Andrew Zimmern fired for critiquing Chinese food
Dec 30, 2018, 1:30 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2004
Location: LAX
Posts: 1,849
Andrew Zimmern fired for critiquing Chinese food
The country is becoming a mental asylum 
https://pagesix.com/2018/12/28/tv-ch...ese-food-diss/
"Filming has stopped on both shows midseason, sources tell us, and is not expected to continue further."
https://pagesix.com/2018/12/28/tv-ch...ese-food-diss/
"Filming has stopped on both shows midseason, sources tell us, and is not expected to continue further."
Last edited by Big_Foot; Dec 30, 2018 at 2:04 am
Dec 30, 2018, 1:38 am
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Pittsburgh
Programs: MR/SPG LT Titanium, AA LT PLT, UA SLV, Avis PreferredPlus
Posts: 31,010
“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.
It is believed Zimmern’s shows on the Cooking Channel and the Food Network will continue as scheduled.
Dec 30, 2018, 1:39 am
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: where lions are led by donkeys...
Programs: Lifetime Gold, Global Entry, Hertz PC, and my wallet
Posts: 20,348
We are entering the era of where, before you even open your mouth or put pen to paper, that you may as well start everything with "I apolgize if you find this offensive". The SJW are strong and the force is with them. There are pleny of "horses**t" restaurants of all ethnicities that are being called out on yelp, tripadvisor, etc., each and every day and I have no issue whatsoever with him describing it as such if that is his opinion.
Dec 30, 2018, 6:21 am
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 10,231
Chinese food in much of the Midwest is horses**t, what is offensive about what this man said? By the way, although Chinese food in the Midwest is generally terrible, it is much better, and cheaper, than Chinese food in most of the EU.
Dec 30, 2018, 6:49 am
#5
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 3,519
General Tso's isn't "Chinese" food (whatever that hell that is even supposed to mean) but it is delicious.
Instead, the blowhard comes along on the authenticity train throwing insults at the hundreds of thousands of hard working Chinese family owned restaurants and their patrons for being "uncultured"....
Meanwhile, his own "Chinese" restaurant turns out to be nothing more than en epic flop.
https://www.eater.com/2018/12/7/1813...troversy-visit
Last edited by iluv2fly; Mar 3, 2019 at 6:53 pm Reason: merge
Dec 30, 2018, 6:57 am
#6
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 2,231
Lol, that’s because that ‘chinese food’ has been adapted to their customer’s palate.
Dec 30, 2018, 7:07 am
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: where lions are led by donkeys...
Programs: Lifetime Gold, Global Entry, Hertz PC, and my wallet
Posts: 20,348
Dec 30, 2018, 7:16 am
#9
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Living the dream in Antigua and the nightmare in Florida
Programs: AA PLAT 2MM, *A Gold, WN detractor
Posts: 49,929
Faux outrage and false thread titles. And how is this remotely political? It's about someone's opinion of Chinese restaurants in the Midwest.
And for what it's worth, "critiquing" is incorrect. One can offer a critique, or one can criticize.
And for what it's worth, "critiquing" is incorrect. One can offer a critique, or one can criticize.
Dec 30, 2018, 7:43 am
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Tainan, Taiwan
Posts: 14,706
Well...in my limited experience with eating Chinese food in the Midwest, I have to agree. There was this place in Kansas City...oh my. But yeah, the locals seemed to be enjoying it, so...
Anyway, living in Taiwan, you should see what passes for "Western food" in many places over here. Scary.
I once went into an "international cuisine" restaurant. Their menu had a page labeled "Mexican Food". The first item on the page was "Buffalo wings". Someone needs a geography lesson.
And hanging out in the food court at Costco over here can be quite entertaining. It is common to see folks cranking out piles of chopped onions, relish, mustard, ketchup, and sauerkraut onto...a slice of pizza. I'm tempted to let them know that they're doing it wrong, but it's too funny to watch. And then you have the old ladies pulling large plastic bags out of their purses, filling them up with chopped onions, then stuffing them back into their bags to take home. Taiwanese love their free stuff. For this reason, you never see self-serve condiment bars at McDonalds. It would be abused.
Anyway, living in Taiwan, you should see what passes for "Western food" in many places over here. Scary.
I once went into an "international cuisine" restaurant. Their menu had a page labeled "Mexican Food". The first item on the page was "Buffalo wings". Someone needs a geography lesson.
And hanging out in the food court at Costco over here can be quite entertaining. It is common to see folks cranking out piles of chopped onions, relish, mustard, ketchup, and sauerkraut onto...a slice of pizza. I'm tempted to let them know that they're doing it wrong, but it's too funny to watch. And then you have the old ladies pulling large plastic bags out of their purses, filling them up with chopped onions, then stuffing them back into their bags to take home. Taiwanese love their free stuff. For this reason, you never see self-serve condiment bars at McDonalds. It would be abused.
Dec 30, 2018, 8:25 am
#11
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Ontario, Canada
Programs: Aeroplan, IHG, Enterprise, Avios, Nexus
Posts: 8,355
In the small city where I grew up I got to know the owners of three local Chinese restaurants of the type Zimmerman insulted. They were new immigrants to Canada, living in an all-white environment that in that era was hardly tolerant or welcoming. They were among the hardest working, most decent people I've met. They made a better life for their children, many of whom went on to higher education, entered professions, while at least one or two stayed to run the restaurant.
So screw Zimmerman for insulting some of the best people I've known. I'd have fired him too.
So screw Zimmerman for insulting some of the best people I've known. I'd have fired him too.
Dec 30, 2018, 9:14 am
#12
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Aug 2003
Programs: UA 1K 1MM (finally!), IHG AMB-Spire, HH Diamond
Posts: 60,174
A shame it was Bourdain that had to go.
Dec 30, 2018, 1:11 pm
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 38,417
Well...in my limited experience with eating Chinese food in the Midwest, I have to agree. There was this place in Kansas City...oh my. But yeah, the locals seemed to be enjoying it, so...
Anyway, living in Taiwan, you should see what passes for "Western food" in many places over here. Scary.
Anyway, living in Taiwan, you should see what passes for "Western food" in many places over here. Scary.
Dec 30, 2018, 3:05 pm
#14
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2012
Programs: AAdvantage Executive Platinum, Delta Silver Medallion, Marriott Bonvoy Ambassador
Posts: 14,114
Yeah. A very telling incident many years ago. My wife (China-born) was along on a work outing in Los Angeles. Dinner was at a Chinese place. They had the usual dual-language menu, but there was a handwritten page in the front, all Chinese, no English. She was in both heaven and hell looking at that page--it was authentic Chinese food, not Americanized. Stuff she hadn't tasted in many years. Unfortunately, we were heading home in the morning, she was only going to get one meal, what to choose?!?!?! I've never seen her take as long to order as that day.
Dec 30, 2018, 3:38 pm
#15
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Miami Beach, Florida
Programs: AA Plat, Sixt Platinum, Hilton Gold, Hyatt Platinum, Avis First, Caesars TR Diamond, Mlife Gold
Posts: 4,928
Because "sh*tty .......ized American Chinese food" is delicious... that's why. It's its own, uniquely American phenomenon.
General Tso's isn't "Chinese" food (whatever that hell that is even supposed to mean) but it is delicious.
Instead, the blowhard comes along on the authenticity train throwing insults at the hundreds of thousands of hard working Chinese family owned restaurants and their patrons for being "uncultured"....
Meanwhile, his own "Chinese" restaurant turns out to be nothing more than en epic flop.
https://www.eater.com/2018/12/7/1813...troversy-visit
General Tso's isn't "Chinese" food (whatever that hell that is even supposed to mean) but it is delicious.
Instead, the blowhard comes along on the authenticity train throwing insults at the hundreds of thousands of hard working Chinese family owned restaurants and their patrons for being "uncultured"....
Meanwhile, his own "Chinese" restaurant turns out to be nothing more than en epic flop.
https://www.eater.com/2018/12/7/1813...troversy-visit
I strongly disagree with this; as the dish was invented by a Chinese Mainland Native, who was the personal chef to,
The Father of the Republic of China, Generalissimo Chang Kai Chek.
Chef Peng Chang-kuei, who invented General Tso's Chicken: this was done for a VIP banquet in honor of the visiting Admiral of the US Pacific Fleet.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/nation-now/2016/12/03/general-tsos-chicken-inventor-dies-98/94879708/