Anthony Bourdain Sought Out This Popular American Fast Food Joint In Sri Lanka

Anthony Bourdain was always looking for the real deal. From hole-in-the-wall haunts to Bourdain's favorite street food, his travels were about the kinds of spots where locals would actually go to grab lunch. So, you might be surprised to learn that he once sought out some distinctly American fast food in Sri Lanka, and it involved more than a few buckets of the Colonel's famous fried chicken.

In an article for Food & Wine, Bourdain's assistant and "Appetites: A Cookbook" co-author, Laurie Woolever, recalled the chef and TV host furiously searching for a KFC that was close to their hotel. Even though there was an intense religious ceremony happening right outside their car, Bourdain apparently wanted to feed his crew after a long day of filming. With not much more than "a few handfuls of cooked rice available" during the shoot, he knew they were "hot, hungry, and very far from home." And Woolever said that meant they were ready to eat "some resolutely Western fast food chicken and biscuits."

The best part, though, was that everyone gathered on the hotel rooftop to eat while swapping funny stories from the road, and Bourdain appeared to be completely in his element amidst all the laughter and deep-fried food. "He looked relaxed, happy, and pleased to be feeding and entertaining his friends," as Woolever said. "This, too, was what it was like to eat and travel with Tony."

Woolever's memory is a sweet glimpse into who Bourdain was as a person, especially since he tracked down KFC for his crew while having his own complicated relationship with American fast food. In fact, Bourdain called American food the most outrageous in the world, telling National Geographic in 2011 that, "We are really the only people who enthusiastically celebrate how quickly we are killing ourselves." And one of the things he specifically called out? KFC's controversial Double Down, which famously uses two pieces of fried chicken instead of a bun.

But the issue was more about values. After all, Bourdain went on to say that fast food "celebrates a mentality of sloth, convenience, and a cheerful embrace of food we know is hurting us," before adding that he preferred small, locally owned businesses to "some massive corporation." That said, he was also the first to admit that there were some things he still couldn't resist, including Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen's mac and cheese and In-N-Out Burger, which was always Bourdain's first stop in Los Angeles.

Not only that, but Bourdain once revealed during an appearance on "Conan" that even though he talked a lot of "smack" about KFC, it was difficult when he was craving some of the mac and cheese. So what would he do? "Put a hoodie on and I'll slide into the Colonel," he said. And we can completely understand, especially when the late-night munchies are involved.