You Won't Believe These 10 Crazy Chef Feuds (Slideshow)
Though you would think that these adults would be able to hold their tongues when it comes to their opinions of others who they may or may not actually know, but the opposite has actually been proven to be true. The culinary world is filled with drama, and these insane chef feuds prove just that.
Alton Brown vs. Adam Richman
Adam Richman's gluttonous Travel Channel show Man vs. Food disturbed many chefs, including Food Network's Alton Brown. Speaking to Screener in 2010, Brown called the food challenge show "disgusting." He elaborated by saying, "That show is about gluttony, and gluttony is wrong. It's wasteful. Think about people that are starving to death and think about that show. I think it's an embarrassment." Though he later became famous for a major meltdown of his own, Richman didn't take the bait. On Twitter, Richman defended the show for profiling "mom and pop" restaurants and called Brown one of his heroes.
For "5 Ways Alton Brown's 'Good Eats' Revolutionized Cooking Shows Forever," click here.
Andrew Zimmern vs. Tyler Florence
Tyler Florence's 2009 appearance on Ryan Seacrest's reality show Momma's Boys rubbed Andrew Zimmern the wrong way, and he wasn't shy about his feelings. According to Popsugar, Zimmern called Florence's TV appearance "high comedy of the highest order." He elaborated, writing, "Monday's episode featured the worlds least talented TV chef, Tyler Florence, once again churning out the questionable cooking advice and the leading the ladies through a menu of the Moms fave recipes." In return, Florence fired back, saying Zimmern did little more than "eat dried camel c**k for a living."
For "The Most Bizarre Foods Andrew Zimmern Has Ever Eaten," click here.
Anthony Bourdain vs. Guy Fieri
Of course Anthony Bourdain has a problem with Guy Fieri's brand of shouting, eating cheeseburgers, and wearing flaming bowling shirts all across America. In 2012, after the opening of Fieri's Midtown Manhattan restaurant Guy's American Kitchen & Bar, Bourdain said the Food Network personality "single-handedly turned the neighborhood into the Ed Hardy district." Bourdain continued to rip on Fieri for years, creating one of the most notorious food personality feuds out there. For his part, Fieri remained respectful. He told GQ, "I don't like him making fun of people, and I don't like him talking s**t. And he's never talked shit to my face. I know he's definitely gotta have issues, 'cos the average person doesn't behave that way." Bourdain settled his feud with Fieri last year, saying the outgoing Food Network star was "low-hanging fruit."
For "5 Reasons Why Guy Fieri Might Be Cooler Than Anthony Bourdain," click here.
Anthony Bourdain vs. Paula Deen
To say Anthony Bourdain is not a fan of Paula Deen's would be an understatement. In 2011, he said she was a danger to America in an interview with TV Guide. "The worst, most dangerous person to America is clearly Paula Deen. She revels in unholy connections with evil corporations and she's proud of the fact that her food is f***ing bad for you. Plus, her food sucks." After years of cooking up dishes loaded butter and mayonnaise, Deen revealed she had diabetes in 2012, and Bourdain was expectedly angry. He told Eater, "When your signature dish is 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."
Anthony Bourdain vs. Almost Every Celebrity Chef
We could write a lengthy article just on Bourdain's spats with other chefs. In addition to Guy Fieri and Paula Deen, Bourdain has called out Sandra Lee, Alice Waters, Alton Brown, Rachael Ray, Ina Garten, Adam Richman, Emeril Lagasse, Wolfgang Puck, and almost every other celebrity chef. In return, Brown famously called out Bourdain, telling People, "When was the last time you saw Anthony Bourdain actually cook anything? I've spent 14 years cooking my own food on television and I've never seen him cook a meal."
For "18 Things You Didn't Know About Anthony Bourdain," click here.
Emeril Lagasse vs. Rachael Ray
When Rachael Ray first joined the Food Network, one of the channel's original stars, Emeril Lagasse, was not a fan. "[She] doesn't know anything about food. I would not put her on," he said. However, the two personalities seem to have buried the hatchet. Emeril now is an occasional co-host on Rachael Ray.
For "10 Things You Didn't Know About Rachael Ray," click here.
Gordon Ramsay vs. Jamie Oliver
Two of Britain's most famous chefs, Gordon Ramsay and Jamie Oliver, have been sparring for years. The two have been in a battle over their massive empires' respective riches, cookbooks, and restaurants for what seems like forever. In 2014, Ramsay escalated the feud when the two opened restaurants in Hong Kong. "Two British chefs, Jamie Oliver and Gordon Ramsay, rubbing shoulders together in Hong Kong. At least I'm here, I came to my opening, right? If you're going to open a restaurant in Hong Kong at least turn up," Ramsay chided. Oliver fired back, calling Ramsay "deeply jealous" of his success.
Gordon Ramsay vs. Everyone Else
Like Anthony Bourdain, Gordon Ramsay knows how to get under people's skin. Everyone from Marcus Samuelsson and Mario Batali to Eric Ripert, Jacques Pepin, and José Andrés have called out Ramsay for everything from racist behavior to his outlandish, unnecessary yelling on Hell's Kitchen.
For "5 Things You Didn't Know About Gordon Ramsay," click here.
Martha Stewart vs. Gwyneth Paltrow
Martha Stewart is the queen of entertaining and cooking, and you do not want to step on her toes. In 2014, when actress Gwyneth Paltrow was launching her own brand, Goop, Stewart slammed her, saying, "She just needs to be quiet. She's a movie star. If she were confident in her acting, she wouldn't be trying to be Martha Stewart." Stewart further dug into Paltrow, mocking her infamous "conscious uncoupling" from husband Chris Martin in a holiday baking spread. In return, Paltrow served up a "jailbird cake," referencing Stewart's time behind bars.
Martha Stewart vs. Rachael Ray
Shortly after Martha Stewart got out of jail in 2009, she slammed one of her closest competitors, Rachael Ray. "Well, to me, she professed that she cannot bake," Stewart said. "She just did a new cookbook which is just a re-edit of a lot of her old recipes. And that's not good enough for me." Stewart also said Ray was more of an entertainer than a real cook. In return, Ray would not engage in Stewart's war of words. Instead, she conceded. "Why would it make me mad? Her skill set is far beyond mine. That's simply the reality of it." As quickly as this feud started, it ended. Stewart officially apologized, allowing the entertaining world to continue on in peace.
To read about 11 food celebrities who have been arrested, click here.