Scams, Money, & Murder: Deadly Chefs and Kitchen Horrors | Twisted Tales
Crime House Original | Host: Heidi Wong
February 8, 2026

Episode Overview

This chilling episode of Twisted Tales explores the unexpected intersection between culinary passion and lethal crimes. Host Heidi Wong delves into disturbing real-life stories of chefs who turned their skills and obsessions toward murder—sometimes quite literally serving up their victims. Inspired by the horror satire "The Menu," the episode examines the dark pressures of the kitchen, infamous cases of culinary killers, and the psychological studies that tie chefs to extreme behavior.

Key Discussion Points & Stories

1. Pop Culture & Psychopathy in the Kitchen

• Cultural Roots:
  • Heidi highlights ancient and modern tales of human consumption or “chef-murderers,” from Greek mythology (Tantalus) to Shakespeare’s “Titus Andronicus,” and pop series like "Game of Thrones."
• The Menu (2022) Movie:
  • Overview of the film’s psychopathic chef, inspired by a tense real-life dinner the screenwriter had on a Norwegian private island ([06:00] approx).
  • Quote:

    “It’s giving ‘Yes, Chef,’ for sure… Only [Margot] really sees the insanity of the entire night… she’s the only one to survive.”
    (Heidi Wong, 07:28)

2. Are Chefs More Likely to Be Psychopaths?

• British psychologist Kevin Dutton’s study claims chefs rank 9th in prevalence of psychopathy among professions.
  • Quote:

    “Apparently, according to some scholars, the world also needs psychopaths in order to function… chefs come in ninth place…”
    (Heidi Wong, 03:40)

3. Philippe Schneider: The Pizza Chef Butcher of Brasquet

• Setting: Tiny, idyllic French village—turned site of horror ([11:00] approx).
• Crime: In 2023, Schneider and an accomplice killed an acquaintance, George McLare, during a botched robbery.
• Murder & Cover-up: Schneider, a trained butcher, dismembered McLare and stewed the limbs and vegetables to mask the smell, burned remains, and scattered ashes.
• Aftermath & Confession: Sloppy attempts to mask the crime failed; Philippe confessed fully.
• Quote:

  “This is an act of madness that should never have happened. I plead guilty to all the charges against me.”
  (Philippe Schneider, press statement recounted by Heidi, 16:40)

4. David Viens: Boiling Away Evidence

• Location: Lomita, California ([21:15] approx).
• Incident: After a cocaine-fueled argument in 2011, chef David Viens murdered his wife, Dawn—then disposed of her body by boiling it in a 55-gallon drum over four days.
• Aftermath: Confessed to family; attempted suicide by jumping off a cliff (and survived); received a 15-to-life sentence.
• Quote:

  “This is like Ed Gein level deranged, you guys… This is actually crazy.”
  (Heidi Wong, 24:30)

5. Stephen Port: The MasterChef Background Extra Turned Serial Killer

• Background: Once an aspiring chef in England with a quiet, creative demeanor ([25:45] approx).
• Double Life: Lied about his identity on dating apps; lured men to his apartment, drugged, raped, and killed them, ultimately taking four victims.
• Police Failures: Investigation reveals critical police errors could have stopped the killings earlier.
• Quote:

  “Instead of flourishing in this newfound freedom, Steven became the exact kind of person you’d be terrified to meet online.”
  (Heidi Wong, 27:00)

6. Bernard Loiseau: Michelin Stars and Crushing Pressure

• Career: Achieved three Michelin stars by age 40, expanded into a restaurant empire ([30:15] approx).
• Downward Spiral: Rumors (false) of losing a star led to severe anxiety and depression.
• Tragic End: Unable to cope with perceived failure, Loiseau died by suicide in 2003.
• Quote:

  “He was on edge, unable to be reasoned with… the thought of his life’s work being unraveled was something he just couldn’t overcome.”
  (Heidi Wong, 32:10)

7. Nancy Crampton Brophy: The Romance Novelist Who Wrote Her Husband’s Murder

• Love Story: Nancy and Daniel Brophy met at the Oregon Culinary Institute, married after years together ([36:30] approx).
• Financial Struggles: Nancy left catering for insurance, then turned to writing. Her novels feature suspiciously relatable murder plots.
  • Quote:

    “The main conflict revolves around the husband trying to kill the heroine to collect on her life insurance policy. It’s giving projection.”
    (Heidi Wong, 39:15)

• The Crime: In 2018, Daniel Brophy was found shot dead at his culinary school.
• Suspicious Evidence: Video shows Nancy at the scene; she purchased an untraceable gun; wrote a blog post titled “How To Murder Your Husband.”
• Arrest & Conviction: Found guilty after a widely covered trial; sentenced to life.
• Quote:

  “What is even more sketchy than working for life insurance and then buying a whole bunch of guns and planning to kill your husband? Nancy had written… How To Murder Your Husband. Yes, really, girl, that is called foreshadowing.”
  (Heidi Wong, 43:07)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Myth and Reality:

  “Turns out that being a chef isn’t just stressful, it can also lead to murder.”
  (Heidi Wong, 01:48)

• On Pressure in the Culinary World:

  “If we learned anything so far, it’s that being a chef comes with intense pressure. We've seen that manifest into all kinds of tragic violence.”
  (Heidi Wong, 34:55)

• Episode’s Takeaway:

  “If there’s anything to take away from today’s stories, it’s that maybe ‘The Menu’ isn’t as far-fetched as you might think… make sure you think twice before you head to a restaurant on a private island.”
  (Heidi Wong, 49:35)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:00 — Show introduction and background on “killer chefs” in pop culture
• 03:40 — Chefs and psychopathy: the Kevin Dutton study
• 06:00–10:00 — The Menu movie, inspiration, and fine dining dread
• 11:00–19:30 — Philippe Schneider: Pizza chef murder and cannibal stew in France
• 21:15–25:00 — David Viens: The Lomita chef who boiled his wife
• 25:45–30:10 — Stephen Port: Aspiring chef, Grindr predator
• 30:15–34:30 — Bernard Loiseau: The destructive toll of perfectionism
• 36:30–48:00 — Nancy Crampton Brophy: Novelist lays out her crime in fiction and blog
• 49:00–end — Host’s reflections and closing thoughts

Final Thoughts

Heidi Wong brings a macabre sense of humor, empathy, and storytelling prowess to an episode that demonstrates how the drive for perfection, greed, or even survival instincts can curdle into violence. While the culinary world is rarely this dangerous, these “twisted tales” underline both the extraordinary pressures chefs face and a small but shocking pattern of the profession’s darkest outliers.