Is chef Paula Deen a danger to America?

Anthony Bourdain slams the Food Network star for her unhealthy recipes and 'connections with evil corporations.'

Thu, Aug 18 2011 at 2:27 PM EST

Photo: ZUMA Press

If you ever wondered what celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain thinks of his cooking colleagues, look no further than the scathing tongue-lashing he gives in the latest issue of TV Guide magazine.

The 55-year-old has always been rather unfiltered when it comes to personal opinions about others, but this latest attack carries some serious bite. On Paula Deen, the host of "Paula's Home Cooking" and "Paula's Best Dishes" on the Food Network, Bourdain believes she's a serious threat to the public's health.

“The worst, most dangerous person to America is clearly Paula Deen," he says. "She revels in unholy connections with evil corporations and she’s proud of the fact that her food is (bleeping) bad for you."

“I would think twice before telling an already obese nation that it is OK to eat food that is killing us,” he said. “Plus, her food sucks.”

While that last bit is likely debatable to an American public obsessed with fatty dishes, Bourdain's overall criticism is shared by many. After all, this is the same woman who promotes Krispy Kreme Burgers (which sandwiches a meat and butter-slathered fried egg between two doughnuts) and Fried White Chocolate Cheesecake. Said chef Christina Pierello, "In the name of southern hospitality and tradition, she has fried her way into the clogged hearts of America."

Last year, Dean's "Kitchen Classics" cookbook was ranked one of the worst of the decade according to the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. “You’d need a magnifying glass to find a vegetable in some of these cookbooks,” a rep for the group quipped.

And how does Bourdain feel about some other celebrity chefs?

On Guy Fieri: "I look at Guy Fieri and I just think, 'Jesus, I'm glad that's not me.'"

On Rachael Ray: "Does she even cook anymore? I don't know why she bothers. To her credit, she never said she was good at it."

On Sandra Lee: "There was an incident with Sandra Lee where I ran into her [after criticizing her publicly]. It was deeply terrible. Don't mess with her. I rarely feel uncomfortable, but she has a powerful force. I hate her works on this planet, but she is not someone to be dismissed, clearly."

And while we're spreading the love, Food Network viewers should know that Bourdain doesn't have a high opinion of them either. “The people who watch the Food Network,” he said in 2009, “are the ones with a gallon of soda and a bag of Cheetos going, ‘Oh, I could make that.’”

The current issue of TV Guide magazine is on newsstands now.