Twisted Tales with Heidi Wong
Episode: Deadly Chefs and Kitchen Horrors (The Menu Explained!)
Date: February 2, 2026
Host: Heidi Wong

Episode Overview

In this chilling episode of Twisted Tales, host Heidi Wong explores the sinister intersection of culinary arts and real-life crime, unraveling true stories of chefs whose obsession with their craft tipped into madness, murder, and mayhem. Using the satirical horror film "The Menu" as a thematic touchstone, Wong dives into both historical legends and very real cases of chefs who committed deadly acts—sometimes literally cooking their victims.

Heidi also probes the psychological pressures unique to kitchen culture, examining the dark underbelly of perfectionism, obsession, and the sometimes fatal consequences of life spent in a high-heat environment.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Psychopath in the Kitchen

[03:07]

• Heidi introduces the concept that some professions—chefs included—have a higher prevalence of psychopathic traits, referencing British psychologist Kevin Dutton's research.
  • “In Dutton's study, chefs come in ninth place for having the highest prevalence of psychopaths, at least in British society.”
  • Chefs’ dedication can turn dark, echoing themes seen in myth, literature, and modern horror.

2. From Myth to Modern Horror

• Greek Mythology: The story of Tantalus, who kills his son and tries to serve him to the gods—a cautionary tale illustrating the ancient roots of culinary horrors.
• Shakespeare: “Titus Andronicus” as an early example of vengeful cooks.
• Recent Pop Culture: "Game of Thrones" and "South Park" referenced as modern-day inheritors of the “killer chef” trope.

3. The Menu: Fiction Inspired by Frightening Reality

[06:17]

• The podcast draws parallels to "The Menu," explaining how its story of a deranged, tyrannical chef was inspired by real feelings of unease at an exclusive, inaccessible restaurant.
  • Heidi details Will Tracy’s (screenwriter) anxiety:
    “As he sat for his meal, he felt a weird sense of dread... he did wonder what would happen if somebody had an emergency.”

4. True Crime Cases: When Chefs Cross the Line

a. Philippe Schneider: The Pizza Chef Cannibal

[08:34]

• In 2023, French pizza chef Philippe Schneider and accomplice Lou murdered an acquaintance during a botched robbery, then used Philippe’s butchery skills to dismember and cook the body to hide the evidence.
  • “He decided to make use of his skills by taking George’s body home, dismembering his limbs and chucking them into pots to stew down with vegetables...”
• Philippe’s confession:
  • "I have no words to express my guilt and my many regrets, but I understand the anger and disgust I can evoke. I offer my sincerest apologies to the family. This is an act of madness that should never have happened." [10:36]
• Noted: “The phrase 'an act of madness' sticks out to me, given the correlation that we just talked about between chefs and psychopaths.” [10:56]

b. David Viens: From Fine Dining to Grisly Cover-up

[11:36]

• 2011, Los Angeles: Chef David Viens duct-taped, bound, and, after a cocaine-fueled fight, killed his wife, then boiled her body in a drum for four days.
  • “David duct tapes Dawn’s mouth shut, then bound her hands and feet. But the next morning when he woke up, he freaked out. Why? ...Don Viens died because of David.” [12:03]
  • Disposed of remains in restaurant garbage; kept the skull in his mother’s attic.
  • After confessing to multiple people, Viens attempted suicide by leaping off an 80-foot cliff, survived, and was sentenced to 15 years to life.
• Heidi's commentary:
  • “This is like Ed Gein level deranged, you guys. This is actually crazy.” [13:21]

c. Stephen Port: The ‘Grindr Killer’ and Aspiring Chef

[14:05]

• English culinary student and “Celebrity MasterChef” background extra who used social apps to lure young men, drugging, assaulting, and killing four before being caught.
• Heidi notes:
  • “Now, it doesn’t seem like the pressures of the kitchen are what led to Stephen Port’s crimes. If anything, cooking was one of the only bright spots in his life before it all went wrong.” [15:45]

d. Bernard Loiseau: Perfectionism to Tragedy

[16:13]

• Michelin three-star French chef, built an empire but was devastated by rumors of losing his status; took his own life in 2003.
  • “For Bernard, who couldn’t accept anything less than perfection, it would have been unacceptable… he was prone to bouts of manic depression...”
• Explores how the extreme pressure and pursuit of perfection in professional kitchens can have fatal consequences.

e. Daniel Brophy & Nancy Crampton-Brophy: Murder Most Novel

[18:19]

• Daniel Brophy, beloved instructor at Oregon Culinary Institute, murdered in 2018.
• Wife Nancy, initially a student and later a romance novelist, orchestrated the murder for insurance money.
  • Extensive planning: ghost gun kit, unregistered Glock, extra barrel to avoid tracing.
  • Key evidence against Nancy: a blog post titled “How to Murder Your Husband.”
    • "It was titled How to murder your husband. Yes, really, girl, that is called foreshadowing." [23:47]
  • Financial motive: debts, life insurance, poor business.
  • Heidi quips:
    • “Nancy girl, what are we doing? Because the first one was titled The Wrong Brother.” [20:19]
    • “She did draw on some real life experiences here because the main conflict revolves around the husband trying to kill the heroine to collect on her life insurance policy. It's giving projection.” [21:29]
  • Convicted in 2022: life sentence, not eligible for parole until age 91.
  • “Which gives her plenty of time to get used to wearing orange.” [25:34]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the relationship between chefs and psychopathy:

  • “Turns out that being a chef isn’t just stressful, it can also lead to murder.” [00:53]

• On ‘The Menu’ and culinary horror:

  • “It’s giving ‘Yes Chef’ for sure... our eyes and ears throughout the movie is Margot. Out of everyone, only she really sees the insanity of the entire night.” [05:44]
  • “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.” [17:47]

• On cooking as an expression of madness:

  • “Philippe wasn’t just a pizza maker. He was also a trained butcher. And he decided to make use of his skills by taking George’s body home, dismembering his limbs and chucking them into pots to stew down with vegetables.” [09:49]

• Cultural touchpoint:

  • “Just because you’re good at cooking does not mean that you’re going to do a bunch of drugs and then tie up your wife and then chop her into bits and then cook her. This is definitely an extreme.” [13:24]

• On Nancy’s prophetic blog post:

  • “Now, 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 it back in 2011, seven years before Daniel’s murder. It was titled How to Murder Your Husband. Yes, really, girl, that is called foreshadowing.” [23:47]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Chefs, Psychopaths, and Mythology: 03:07–06:55
• “The Menu” and Real-Life Inspiration: 06:56–08:33
• Philippe Schneider’s Crime in France: 08:34–11:35
• David Viens’ Case (Lomita, CA): 11:36–14:04
• Stephen Port, the Grindr Killer: 14:05–16:12
• Bernard Loiseau and Perfectionism: 16:13–18:02
• Daniel Brophy & Nancy Crampton-Brophy: 18:19–25:34
• Closing Thoughts: 25:35–26:52

Tone and Style Highlights

• Heidi employs a mix of dark humor, pop culture references, and candid commentary:
  • Playful skepticism (“Nancy girl, what are we doing?”)
  • Cautionary but not hysterical tone (“That’s not to say you should be afraid to make your next dinner reservation, but make sure you think twice before you head to a restaurant on a private island.” [26:24])
  • Frequent reminders that while these cases are real, they’re extreme outliers—not all chefs are killers.

Takeaways

• “The Menu” satirizes real horrors lurking in some kitchens, but, as Heidi reminds listeners, these disturbing cases are rare extremes set against the backdrop of immense pressure and perfectionism in culinary culture.
• Across myth, literature, and true crime, the kitchen can become a crucible of obsession—with tragic, sometimes deadly, consequences.
• “There’s no reason to fear the dark — unless you try to hide from it.” [27:20]

Next Week: Expect another journey into the unbelievable real-life stories behind horror’s most famous legends. Stay curious... and maybe order takeout.