Ferdinand the Foodie
Encyclopedia
Ferdinand the Foodie is a somewhat one-joke character in the British
comic Viz
. It was created and illustrated by John Fardell
and has appeared sporadically since 2002.
The central character, Ferdinand, is similar to the characters in Fardell's other creation, The Critics
. However, instead of being a self-appointed expert and critic of art, Ferdinand's area of expertise is - so he claims - food. He thinks of himself as a sophisticated judge of fine food and wine and believes his comments on a restaurant
will make or break that particular establishment.
In reality, no chefs or restaurant owners really care what he thinks. In fact, Ferdinand even finds himself having trouble getting a table at fashionable restaurants.
Ferdinand looks his part: he is obese and middle-aged with a big nose and heavy jowls, wears a dinner suit wherever he goes. He is very snobbish, refusing to shop at the humble supermarkets normal people go to, and once refused to go into a restaurant that did not require a reservation, believing that anything that is accessible to the working classes is not good enough for him.
Ferdinand is usually accompanied by his twenty-something nephew, Jamie, who does not share Ferdinand's attitude. Quite frequently, Jamie is horrified and humiliated by his Uncle's behaviour, such as the time his Uncle Ferdinand was arrested at a petting zoo
for force-feeding a goose
in an attempt to make foie gras
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
comic Viz
Viz (comic)
Viz is a popular British comic magazine which has been running since 1979.The comic's style parodies British comics of the post-war period, notably The Beano and The Dandy, but with incongruous language, crude toilet humour, black comedy, surreal humour and either sexual or violent storylines...
. It was created and illustrated by John Fardell
John Fardell
John Fardell is a British cartoonist and author.He is a regular contributor to the adult comic Viz, and has created and drawn two of the most popular and long-running strips, The Modern Parents and The Critics, as well as the more recent additions of Ferdinand the Foodie and Desert Island Teacher...
and has appeared sporadically since 2002.
The central character, Ferdinand, is similar to the characters in Fardell's other creation, The Critics
The Critics
The Critics are the main characters of a long-running cartoon of the same name in the British comic Viz. It was created and is illustrated by John Fardell.They are Natasha and Crispin Critic, two high brow art critics from London...
. However, instead of being a self-appointed expert and critic of art, Ferdinand's area of expertise is - so he claims - food. He thinks of himself as a sophisticated judge of fine food and wine and believes his comments on a restaurant
Restaurant
A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
will make or break that particular establishment.
In reality, no chefs or restaurant owners really care what he thinks. In fact, Ferdinand even finds himself having trouble getting a table at fashionable restaurants.
Ferdinand looks his part: he is obese and middle-aged with a big nose and heavy jowls, wears a dinner suit wherever he goes. He is very snobbish, refusing to shop at the humble supermarkets normal people go to, and once refused to go into a restaurant that did not require a reservation, believing that anything that is accessible to the working classes is not good enough for him.
Ferdinand is usually accompanied by his twenty-something nephew, Jamie, who does not share Ferdinand's attitude. Quite frequently, Jamie is horrified and humiliated by his Uncle's behaviour, such as the time his Uncle Ferdinand was arrested at a petting zoo
Petting zoo
A petting zoo features a combination of domestic animals and some wild species that are docile enough to touch and feed. In addition to independent petting zoos, also called children's farms or petting farms, many general zoos contain a petting zoo...
for force-feeding a goose
Goose
The word goose is the English name for a group of waterfowl, belonging to the family Anatidae. This family also includes swans, most of which are larger than true geese, and ducks, which are smaller....
in an attempt to make foie gras
Foie gras
Foie gras ; French for "fat liver") is a food product made of the liver of a duck or goose that has been specially fattened. This fattening is typically achieved through gavage corn, according to French law, though outside of France it is occasionally produced using natural feeding...
.