Anthony Bourdain Called This Television Food Scene Both 'Absolutely Perfect' And 'Disturbing'

Anthony Bourdain was more than just a chef and TV show host. He was a global tastemaker and cultural translator who effortlessly bridged the worlds of haute cuisine and everyday food (one of Bourdain's favorite chains was Waffle House). He was known for championing overlooked countries and communities and celebrating their unique food traditions while also navigating prickly political and social landscapes. We also know, though, that Bourdain loved a little dark humor, so it's no surprise he was a fan of the food on the horror-thriller television show "Hannibal." 

The show starred Mads Mikkelsen as forensic psychiatrist, former surgeon, and as-yet unmasked serial killer Dr. Hannibal Lecter and Hugh Dancy as FBI profiler Will Graham. It explored the life of the infamous serial killer in the years leading up to the events in the book and subsequent movie starring Anthony Hopkins, "The Silence of the Lambs." During that time, Lecter, who counted cannibalism as one of the symptoms of his mental illness, killed and ate many victims, creating elaborate gourmet meals from them. 

Bourdain described one particular scene in which the titular character makes an osso buco with a human calf bone, as both perfect and disturbing in a 2014 interview with combat sports website Bloody Elbow. It turns out the accuracy of the food scenes was no accident. Author Thomas Harris, who created the character, went to great lengths to make sure Hannibal's culinary skills were those of a true gourmet chef and drew inspiration from books like Alexandre Dumas's "Le Grand Dictionnaire de Cuisine" ("The Grand Dictionary of Cuisine") while he was writing. Harris has a keen interest in food and cooking and even took lessons at the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu in Paris.

By the time the TV show "Hannibal" premiered in 2013, the character of Hannibal Lecter was already a household name, so while the series may not have made him more terrifying, it was certainly a chance to explore the cannibalistic murderer's life. Over the course of three seasons, showrunner Bryan Fuller delved into the character in arguably obsessive detail, blending psychology and culinary authenticity, including hiring World Central Kitchen founder and celebrity chef José Andrés as a consultant to make sure every dish would ring true to any discerning foodies in the audience. One of those culinarians happened to be Bourdain.

". . . the technique, the presentation, the details were absolutely perfect," said Bourdain. "The food looks really good. It's a beautifully photographed show. The production design and cinematography is the best ever on network television. It's also the darkest, most violent, disturbing, sick s*** ever."

Bourdain's fascination with "Hannibal," and that specific scene embodies the duality we saw in him as an author, culinary explorer, and king of the savage food takes. Much like his own approach to life and storytelling, both on and off camera, according to his assistant, "Hannibal" strove for authenticity and was often unsettling and thought provoking. It also helps the human calf bone osso buco was perfectly executed (ahem) in a 4-½-quart Le Creuset Stoneware casserole dish and served with saffron risotto — because Bourdain was also always a stickler for details.