Summary

• Chef, a popular character on South Park, was a hilarious, insightful, and inappropriate yet caring role model for the show's young protagonists.
• Actor Isaac Hayes, who voiced Chef, unexpectedly left the show in 2006, causing controversy and disappointment among fans and the show's creators.
• Hayes' departure was influenced by his involvement with the Church of Scientology and his objection to the show's satirical approach to religion, particularly Scientology.

In the giant buffet of cartoon characters to choose from, South Park's Chef is the filet mignon next to the Salisbury steak. He is a hilarious, insightful, and totally inappropriate yet caring role model for South Park Elementary's children: notably the show's four young protagonists. When South Park premiered in 1997, Chef became one of its breakout stars and helped fuel its meteoric rise to the heights of pop culture. While The Simpsons were the gold standard for adult cartoons in the '90s, even Springfield's wildest residents were nothing like Chef. He was the wise, cautionary sage who could always be counted on to give the children what they needed most — the truth or something like it — amid the surreal and often shocking humor that served as the show's calling card. If any South Park character could have had a spinoff series, it's Chef.

Which is why the abrupt departure of the beloved character left a cloud of controversy and disappointment. Actor Isaac Hayes departed the show in 2006, to the surprise not only of fans but of the show's creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone. Despite the show's habit of eagerly courting controversy, the incident stands out for its personal nature. And while South Park has continued in the ensuing years with no sign of slowing down, it feels diminished without his presence. So why did South Park kill Chef? The answers come amid both Hayes' background and the show's penchant for ruthless satire.

Updated on January 27 by Robert Vaux: Chef's sudden departure is a weirdly integral part of South Park's history, where, in typical fashion, the show weaved the real-world controversy into the narrative. But it retains a feeling of sadness and loss, reflecting the creators' emotions at Hayes leaving the show. Some of the questions remain unanswered, owing to the specifics of Hayes' final years before his death in 2008. The article has been updated to include new information on Hayes's background, the controversy itself, and the specifics of both the episode where Chef dies and an earlier episode that prompted the actor to leave the series. The formatting has been updated to match CBR's current guidelines.

What Happened To Chef On South Park?

Chef was a popular school cafeteria worker who fed and nurtured the children's tummies and their brains by being one of the only town residents with a semi-firm grasp on reality. Chef cut to the heart of the matter like a knife in his kitchen. It was no accident Chef was such a commanding presence on the animated screen. Hayes's pounding, mellifluous made Chef larger than life, and the Grammy- and Oscar-winning actor infused him with both a perennial cheerfulness and a passion for life. Hayes first came to prominence in the 1960s when he co-wrote a string of hit songs with partner David Porter, including "Soul Man," "B-A-B-Y," and "Hold On, I'm Comin." In 1971, he composed and performed the theme song to the movie "Shaft," which won the Academy Award and became his signature work. He subsequently branched out into acting with prominent roles in The Rockford Files, Escape from New York, I'm Gonna Git You Sucka, and Robin Hood: Men in Tights.

Chef made a natural fit for his persona. His innate sympathy and practical advice were a balm to the protagonists amid the chaos of each episode. He also had a penchant for breaking out in song to bestow wisdom and anecdotes upon the children — often with age-inappropriate sexual lyrics — which gave the series a chance to showcase his phenomenal singing talents. He even made it into Chef Aid: The South Park Album, including the savory hit single "Chocolate Salty Balls." The character proved indispensable for South Park's first nine seasons, and indeed it was hard to imagine the show without him.

Chef's final appearance on South Park was the opening of Season 10, entitled "The Return of Chef." In the episode, Chef is brainwashed into joining a global pedophile cult that serves as a thinly veiled stand-in for The Church of Scientology. He finally escapes thanks to Cartman, Stan, Kyle, and Kenny, but Chef is almost lured back before plunging into a ravine and being torn to pieces by wild animals.

The cult later resurrects Chef's mangled remains into a Darth Vader-esque parody. (The character himself also reappeared as a Nazi zombie in 2014's The Stick of Truth video game, though Hayes's voice wasn't used for the project.) Hayes didn't actually work on the episode because, at that point, he had already left the show. Chef's voice-over was stitched together with audio clips from past South Park recordings, which the episode used as a self-referential running joke. Rather than let such a prominent character vanish without a trace, it leaned into Hayes's absence, which by then had become the subject of public attention.

Why Did Isaac Hayes Leave South Park?

On November 16, 2005, South Park's ninth season aired the controversial episode "Trapped in the Closet." It involves Stan taking a Scientology audit, only for the Church of Scientology to conclude that he's the reincarnation of founder L. Ron Hubbard. In the process, it actively lampoons many of Scientology's beliefs, as well as mocking high-profile members of the movement such as Tom Cruise and John Travolta. It ends with Stan daring the Church to sue him, followed by the credits in which everyone's name is listed as "John Smith" or "Jane Smith." Hayes himself belonged to the Church of Scientology and took exception to the episode's content.

On March 13, 2006, a statement was released in his name saying, "There is a time when satire ends and intolerance and bigotry toward religious beliefs begins." While it was posited as an objection over the series' satirical approach to religion in general, South Park co-creator Matt Stone felt the departure was rooted in an artistic double standard. "In 10 years and over 150 episodes of South Park, Isaac never had a problem with the show making fun of Christians, Muslims, Mormons or Jews."

At about the same time, new reports circulated that Hayes had suffered a stroke, which was initially denied but which he himself later confirmed had happened. His health continued to decline until he died from a second stroke on August 10, 2008. In 2016, Isaac Hayes III claimed his father was still suffering from the stroke's effects, and he was being taken advantage of when he left South Park. "He was in no position to resign under his own knowledge. At the time, everybody around my father was involved in Scientology — his assistants, the core group of people. So someone quit South Park on Isaac Hayes' behalf. We don't know who." Hayes III went on to say his father didn't have a double standard when it came to religion, "My father was not that big of a hypocrite to be part of a show that would constantly poke fun at African-American people, Jewish people, gay people — and only quit when it comes to Scientology."

Parker and Stone seemingly understood that. Despite the falling out between Hayes and the show's producers, "The Return of Chef" makes no bones about who South Park blames for the incident. In the episode's finale, the town holds a eulogy for the departed character, where Kyle pleads with everyone to remember Chef at his best and not the club "that scrambled his brain." The line is a not-so-subtle dig at Scientology, and the show's plot suggests that Chef was not entirely in control of his actions when he joined the cult. The first episode to air after Hayes's passing — Season 12, Episode 8, "The China Probrem" — was dedicated to him, suggesting that they bore the actor no ill will. The departure of Chef, and Hayes, was a loss for the series and its fans. But one of the most multi-talented artists of his era still lives on — every time folks come on down to South Park and leave their woes behind.