José Andrés Advises 'Hannibal' On Cannibalism, Hannibal Lecter Food Preferences

WASHINGTON -- What is the appropriate way to prepare and serve human flesh? Ask José Andrés.

The D.C. chef is a culinary consultant to the upcoming NBC show "Hannibal," based on fictional man-eating gourmand Hannibal Lecter from "The Silence of the Lambs."

The Washington Post reports:

Andres says he was tapped by producer and screenwriter Bryan Fuller to flesh out the character, so to speak, by showing what a culinary sophisticate the cannibalistic psychiatrist was, pre-incarceration. There will be references to French chef Auguste Escoffier and fine wines, says the chef, and a scene featuring loin -- but not pork or beef loin -- with roasted apples and Cumberland sauce. Eventually, “every single body part” will factor into the show, says Andres, who adds that his research included eating “a lot of lung dishes this summer.” (Lung, from animals, is popular in Italy and Spain.)

Andrés, known as an inventive chef whose restaurants include Jaleo and Oyamel, told the Post he's not worried that customers will be put off by his new gig. "This is TV!" he said. "I'm going to lose customers doing this? I don't think so."

Others have tried to tease out Lecter's taste. Chow.com posted a recipe for an apéritif the serial killer has been known to enjoy. Sabotage Times gave a variation on Lecter's famous liver and fava beans meal (using chicken liver rather than human liver).

OC Weekly got even more squeamish, leaving out the liver and just suggesting a fava bean recipe. And don't forget a nice chianti.

If you're wondering which of these or other foods will turn up in "Hannibal," Andrés told the Post he wasn't yet ready to divulge much about what foods would be in the show -- though he did say that mushrooms would play a role, and that Lecter would be shown cooking more than ordering in, to “make him more relatable and less a villain.”

Here are some real-life cannibal villains: