Anthony Bourdain about Food

Excerpt from Anthony Bourdain's conversation with Christopher Tan, for The Edge in Singapore (July 2002)


What's bad food?


“Bad food is made without pride, by cooks who have no pride, and no love.
Bad food is made by chefs who are indifferent, or who are trying to be everything to everybody, who are trying to please everyone. They’re shooting buckshot rather than at a specific target.”
“Bad food is fake food, Food that tastes the same in Singapore as it does in Butte, Montana. Generic food. Food that shows fear and lack of confidence in people’s ability to discern or to make decisions about their lives.“
“Food that’s too safe, too pasteurised, too healthy – it’s bad! There should be some risk, like unpasteurised cheese. Food is about rot, and decay, and fermentation….as much as it is also about freshness.” This said with a certain relish.


What's bad food?


“I guess it’s one of those things…y’know pheromones? You meet a woman and gee…everything works, she smells like someone you want to spend your whole life with. Vietnam was like that for me. Certain dishes are like that for me. It’s just right. It feels right.”