Famous Food

Andre Rush -- the White House chef who looks more like a bodybuilder -- says he never expected his military career to lead him to D.C., but it all worked out ... and speaking of workouts ...

The retired Army Master Sergeant Chef was on "TMZ Live" Friday after going viral this week when a reporter posted a shot of him preparing a Ramadan meal for the Prez and 30-40 guests. Ya can't help but stare at his massive guns.

Turns out ... Chef Rush has experience with real guns, too. He says he was an Army Ranger, but took up cooking to cope with the stresses of military life. Now, he's cooking for presidents and other world leaders.

9:00 AM PT -- Asia just released a statement addressing Bourdain's passing, saying ... "Anthony gave all of himself in everything that he did. His brilliant, fearless spirit touched and inspired so many, and his generosity knew no bounds. He was my love, my rock, my protector."

She continues, "I am beyond devastated. My thoughts are with his family. I would ask that you respect their privacy and mine."

Anthony Bourdain and Asia Argento seemed as tight as ever just last week ... but it appears something changed within the last few days.

Asia, an Italian actress and director, also worked on Bourdain's show, 'Parts Unknown.' Bourdain posted a photo last week of the two from their trip to Hong Kong ... that episode just aired this week. The pic featured the crew, including Asia, who was sitting right next to him.

Just a few weeks ago, they were together in Florence, Italy ... and still looked very happy and romantic.

Here's where things get murky. We know Anthony was shooting his show in France this week -- he'd been there for at least 4 days. However, Asia was back in Rome, strolling around with a French reporter named Hugo Clément. There were photos of them holding hands and hugging, but the Italian photographer who shot the pics pulled them off the market on the heels of Anthony's death.

It's unclear if Anthony and Asia had broken up. If they did, there was no public announcement. Their last public appearance together was at an event was back in April in NYC.

Anthony and Asia started dating in early 2017, and he supported her when she went public with rape allegations against Harvey Weinstein -- saying, "I am proud and honored to know you. You just did the hardest thing in the world."

Beloved chef and TV host Anthony Bourdain is dead of an apparent suicide.

Bourdain was found dead in his hotel room in Strasbourg, France ... according to CNN. The network says Bourdain's friend and fellow chef Eric Ripert discovered the body Friday morning. He had hanged himself.

They were on location in France shooting an episode of his award-winning show, 'Parts Unknown.'

Ripert tells us, "Anthony was a dear friend. He was an exceptional human being, so inspiring and generous. One of the great storytellers of our time who connected with so many. I wish him peace. My love and prayers are with his family, friends and loved ones."

Bourdain made his name first as a chef ... and then an author. His famous book, "Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly," was published in 2000, and its enormous success helped him jump into TV.

His first show was "A Cook's Tour" on the Food Network -- but the series 'No Reservations' on the Travel Channel was his breakout hit.

In 2013, 'Parts Unknown' premiered on CNN, and it immediately won a Peabody Award. During a 2016 episode, shot in Argentina, Bourdain admitted he sometimes struggled with depression.

His last Instagram post was a meal he had 4 days ago in France. In typical Bourdain fashion ... lots of meats and potatoes.

His suicide comes just 3 days after Kate Spade took her own life by hanging herself in her NYC home.

Bourdain leaves behind an 11-year-old daughter. He was 61.

RIP

Anthony Bourdain's sudden and shocking death has stunned the culinary world.

Many fellow chefs, celebrities and athletes have taken to social media to share their experiences and some kind words about the star.

As we reported ... Bourdain was found in a French hotel room by friend and fellow chef Eric Ripert. CNN reported Bourdain hanged himself.

Bourdain's show, 'Parts Unknown,' gained tremendous success over the years ... he was traveling for the show at the time of his death.

Bourdain leaves behind a young daughter. He was 61 years old.

Ex-"Top Chef Masters" star Art Smith is imploring all Americans to avoid cake made with hate ... and he's also rallying all LGBT bakers to help the cause.

Art, who's been the personal chef of both Oprah and former Florida governor Jeb Bush, tells us his community should NOT be discouraged by the Supreme Court's decision to side with the Colorado baker who refused to make a gay couple's wedding cake.

The U.S. Supreme Court just ruled in favor of the Colorado baker who refused to make a wedding cake for a same sex couple.

The Court ruled "The laws and the Constitution can, and in some instances must, protect gay persons and gay couples in the exercise of their civil rights, but religious and philosophical objections to gay marriage are protected views in some instances protected forms of expression."

The Court said the Colorado Civil Rights Commission had shown hostility toward the baker, based purely on his religious beliefs. The ruling wasn't even close -- 7 of the 9 justices sided with the baker.

Justice Kennedy criticized a member of the public who lashed out at the baker during a hearing in Colorado. Kennedy pointed to what he said were comments that called the baker's religious views as despicable and comparing his views to slavery and the Holocaust.

We love Dennis. Love him. So much.

But what he did to this piece of meat is nothing short of homicide. He managed to kill something that was already dead.

Dennis decided to pan sear (and then bake) a bone-in rib eye steak Sunday night and documented it on Twitter.

There was a ton of garlic. Some side-searing action ... and a $9 nonstick pan. It's hard to watch.

For the record, Dennis insists the final product was "delicious."

None of us actually believe that.

Buffalo Wild Wings just became the latest victim of a Twitter hacking -- perhaps by the Russians, perhaps by a rogue employee -- but either way ... it wasn't very nice.

The sports bar franchise's official Twitter page fired off several racist and vulgar tweets Friday night, which were up for about 20 minutes before somebody realized and got them deleted.

Some of the hacked tweets contained hateful comments including the n-word, while another claimed the restaurant's secret wings recipe contained ... well, something very gross.

There was also a vile joke directed at Wendy's.

It's unclear who's responsible, but BWW's Twitter account is back to normal and any activity from the past 6 hours has been deleted.

6:00 PM PT -- There was also this tweet during the hack -- a photo of a man covering up half of his face ... so it's possible he's the culprit.

"Little Women: LA" star Christy Gibel is back to getting stuff thrown in her face ... but this time she was treated to dessert instead of water.

Christy was getting into it with costar Mika Winkler at Birkholm’s Bakery in Solvang, CA for a scene from an upcoming episode, all over an imminent gastric sleeve surgery she was preparing for in an effort to lose weight.

Production sources tell us Mika had been picking on Christy leading up to this blowout, which ended with both of them getting cake smeared all over their faces. Food fight!

Christy's no stranger to on-set run-ins with her castmates -- she was on the receiving end of some H20 and a thrown glass a couple years ago at the hands of Terra Jole. BTW ... Mika is Terra's pal, so it's really no surprise she's going after Christy just as viciously.

Mike D says the highly anticipated book about the Beastie Boys isn't exactly a memoir -- it's not sexually explicit enough -- but if the charts are any indication ... it's gonna make some noise.

We got the rapper at LAX Friday and asked if he could dish any details on the upcoming "Beastie Boys Book" about his days with Ad-Rock and the late MCA -- he confirms it includes a cookbook ... and straightens out our camera guy on how many pages it is.

Mike doesn't give away much else, but we know the cooking portion's from chef Roy Choi, and the book includes contributions by Wes Anderson, Amy Poehler and Spike Jonze.

He's also said it will be "unlike any other music book."

"Beastie Boys Book" doesn't get released until October 30, but it's already the #1 seller in Amazon's Rap Music category. Now ... enjoy this music video.

T.I.'s wife, Tiny, doesn't carry the same outrage over the latest incident at Houston's restaurant ... it seems she doesn't want the chain shut down, and not just because the food is delicious.

We got Tiny Tuesday at The Grove in WeHo and she definitely feels the security guard at the restaurant crossed the line when he allegedly dragged the women out of the bathroom, but she doesn't think it was racially motivated since the guard appeared to be African-American.

She believes the security guard should be reprimanded for getting so physical with the ladies and nothing more. She clearly doesn't believe that Malcolm X tactics are appropriate under these circumstances -- something her hubby has clearly embraced.

Soccer legend Brandi Chastain's Hall of Fame plaque left a lot to be desired, but luckily ... Arby's came to the rescue!

The fast food sandwich chain went out and found a sauce artist that did a much, much better job capturing the former Team USA star's likeness, saying ... "it’s not made of gold, but we think you look much better in Arby’s Sauce."

We strongly agree.

As we reported ... Chastain was honored with a plaque at the San Francisco Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame induction Monday, but it was pretty horribly done -- people said it looked more like Babe Ruth or Mickey Rooney than her.

One of the 3 women busted at Houston's says the restaurant's flat-out lying with its claim the women ignored warnings to leave before a security guard dragged them out.

Asia'h Epperson -- an actress and former "American idol" contestant -- told us she was shocked the police arrested her and her friends, instead of the guard. She's the one who shot the video of the alleged assault ... which now has T.I. on the warpath.

She says a Houston's staffer gladly let them use the restroom, and never asked them to leave prior to the violent incident.

Asia'h already has a lawyer, and it sounds like a lawsuit's in the offing. She also reacted to T.I. saying he's going Malcolm X on Houston's, and wants to shut down the whole chain.

Most people believe Summa Cum Laude is an honor ... Publix grocery store believes it's obscene.

Case in point ... this cake.

A woman in South Carolina ordered the tasty treat online to celebrate her son graduating from his homeschool program with a 4.79 GPA ... earning Summa Cum Laude honors.

But, when she sent a friend to pick up the cake, the word "Cum" was edited out -- an apparent violation of the grocery store's obscenity policy!!!!

"My son was humiliated," the woman posted on her Facebook page ... "I seriously couldn't make this crap up!!!"

"How utterly ridiculous and I will be speaking to a manager for a refund. Shame on you Publix for turning an innocent Latin phrase into a total embarrassment for having to explain to my son and others (including my 70 year old mother) about this joke of a cake."

FYI, "Summa Cum Laude" is a Latin phrase that means "with highest honor."

Just make sure your safe search is on if you put it in Google ...

6:14 AM PT -- A spokesperson for Batali's brand licensing company tells TMZ, "There have been no sales of Mario Batali sauces by our licensee since December 2017 as retailers discontinued carrying the product at that time. Mario Batali has received no royalty or payment of any kind since that time. We apologize for any confusion and have asked our licensee to take down the website.”

Mario Batali's website claims it struck a deal to donate proceeds from its sauces to a women's group ... but TMZ's learned the organization hasn't received a dime because no deal was ever struck.

We noticed this huge banner posted on mariobatalisauces.com's landing page back in December 2017 shortly after sexual misconduct allegations first surfaced against the disgraced chef. The banner claims the makers of Batali's sauces are donating its proceeds to Women Employed, hailed as one of the nation's most successful advocates for working women.

But, we checked with the organization and a rep tells us, "Summer Garden Food Manufacturing reached out to WE last year about donating proceeds from the sale of its Mario Batali-labeled products to our organization. At no time did Women Employed have a partnership, agreement, or discussion with Chef Mario Batali."

The statement continues, "While WE appreciates that Summer Garden Food Manufacturing reached out to us, this donation did not move forward because distributors did not want to be associated with Batali and pulled the product from their shelves.”

As we reported ... Batali was dumped by his partners on the heels of new claims of sexual misconduct. We reached out to Batali's sauce makers to ask for an explanation for the banner, so far no word back.

T.I. is fuming and wants a piece of a Houston's security guard he claims manhandled an innocent female customer in Atlanta.

T.I ripped into the security guard -- who is also an ATL police officer working a 2nd job -- and the restaurant in a video he posted Monday night ... alleging the guard went into the women's restroom to drag a customer out through the restaurant, and eventually out the front door. Tip called out the guard, saying, "I need to see you! Come do me like that!!"

A video shot by the woman's friend shows her being held down by the guard. He appeared to be holding her arm behind her back, while her friends yelled at him to let her go.

One of the friends said she was calling police, and the security guard said he was "detaining" the woman until police arrived.

T.I. posted pics showing the woman's alleged injuries, including a black eye and several bruises on her leg.

According to the police report, obtained by TMZ, all 3 women -- actresses Brittany Lucio, Erica Walker and Asia'h Epperson -- were charged with criminal trespass. Brittany was also charged with felony obstruction.

Remember, this incident comes after T.I. organized a boycott against another Atlanta area Houston's last year when a staffer threw out a group of black female customers. T.I. had worked closely with Houston's ownership to improve relations, before lifting the ban.

Monday night he said, "We done tried to do it the Martin Luther way. It's time for Malcolm X!"

7:15 AM PT -- We got T.I. Tuesday morning, as he was flying out of L.A., and he says his mission is clear ... shutting down the WHOLE Houston's chain.