About Andrew Zimmern

Andrew Zimmern has spent decades proving that food can be a powerful force for cultural understanding and social change. An Emmy-winning and James Beard Award-winning television host, chef and food advocate, he brings boundless curiosity and deep empathy to his exploration of global cuisine on his acclaimed shows, including the Bizarre Foods franchise, The Zimmern List, What’s Eating America, Family Dinner, and Wild Game Kitchen. His work extends far beyond television into restaurants, publishing, and philanthropy, all driven by his conviction that shared culinary experiences can bridge divides and create lasting change.

Early Career and Personal Transformation

Andrew’s passion for food emerged early in life. After attending The Dalton School and Vassar College, he honed his culinary skills in New York City’s elite restaurant scene, cooking alongside industry luminaries Anne Rosenzweig, Joachim Splichal, Leslie Revsin, and Thomas Keller. While helping open and run a dozen successful restaurants, including the founding with Stephen Hanson of what would become the BRGuest Group, Andrew’s battles with addiction and alcoholism eventually left him homeless for a year.

In a pivotal moment, an intervention by close friends brought him to the Hazelden-Betty Ford Foundation in Minnesota. This marked the beginning of his recovery journey—one that would profoundly influence his later work and perspective. Starting over in Minneapolis, Andrew rebuilt his life from the ground up, beginning as a dishwasher at Café Un Deux Trois. Within 6 months, he was named executive chef, and during his seven-year tenure, he transformed the restaurant into a nationally recognized dining destination.

Television and Publishing

Andrew’s innovative approach to cuisine at Un Deux Trois caught media attention, launching his journey into television. Local TV appearances evolved into regular segments as an “in-house chef” for several HGTV shows, followed by positions as a features reporter on a local morning television show, a restaurant columnist and dining critic for Mpls.St.Paul Magazine, and a talk radio host.

In 2003, Andrew filmed the pilot for what would become his breakthrough series, Bizarre Foods. Since its 2006 debut, the show has spawned multiple successful spin-offs including Bizarre World, Bizarre Foods America, and Bizarre Foods: Delicious Destinations. Through these programs, Andrew pioneered a new approach to culinary television—one that values cultural context, human connection, and storytelling as much as the food itself. As a respected voice in the food world, Andrew has appeared on numerous culinary programs including Iron Chef, Chopped, Top Chef Masters, Beat Bobby Flay, and Tournament of Champions.

Andrew’s media presence expanded significantly with the 2014 founding of Intuitive Content, his full-service production company. Recognized as one of Realscreen’s top 100 production companies worldwide and a Global Top 10 in the lifestyle category, Intuitive Content has created numerous acclaimed series. Their portfolio includes Andrew Zimmern’s Driven by Food (Travel Channel), The Zimmern List (Emmy Award winner, 2020), and What’s Eating America (MSNBC), which uniquely explores crucial political issues through the lens of food. Family Dinner (Magnolia Network), a three-time Emmy nominee, examines how cultural, regional, and historical factors shape American food traditions. Their most recent productions include Andrew Zimmern’s Wild Game Kitchen (Tastemade) and PBS’s Hope in the Water (James Beard and Emmy nominee, 2025), which explores groundbreaking blue food solutions that will help save our oceans while producing from them at the same time.

Andrew’s Minneapolis-based multimedia company Food Works manages his digital content, consulting work, charitable initiatives, and publishing projects. Andrew has authored five books that bring his global food experiences and cultural insights to readers. His works range from The Bizarre Truth (2009), offering behind-the-scenes glimpses of his favorite destinations, to the Gold IPPY Award-winning fiction AZ and the Lost City of Ophir (2019). His latest work, The Blue Food Cookbook (October 2025), serves as a complimentary publication to his documentary series Hope in the Water.

Innovative Culinary Ventures

In 2015, Andrew launched Passport Hospitality, which develops culinary concepts and provides consulting for restaurant and retail projects, including Atlanta’s Chattahoochee Food Works, the hot dog and burger concept Patty & Frank’s, and food service contracting and development for the Milken Center for Advancing the American Dream in Washington, DC.

The company is responsible for food product collaborations as well, including Andrew Zimmern’s global spice line with Badia Spices and a product line for the Think Jerky company.

Recognizing the connection between nutrition and athletic performance, Andrew collaborated with chef Gavin Kaysen to create KZ Provisioning, a performance-driven culinary company transforming professional sports nutrition. The company serves as the trusted culinary partner for several professional sports teams, including the Minnesota Timberwolves, Lynx, Wild, USA Junior Hockey and other teams.

Global Impact

Andrew’s personal journey through addiction and recovery has shaped his commitment to giving back. He established Andrew Zimmern’s Second Chances Scholarship through the James Beard Foundation and the Culinary Institute of America, which offers students faced with extreme challenges an opportunity to follow a culinary path.

His advocacy extends across multiple organizations where he serves in leadership roles. Andrew sits on the boards of Services for the UnderServed, EXPLR Media, Soigne Hospitality, Giving Kitchen, Beans is How, and The Great Northern. He serves on advisory boards for Procure Impact and the Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project, and is on City Harvest’s Food Council. He is a Global Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations World Food Programme and The Nature Conservancy, and serves as the International Rescue Committee’s Voice for Nutrition. Andrew is a tireless team member of the Environmental Working Group, lobbying statehouses and Washington DC for many causes. In 2022, he contributed to the White House Strategic Policy for Hunger, Nutrition and Health, bringing his expertise and platform to national policy discussions.

Other nonprofits that Andrew works with include Lovin’ Spoonfuls, ONE, Food Policy Action Committee, and No Kid Hungry. As a founding member of both the Coalition for Sustainable Aquaculture and the Independent Restaurant Coalition, he continues to advocate for responsible food systems and industry support.

Recognition

Andrew’s contributions to culinary media have earned him numerous accolades. He has won four James Beard Awards: “TV Food Personality” (2010), “TV Program on Location” (2012), and “Outstanding Personality/Host” (2013, 2017). As an executive producer of the documentary series Hope in the Water, he was nominated for both a James Beard Award and Emmy Award in 2025. In 2024, Andrew was nominated for two Emmys, as a host of Andrew and Zoe’s Holiday Party, and for his series Family Dinner. The Zimmern List earned an Emmy Award in 2020.

Industry publications have consistently recognized his influence, with The Daily Meal naming him one of “America’s 50 Most Powerful People in Food,” Adweek including him among the “30 Most Influential People in Food,” and Fast Company selecting him as one of their “Most Creative People in Business.”

Today, Andrew continues to use his platform to advocate for sustainable food systems, fight hunger, and promote cultural understanding. From his base in Minneapolis, where he lives with his family and dogs Luca and Clemmie, he remains committed to the belief that food can be a powerful force for positive change in the world.