One never doubted, when hearing from Anthony Bourdain, that they were getting his honest, unfiltered opinion. He entered into the world of food entertainment riding a wave of strong opinions and industry secrets, beginning with his book “Kitchen Confidential” and rolling into his first television show, “A Cook’s Tour.” Despite this being a Food Network show, Bourdain had no hesitation when it came to airing his negative opinions about the network’s other stars. He famously decried Guy Fieri, Rachael Ray, Sandra Lee, and, of course, Paula Deen.
The root of Bourdain’s ire toward these other celebrity chefs varied, but with Deen it was primarily focused on the food she cooked. “She revels in unholy connections with evil corporations, and she’s proud of the fact that her food is f***ing bad for you,” Bourdain told TV Guide when asked about the television personality. “If I were on at seven at night and loved by millions of people at every age, I would think twice before telling an already obese nation that it’s OK to eat food that is killing us. Plus, her food sucks.”
But there was more to it than just a profusion of artery-clogging ingredients in her food. To Bourdain, Deen’s recipes didn’t respect real Southern food. He took a softer tone on a Reddit AMA thread when asked about why he didn’t like Deen, writing, “The South is where the greatest American traditional food comes from. It’s the cradle of American gastronomy. I reject the notion that what Paula was selling is traditional Southern food. Cheeseburger on a Krispie Kreme bun? Nobody’s grandma I ever heard of EVER made that s***.”
The Bourdain-Deen feud was built to last
The particular dish that Anthony Bourdain returned to again and again in his criticisms of Paula Deen was her Lady’s Brunch Burger. Each serving includes a half-pound burger patty, two slices of bacon, and an egg fried in butter, all sandwiched between two glazed donuts. It is not hard to see why this recipe stood out to Bourdain as both lacking real Southern roots and being a one-way ticket to a coronary.
Deen obviously did not take well to the insults Bourdain threw her way, pointing out on a 2011 episode of “Fox & Friends” that the pair had never actually met, nor had Bourdain tasted her cooking. She even invited him to dinner, saying, “Listen, come to my house, I’ll cook you a meal, and if you still feel that way about me, so be it.” It’s hard to imagine that Bourdain didn’t squirm in his boots a bit when he first saw this seeming olive branch. While he did later soften his tone with regard to Deen, he never backed away from those views.
In 2012, when Deen announced that she had type 2 diabetes — and had become a spokesperson for a pharmaceutical company — reporters rushed to Bourdain for comment. “When your signature dish is [a] hamburger in between a doughnut, and you’ve been cheerfully selling this stuff knowing all along that you’ve got type 2 diabetes… It’s in bad taste if nothing else,” he told Eater. “How long has she known? I suspect a very long time.”
Anthony Bourdain preferred the food of the people
There is no doubt that Anthony Bourdain is better known for his culinary globe-trotting, but he was no stranger to the gastronomy of his home country either. His shows often included episodes on American culinary hotspots, including many visits to the South.
It could perhaps be said that Bourdain’s disgust was directed at homogenous, Food-Network-style recipes as much as Paula Deen herself. Throughout his career, he showed an ever-present appreciation for the food of the people. Bourdain loved the “ugly food” dishes that grandmas had been putting on the table for generations. That was his culinary bread and butter. He took aim at the big guys and never turned up his nose at a plate of home cooking. The foods in the American South were no different.
Bourdain traveled to many Southern culinary destinations on his shows to explore the traditional foods of the area. In South Carolina, he sampled dishes like Savannah red rice and frogmore stew; in Louisiana, he opted for fried boudin balls and crawfish etouffee; and in Mississippi, he heaped himself a plate of Southern collard greens, fried okra, macaroni and cheese, and fried chicken — among other delights. Deen may have sometimes been called the “Queen of Southern Cuisine,” but to Bourdain she never served up the real deal.
