Not even a memorial can soften the heart of Paula Deen, who still has sharp words about her culinary foe Anthony Bourdain.
The disgraced Food Network star, 78, is making headlines discussing the controversies that rocked her career in her new documentary, “Canceled: The Paula Deen Story.”
In a portion of the footage that premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sept. 6, Deen reflects on Bourdain’s public disdain for her Southern cooking.
In 2011, the New York chef said, in part, that Deen was “the worst, most dangerous person to America… She revels in unholy connections with evil corporations, and she’s proud of the fact that her food is…bad for you…her food sucks.”
Bourdain later walked back commentary about her being “the worst” but remained critical of her cooking.
In the documentary, Deen responded to his criticism. “I don’t know what he was off in these foreign countries eating. Bat brains or something like that. I think I’ll just stick with my fried chicken,” she said after taking a swipe at Bourdain‘s “Parts Unknown” exploration of food from around the globe. But she didn’t stop there.
@NOLABravesFan Paula hardly the worst person in America. Just most destructive influence on FN. Nice lady, though, yes?
— Anthony Bourdain (@Bourdain) August 18, 2011
She continued, “God rest his soul. I felt like he didn’t like anybody. Not even himself, maybe… He started something with me, and I’d never even met him.”
Dean was hardly his only target, as his hard feelings also included the teardown of Food Network personalities Rachael Ray, Guy Fieri, and Sandra Lee. Bourdain passed away in 2018 at the age of 61 after years of struggling with depression.
Deen’s words set off a story of reactions. The Georgia native was also deemed a “classless person who has no integrity or morals.”
“Typical maga boomer, failed at her life professionally… now she has to try to springboard off the Tombstones of the [Unalive] to try to get back into the Public eye,” said one heckler.
Anthony Bourdain refused to film for CNN unless they gave him 100% say in everything he did and he was able to showcase cultures that never get air in American media. all Paula Deen did was steal black recipes and call her employees the n-word like let's be serious https://t.co/lVbMWEwjl6
— average miw enjoyer (@redwhteboom) September 9, 2025
Another individual wrote, “This is very unnecessary for Dean. Bourdain is no longer here. Let him RIP. I loved his show “Unknown with Anthony Bourdain.” Bashing someone who was a colleague that is now deceased screams “help me get some book sales.” Just go away Paula. You did yourself in during your hey day! Now you want to try and destroy others so you can sell your memoir.”
A third comment read, “NOT the way to rehabilitate your reputation, Paula!”
Deen’s reputation and food empire was irreparably tarnished when she admitted to using a derogatory term, the n-word, when referring to Black people in 2013.
As a result, she lost business partnerships, including her Food Network shows. She abruptly shuttered her Savannah, Georgia, restaurants, The Lady & Sons and The Chicken Box, in July.
