Anthony Bourdain isn't one to hold back. It's his honest way of delivering his worldview that has garnered him such an enormous following.
In an interview to Eater, as spotted by The Washington Times, Bourdain unleashed on those chefs who have chosen to continue to work under the Donald Trump umbrella, opening restaurants in his most famed hotels. The entire conversation with Eater's Helen Rosner is as captivating as you would expect from the host of CNN's "Parts Unknown."
Just as everyone else in the nation is gripped by its outcome, the recent presidential election became a focal point of the discussion.
As a world traveler who has a keen eye on the food industry, Bourdain has thoughts on issues that matter a great deal to this particular industry and certainly has some opinions on those chefs who decide to nestle into Trump's embrace.
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The journalist asks: "So what do you make of Alessandro Borgognone bringing Sushi Nakazawa into the Trump DC hotel?"
Bourdain hardly holds back, "I will never eat in his restaurant."
The chef and TV host continues: "I have utter contempt for him, utter and complete contempt. Just like David Burke - I mean, I never had the highest opinion of him in the first place, but I guess he's the last person in this life I should look to for principles. Burke went in and took over [the space Jose Andres had originally occupied], and promptly tried to poach his staff, I hear. This was after Jose reached out and said 'Everyone welcome him to Washington, don't hold it against him, just because I decided to pull out.' So Burke's a steaming loaf of [expletive], as far as I'm concerned, and feel free to quote me."
For the uninitiated, chef Jose Andres took umbrage with Trump's rhetoric over undocumented Mexican immigrants.
As CNN reminds, "Trump then sued Andres for breach of contract in August 2015, causing both Andres and fellow chef Geoffrey Zakarian -- who also backed out of his deal to open up a restaurant in the hotel -- to file counter-claims. They've been locked in a battle for more than a year."
Recently Andres took to social media with a solution:
Bourdain continues: "It's not helpful, that sort of thing [opening in a contentious hotel]. I'm not asking you to start putting up barricades now, but when they come and ask you, 'Are you with us?' You do have an option. You can say 'No thanks, guys. I don't look good in a brown shirt. Makes me look a little, I don't know, not great. It's not slimming.'"
As for why chefs would continue to work with Trump properties, Bourdain has a hypothetical answer: "'I'm gonna get in good with the President and make me some money!' What did Kanye West go to Trump Tower for? Why did Al Gore go? Why did Mitt Romney go?"
The conversation is a deep dive into Bourdain's thoughts on the current political landscape not only in this country but worldwide.
It's a polarizing discussion that is sure to anger and placate depending on where you fall on the political spectrum.
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