The Anthony Bourdain-Guy Fieri Feud You Might Not Have Heard About

Harboring boisterous personalities and a fiery passion for their careers, professional chefs are a different breed. One would think that celebrity chefs might maintain a certain professional courtesy for one another despite any disparities they may have, but that was never the case with Anthony Bourdain and Guy Fieri. The former seemed to pride himself on his capacity to lambast his colleague at every opportunity, obviously unimpressed with his accomplishments throughout his career.

With goofy catchphrases and flamboyant attire, Fieri was an easy target for the ridicule the host of "Parts Unknown" hurled his way. The feud began in 2008 when Bourdain was asked about his thoughts on the "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" star during an interview with TV Guide, and he responded, "Guy Fieri kind of looks like he's been designed by committee," comparing him to an offshoot character featured in "The Simpsons." Bourdain, perhaps enjoying his favorite classic cocktail at the time, mocked Fieri on social media when his prized yellow Lamborghini was stolen, and later bluntly discussed his television show with TV Guide again saying, "I look at Guy Fieri and I just think, 'Jesus, I'm glad that's not me.'"

Still, the Mayor of Flavortown got his jabs in when he could. One particularly barbed one-liner at Bourdain's expense came during a comedy roast featuring the "No Reservations" star where Fieri said of his rival's culinary upbringing, "I hear you're the only one in class who did most of his cooking with a spoon and a Bic lighter," referencing Bourdain's struggle with addiction in his youth (via Grub Street). Though he traded jabs with Bourdain at times, Fieri never truly understood where the beef originated, although it may have stemmed from the backgrounds that forged these two culinary icons.

Anthony Bourdain rose through the culinary ranks by taking the traditional route of attending the Culinary Institute of America, eventually landing a job as an executive chef at one of New York's prestigious restaurants — Brasserie Les Halles, now called La Brasserie. Classically trained in the culinary arts, he hobnobbed with the elite socialites of New York when he wasn't lamenting about the latest food trends he hated with a passion. This contrasted mightily with Fieri's journey to stardom.

After acquiring a hospitality management degree from the University of Nevada, Fieri went on to work in the trenches at a Stouffer's restaurant and later became a manager at Louise's Trattoria. He showcased the skills he had picked up working in the trenches on Food Network Star, and upon winning the competition, his career as a celebrity chef took off. With his flashy wardrobe and sometimes insensitive, off-color jokes, Fieri painted himself as a man of the people, appreciating things Bourdain likely thought pedestrian.

With one chef valuing the finer things in life — like perfectly aged wine exquisitely paired with delicate cheeses — and the other preferring greasy bacon and fried Velveeta (which isn't even real cheese), it is understandable how they might clash. For what it's worth, Bourdain's brash, pseudo-rebel nature may have gotten the better of him, and in his later years, he looked back on his actions with humility and slight embarrassment.