Detective Columbo, Murder, and His Chili Obsession
- jr81568
- 7 hours ago
- 3 min read
In the TV series Columbo the detective loved chili and food. In many episodes Detective Columbo played by Peter Falk is seen dining with the suspects he investigates. Food played a big role in many of the episodes of the popular series Columbo.
In the episodes Columbo loved to eat chili but he like a variety of foods. He like hard boiled eggs, ice cream sandwiches and cones, fish and chips, hot dogs, stuffed mushrooms, smoked salmon, caviar, veal scallopini, pasta, and peanut butter and raisin sandwiches.
Detective Columbo like to drink coffee black, tea, beer, wine, bourbon, sherry, root beer and ginger ale. He had simple and complex tastes in food. This made his character appealing and complex.
Detective Columbo and His Chili Obsession
In several episodes Columbo eats chili with bean and without when investigating a crime. . He like to add salt, a little ketchup, and saltine crackers to his chili. Columbo likes to crush crackers in the chili and often says this makes the chili tasty. He also like to eat chili hot and spicy.
The series duplicated or built a set similar to a famous restaurant in West Hollywood CA that specialized in chili. It was located on Santa Monic Boulevard a 3 room roadhouse that offered several recipes for chili. It was called Barney's Beanery.
Some of the recipes at Barney's Beanery were 3 Bean Chili, Classic Chili, Fireman's Chili, and Potato Skin Chili. In the series he ate chili at this restaurant and played pool. It was an important part of the setting for the TV series.
In one-episode Columbo eats chili with Johnny Cash at an outdoor barbecue. Cash is accused of murdering his wife in a plane crash. Columbo clears his name and finds the real killer. This recipe is from the USO Cookbook Johnny Cash's Old Iron Pot Chili Recipe.
Barney's Beanery attracted many celebrities like Quentin Tarantino who wrote Pulp Fiction at the restaurants. In World War II solider found good food and support here. One time while eating in an upscale restaurant Columbo insults the chef by asking him to prepare chili. He rejects the entrees on the menu.
In another episode Just Ordering Some Chili Colombo is sitting at a diner ordering chili. He allows another officer to investigate a woman while he finishes his chili. Columbo suspects someone other than the woman the officer is investigating and pursues the suspect proving that he is the real killer.
In another episode Good Theory and A Terrible Bowl of Chili Columbo is eating a bowl of chili at a local diner. A officer comes in to discuss the case while he eats the chili. He says the chili tastes awful and finds out they have a new chef. He pays the waitress and leaves the whole bowl of chili to be thrown out. Columbo leaves with the officer to investigate the case.
Chili A Popular Meal with Many Consumers
Columbo shares a common passion for chili like many Americans. It is a popular dish made in restaurants, homes, and in all parts of the US. Below are some websites with chili recipes to try at home.
9 Essential Types of Chili All Cooks Should Know, by Lauren Hambermehl, September 24, 2024 Taste of Home
Our 33 Best Chili Recipes, by Epicurious Editors, January 28 2019, Epicurious
33 Best Chili Recipes From Food Network by Meghan Hines Cole, September 4, 2025, Food Network
References:
Columbo Just One More Time: Colombo's Chili Habit, Home Free UK Net 2026
Colombo Was A Chili Head, Reddit, M Butterfield 2026
Mae's Food Blog, What Did Colombo Eat, September 21, 2010
A Good Theory and A Terrible Bowl of Chili, You Tube/ Columbo 2026
Barney Beanery The Diner that Doubled as Tarantino Writing Spot by Arthur Caldwell August 3, 2025 We3 Travel, 2026