Episode 040 Andrew Zimmern

Summary

• Andrew Zimmern is a worldclass chef, television host and producer, food writer, and teacher.
• He was awarded the James Beard Foundation Award in 2010 and 2013.
• He was at the lowest of the low at one point, sleeping on the streets, stealing purses, and shooting heroin.
• He conceived of his hit TV show Bizarre Foods by drawing inspiration from Great Chefs of Europe on PBS, the smartness of Michael Palin, and his own unique ability to deliver.
• He wanted to use the show as a platform to talk about patience, tolerance, and understanding in the world and to change the tone of the national conversation away from the things we don't have in common to the things we do have in common.
• Andrew Zimmern's show, Chew on This, was created to represent cultural storytelling through food.
• Episode 1 was the pilot and Andrew was advised to be himself and not an actor.
• Andrew chose not to make fun of the people, food, or name of the restaurant he was visiting for the pilot.
• Andrew believes that the most important ingredients to have in the kitchen are hot chilies, shallots, and citrus (lemon).
• He believes these ingredients are versatile and can be used to create a symphonic taste experience.
• Chilies, shallots, lemons, salt, and sugar are acidic and provide more flavor than people give them credit for.
• Adding chilies to cooking oil and sauteing them can change the flavor of a dish.
• Adding lemon juice to a roast chicken and roasting it can create a layered flavor experience.
• Using different variations of the same ingredient can create a more sensual and deeper flavor.
• Practicing knife skills can save time in the kitchen.
• Having the right knife and understanding the mythology of food can help create dishes.
• Andrew Zimmern had a privileged upbringing, but his parents divorced when he was six and his mother had a medical incident that changed her life.
• He found drugs and alcohol at a young age and felt comfortable in his own skin for the first time.
• He was an addict by the time he got to college and was told he would die, go to jail, or be institutionalized.
• He didn't get sober until he was 31 and his addiction got progressively worse.
• He talks about the importance of reading recipes carefully and understanding the level of detail that goes into them.
• He also talks about the importance of using the right tools, such as a Benriner or mandolin, to get the right results.
• Andrew Zimmern was a bornandbred New Yorker who was addicted to drugs and alcohol for 15 years.
• He was living in an abandoned building, stealing purses, and taking meals in shelters.
• He was eventually sent to a treatment center in Minnesota and started a successful restaurant business.
• He then got into the media business and worked for a local radio station, TV station, magazine, and more.
• He is now active in a 12step group and believes in carrying forward the message that there is a solution to the problems of alcoholics and addicts.
• He believes that alcoholism and drug addiction is a disease and that no one can tell someone they should quit.
• Andrew Zimmern was an alcoholic and drug addict who was dying and wanted to die.
• He was able to get sober after someone told him he didn't know the answer to everything and that life had more to offer.
• He has been sober for 23 years and encourages people struggling with addiction to reach out for help.
• He suggests visiting andrewzimmern.com for more information and resources.