Andrew Zimmern on What’s Wrong and Right with American Food
Email“It’s the same problem I have with the fast food industry, Zimmern said. “There’s nothing wrong with getting a hamburger sometimes. there’s nothing wrong with getting chicken fingers. What’s wrong is commoditizing food to the point where it’s poisonous, cheapening it to the point that anyone can afford it and selling it as something that you should eat all the time. I think that’s very dangerous.”
“Those of us that have a very large platform have a responsibility to tell other people what they’re thinking and feeling,” he continued. “People want to know where I travel, they want to know what I believe in, they want to know how I live my life. This is how I live my life,” he said, holding up a palm-sized Italian pork slider: “Right size portions, despite my un-right sized appetites of all types.”
Zimmern’s appetite took him and his Travel Channel show through the U.S. for the seventh season of “Bizarre Foods,” which premieres in January.
“I think that what people are most curious about is the stuff that they don’t know is happening in their own backyard. … There’s no better place to start than in our own country that’s completely misunderstood. I think that an Italian porchetta sandwich is as absolutely American as the biryani cart,” he said, pointing to the famed NYC doler-outer of spicy Indian rice, “which is as absolutely as American as the souvlaki cart. That is what is great American food.”
But his biggest takeaway from filming: Americans need to slow down.
“For peace of mind and for comfort, it’s important to get back to that time when we were up with the sun, down with the sun,” he said. “Eating with the seasons. Spending more time with community and family. I think we’ve lost that.”
Meanwhile, one the fellow celebrity cooks Zimmern called out is moving in the other direction.
“Our jobs are to service the over-extended homemaker, this is what the show ‘Semi-Homemade’ is all about,” Food Network host Sandra Lee said in a statement to ABCNews.com. ”It offers solutions — it does not micro-manage the viewers ‘common sense’ (we assume they have it when it comes to their diets).” She ended that clause with a smiley face — “:).” Deen did not respond to ABCNews.com’s request for comment.
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Will someone tune into this losers boring show so that he will shut up. Nothing is funnier than a loser that picks fights with people that don’t even know he is alive or actually care what he is spewing out his mouth. This clown will eat anything off the side of the road but want to talk about saomeone elses eating habits. lol
Posted by: jstate83 | October 4, 2011, 4:38 pm 4:38 pm
Who is Andrew Zimmerman? Never heard of him.
Posted by: Kala | October 4, 2011, 4:49 pm 4:49 pm
Who is this guy? He throws Paula Deen’s name into the conversation and gets the press he has not earned! If American’s are too stupid to eat right than they will die sooner- and that is their choice. The government cannot save us from ourselves.
Posted by: GetAGrip007 | October 4, 2011, 5:03 pm 5:03 pm
He got himself a headline by piggy-backing on a better known name. Guess he counts that as a win.
Posted by: Cassandra | October 4, 2011, 5:09 pm 5:09 pm
I’ve seen this guy eat stuff that looks like cow dung and it might have been. That looks more dangerous than food that has been cooked in a clean kitchen. He also could stand to lose a little poundage.
Posted by: LW | October 4, 2011, 5:26 pm 5:26 pm
What we eat is a choice. The smart consumer doesn’t eat fast food-type food every meal. Don’t blame Paula Deen for poor choices. Americans eat way too many meals outside the home, which has caused a lot of obesity. People who over eat or eat unhealthy food need to put down the fork occasionally.
Posted by: jonnie | October 4, 2011, 5:44 pm 5:44 pm
First it was Bourdain now this guy from Travel Channel—what do they have against Food Network—probably because Paula and friends are more popular than their shows…I don’t need you to make my decisions on what I can put and afford on my kitchen table…
Posted by: chrisyb | October 4, 2011, 5:55 pm 5:55 pm
Slam Paula Deen and get some attention. It worked for Anthony Bourdain so why not try it.
Posted by: Hammertime1972 | October 4, 2011, 6:10 pm 6:10 pm
Paula, sweetie, we love your cooking….we were raised on your cooking, all of us are still kicking and in good health….keep sharing those heart warming recipes!
Posted by: Zellie | October 4, 2011, 6:30 pm 6:30 pm
Vote OBAMA 2012!!!! Do not attack the republicans when making coments. Vote Obama 2012!!!! Attacking Republicans is a waste time. Vote OBAMA 2012!!!!
Posted by: cony007 | October 4, 2011, 6:32 pm 6:32 pm
I’ve watched Zimmern’s show a hand full of times and I’d rather eat Paula Deen’s cooking than partake in most of the international delicacy he ingests. That being said there is truth in what he equates, but I think most people with a brain already knew this. Whether we practice moderation or not is a different story.
Posted by: rippedpockets | October 4, 2011, 6:37 pm 6:37 pm
I cannot stand Paula Dean. She is worse than dangerous. Her mental issues are very apparent to a normal person. We are sick of cooking shows! Especially the butter queen.
Posted by: My Opinion | October 4, 2011, 6:48 pm 6:48 pm
The smartest man I’ve ever known personally was a self-made millionaire who could barely read a newspaper. He knew numbers like the back of his hand and was able to quote any city, county, or state business law better than any attorney. Jealous, bitter competitors would spread the most outrageous lies about him and rather than make him angry, he’d genuinely laugh out loud about it and keep on keeping on. I asked him once why the lies never seemed to bother him and his answer was one of the best pieces of advice I’ve ever gotten: “Gal, I’ve lived a long time and there ain’t but one thing in this world that scares me and that is people will stop talking about me. Makes no difference if it’s good or bad, true or false, if they’re talking then I’m doin’ somethin’ right and the liars can kiss my *BLEEP*” Paula, you keep right on keeping on girl, and let the jealous chatterboxes spew all they like. The ones (like me) who love you, KNOW you’re doing something right!
Posted by: LochLdy | October 4, 2011, 10:15 pm 10:15 pm
Bourdain and Zimmern need to realize Ms Deen is preaching to and entirely different audience. Of course a few, like myself, watch Deen, Bourdain, and Zimmern. I know what I can and can not eat. I choose to eat the the hamburger patty in between 2 Krispy Kremes(i don’t really do this). Just like he chooses to eat scorpions. Folks aren’t as stupid as those 2 make them to be. All are great at what they do. Room at the table, and enough money to go around, from all.
Posted by: Zeke | October 4, 2011, 10:49 pm 10:49 pm
Paula Deen, Sandra Lee, Giada, and Rachel are the most annoying people on Food Network. Paula’s recipes are disgusting and utterly unhealthy for you. People who keep defending her by saying they’ve been raised on that food, I’ll send you a get well card when you have your heart attack and have to have bypass surgery.
Andrew and Anthony actually take you into the country of said foods origin and TEACH you. It’s not some hoitty toitty cooking show. It’s a serious history/culinary lesson. Did anyone ever see the episode of “No Reservations” when Bourdain was in Beruit? That was a serious episode! He may not have the best beside manner, but god he really gets the point across.
Posted by: sushi | October 4, 2011, 10:51 pm 10:51 pm
The most disgusting thing I ever saw – was Paula Dean buttering spaghetti, then adding a bigger block of butter to it before eating. If she eats what she makes on tv on a regular basis and isn’t on cholesterol medication – she should be studied by medical research scientists!
Posted by: Ann | October 4, 2011, 11:30 pm 11:30 pm
Hey Bourdainn and Zimmern, get over yourselves. Who appointed you the food police. Your kinds are as foolish as all get out. Besides, one of the above posters said it very well, Zimmern is a heart attack waiting to happen.
Posted by: Chuck Kopsho | October 4, 2011, 11:43 pm 11:43 pm
Paula Deen is a talented woman and she excels at making good food. While not every recipe will be a success, I’ve made quite a few of hers that have been a huge hit with the family. We have a Friday “junk night” where we splurge and enjoy the less healthier options. The rest of the week, we eat a balanced diet. Everyone in the family is neither skinny or fat. They also don’t get sick more than a few times a year and bounce back very quickly. As far as I’m concerned, that’s better than being sick all of the time and having no energy. No one is forcing you to watch these shows if you don’t like them. To be honest, youtube is a better resource for cooking than the cooking network. You can find any culture food there at any time of the day.
Posted by: Aquia | October 4, 2011, 11:57 pm 11:57 pm
Isn’t that the guy with a show that noone watches?
Posted by: greg | October 5, 2011, 12:04 am 12:04 am
paula deen is all right for a joke. fatties will support fatties- of course, but why not support andrew zimmern as well? he wears plus sized clothes like the majority of americans. god bless america.
Posted by: makies | October 5, 2011, 11:13 am 11:13 am
You people are missing the point. It’s not a men vs. Them situation. It tue fact that she has fat and butter in everything she cooks. And that is unhealthy. Even some greens showcased would be impressive. It’s not an attack, but an observation.
Posted by: Devil in the kitchen | October 6, 2011, 3:05 am 3:05 am
Wait a minute, wait a minute…Andrew…you DO know you’re fat, right? WHAT are you talking about? You didn’t get portly by simply licking dew from the scotums of bullfrogs (or whatever the hell you call yourself doing on your show); you, obviously, make poor food choices and indulge in fatty dishes that engender, well, what we see today. So stop being a pompous hypocrate and shut the hell up. That is all.
Posted by: Chase | October 6, 2011, 2:48 pm 2:48 pm
So you apparently didn’t make the right choices either by the look of your size. It’s the pot calling the kettle black isn’t it? Let’s see. Would I rather watch someone eat bugs, or cook something that most people would eat. Not a hard decision to make. Honestly I have watched both shows. I will however quit watching Mr Zimmern since he, like Anthony Bourdain.. is getting quite the smug attitude. Paula Deen just ends up smelling like roses when idiots like this make an butt out of themselves. Both are just jealous as they are not nearly as successful as Paula Deen, and she has the decency just to ignore riff raff.
Posted by: Sandy | October 12, 2011, 12:09 am 12:09 am
Oh yeah. Also made the observation both Bourdain and Zimmern are northerners. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but you wouldn’t understand southerners or their cuisine.
Posted by: Sandy | October 12, 2011, 12:16 am 12:16 am
Paula is almost as disgusting as Rachael, and that’s saying something.
Stupid american TV. It’s for morons.
Posted by: Bruce | January 13, 2012, 11:21 pm 11:21 pm
For all you southerners saying that northeners don’t understand southern cuisine… what? A stick of butter is not too difficult to understand. I’ll assume butter is no less unhealthy in the south as it is in the north. Winterfell!
Posted by: JonSnow | January 16, 2012, 5:32 pm 5:32 pm