"The late, great chef and food writer Anthony Bourdain was never shy about sharing his opinions, including calling American food "outrageous" and "appalling." In a 1999 piece in The New Yorker entitled " Don't Eat Before Reading This", Bourdain held nothing back about exposing some insider secrets about the workings of restaurants, kitchens, and chefs."
"Chicken has become as American as apple pie, with per capita consumption growing steadily each year from 28 pounds per person in 1960 to a whopping 102.1 pounds of chicken consumed yearly in 2024, far surpassing beef, pork, and fish. Chicken, Bourdain said, "goes bad quickly," and leaves much to be desired. In the United States, the poultry is often "handled carelessly," and "it infects other foods with salmonella," Bourdain declared."
"Last but not least, Bourdain said that chicken "bores the hell out of chefs" as the meat is often difficult to transform past its basic flavor profile. "It occupies its ubiquitous place on menus as an option for customers who can't decide what they want to eat.""
Per capita chicken consumption rose from 28 pounds in 1960 to 102.1 pounds in 2024, surpassing beef, pork, and fish. Chicken spoils quickly, is often handled carelessly, and can spread salmonella to other foods. The CDC identifies salmonella as the main cause of bacterial foodborne illness, and nearly one in 25 pre-packaged chicken items contains salmonella. Many chefs find chicken bland and difficult to transform beyond its basic flavor profile. Chicken commonly occupies menu space as a default option for indecisive customers. Factory-farmed poultry practices contribute to these quality and safety concerns. Some chefs prefer pork over chicken.
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