Why Andrew Zimmern Wants You To Eat Palestinian Food

Celebrity chef Andrew Zimmern is a multi-talented chef who's really good at what he does. It goes without saying that Zimmern is a fan of food and is highly passionate about his craft. As per the Travel Channel, Zimmern has tried 3,000-year-old butter and even dinosaur. He said, "It's a weird and diverse food world. The library of extreme flavors and food experiences is one of my most valued possessions."

Zimmer undoubtedly values diversity the most. Speaking about his show, "Bizarre Foods," the chef told Yahoo!, "The show I sold was about preaching patience, tolerance, and understanding about things that separated us; different sexualities, different skin colors. I wanted to talk about things we had in common."

Also, the chef is super enthusiastic about trying new cuisines and thinks he has a long way to go in terms of finding out more about exotic dishes. For him, food is meaningful in many different ways and can act as a unifier (via Lifehacker.)  Looking back on one particular moment of his career in food, Zimmern said he once received a bottle of Palestinian oil as a gift.

As per Lifehacker, that bottle of Palestinian extra virgin oil is one of Zimmern's favorites and he has used it often, just sipping on it and taking in the flavors. The chef explained that he's a huge fan of dishes from Palestine and the Levant, and said he believes there many misconceptions about the Middle East that still exist and offered food as a way out. How? Well, food can help break down stereotypes. He said, "I want people to eat Palestinian food, because if you ate Palestinian food, you wouldn't demonize Palestinian people."

As a Jew, Zimmern knows that there are many challenges to overcome. He added that everyone could have just a little more patience, some tolerance, and a better understanding of each other's diverse backgrounds. "If we can do that by eating each other's food, I bless it. That's been my mantra," Zimmern said.