20 Foods Anthony Bourdain Refused To Eat, And 20 He Couldn't Get Enough Of

Never one to turn his nose up at bistro menus, Bourdain was a really big fan of a certain meal in Paris, France. Yes, the cook loved steak frites — a.k.a. steak and fries. There was nothing particularly fancy about it, but good food is good food, right? He had no pretensions in that respect.

Taking to the List app, Bourdain bluntly outlined why brioche buns and burgers don’t mix. He wrote, “The hamburger bun is designed to ABSORB grease, not add greasiness to the experience. [It] should retain its structural integrity, playing its role as delivery vehicle for the meat patty until the last bite. The brioche bun, woefully unsuitable for this role, crumbles.”

Are you a fan of deli meats? If so, Bourdain was much the same throughout his career. He adored the French equivalent, known as charcuterie. Alongside the meat, this delicious spread also includes cheeses, fruit, and bread laid out on a platter. That’s a lot of flavor to take in!

Here’s a question for you, folks — would you say that house-made ketchup served at fancy eateries tastes nicer than the bottled stuff in your fridge? Bourdain wasn’t so sure. As he noted back in 2016, “You have to find a house-made ketchup that’s better than the platonic idea of ketchup. Which is the same cheap ketchup you always had.” In other words, he didn’t see a difference.

Personally, it’s difficult for us to pick our favorite Chinese dish. After all, there’s so many delicious options to choose from! One of Bourdain’s faves can be found in Macau, China, as he loved a suckling pig meal served there. You can see why he was a fan — it looks amazing, right?

On the subject of brunch, Bourdain had this to say on an online segment of The Tonight Show. The celebrity chef said, “[It’s a] horrible, cynical way of unloading leftovers and charging three times as much as you ordinarily charge for breakfast. It’s the least popular shift for cooks. I personally hate it. I’ve all sorts of deep, highly traumatic memories of my years cooking brunch.”

While it might not be the most visually pleasing dip around, hummus is incredibly tasty. And Bourdain couldn’t get enough of the stuff whenever he visited Lebanon on his travels. Yep, the beloved cook often frequented a restaurant in the country called Le Chef to dine out on the creamy spread.

Have you ever wondered why club sandwiches include a third bread slice in the center? Well, you’re not alone on that front. Bourdain was always baffled by it, to the point where it actively annoyed him. He slammed the snack in his book Appetites and gave it another bash via the List app. It’s fair to say he wasn’t a fan!

When Bourdain visited Nigeria for an episode of his program Parts Unknown, he got stuck into plenty of the local cuisine. The TV personality chowed down on food such as pepper soup, masa griddle cakes, and jollof rice. By the end of the trip, his taste buds were more than satisfied. He loved it.

If you drop by Kansas City, Missouri, in the future, you should absolutely pay a visit to Joe’s Kansas City Bar-B-Que. Bourdain was a huge fan of this restaurant, eyeing up its delicious ribs whenever he walked in. As far as endorsements go, you can’t get a better one than that.

While writing for The New Yorker, Bourdain said, “People who order their meat well-done perform a valuable service for those of us in the business who are cost-conscious. They pay for the privilege of eating our garbage. In many kitchens, there’s a time-honoured practice called ‘save for well-done.’ The philistine who orders his food well-done isn’t likely to notice the difference between food and flotsam.”

If you’re a big fan of fish, then cioppino will be right up your alley. It’s a mouth-watering casserole containing ingredients such as calamari, scallops, mussels, and crab meat. We’re getting hungry just thinking about it! Bourdain adored the dish, especially the one served at Tadich Grill in San Francisco, California.

To say that kobe sliders ruffled Bourdain’s feathers would be a huge understatement. He despised the dish with a passion. As the chef said on an online segment of The Tonight Show, “There’s no food crime worse. If you see a kobe slider on a menu at a restaurant that you’ve walked into, turn on your heels and leave.”

How about this for praise? Bourdain once hailed the Black Label Burger at Minetta Tavern as New York City’s “best.” And we can certainly understand why. This beast is composed of brisket, dry-aged ribeye, and skirt steak. It sounds divine. But it’ll also set you back more than $30. No, that’s not a typo!

While visiting Bangkok, Thailand, Bourdain got a taste of some “authentic” Thai chicken noodle soup. And the celebrity chef absolutely loved it. The combination of sweet and savory flavors really impressed him, alongside the delicious helping of meat. Is anyone else craving a serving now, or is it just us?

Would you put yourself down as a McDonald’s fan? Yes? This next entry might be hard to hear, then. Without beating around the bush, Bourdain really didn’t like the fast-food chain. In fact, he said that one item on the menu was “the worst thing” he’d eaten in his life: Chicken McNuggets.

How do you improve upon a delicious New Jersey hot dog? Well, Bourdain was particularly enamored by those sold at the Hiram’s stand. You see, the dogs there can be deep-fried. Yes, you’re reading that correctly! Apparently, these babies are rated as some of the tastiest in the Garden State.

Is hollandaise sauce a favourite of yours at restaurants? Well, this eye-opening passage from Bourdain’s Kitchen Confidential book could change that. He said, “How about hollandaise sauce? Not for me. Bacteria love hollandaise. And nobody I know has ever made hollandaise to order.” Oh boy. Doesn’t sound great, does it?

Stir fry dishes are among our go-to meals come dinner time. They’re so nice! Bourdain got a similar kick out of them as well, regardless of the contents. He was a big fan of an effort he discovered in Thailand, alongside another cook named Andy Ricker. Apparently, it was the perfect choice following a glass of beer.

Of all the things to really rile Bourdain up, discussions about gluten-free diets were right up there. Speaking to Adweek, he said, “Look, before you start boring me to death at a party about how you got gluten-free, shouldn’t you see a doctor before you make this big move? I don’t think half of these people even understand what they’re talking about.”

You can’t beat a good bagel. It’s as simple as that, folks! For Bourdain, his favorites could be found in Montréal, Canada. Specifically, at the St-Viateur Bagel shop. This place has been delighting customers’ tastebuds for over six decades now, and the chef was one of its highest-profile fans.

It always feels like you’re taking a gamble when ordering food through room service at a hotel. You never know how nice the meals might be. Bourdain definitely wasn’t a big lover of it, noting that dishes such as burgers would usually leave you deeply “disappointed” while talking to Bon Appétit.

We hope you’ve got strong stomachs, folks, because this next entry will test them. In his book Kitchen Confidential, Bourdain wrote, “My seafood purveyor, when he goes out to dinner, won’t eat [swordfish]. He’s seen too many of those three foot-long parasitic worms that riddle the fish’s flesh. You see a few of these babies and you won’t be tucking into swordfish anytime soon.”

The thought of eating raw fish might put some of you off, but sushi was right up there among Bourdain’s favored meals. To give you a better idea of his love for it, the cook even admitted that it’d be his final food of choice before passing away. Given that he’s no longer with us now, that’s tough to read.

In one of the stiffest insults recorded across Parts Unknown’s run, Bourdain ripped into a Frito pie served at a New Mexico Five & Dime General Store. He said, “[It’s like] canned Hormel chili and [a] day-glow orange cheese-like substance dropped right into a bag of Fritos. In just six minutes, I’ve achieved a depth of self-loathing that it usually takes a night of drinking to achieve.” Yikes!

If you visit Spain, you’ve got to try a helping of tortilla de patata. It’s also referred to as a Spanish omelette. The meal is mostly made up of eggs and potatoes, with some onion thrown in there too. Bourdain couldn’t get enough of it whenever he dropped in at Bodega de la Ardosa in Madrid.

Regarding the beers that Bourdain sipped throughout Parts Unknown, he had this to say to Adweek. He noted, “I don’t drink the best beer in the world on the show. It’s a problem that comes up a lot actually. The angriest mail I get is from beer nerds — people who are craft beer enthusiasts. They get really cranky with me. I just like cold beer. My standards rise and fall depending on access to cold beer.”

Clam bakes and crawfish were just a couple of Bourdain’s go-to options when craving shellfish. He adored the stuff and would often head down to places such as Texas to dive into tasty dishes. The chef was particularly fond of table-long spreads that brought people together in the summer months. It looked great.

A little bit of pumpkin spice can spruce up any beverage or snack. But regardless of the flavor it provides, Bourdain couldn’t stand the stuff — and that’s putting it mildly! In fact, it was a “craze” that he hoped would eventually disappear. Unfortunately for the cook, though, that wish didn’t come true.

Don’t be fooled by the name, folks — truffle oil doesn’t contain any truffle. We’re serious! Instead, it’s composed from olive oil and a chemical compound known as 2,4-dithiapentane. Doesn’t sound so nice now, right? Anyway, Bourdain was one of its biggest detractors for that very reason. He also despised the taste.

Ah, pizza. Nothing gets our mouths watering faster. For Bourdain, his slices of choice could be found in Brooklyn, New York. Yes, he was a big supporter of Di Fara Pizza, a local restaurant that serves up gorgeous-looking pies. We definitely wouldn’t say no to diving into some of those beauties.

Does anyone honestly like airplane meals? Bourdain certainly wasn’t keen across his various travels around the globe. He told Bon Appétit, “No one has ever felt better after eating plane food. I think people only eat it because they’re bored. I don’t eat on planes. I like to arrive hungry.”

It’s sometimes difficult to imagine famous chefs tucking into fast-food and loving every bite. Yet Bourdain couldn’t get enough of the hot dogs served at stands scattered around New York when he was still with us. As a local of the Big Apple, he seemed to have a deeper appreciation for them.

In case you didn’t know, juice cleansing is a health regimen where you don’t eat any solid foods. Instead, you rely on fruit and veggie drinks throughout the day. It was something that Bourdain couldn’t wrap his head around for a long time. He even made fun of it on Reddit, stating that he wanted the fad to disappear.

During Bourdain’s trips to Japan, he developed a real love for yakitori. Quite simply, it’s chicken on a stick. The meat gets cooked on a charcoal stove, giving it a very unique flavor. He looked to place an order at the Toriki Main restaurant in Shinagawa whenever he was in the area.

While it might seem cool at first, having too much of a good thing isn’t always welcomed. Bourdain felt that way about bacon, as he explained to the Los Angeles Times. He said, “I love bacon, but I don’t think we need it on everything. I think there’s a tendency to over-jack and over-umami food these days.”

Some people absolutely love spicy chicken, but Bourdain wasn’t among their number. You see, he once tucked into a helping of “Nashville Hot Chicken” for Parts Unknown, and the heapings of cayenne pepper left him feeling worse for wear. “That was truly, truly terrifying,” the celebrity chef recalled on Reddit.

What’s your “late night snack” of choice? For Bourdain, he was a big fan of the tacos served from the Kogi BBQ Truck in Los Angeles, California. Run by the famous cook Roy Choi, these tasty dishes are a unique blend of Mexican and Korean cuisine. The Parts Unknown host was a frequent customer on his visits to the city.

During a chat with Town & Country, Bourdain was given the opportunity to share his opinion about Starbucks’ Unicorn frappuccino. And he didn’t hold back! The star said, “Wow, that’s like four things I hate all in one sentence: Starbucks, unicorns, and the colors pink and purple. Also a frappuccino! It’s the perfect nexus of awfulness.”

While speaking to the First We Feast website, Bourdain shared his thoughts on ranch dressing. The famous chef said, “There’s a place for it, but I don’t want it on my chicken wings. You know, if you ‘ranch’ something, does it make it better? Probably not. It’s not a flavor I particularly understand.”