The Celebrity Chef Products Anthony Bourdain Loathed

Few have had as meteoric an impact on food culture as Anthony Bourdain. Through his novels, documentaries, and hit TV shows, the late chef shared the vast and wonderful world of cooking. He introduced us to his favorite spots, spotlighted lesser-appreciated cuisines, and opened our eyes to the wide world of food sitting just at our doorstep. But alongside sharing the things he loved about food, he wasn't afraid to criticize its bad elements.

One such trend Bourdain openly despised? The celebrity-branded spice line. In an episode of "On the Table," he revealed that launching such a collection was something he would personally never do. Citing his playful feud with Food Network legend and restaurateur Emeril Lagasse, Bourdain listed Lagasse's laundry list of branded kitchen products, including a "crummy spice mix" (via YouTube). Bourdain described his own "vanity" as the main reason he was unable to endorse such things himself.

Bourdain's well-documented stance on food makes it pretty clear why celebrity spice blends would have rubbed him the wrong way. Whether in his books or on screen, he dug into the people, the places, and the complex history behind every dish. That context is what gave food its meaning, and if you strip that away, you're left with something hollow. That's the problem with celebrity spice blends. Sure, they might taste delicious, but the name always carries more weight than what's actually in the jar.

Celebrity spice mixes weren't the only part of food culture that Anthony Bourdain was critical of. He was also a vocal critic of trend-driven blends, and one popular fall drink was firmly in his crosshairs. He once claimed on Reddit that he "would like to see the pumpkin spice trend drowned in its own blood." This tracks with his broader disdain for gimmick food culture. He was just as quick to admonish Starbucks' Unicorn Frappuccino or Kobe beef sliders, dismissing them as little more than edible clickbait for those who prefer to let their cameras eat first.

Bourdain also had no time for taking a food and overcomplicating it. For example, he had a long-standing feud with club sandwiches, finding that extra piece of bread in the middle entirely pointless and impractical. Then there's his infamous swipe at Chicago pizza, which he called a "crime against food" in an episode of "Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations" (via YouTube).This all ties back to how he approached food in the first place: Respect the original intent. While opinions will obviously differ, to Bourdain, a pizza shouldn't be reimagined as a casserole.

One thing that defines Bourdain's life is that he championed restaurants all over the world. Many once-unknown spots became overnight successes thanks to his endorsement. However, he could just as easily tear somewhere down, especially when it came to fast food. He was a vocal critic of McDonald's, seeing its convenience-based model as turning the beauty of food into a cheap commodity. Still, for all his criticism of fast food, he did have a relatable favorite fried chicken chain: Popeyes.