Why Andrew Zimmern Is Done With Fusion Food Trends

While he has traveled the globe and eaten a myriad of unique foods, Andrew Zimmern is rarely afraid to tackle food trends. Although some people may be still a little squeamish about alternative protein sources or pungent flavors, Zimmern is hopeful that some concepts are arriving on the table. He has sung the praises of people embracing an appreciation for global and diasporic cuisines. As that culinary expansion continues to thrive, the thirst for more types of food may spur a broader conversation.

Beyond breaking down culinary borders, Zimmern said that he believes food trends should be less about global cuisines and more about global ecological health (via Yahoo!life). Whether it is farmland going barren or unhealthy waterways, the lack of a proper eco-system could lead to more manufactured consumption. Although it might sound like a chapter in a science fiction books, Zimmern alluded to a time where fruits and vegetables could come in pill form versus being grown from the soil. Another difficult commentary on the food world, Zimmern may not have positive thoughts on fusion food trends either. It could be a topic that has lost its flavor.

During his "Ask Me Anything" segment on Substack, Andrew Zimmern was questioned about "fun international culinary fusion." While Nico asked the chef his thoughts regarding a Mexican chef heading to Denmark to make some Danish tacos, Zimmern's retort was not quite as enthusiastic as some might have assumed. Specifically, Zimmern said, "Just because you can do it, doesn't make it good." He goes on to admit that some fusion food concepts do not excite him.

While the celebrity chef makes a strong argument that some fusion food is a smart play on a creative combination, like Roy Choi's Korean Tacos, not every food combination does, should, or will work. There is a difference between using locally sourced ingredients in a particular style of cooking. Italian cooking techniques can feature native ingredients. For Zimmern, that is inspired cooking, not necessarily "fusion." Although fusion confusion might be overused, the culinary personality encourages people to think about the how, what, where, and why before throwing all those ingredients into a dish. Even though cultures can and do have similar flavors with different names or comparable dishes with different techniques, the commonalities on the plate do not have to lead to a new category. The culinary star seems to think it's time to put the focus on great-tasting, well-sourced food and leave the confusion off the menu.