Martha Stewart’s roast chicken and lobster meal has fans terrified: ‘Chicken of the sea’

‘The most terrifying thing you’ve ever posted,’ says one fan

Martha Stewart has been known to share some wild cuisines on her social media, but the lifestyle guru’s latest post is perhaps the strangest one of all.

On 20 March, the cookbook author took to Instagram - where she boasts a loyal two million followers - to share photos of her recent dining experience at Chef Daniel Boulud’s Maison Barnes, a salon-style dining experience in New York City.

“We had the pleasure of ding last evening @maisonbarne which is located in the same location as @cafebouludny on Park Ave [sic],” Stewart wrote on Instagram. The 82-year-old media mogul was treated to salads, entrées, and desserts in the style of early 20th century French cuisine. But there was one meal that stuck out to many of Stewart’s fans, namely for its unique presentation.

The first photo in her Instagram slideshow featured a golden roast chicken stuffed with an entire lobster. The red lobster claws stuck out of the sides of the chicken, while the lobster head - and its antennas - were placed at the front of the chicken. The lobster tail was also displayed at the rear of the chicken in between its legs.

Unsurprisingly, some Instagram users were shocked by the bizarre chicken and lobster dish, while others were simply confused by the entrée. One person even compared it to the otherworldly animals depicted in Yorgos Lanthimos’ film, Poor Things.

“The most terrifying thing you’ve ever posted,” said one Instagram follower.

“Martha, what in the world is this,” another person asked.

“That first picture seems like a Peta hate crime,” a third user said, while someone else wrote: “This is the most upsetting thing I’ve ever seen. Is this one of those posts where you’re trying to let us know you’ve been kidnapped and are in danger??!

However, some people took turns at cracking their best jokes about the chicken and lobster creation.

“Not the chobster,” one person jokingly wrote, as another chimed in: “Chicken of the sea woah I get it now.”

“I love the outfit the lobster is wearing,” quipped someone else.

“I hope the lobster bought the chicken dinner first,” another said.

According to her post, Stewart and her friends were served the roast chicken and lobster on a plate topped with a brown gravy-like dressing. She was also given a slice of beef wellington with a green side salad, a meringue custard dessert, and a chocolate cake.

“The restaurant offers amazing pate, roast chicken and lobster, fresh complex salads, delicious desserts, lovely entrees and spectacular vegetables,” she added in the caption. “The wine list is sophisticated and excellent and the service delightful. I cannot wait to return !!”

This isn’t the first time the TV personality has confused fans with her experiential food posts. Most recently, Stewart sparked mixed reactions when she shared her recipe for homemade dog food on Instagram. The homemade dog food - which Stewart feeds to her two French bulldogs, Crème Brulee and Bete Noire; and two Chow Chows, Emperor Han and Empress Qin - consisted of buck deer, roosters from her farm, fresh salmon carcasses, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, carrots, broccoli, frozen peas, and quinoa.

Several followers were frustrated by the origin of her ingredients, like one user who commented: “You killed the deer that found its way to your home? And your ‘friends’ the chickens??? Sounds like a real fairytale over there.”

“Am I reading this correctly? You killed the buck deer that has been calling your place home for the last year and put him in the dog food?” another person added.

The entrepreneur also sparked backlash when she used a “small iceberg” to chill her alcoholic drink while on a cruise from Iceland to Greenland. In August, Stewart posted a photo of herself holding up a drink followed by a snapshot of two iceberg chunks resting on a kitchen cart. Her caption read: “We actually captured a small iceberg for our cocktails tonight.”

Some people accused Stewart of being “tone deaf” and criticised her use of the ice blocks to keep her drink cold. “Martha the ice caps are melting don’t put them in your drink,” one person commented. However, others simply poked fun at Stewart’s cocktail suggestion.

“If you can’t find fresh icebergs for your cocktails store bought is fine,” a sarcastic user wrote, while another added: “I only use the finest icebergs for my cocktails.”