The Unexpected Fast Food Staple Andrew Zimmern Has Yet To Try - Exclusive
If there's anyone who can brazenly bite into fish eyeballs or chomp head cheese like a champ, it's Andrew Zimmern. As the longtime host of Food Network's "Bizarre Foods," the celebrity chef has tasted hundreds of unique dishes across the globe — many of which rarely appear on menus stateside. But while the New York native never shies away from trying new things, there's one type of cuisine he's yet to explore fully. As strange as it might sound, the world-famous foodie is a fish out of water when it comes to fast food.
In an exclusive interview with Tasting Table, Zimmern explained that he's been checking more chain restaurants off his list to combat this culinary sore spot. Recent social media posts confirm his efforts, showing the chef dipping into fast food favorites for his followers. "Well, I love food — and I'm not a food snob — but I was kind of surprised at how great the [Wendy's] Frosty was," he tells Tasting Table.
But don't let his latest foray with the Frosty fool you — there's still plenty of ground for him to cover, especially regarding one magical McDonald's menu item. The chicken McNugget is just about as American as apple pie, but Zimmern confesses he's yet to experience its crispy deliciousness.
Zimmern's no chicken, but he's scared of McNuggets
For Andrew Zimmern, few foods can compare to the salty goodness of fried chicken. Beyond ordering chicken at his favorite restaurants, like Joe's Stone Crab in Miami, Florida, he has a secret ingredient to amp up the flavor of the dish at home. As adventurous of an eater as Zimmern is, however, he has a long way to go if he wants to build a ranking of his favorite nuggets. His experience with fast food chicken is rather limited, starting with Raising Cane's. "I have eaten at Cane's — which people classify as fast food, right? But all they do is serve chicken tenders. There's nothing else on the menu," he explains. "I like Cane's, and people tell me that's fast food. So I've eaten there, but I've never eaten a chicken McNugget."
When pressed as to why he's never tried a McNugget, the "Bizarre Foods" host had a simple explanation. "I'm scared," says Zimmern. Still, he's not totally unfamiliar with the iconic McDonald's treat, stating, "I've seen them, and I've broken one open." According to Zimmern, some menu items — from McNuggets to Hardee's roast beef sandwiches — don't look very appetizing to him. That said, the chef isn't completely ruling out the idea of a McNugget taste test in the future. In fact, he tells Tasting Table that it could be next on his list of fast food items to try.