Gut Check (Finally) Meets Up With Andrew Zimmern in St. Louis

By Kaitlin Steinberg Tue., Mar. 19 2013 at 8:00 AM

Categories: Media

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While he was in town last week filming Bizarre Foods America, Andrew Zimmern snuck away from his security detail long enough to converse, securely, with Gut Check about his time in St. Louis.

"St. Louis has been around now for two years on our idea board," says Zimmern of the process of creating an episode based in our back yard.

"We did some light diving on the research side of things and found a ton. When you find great stories and great characters, then you can tell a really great story about a city or a region. St. Louis all of a sudden became, 'Oh my gosh, this is going to be great!'"

Zimmern's enthusiasm about Midwestern food never wavered throughout his visit. He ate at a number of St. Louis restaurants including Gioia's Deli, Schottzie's Bar & Grill, Farmhaus, Smoki O's and Grbic.

He and his team also hit up Soulard Farmers Market and had a chat with four-time James Beard award finalist Gerard Craft of Niche, Taste, Pastaria and Brasserie by Niche. Outside the city, Zimmern went fishing for invasive carp on the Mississippi and made it to the opening of spoonbill season at the Lake of the Ozarks.