants.

Kitchen life obviously inspired much of Bourdain’s work. The premise of his first book, for example, concerns a mob-related murder occurring in a restaurant kitchen — and not so ironically, the killer uses an enormous Chef’s Knife to complete the gruesome deed.

While working at Les Halles, Bourdain penned a short story describing, with equal parts gore and glory, the underbelly of NYC’s fine dining establishments. It was so good that in 1999, The New Yorker published the piece. As a result, major book publishers soon took notice.

In no time Bourdain was offered a book deal leading to publication of the wildly popular Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly, his memoir of sorts. Kitchen Confidential catapulted Bourdain into the national spotlight, where he remained for nearly two decades. A string of travel and food inspired shows and books soon followed.

No Reservations, in particular, elevated Anthony Bourdain to a new level of celebrity status, making him a household name. As Bourdain traveled the world offering unique commentary on exotic foods and cultures, his audience increasingly followed.

Millions of us have no doubt parked on our couches, blissfully binge-watching episodes of No Reservations or Parts Unknown. Anthony Bourdain provided an escape and glimpse into places most of us will never experience firsthand.

While meandering through such intriguing locales, Bourdain engaged us with his humorous musings. He offered many unique insights on a wide range of topics, some related to his travels and some, well, not so much.

We now are called upon to remember Anthony Bourdain through a new world-wide holiday falling on June 25 known as “Bourdain Day.”

The new holiday falls on Anthony Bourdain’s birthday. As Éric Ripert explained via Instagram, celebrating Bourdain Day can be as simple as raising a glass to Bourdain and posting the moment to social media.

Chef José Andrés who appears in the video with Ripert, offers other ways to honor Bourdain’s memory: “People can celebrate at home, people can celebrate at the top of a mountain, people can celebrate in a bar in Guatemala, in Antigua. People can celebrate anywhere.”

So, as his chef friends have suggested, let’s raise a glass today in honor of the late Anthony Bourdain. RIP.