Andrew Zimmern

Pictures bring back so many memories. My pal Oyaji’s restaurant Kurobotei, located in a small seaside village on the Japanese Big Island about 3 hours outside of Tokyo, serves some amazing tuna. The melting grilled tuna with soy-mirin syrup and sashimi tasting plate of 11 cuts from one fish is some of the best that I have ever had….Oh yeah, they also will roast a whole head on request and let you have at it. I love this place.

B Roll they forgot: A) Wrestling with a tangled garden hose, B) Painful hair removal processes (tweezing, shaving, waxing), and C) Temperamential blender exploding contents all over your clothes, face, wall and kitchen counter. 

Ever been intimidated by making gumbo?  This is an easy recipe to try out for first timers.

The South Beach Food and Wine Festival is one of the premiere food events in the world, and what better way to kick it off than with a serious "beef-a-palooza" dinner. AndrewZimmern.com talks to the three Cleveland born and bred chefs--Michael Symon (Lola, Iron Chef America), Peter Vauthy (Red, the Steakhouse) and Scott Popovic (Certified Angus Beef)-- behind the action. 

AndrewZimmern.com: You three are teaming up for the Prelude Dinner to South Beach Food and Wine Festival, however, it sounds like you guys go way back. Where did you all meet?

Micheal Symon: We met in Cleveland. There is actually only nine people who live there and we’re three of them [laughs]. The thing that brought the three of us together is Brad Friedlander, one of the primary owners of Red. I’ve known Brad for close to 20 years. That’s how I met Peter, and I know Scott through the restaurant business.

AZ.com:  So all three of you are from Cleveland, a city whose food scene has gotten a lot of press in recent years. What makes Cleveland rock, food-wise?

This is what happens when Bon Appetit pastry chef of the year, JBA nominee 2010, co-author of Charlie Trotter's Desserts and all around goddess Michelle Gayer of Mpls' Salty Tart makes your kids birthday cake. Heaven.

There are a lot of steps to this salad, but I like to do most of it the night before.  It makes for easier assembly and more flavor when the vegetables can marinate overnight.

For food lovers, the sheer number of renowned restaurants makes it near to impossible to figure out where to eat. We've weeded through the best of the best so you don't have to. Without further ado, here are our top Sin City restaurant picks.

The Strip: Bartolotta

This elegant restaurant, located in the Wynn, offers something extra-special: the next best thing to dining in an Italian fishing village. James Beard Award-winning chef Paul Bartolotta hails from a big, Italian, Milwaukee-based family, and wanted his restaurants to pay homage to his roots. His goal? To transport guests to Italy--no small feat, given the fact you’re in the middle of the desert. However, this chef does just that, sourcing his fish from the motherland, daily.

If you can, opt for an outdoor, lagoon-side cabana. Even if it’s a little chilly, each table comes equipped with a heater (hot enough to cook your pesca crudo). Be sure to check out the cart teeming with the day’s fresh catch: clams, Sicilian amberjack, Mediterranean turbot, cuttlefish—a smattering of fish that were swimming in the Mediterranean just hours ago.

Check out www.lovinspoonfulsinc.org and see what my friends in Boston are doing to make the world a better place.

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Why are my two favorite NBA teams so gosh awful bad? My Knicks and Wolves need help.

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This is vintage GQ mag from 1997, the year after Tiger went pro, and, according to a NY Times article yesterday, the last time he permitted a journalist to see it all. Unbelievably prescient.

I'm headed to Namibia and Finland. What restaurants and markets do I have to visit? Any of your suggestions are appreciated-- we read 'em all, and the good ones really do end up in the show. Fire away!

If you get tired of jarred tomato sauce like I do, try making your own.  This sauce goes great with pasta, meat and veggies.  This recipe makes 3 quarts so there is plenty to freeze.