In this episode of The Autistic Culture Podcast, Matt and Angela welcome licensed therapist, neurodivergent podcaster, and Anthony Bourdain aficionado Patrick Casale (he/him) from the Divergent Conversations podcast. Patrick shares how Bourdain’s life, travels, and the posthumous documentary Roadrunner inspired him to seek his own autism diagnosis—and why Bourdain’s way of moving through the world resonates so deeply with the autistic community.

🎧 What You’ll Learn:

• Why so many kitchen staff—especially in high-pressure, creative environments—are likely AuDHD, and how the restaurant world creates a space to unmask.
• How parallel play, structure, and fast-paced coordination in kitchens can make them a surprisingly autistic-friendly environment.
• The autistic-coded traits that made Anthony Bourdain so relatable: monotropic focus, sensory sensitivity, and building community in unconventional ways.
• Bourdain’s special interests—from true crime and graphic novels to his immersive passion for global food culture.
• The “looping” trait—why Bourdain reportedly repeated four or five core talking points—and how it’s familiar to many autistic folks.
• The tension between the desire for new adventures and the pull toward home and safe spaces.

Resources:

• instagram.com/patrick.casale
• allthingspractice.com
• divergentpod.com
• empoweredescapes.com/retreat

Related Episodes:

McEnroe Is Autistic

Taylor Swift is Autistic

Questlove is Autistic

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