And, we’re thrilled to announce that Zimmern will be front and center as a core part of the “we” at the Roots 2018 culinary conference, providing the keynote presentation. We’re especially excited with our announcement because we’ve been trying to make this happen for several years but, because of Zimmern’s rich and full schedule, it couldn’t happen before now.

You can read more about our amazing keynote speaker here, and here are highlights:

• He is the creator, executive producer and host of the Bizarre Foods franchise on Travel Channel, as well as Andrew Zimmern’s Driven by Food and The Zimmern List
• In his quest for knowledge, he has explored cultures in 170+ countries (and we’ll benefit from all he’s learned!)
• His former podcast, Go Fork Yourself, won a 2012 Stitcher Award for the Best Food/Cooking podcast
• His website was nominated for the best food blog by the James Beard Foundation (yes, he’s won FOUR times, but he’s been nominated by the foundation TWELVE times)
• His website was also nominated as the best food website by the Webby Awards in 2013 and 2014
• In 2012, Feiwel & Friends published Andrew Zimmern’s Field Guide to Exceptionally Weird, Wild, Wonderful Foods: An Intrepid Eater’s Digest 
• In 2011, Delacorte published Andrew Zimmern’s Bizarre World of Food: Brains, Bugs and Blood Sausage
• He served as a guest judge on Chopped and Top Chef, as well as a Season 2 mentor of Food Network’s All-Star Academy

And, Farmer Lee Jones loves this quote by Eater, “Zimmern knows more about the foods of the world and the history of modern gastronomy than anyone else in our solar system. He’s a walking, talking food encyclopedia, and a true omnivore.”


 
We could keep on sharing highlights of Zimmern’s bio, but we want to shift our attention now to what he’ll be doing at Roots 2018 (so follow the link provided above for more about Zimmern!). He’s agreed to speak at our culinary conference, he said, because he’s an “old friend of Lee’s.”
 
“I believe,” he goes on to say, “our food system is damaged, and it will take a multi-pronged approach on many levels to heal it, and much of the solution rests with consumers to advocate for and support family farms and commercial farms that are stewarding our land, watershed and society with an eye towards wellness, health and sustainability.”


 
He’s excited to speak at Roots, seeing it as an opportunity to discuss this philosophy further while “connecting with like-minded folks and providing a megaphone for the issues of the day.” And, although he doesn’t want to give away too much about his presentation, he did reveal how he will “talk about my experiences traveling the world, the solutions I’ve witnessed and the benefits of examining the tribal world for solutions that have impact on our modern lives.”
 
Indicate Your Interest in Roots 2018 Culinary Conference Today
 
This year, the conference will be held on Monday, September 24 and Tuesday, September 25. You can sign up online to be part of the conversation at Roots 2018 where culinary leaders from around the world will gather together to cultivate what truly matters. Chefs, farmers, academics, food scientists, journalists, research and development experts and consumers will push unique and collective endeavors further to the forefront as we discuss the food we cultivate as it is grown and prepared, how we cultivate teams that support us, and how we cultivate the direction and impact of the industry we love.
 
Zimmern encourages people to sign up for the conference “because participation matters. Repairing our system is a grassroots social justice program and we all need to get involved.” For more information about Roots 2018, call 419-433-4947, ext. 103.
 
Cultivate . . . let’s cultivate together.

Imagery courtesy of The Travel Channel.