TV chef Andrew Zimmern in hot water after 'hores---' Chinese food comment
Host of ‘Bizarre Foods’ Andrew Zimmern is under fire for his comments on mid-western Chinese food restaurants.
“Bizarre Foods” host Andrew Zimmern has been axed from prime time on the Travel Channel amid the controversy over his assertion that Chinese food in the Midwest is being served in “horses - - t restaurants.”
The celebrity chef’s “Bizarre Foods” juggernaut franchise and sister show, “The Zimmern List,” have been bumped by network owner Discovery, Inc. into a graveyard rotation slot on Saturday mornings to run their course, Page Six has confirmed.
Filming has stopped on both shows midseason, sources tell us, and is not expected to continue further.
The move comes after the James Beard Award-winning chef offended the Asian-American community in comments to promote his Midwestern Chinese restaurant chain by saying: “I think I’m saving the souls of all the people from having to dine at these horses - - t restaurants masquerading as Chinese food that are in the Midwest.”
His comments sparked outrage, with Ruth Tam writing in the Washington Post, “[He] has the noble cause of ‘saving’ white people from eating bad Chinese food. When Chinese people make Americanized Chinese food for white people, Zimmern calls it ‘horses - - t.’ But when he does it, it’s ‘unique.’ ”
Eater also fumed, “Zimmern simultaneously denigrates Philip Chiang . . . and elevates himself to the position of being the person capable of opening middle America’s eyes to the myriad regional cuisines of a vast, diverse culture.”
Eating humble pie, Zimmern responded, “I am completely responsible for what I said and I want to apologize to anyone who was offended.”
A Travel Channel rep insisted Zimmern wasn’t given the chop because of his insensitive comments, but admitted his remaining episodes have been relegated, saying, “The shows, along with other food content on Travel, will no longer air on prime time, but on Saturday mornings in rotation. This decision came before Andrew’s comments were made.”
It is believed Zimmern’s shows on the Cooking Channel and the Food Network will continue as scheduled.
His rep didn’t get back to us.
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