WASHINGTON – Drug-fueled cannibalism was making the rounds this summer after a man thought to be high on bath salts viciously attacked – and chewed bits of – a homeless man’s face in Miami.
But now, celebrity chef Jose Andres is putting a different twist on the morbid practice. He has been enlisted by NBC as a culinary consultant for a new television series, “Hannibal,” set to debut sometime in 2013.
The show follows the adventures of a young psychiatrist with a penchant for human flesh. Hannibal Lecter was eventually immortalized by Sir Anthony Hopkins in the 1991 horror classic, “Silence of the Lambs.”
“This is a very exciting opportunity,” says Stephanie Salvador, communications coordinator for Andres’ Think Food Group.
“As part of this new role, Jose is bringing a culinary finesse and understanding to this very complex character, which will include recipe ideas, presentations and performance around the cooking segments of the new show.”
Andres told the Washington Post that he was enlisted by the show’s producer, Bryan Fuller, to help illustrate Lecter’s infamous love of dishes like human liver with fava beans and a “nice chianti.”
In his new role, the restauranteur will reference French chefs and fine wines to showcase Lecter’s refined tastes.
Andres could pull inspiration from his native country’s own history with cannibalism. In 2010, archeologists in Spain discovered the remains of a Neanderthal family that was killed more than 49,000 years ago. Markings on the bones showed signs of cannibal activity, the BBC reported at the time.
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