Hemenway’s Chef Max Peterson preparing Clams Casino on Bizarre Foods: Delicious Destinations

Travel Channel host Andrew Zimmern last visited the Rhode Island area in 2013 for an episode of his hit series “Bizarre Foods America.” On Tuesday, March 1 at 9 p.m. the Travel Channel airs Zimmern’s return to our area as part of his second series “Bizarre Foods: Delicious Destinations.”

The new episode features visits to Al Forno for their world famous grilled pizza, Haven Brothers for a Triple Murder Burger and Hemenway’s for Clams Casino, along with stops for Olneyville New York System wieners, Newport Creamery Awful Awfuls, Matunuck Oyster Bar stuffies and more. There’s a focus on what must be one of Zimmern’s favorites—looking back on his previous visit here—Portuguese cuisine, this time at O Dinis in East Providence. The episode also features Champlin’s, Flo’s Clam Shack and Jigger’s Diner, among other iconic Rhode Island food and drink places. There are video segments from the new episode online now.

The new Rhode Island-themed episode will air on the Travel Channel at the following dates/times so watch live or set the DVR:

Tuesday, March 1, 9 p.m.
Wednesday, March 2, 12 a.m.
Monday, Monday, March 7, 8 p.m.
Tuesday, March 8, 3 a.m.
Sunday, April 10, 3 p.m.
Tuesday, April 19, 9 a.m.

If you never saw the older Rhode Island episode of “Bizarre Foods America” it will be repeated on the Travel Channel at:

Monday, March 21, 7 p.m.
Tuesday, April 12, 10 a.m.

Bizarre Foods America’s Andrew Zimmern with Johnson & Wales University Chef Instructor T.J. Delle Donne, photo courtesy of Travel Channel

Followers, friends and fans of some of Rhode Island’s favorite restaurants, stores and farms saw a number of photos back in mid-December 2012 featuring culinary explorer Andrew Zimmern as he visited Rhode Island to tape an episode of his show “Bizarre Foods America.” The hour-long episode featuring the Ocean State is airing on the Travel Channel on Monday, August 5th at 9 p.m. EDT.

Zimmern travelled all over the area seeking out the things that make the Rhode Island regions food’s unique. Shops featured in the episode are Antonelli’s Poultry Co., Tony’s Colonial Foods and Venda Ravioli on Federal Hill. Zimmern also went out in the water of Matunuck Oyster Farm with owner Perry Raso, checked out the seafood from Brown Family Seafood and Bomster Scallops, stopped in Portugalia in Fall River, Mass., cooked sea Robin with Chef Matthew Jennings at Farmstead Inc. and spent the day in a culinary lab at Johnson & Wales University.

JWU Chef Instructor Branden Lewis enjoyed the television experience on Zimmern’s show saying, “It’d be fun to say that working on an episode of Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern was in itself a bizarre adventure, but it was actually quite surreal. Chef T.J. DelleDonne and I, along with a top notch squad of students were amazed at how organic the show ran with Andrew directly at the helm. We just started cooking and he jumped right in, camera crew and all.” One of Lewis’s students, Dana Reale, added, “It was a pleasure working with Chef Zimmern and his crew. I was proud to be able to showcase our school as well as sustainability in the culinary industry.”

Make sure you watch “Bizarre Foods America” on The Travel Channel on Monday, August 5th at 9 p.m. to see it all. The Travel Channel can be found in Rhode Island on Verizon FIOS channel 170 or 670 in HD, and on Cox Cable channel 33 or 1033 in HD.

UPDATED: Three video clips added to the “Bizarre Foods America” site.

Bizarre Foods

Travel Channel’s Andrew Zimmern Returns to Rhode Island with Bizarre Foods: Delicious Destinations

“Bizarre Foods America” featuring Rhode Island Airs Monday, August 5, 2013 – UPDATED