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Andrew Zimmern
Andrew Zimmern (on right)
Born	Andrew S. Zimmern July 4, 1961 (1961-07-04) (age 48) New York, New York, U.S.
Occupation	culinary expert chef television and radio personality dining critic talk show host columnist

Andrew S. Zimmern (born July 4, 1961 in New York City) is a food columnist, culinary expert, dining critic, radio talk show host, TV personality and chef. Writing for many national magazines and publications, Zimmern has received the Society of Professional Journalists Page One Award. Zimmern is most widely known as the host of two weekly travel and food television programs on the Travel Channel called Bizarre Foods and Bizarre World.

Background

Zimmern was born and raised in New York City to a Jewish family, and began his formal culinary training at the age of 14. He attended the Dalton School and graduated from Vassar College. Contributing to many of New York’s finest restaurants as either executive chef or general manager, he also lectured on restaurant management and design at The New School for Social Research, and as a consultant was credited for creating several New York restaurants.

In 1992, Zimmern moved to Minnesota, where he checked into the Hazelden Treatment Center for drug and alcohol addiction treatment^[1]. He later gained wide acclaim as the executive chef of Cafe Un Deux Trois in Minneapolis. His menus received the highest ratings from the St. Paul Pioneer Press, Minneapolis Star Tribune, Minnesota Monthly, Mpls.St.Paul Magazine, and many other national publications. Zimmern left the daily restaurant operations in 1997.

Zimmern resides in St. Paul with his wife Rishia (nee Haas),and their son, Noah.

Writings and Television Works

As a food personality, Zimmern hosted the popular food talk show Chowhounds!^[2], which aired Saturdays on Clear Channel’s KTLK, FM–100.3 in Minnesota. In June 2007 he moved to FM107.1 WFMP and hosts The Andrew Zimmern show with Colleen Kruse. [1] He has been a guest chef at many national charity events, food festivals, and galas, including Food and Wine Magazine’s Aspen Festival^[3], The Twin Cities Food and Wine Experience and the James Beard House in New York City.

Additionally, Zimmern is the food features reporter for Fox 9 News Minneapolis, and is also a featured contributor on both HGTV’s Rebecca’s Garden and Tip-ical Mary Ellen, where he handled on air food duties for both shows. He was the food and lifestyle features reporter during the 1997 season of the UPN network’s nationally televised Everyday Living. He has appeared on The Food Network’s Best Of..., CNN’s Money and Health and NBC’s The Today Show. He stars in The Cooking Club of America’s instructional video series.

Zimmern regularly speaks to professional associations around the globe on all culinary matters, from the American Federation of Chefs to the Chinese Chefs National Committee. In the fall of 2002, he was an honored guest of the People’s Republic of China, traveling, lecturing, and giving demonstrations on Chinese cuisine.

Bizarre Foods

Zimmern has in the past hosted Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern on the Travel Channel. The show lasted four seasons and 47 episodes, visiting 28 countries and 14 states.

Zimmern currently hosts a spin-off of Bizarre Foods called Andrew Zimmern's Bizarre World. The premiere aired on September 1, 2009 and featured Cuba as the destination.

Zimmern guest starred in a 2007 episode of No Reservations with Anthony Bourdain in New York City. He also appeared in a 2009 episode of Man v. Food with Adam Richman in Minneapolis where he introduced Richman to lutefisk.

References

External links

• Andrew Zimmern's personal website
• Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern website
• Andrew's Blog Chow & Again
• Citypages article about a dispute involving Andrew Zimmern
• "If it looks good, eat it!": interview with Andrew Zimmern
• Going Where the Fringe Isn’t Extreme by Mike Hale, The New York Times