Food & Politics Collide With Andrew Zimmern At The Helm

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By now it should be obvious that I’m a pretty big food nerd. No, it’s true. I’ll own it. I love well developed; flavors, aromas, textures; the whole epicurean nine yards. However, if you only read my food blog, you may not be aware I’m a political liberal as well. Being a liberal, I’m an MSNBC junkie. Thus, when I heard chef Andrew Zimmern, of Bizarre Foods fame, would be hosting a show on my favorite news channel, I had to check it out.

Chef Andrew Zimmern
Photo Courtesy of Amazon's Affiliate Program.

What's Eating America bills itself as a show which explores social and political issues through the lens of food. The first episode was dedicated to the immigration debate. With an unapologetically progressive/anti-Trump slant, Zimmern explained the degree to which migrant workers harvest, process, and prepare the food we eat.

Telling the stories of seasonal field workers, a foreign-born chef who depends on migrant labor, and others the February 16th premier episode made the case that migrant workers are being abused by a system which would collapse without them. Chef Jose Andres, who fed federal employees during the 2013 government shutdown, made an impassioned speech about the plight of migrant workers.

Again, I’m liberal, so I agreed with their message, but I doubt it would sway anyone who isn’t already in their ideological camp. That being said, conservative foodies may still enjoy vivid descriptions of barbacoa tacos, pork consommé, and other delectable dishes.

Airing Sunday nights on the aforementioned MSNBC, this five-episode series takes a more in-depth look at food than anything currently running on Food Network.