Andrew Zimmern
Chef, writer, and TV host posting about travel, culinary traditions, restaurants, and high‑end dining experiences.
Grocery Prices Reflect Systemic Pressure, Not Bad Luck
Your grocery bill is not “bad luck.” It is a system under pressure. Walk into a grocery store today and you can feel it before you even reach the checkout line. People are swapping items, trading down, stretching meals and quietly doing the math out loud. If you want to read more about this, check out the link in my bio. Where are you feeling this the most?
Pho’s Best: Multiple Spots, Choose What Cares
I get this question all the time: where’s the pho? Short answer… there isn’t just one. There are too many good spots to name them all. That’s the truth. But if you’re asking for a few of my go-tos, here’s a...
Swap Hollandaise for Gribiche: Revitalize Asparagus
You’ve been putting the wrong sauce on your asparagus. Everyone reaches for hollandaise. Safe, rich, expected. But Gribiche? That’s the move. Acid, herbs, capers, cornichons and suddenly, asparagus tastes alive. I'm using the @shuncutlery knife to help me glide through my ingredients. Want the...
Celebrating Food System Wins with Top Chefs
Superb dinner platformbyjbf honoring michelnischan and wholesomewave with insane food from @nicksonbroadway @roccodispirito @jacquestorres mrsmaonola @tavel19 … lovely evening celebrating successful food system changes that improve lives
Birria Earns Its Fame with Deep, Layered Flavor
Some dishes deserve every bit of their reputation. Birria is one of them. Goat, beef, or lamb slow-cooked in a rich, complex, deeply-spiced chile broth until it collapses under its own weight. And when I’m building layers of flavor, I reach for...
NYC Gala Raises $500K for Kids Food Education
A day in NYC. Cooking at platformbyjbf and convincing 100 people to eat more blue food. Fulfilling an auction lot and taking some folks to katzsdeli @nomwah @russanddaughters and even got to hang a little with my buddy jakedell …...
Turn Kombu Scraps Into Umami Powerhouse
Waste is usually a failure of imagination. Kombu tsukudani is what you make with the kombu left after a batch of dashi. Most people toss it. That’s a mistake. Cook it down until glossy, sticky, sweet-salty, and loaded with umami. Not a...
Louisiana Cuisine: Soulful Traditions that Keep Lines Buzzing
Louisiana doesn’t just have soul. It cooks with it. This is a place where recipes are remembered and passed down, where the best meals come with a line out the door and a room full of regulars who know exactly why...
NY Nears Ban on PFAS in Everyday Products
No one wants eggs with a side of “forever chemicals.” New York is so close to passing legislation that will make sure PFAS, a class of chemicals used in everyday products, including in Teflon coated cookware, are no longer on the...
Cooking Japchae: Slow Steps, Deep Flavor
Some dishes aren’t about speed… they’re about how you move through them. Japchae is one of those. Sweet potato noodles tangled with vegetables, maybe a little meat, all brought together with soy, sugar, and toasted sesame oil. Simple on paper, but every...
Drinking Maasai Cow Blood Reveals Timeless Survival Tradition
I drank cow’s blood in Tanzania and I’d go back for another cup. Sharing it with the Maasai was an invitation into something much bigger than a meal. It’s a practice rooted in tradition, tied to survival, and carried through generations....
Mustard Chicken Shows How to Build Perfect Flavor
Chicken with mustard doesn’t sound like much. Until you taste it. Poulet à la Moutarde is one of those dishes that quietly teaches you everything that matters. How to build flavor, balance fat and acid, and make chicken actually taste like...
Celebrating Mentor Jacques Pepin and Supporting Youth Culinary Education
Last week at the jacquespepinfoundation annual gala I was honored to participate in celebrating MY mentor the great Jacques Pepin. Great to see claudinepepin @shoreywesen @sarasmoulton jaimiealexander and hundreds of other friends and colleagues … please support the JPF and...
Seafood Labels Overload Leaves Consumers Confused
You shouldn’t need a decoder ring to order seafood. The industry has layered on labels, certifications and guidance in an attempt to help, but the result has been the opposite. Consumers are overwhelmed by competing signals and left without a clear...
Keep Soba Simple: Honest Ingredients, No Shortcuts
Don’t overcomplicate soba. That’s the mistake. Take a cue from this bowl. Chicken, leeks, good broth, and noodles done right. No shortcuts, no hiding. Just clean, honest flavor that hits every time. Check out the link in my bio for the full recipe.