This Is Andrew Zimmern's Most Embarrassing Restaurant Moment
On Andrew Zimmern's site, Spilled Milk, the celebrity chef shares recipes, stories about his travels, and his candid thoughts on everything from his opinion on the most overrated food to the most important lessons he has learned in the kitchen. One of his best segments is the "Ask Me Anything" (AMA) portion of the program in which he fields questions from fans, who take to the comments to ask unabashed questions like "What animal do you feel most guilty about loving to eat?" and "What ingredient do you find most challenging to work with?" On his very first episode of AMA, Zimmern discussed his most embarrassing moment while working in restaurants, and let's just say, things got quite revealing.
Zimmern said his most embarrassing restaurant moment happened in 1985 while he was working at a restaurant called Isabella's. Having dealt with a history of drug and alcohol addiction, Zimmern came to work after a "several day bender" and was offered a mixture of bee pollen and vitamin B12 by "somebody" with the promise of making him feel better. Zimmern said he took much more than he should have, and what happens next would be enough to have our own cheeks burning with embarrassment.
Andrew Zimmern had to take an ice bath to stop an allergic reaction
Andrew Zimmern's most embarrassing kitchen moment happened about 20 minutes after consuming a mixture of bee pollen and "a handful" (instead of "a teaspoon") of vitamin B12. "My entire body had broken out in hives. I thought I was dying," he said, per Spilled Milk. Someone on staff called an emergency hotline, who said he was having an allergic reaction and advised that he be "iced down." This is where things get embarrassing. The team put together a 14-foot ice bath that Zimmern said still had pieces of food in it from brunch service. "I just took off all my clothes and laid down it in. Took the ice bath, and 45 minutes later was ready for the night shift," he said.
Zimmern, now 30 years sober, has spoken openly about his path toward sobriety and the struggles he faced as an addict in the early days of his career, some of which led him to this embarrassing moment. On the 30th anniversary of his sobriety, the chef took to Instagram to thank all those who have helped him along the way and to encourage those still struggling. "I am so grateful for all the incredible change over 3 decades and so humbled by all the continued challenges," Zimmern wrote.
If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).