The Fast Food Favorite Anthony Bourdain Would Order In Disguise

Anthony Bourdain had eyes for Popeyes. Amid a broadcasted life of fine food and cultural exploration, Bourdain secretly loved Popeyes mac and cheese. In an interview with The Boston Globe, the late renowned chef, world traveler, and television host said he used "sneak in [Popeyes] with a hoodie on late and night," — all for a helping of their warm mac and cheese (via Eater). Popeyes mac and cheese is one of their most famous sides, a luscious and creamy taste that balances out its crisp, deep-fried chicken. Despite Bourdain's attempts to go incognito, he said, fans of his would still spot him.

After trying to pursue his affection for fast-food mac and cheese in secret, he revealed his hidden admiration to "People." Bourdain said that some mornings, he would be overcome with cravings for the mac and cheese. At times, the craving was so strong that he would sneakily purchase mac and cheese from Kentucky Fried Chicken instead if it came down to it.

Perhaps Anthony Bourdain loved Popeyes mac and cheese for its simplicity. In fact, he omitted common sophisticated additions that can make the dish more elegant in his own recipe, opting for a no-frills, classic version of butter, milk, flour, four types of cheese, and spices. Similarly, Popeyes' recipe combines butter, cream, and shredded cheese, which are baked together to yield their golden and gooey mac and cheese.

Popeyes markets its simple mac and cheese as homestyle, which points to another potential reason why Bourdain was such a fan — it's a comfort food. In his interview with People, he said Popeyes mac and cheese served as a balance to constant travel and adventurous eating – such as fermented Icelandic shark meat – he did for the better part of his life. As a New Jersey native, many of Bourdain's other home-reminiscent foods were from gritty, hole-in-the-wall establishments. However, audiences may not have expected the chef and world traveler to be obsessed with fast-food mac and cheese; he, like many of us, had his inescapable, down-to-earth pleasures.