From the Drum Kit to the Kitchen: Vinnie Paul Abbott Posthumously Serves Up a Cookbook

It’s been nearly seven years since the untimely death of Vinnie Paul Abbott. The Abilene-born and Arlington-raised drummer kept time for, among other acts, Pantera, Damageplan and Hellyeah, before his death on June 22, 2018 at the age of 54.

Abbott’s artistic legacy is substantial — artists ranging from Metallica and Slipknot to Black Sabbath and Alice in Chains paid him tribute upon his death — but the focus of a new, posthumous project is decidedly ... gourmet in nature.

Drumming Up an Appetite with Vinnie Paul hit stores Tuesday, a posthumous cookbook which, according to press materials, “commemorates the memory of Vinnie’s legendary Sunday Funday dinners” and features a foreword by the late drummer’s friend, comedian Carrot Top. Additionally, the book is broken out into three chapters, focused on main courses, side dishes and desserts. (Our favorite chapter heading? “Reinventing the Meal,” which runs a close second to "A Vulgar Display of Flour," the title of the dessert portion.)

This cookbook has, according to press materials, been a long-gestating project for Abbott. While Pantera, and Abbott’s brother “Dimebag” Darrell’s affinity for post-show cocktails is thoroughly documented, less well-known, at least outside of the band and its extended family, was Vinnie’s passion for the kitchen.

Still, Abbott, according to a decade-old piece of archival audio, began writing what would become Drumming Up an Appetite 15 years ago, and outlined the details of the book for an unknown audience: “My cookbook will be called Drumming Up an Appetite with Vinnie Paul,” Abbott said in 2015. “How clever is that? It’s got a picture of me sitting behind a drum set. I’m holding two turkey legs, which are otherwise known as drumsticks!”

Vinnie’s personal assistant, Brian “Bridog” Jones, contributes an afterword to the cookbook, which makes you wonder how Vinnie ever had time to play in any bands.

“Vinnie’s BBQ action was most definitely not your average line-up, whether it be at his Texas or Vegas casas, or on the road prepping and cooking for all the bands and crew and even the local venue personnel — his spread was legendary,” Jones writes.

Josh Bernstein, the president of the publishing company Z2, which is releasing the cookbook to the world, frames the publication as a promise kept to his friend.

“Vinnie Paul’s passion for life, music and tasty food was immeasurable,” Bernstein said in a statement. “Being able to publish this cookbook for Vinnie, ‘Bridog’ and his family fulfills a promise I made to him during his lifetime, and we hope his recipes, stories and passion fills hearts and stomachs for years to come.”

If the cookbook alone doesn’t sate your appetite, Z2 is also offering, via its online store, a “deluxe edition,” which, along with the book, includes a dust jacket made from butcher paper, a Vinnie Paul “Cooking Hostile” apron, a 25-piece Vinnie Paul “Hellyeah!!!” napkin set, and a “Hellyeah University Vinnie Paul Cooking Diploma” for $79.99. The store also offers the Vinnie Paul “Cooking Hostile” aprons separately for $34.99.

“It’s all about cooking and having fun with it,” Paul said in 2015. “A lot of people think cooking is throwing something in the microwave. It’s something that you’ve really got to be passionate about — just like playing an instrument. If you put your heart and soul into it, and then you feed it to people, and you’re like, ‘Oh man! This is so good.’ It makes you feel good. It’s just like playing music: [People say] ‘Goddamn, I love this shit!’”