Anthony Bourdain once joked that he’d serve poison at a summit between Trump and Kim

Anthony Bourdain — legendary writer, chef, TV host and all-around rockstar of the culinary world — has died. The world mourns the death of an outspoken man who was not afraid to immerse himself in far-flung places to taste little-known cuisines and participate in cultural customs without any air of condescension or superiority. In his past visits to Singapore, you could genuinely see that Bourdain truly believed in our cuisine — an authentic love for our food that’s only matched by Singaporeans themselves. Who could forget that Parts Unknown episode he did on the Little Red Dot?

But the man was known for having no fear of calling out bullshit as well. He had a vocal disdain for US President Donald Trump, and once told The Wrap “absolutely fucking not” when asked if he would be willing to eat with the then-Republican front-runner.

“I’ve been a New Yorker most of my life. We know him well here. We’ve watched how he does business and we’ve watched him say things and then we’ve seen whether or not he did those things, we have seen how he treats the people he does business with,” he said.

“I would give the same answer that I would have given 10 years ago, when he was just as loathsome.”

Speaking to reporters last night, Trump extended his condolences to Bourdain’s family, calling the death “very sad” and the man “quite a character”.

On Kim Jong Un, Bourdain was even more candid — he called the North Korean leader a “chubby little evil fuck” in an impromptu interview with TMZ.

The man explained why he’d never take his show to North Korea.

“There’s nothing they’re going to let you see in North Korea. It’s an unpleasant government. Most of the population are starving. Don’t you think that would be in kind of bad taste?” he said.

Displaying his trademark outspoken wit, Bourdain gamely replied to the TMZ reporter about what he’d serve at a summit between Trump and Kim.

“Hemlock,” he said, referring to highly poisonous plant.

As dramatic as it would be, hemlock will definitely not be on the menu next week when the two leaders meet for the first time at Capella Hotel. They could, however, try the Trump Kim Chi Nasi Lemak.



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