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You can easily lose your way in the world of food if you don’t watch where you’re going. As you navigate the Isles of Gordon Ramsay and sail around the Jamie Oliver Peninsula, you’re eventually bound to come across the seemingly-endless Desert (not dessert) of Weird Food. And in the middle stands none other than the city of ‘Totally Gourmet’ (Population: 118,000), its streets filled with bizarre sights that show off the strange and sometimes unsettling side of cooking, cuisine, and nosh.

The ‘Totally Gourmet’ page is run by none other than Sébastien Mathys and Jonas Nyffenegger. If their names sound familiar, then it’s probably because you’ve read Bored Panda’s previous post about their other incredibly popular Instagram page, ‘Ugly Design.’ Now, Sébastien and Jonas are shocking the world once again—but with food! Check out some of the weirdest and most mesmerizing food-related pics from ‘Totally Gourmet’ below and upvote the ones that made your eyes pop and your jaws drop, dear Pandas. Planning to skip lunch after this post (we just might)? Let us know in the comment section below.

Sébastien and Jonas told Bored Panda that 'Totally Gourmet' started as a spin-off of 'Ugly Design. They explained that they're both passionate about cooking and thought that the amazing food pictures that they found online deserved a dedicated page. "We like to experiment in the kitchen and try new flavors whenever given the opportunity. If you are a food artist please share your work with us, we would love to see (taste) what you do!" Read on for the full interview.

More info: Instagram (Totally Gourmet) | Instagram (Ugly Design) | Ugly.Design

#1

Bird House

Bird House

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Blinding_Darkness
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

At first I thought it was an actual house and then I saw the bird and I was like ohhhh 🤦🏼‍♀️lol it's a good design tho I love it

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When Bored Panda asked Sébastien and Jonas what could be done if readers suddenly lose their appetites when looking at photos from the 'Totally Gourmet' page, the pair weren't surprised at all. "We know what you mean. This occurs to us as well... DM us when this happens. We have tips to help, depending on the picture," they said. So, dear Pandas, if you find yourself put off from eating after this list, send a direct message to the curators of the page and they might just have a solution for you.

Sébastien and Jonas also revealed that they have quite a few food and cooking disaster stories between them in their lives. And they shared the worst one of them.

"Younger Jonas organized a Surströmming party in a public park in Geneva with a few friends and me," Sébastien said. "Surströmming is a Swedish delicacy made of fermented fish. Most of our friends refused to even try and backed away from the smell. Actually, the scent was so strong that everybody in a radius of 50m decided to leave. Even a group of punks. Our tasting was too trash for them." Got any similar stories to share, dear Pandas? Let us know in the comment section!

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We’re drawn to weirdness and ugliness. It’s a very human experience to be captivated by something that’s far from aesthetically pleasing. And that’s exactly the primal human fascination with ugliness that the ‘Totally Gourmet’ team manage to capture in the pics that they post.

There’s a lot of similarity between ‘Totally Gourmet’ and ‘Ugly Design,’ namely, the ugliness and the shock value. Sébastien and Jonas earlier spoke to Bored Panda about their other project, ‘Ugly Design,’ and attributed its success to the fact that their content creates a huge contrast to the “norm-perfect” pictures that can usually be found in people’s Instagram feeds.

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“When seeing an ugly design rather than perfect aesthetics (as defined in the 21st century)—scrollers takes notice,” Sébastien and Jonas told Bored Panda that the key is to avoid predictability and embracing what’s unexpected.

The curators of ‘Ugly Design’ and ‘Totally Gourmet’ explained that they believe ugliness is a topic that’s bottomless and will always have something to offer in terms of content. So you can expect a lot more extraordinary and strange content from Sébastien and Jonas in the near future, that’s for sure!

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#26

Self Isolated Lime

Self Isolated Lime

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#29

Lost And Found

Lost And Found

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#30

Spaghetti, Ocd Version

Spaghetti, Ocd Version

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hermionegranger_2 avatar
Hermione Granger
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Please change the title of this. This is not what OCD is. At all. OCD is constant intrusive thoughts and compulsions all day long that you can’t control. OCD is not about being neat, or organized, or a perfectionist. It is constant torture all day. I understand that you did not mean to be offensive but please change the title.

ns_1 avatar
N S
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

the compulsion can very well be food related, e.g. one type of food is not allowed to touch any other on the plate, so perhaps OP has a compulsion with making "food art" before consuming

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ruthmayfly avatar
Ruth Mayfly
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This must be some sort of record....(I'll see myself out)

73988 avatar
⚞ Katniss Everdeen ⚟
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

As someone with OCD, please please for the love of all that is holy, CHANGE THE TITLE. This is not OCD. OCD is constant, random,. and not the whole "organize" thing the media portrays it as.

kim-bowie avatar
Kim
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This might be an obsession but it’s not an accurate depiction of OCD. This looks more like an artistic talent, and people already have the wrong idea about OCD. I don’t think it’s fair to keep misusing the word. Not for those who are suffering for real with the disorder. It’s hell.

shangrilaaerie avatar
Maggie Mae
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

OCD is a very Real and Unmanageable Disease!Shamw on You making fun of It!! Wish You would be affected with it!!

ramouth1 avatar
Silly String
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is so pleasing to the eye. Thanks to whomever crafted it!!

fuggnuggins avatar
fuggnuggins
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Makes me think: cold, overly handled, what the f**k are those frozen peas. I wouldn't stick this in my mouth let alone on Instagram.

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Karen Loftus
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Ugh. Title totally ruins the photo - and you - for me, forever. You’re so unoriginal with words you have to abuse real sufferers of a bonafide disease like OCD.

cruzarts avatar
Steve Cruz
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That is a gorgeous presentation, but I suspect those noodles were handled more than they should have been.

shangrilaaerie avatar
Maggie Mae
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

How disgusting of You to make Fun of a Horrible Disease!! Shame on You!!

carolynmccu avatar
Carolyn McCully
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is beautiful, hope it's just a starter though, not enough spaghetti.

bobbob avatar
Shadow4523
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

expensive restaurants be like waiter: here is your food sir *twirls mustache* me: but this is like one noodle waiter: this will be $50.99 me: no way dude waiter: and tips me: ok by cya

anna-r-mchugh avatar
Anna McHugh
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Has anyone else noticed that the 'That's not funny' crowd always have names like Hermione Granger and Katniss Everdeen (see the one above)?

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#33

That's The Destruction We All Need In Our Communities!

That's The Destruction We All Need In Our Communities!

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#38

Munchies

Munchies

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crabcrab avatar
Hans
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Weird, yet not ok to not blurr her face. She does not deserve the shaming of the Internet.

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#39

Spirit Animal

Spirit Animal

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Foxxy (The Original)
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Would be funny if his head was actually covered in the snakes but people kept taking and eating them.

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#40

Puppy

Puppy

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Note: this post originally had 143 images. It’s been shortened to the top 40 images based on user votes.