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February 09, 2007
Food Fight: Anthony Bourdain Slams Rachael Ray
We've talked about Anthony Bourdain here before, I love food, hell, Millions contributor Patrick even has a food blog, so this is fair game. At Michael Ruhlman's blog Bourdain decided to go through the roster of Food Network personalities and either praise them or lambaste them. I have to say, I agree with him on most points (though I can't watch more than 30 seconds of Emeril without my eyes bleeding). Best by far, though, are his comments on Rachael Ray, and just in case you're too lazy to click through to read them, I'll paste them for you here because they are not to be missed:
Complain all you want. It's like railing against the pounding surf. She only grows stronger and more powerful. Her ear-shattering tones louder and louder. We KNOW she can't cook. She shrewdly tells us so. So...what is she selling us? Really? She's selling us satisfaction, the smug reassurance that mediocrity is quite enough. She's a friendly, familiar face who appears regularly on our screens to tell us that "Even your dumb, lazy ass can cook this!" Wallowing in your own crapulence on your Cheeto-littered couch you watch her and think, "Hell...I could do that. I ain't gonna...but I could--if I wanted! Now where's my damn jug a Diet Pepsi?" Where the saintly Julia Child sought to raise expectations, to enlighten us, make us better--teach us--and in fact, did, Rachael uses her strange and terrible powers to narcotize her public with her hypnotic mantra of Yummo and Evoo and Sammys. "You're doing just fine. You don't even have to chop an onion--you can buy it already chopped. Aspire to nothing...Just sit there. Have another Triscuit..Sleep...sleep..."Damn. (via Black Marks)
Books for Anthony Bourdain fans:
- Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly
- No Reservations: Around the World on an Empty Stomach
- The Nasty Bits: Collected Varietal Cuts, Usable Trim, Scraps, and Bones
- Rachael Ray 365: No Repeats--A Year of Deliciously Different Dinners
- Just In Time
- Classic 30-Minute Meals: The All-Occasion Cookbook
- C. Max Magee @ 5:30 PM ~ comments: 11 ~ Links to this post
Visit The Millions Book Review Index
SarahReznor @ February 11, 2007 1:23 PM
A brilliant Bourdain piece, as ever. I have to visit the link now, just reading that graf made me chuckle and it spread a grin across my face. The man is no literary genious, but he sure knows how to tickle the human psyche - in a most popular fashion.
That post is "spray coffee all over your monitor" funny. I love Bourdain!
# posted by 
@ February 25, 2007 3:34 PM
@ February 25, 2007 3:34 PM
As much as I enjoy Bourdain's show, he can be a little intimidating sometimes.
Needless to say, he can be really condescending sometimes.
Not all of us are aspiring or distinguished chefs. You have to start somewhere ya know.
Needless to say, he can be really condescending sometimes.
Not all of us are aspiring or distinguished chefs. You have to start somewhere ya know.
# posted by @ September 17, 2007 10:09 PM
@ September 17, 2007 10:09 PM
Oh yeah!!!! Come to Mama, Bourdain, as always shrewd, sarcastic and truthful!!!!! Couldn't have said it better myself.
# posted by @ April 02, 2008 7:36 PM
@ April 02, 2008 7:36 PM
Guess what? Rachel Ray is a pretty lady and that's all that matters.
I admit I find it pretty hilarious that she is critiqued like some sort of artist... the food world is fucked up. Who are some good indie chefs?
I admit I find it pretty hilarious that she is critiqued like some sort of artist... the food world is fucked up. Who are some good indie chefs?
# posted by @ April 23, 2008 5:53 PM
@ April 23, 2008 5:53 PM
Sure you have to start somewhere. But implied in that statement is that you plan on *going* somewhere, too :)
Bourdain = French + New Yorker ... that's a recipe for a useless piece of shit if there ever was one. Those who can ... do ... those who can't .. teach ... those that can't do either ... critique ...
# posted by @ May 30, 2008 1:43 PM
@ May 30, 2008 1:43 PM
umm... to the last person who commented... have you BEEN to bourdain's restaurant?
i went to les halles and it was phenomenal.
Whereas I could cook better than Rachel Ray in my sleep.
i went to les halles and it was phenomenal.
Whereas I could cook better than Rachel Ray in my sleep.
i am making a heartfelt statement on anthony b of food net work about his comment on his recent travel to new york city he commmented where are the track marked hookers and the threat of violence on the streets of new york and how his dark pissed stained soul longs for the dark days of new york i am sure he will get a taste of it all in afterlife since he has revealed to the world he is the son of satan i am sure his carnival of desires will be sastisfied shame on him and his mama for raising such a bitter and evil man good luck and god bless you dirty son of bitch new york rocks asshole
# posted by @ August 05, 2008 11:18 PM
@ August 05, 2008 11:18 PM
I have to say that I agree with Anthony. Rachael Ray is always trying to convince us that she doesn't think she's anything special, but then she's always commenting that she's the greatest person in the universe.
In an episode of one of her shows, she went into another chef's kitchen and I believe shoved him away from the stove, and told him how to cook! If that's not bitchy, I don't know what is. How can we possibly respect someone who has no respect for those who studied to become chefs at these high-end NYC restaurants; like Anthony Bourdain?
Yes, he's brash, but that's what makes him the person he is. No one is asking you to watch his stuff--walk away.
In an episode of one of her shows, she went into another chef's kitchen and I believe shoved him away from the stove, and told him how to cook! If that's not bitchy, I don't know what is. How can we possibly respect someone who has no respect for those who studied to become chefs at these high-end NYC restaurants; like Anthony Bourdain?
Yes, he's brash, but that's what makes him the person he is. No one is asking you to watch his stuff--walk away.
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