He was suspended indefinitely from TV program "The Cooks' Challenge" for explaining how to tenderize cat meat by leaving it under running water for three days before cooking it into "a delight."
The Italian Animal Protection Agency demaded for Bigazzi to be permanently removed from the program.
"Anyone who goes on television to promote the taste of cat meat is guilty of instigating viewers to commit an act of cruelty to animals, a crime punishable by up to 18 months in prison," the group said in a statement.
Bigazzi later said he was talking about cats that were cooked in Tuscany, Italy, during food shortages of the 1930s and 1940s. He said he was not recommending people today cook cats.
"I was just talking about an old tradition," he said.
But actually, Chef Beppe, who has been on the show six days a week for over a decade did say,
“Cat soup is one of the best dishes from Valdarno.....I’ve eaten it many times and I assure you it’s a delight.”
Immediately after making this statement, the chef also said on air that he expected "racist" environmentalists would criticize his love of feline cookery.
“I’ve eaten it myself and it’s a lot better than many other animals,” he told viewers. “Better than chicken, rabbit or pigeon.” He said that for optimum flavor the meat should be “soaked in spring water for three days” before being stewed.
Elisa Isoardi, the shows host tried to steer Bigazzi off the subject.
During the commercial break she and the show’s producers tried to persuade him to apologise to viewers but he refused.
