Never shy, and always outspoken, Bourdain – a former chef himself – has seen much success with his books and a highly successful show on the Travel Channel. He is sardonic in his wit and at times thermonuclear in his opinions – of which he has many. While those may not always be charming qualities, Bourdain is an original and always entertaining.

In the wide-ranging Play Boy interview, Bourdain covers many topics – some familiar and some not so much. He waxes on politics, food, international travel and even – perhaps not surprisingly – rips on a few of his fellow chefs. But Bourdain also openly discusses fatherhood, drug addiction and love.

Here are a few of the more entertaining highlights:

• On eating testicles: “Sheep testicles are good, though I don’t like beef testicles that much.”
• On men cooking: “Learn how to cook a f***ing omelet. I mean, what nicer thing can you do for somebody than make them breakfast? You look good doing it, and it’s a nice thing to do for somebody you just had sex with.”
• On vegetarians: “They make for bad travelers and bad guests.”
• On vegans: “I don’t have an understanding of it. Being a vegan is a first-world phenomenon, completely self-indulgent.”
• On sending dishes back at a restaurant: “Never. I’ll still tip 20 percent and I’ll be polite, but I won’t come back.”
• On why he only smokes marijuana while traveling: “When I’m in New York, I’m a dad. I’m with my daughter, or I have to be available to her and I want to keep an active brain.”
• On other drugs: “I’ve kind of burned all my bridges there. I can’t do heroin. I like, but I can’t do it. I’m an addict and there’s no f***ing way.”
• On wine: “I’m not a wine snob. I don’t care if it’s $2 or $2,000. I’m happy.”
• On Mario Batali: “He’s a monster of rock and roll… He’s the smartest chef there is. There is no chef smarter, or funnier or faster.”
• On Wolfgang Puck: “Listen, I’m not eating in his sh***y pizza restaurants. I think it’s bullshit, and it breaks my heart to see him on QVC or whatever, but the fact is he paid his dues. He’s an important guy.

These quotes are a mere sampling – an appetizer if you will. The entire article rolls along at a steady clip and every moment of the ride is worth it. Love him or hate him – there’s little margin in between with Anthony Bourdain.

Chris Huston has always had wanderlust and a hungry belly. Maybe that’s why he feels a cosmic one-ness with Anthony Bourdain. He wanted to do careers in nursing but ended up doing another healthcare career.

No she’s not a Contessa, and she doesn’t go barefoot. But if you’re wondering why Ina chose that name for her show, it’s actually based on a store she used to own.

Barefoot Contessa is the name of a classic movie from the 1950′s with Humphrey Bogart and Ava Gardner. When I bought the store in 1978, it was called Barefoot Contessa. The former owner is Italian and her family called her the Barefoot Contessa when she was young. It’s about being elegant and earthy which is what we’re about.”

Unlike “Everyday Italian” which is pretty laid back and shot in her kitchen, “Giada’s Weekend Getaways” had this pretty chef hopping from one location to another, from one city to another and checking out some of the hottest places to go. They had her jet skiing, learning to salsa and driving around in a convertible in a single episode. That was the pace of the past eight months worth of work.

It’s a good thing that she and husband clothing designer Todd Thompson have decided to put off having kids for a while. The pace right now is very hectic. De Laurentiis says they’ll probably wait a couple of years before settling down and having a family.

Technorati Tags: Giada de Laurentiis, Everyday Italian, Giada’s weekend Getaways, Glamorous Life

Remember Casey Thompson, one of the most promising contestants of Top Chef? Get to know more about her in this interview, done right before the chef showdown. She didn’t win, but we hope that she’ll be one of the female chefs to truly penetrate the male-bastion that is the culinary world.

Jamie Oliver’s on another crusade… this time attacking not just chicken farmers but bad taste. He told a French magazine that the people in UK are far more interested in getting drunk than in eating well.
“There is a better variety of food in the slums of South Africa than in English towns and cities,” he says. Oooh. Harsh.

Poor Antony Worrall Thompson. That poisonous plant incident has him the laughing stock of all the celebrity chefs — but it’s not the first time he’s been under fire.

Delia Smith once said of him, “Antony Worrall Thompson is dreadful, just repulsive. I think that Food And Drink, the show that he is on, is the most disgusting programme on television. I will never, ever know, as long as I live, how the BBC or the general public can tolerate it.”

His response: “She’s the Volvo of cooks.” (Gordon Ramsay agrees: “Here we are trying to establish a reputation across the world for this country’s food and along comes Delia and tips it out of a can. That hurts.”)

Well, so does eating a poisonous plant. Read this for other celebrity chefs word wars

Read this interesting interview of Bobby Flay as he talks about his new shows, why he loves joining competition shows, and favorite takeout food.

He’s one of the best chefs in the world, but Martin Wishart has shunned the spotlight — until now. He’s published a cookbook and even granted an interview. Read this wonderfully written article that observes this man at work.

Meet Brian Hill — Top Chef contestant and one of the newest faces to join the lineup of celebrity chefs. The personal chef counts many Hollywood stars as his clients. He’s been featured on many TV shows. Check out this video

Aaah, Rocco. He’s gorgeous, he’s funny, he seems like a nice guy, and he cooks.
Men, take lessons.