Why Andrew Zimmern Might Turn Down A Bizarre Food

As a celebrity chef, Andrew Zimmern is expected to eat some pretty interesting foods, and is someone who has publicly faced food horrors that many would say surpass those of Anthony Bourdain and Guy Fieri's (the latter of which ate cow brains and eggs). However, the "Bizarre Foods" host is not afraid to admit that he doesn't have a perfect record when it comes to accepting the food he's been given. However, the chef can recall a small handful of dishes that he's been offered but couldn't in good conscience indulge in, mainly due to a fear of experiencing health issues as a result.

In a 2015 AMA on Reddit, Zimmern was asked about the times he's had to turn down foods that were simply too bizarre. "Three of four times I've turned down food because I knew that it was a trip to the hospital, not a night of throwing up," Zimmern explained. "I've taken risks, where I thought I might get the travelers' trots for a day, all in the name of being a good guest in someone's home."

In the same Reddit AMA, Andrew Zimmern was willing to talk about perhaps the most repulsive thing he had to turn down. "I was once presented with rotted chicken intestines that had discolorations on them that convinced me I was looking at the guts of a sick animal," he recalled, "I turned that down right away."

With this in mind, however, it's relatively rare for Zimmern to swear off a dish or food that he isn't fond of for non-medical reasons. In a 2012 interview with The Washington Post, Zimmern explained," I'm always curious to eat things again," Zimmern revealed. He then told a story about the infamous durian fruit, one that even we here at The Takeout can't stomach. "I tried durian [a fruit grown in Southeast Asia] 14 times in every possible concoction before I found someone who cooked it the way I liked it," Zimmern added, "The chef made a hot spicy chili sambal [sauce] with fermented durian in it as an accompaniment to a roast pork dish, and it was fantastic." As a result of this open-mindedness, Zimmern has learned to enjoy a broader range of foods than many of us could imagine.