Arnold Schwarzenegger's Cabbage Mishap Almost Terminated A Restaurant Meal

Over the years, "The Graham Norton Show" has provided audiences with a glimpse into the lives of countless celebrities. The title host's inexplicable way of making the stars spill their secrets continues to conjure cries of hearty belly laughs as they feel comfortable enough to make themselves the punchline. Indeed, this same thing happened with "The Terminator" star and former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who divulged one restaurant mishap on air.

While sitting on the iconic red couch, Schwarzenegger was led into a story from his early days in the United States. While still trying to master the English language, he recounted eating a meal in a Hungarian restaurant with an English-speaking friend. Everything was great until he finished his meal and then politely asked for more. "I said, 'Could I have some more of your garbage?'" he recalled, not knowing how to pronounce the word cabbage (via YouTube). "And the owner stopped and said, 'What did you call my food?' And I said, 'Can I have some more of your garbage?'"

Thankfully, the future movie star's friend intervened, explained he meant cabbage — and the owner seemed more than happy to then oblige the request. "I've made many mistakes, trust me," Schwarzenegger giggled sweetly. Around that time, he was consuming a mind-boggling amount of protein to keep up with his bodybuilding career, though cabbage likely wouldn't have been on that muscle-boosting menu.

It's common for countries to differ in which foods are most often consumed. So, it's not crazy to think that Austrian native Austrian Schwarzenegger would eat foods that those in the U.S. might find strange or unusual. But there have been some foods that even Austria would shake its head about. For instance, the 78,583-calorie sandwich called the steak and egger, which the former governor made on the once-viral hit show "Epic Meal Time." The sandwich consisted of bacon, ostrich eggs, two large buns, a loaf of baked beef, sliced cheese, and over 4,000 grams of fat.

Of course, that was before Schwarzenegger's various heart surgeries. Afterward, the former Mr. Universe became more health-conscious, highlighting options like a daily protein drink. His favorite, which he shared on a 2019 episode of "Gym & Fridge," consisted of almond milk, some tart cherry juice, a banana, and a whole egg (including the shell). Sometimes, he even adds a bit of schnapps or tequila as well.

Otherwise, Schwarzenegger largely sticks mainly to a primarily plant-based diet at home. When traveling, however, all bets are off. When he visits Europe, for instance, he revealed to Business Insider that he enjoys traditional wiener schnitzel, authentic German potato salad, and Italian and Spanish pastas. He just works out a little harder when he gets back home to cover his travel calories.