National Geographic Channel to Premiere Documentary ERIC GREENSPAN IS HUNGRY, 11/24

By: Oct. 20, 2014
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Chef Eric Greenspan is, without a doubt, one of the funniest, loudest, most innovative chefs on the planet. But there's really only one thing you NEED TO KNOW about Eric: He's no vegetarian. Premiering Monday, Nov. 24, at 10 p.m.ET/PT on National Geographic Channel, Eric and his trusted friend and carnivorous gastronome, Mauzner, travel on the meatiest road trip, discovering Americana through rare homegrown family recipes, to satisfy their wildest imaginations and to get inspiration for Eric's critically acclaimed restaurants in Los Angeles. For more information, visit www.natgeotv.com and follow us on Twitter at @NGC_PR.

Eric Greenspan Is Hungry (#EricisHungry) takes viewers on a cross-country, off-the-beaten-path adventure, looking for wild hog in Warren, Arkansas, for wild turkey in Tunica, Mississippi, for Buffalo in Jasper, Arkansas, and for goat in Grand Coteau, Louisiana, just to mention a few of his stops. Traveling in the heartland, Eric goes directly to the source of local recipes to meet the people who farm, raise, nurture, hunt and butcher animals such as bison, prehistoric gar, goat, crawfish, pig and wild turkey. It's meat unlike what you get from a purveyor. Eric and his cohort will break down the animal, butcher it and prepare the recipe all on location to crank out the best dishes imaginable.

Journey with Eric and Mauzner as they get deep into the rich history of these family recipes - the meaty goodness - waiting to be discovered in America. The homegrown, mouthwatering recipes - whole roasted goat flambéed with sugarcane vinegar, "bang-bang" turkey, bacon-wrapped gar balls, whole smoked hog with "squealer dust" rub - will be sure to leave viewers hungry and wanting more. Never far from one another, Eric and Mauzner like to call their time together "an orgy of food and drink," and are content to wine and dine their way to happiness and hedonism.

Finger-lickin' good episodes include:

Eric Greenspan Is Hungry: Arkansas Wild Hog Premieres Monday, Nov. 24, at 10 PM ET/PT Eric Greenspan and "Captain" Mauzner head to Warren, Arkansas, on THE HUNT for meals made with an ANIMAL that is considered both a pest and a local delicacy: wild hog. They get a down-home welcome from Doug "The Mouth" Thorton, who's determined to show these two "left-handed Yankees" his prowess when it comes to hog, and introduces them to the mysterious "squealer dust." Then a local wild hog hunter shows them how to chase down wild hog. Eric and Mauzner learn firsthand that this is not the easiest of tasks. Finally, they meet "Higgy," who demonstrates the process of Dutch oven cooking, from lighting the coals to controlling the temp. It's a great takeaway about an outdoors method of food preparation. Dishes include: pulled hog sandwich, "molested" hog, hog in cherry sauce and whole smoked hog with "squealer dust" rub.

Eric Greenspan Is Hungry: Texas Gar Premieres Monday, Dec. 1, at 10 PM ET/PT Eric and Captain Mauzner head to South Texas in search of the best way to CATCH AND COOK a prehistoric fish that people seem to either love or hate: alligator gar. The ugly-looking fish is a local delicacy in southern Texas. Their first stop is PJ's Seafood, established in 1978, a local fish market in the center of gar country. The owner introduces the duo to James, a local chef who explains that the gar's rough texture makes it good to combine with potatoes and turn into deep-fried gar balls. Then they are introduced to "Mad Mark," a fishing guide who takes them onto the Guadalupe River bow fishing for alligator gar. Next they journey to Seadrift, Texas, where they meet Bubba, a retired fisherman who wows them with a flavorful gar gumbo. The next day they meet Gerard, a gar enthusiast whose recipes have been in his family for 100 years. Dishes include: fried gar balls, "grumbo," smoked gar, bacon-wrapped gar balls and marinated and grilled gar steaks.

Eric Greenspan Is Hungry: Mississippi Wild Turkey Premieres Monday, Dec. 8, at 10 PM ET/PT Eric and Captain Mauzner head to Tunica, Mississippi, for meals made with the wild cousin of a bird that most of us eat in sandwiches or on Thanksgiving: the wild turkey. Eric and Mauzner travel past beautiful Mississippi cotton fields and barns to meet with Mark Lambert and Malcolm Reed, avid turkey hunters and competition chefs who challenge them in a shoot-off. If Eric and Mauzner win they'll have earned a coveted recipe for wild turkey. They travel to a turkey camp, where they meet Danny, who cooks his turkey by injecting the meat with his homemade recipes and smoking it with hickory chips. Eric tastes Danny's rice and pepper medley and has his mind blown by pineapple - very unexpected for a Mississippi plate. Finally, Mark and Eric trade recipe ideas resulting in one mouthwatering turkey feast. Dishes include: smoked "BLT" (bacon, lettuce and smoked wild turkey), smoked wild turkey with pineapple and sundried tomatoes, "bang-bang" turkey, blackened wild turkey with cheese grits and a sweet and sour gastrique, and butter-poached wild turkey with cranberry.

Eric Greenspan Is Hungry: Louisiana Crawfish Premieres Monday, Dec. 15, at 10 PM ET/PT Eric and Captain Mauzner head to Louisiana on THE HUNT for meals made with a critter that is associated with traditional Cajun cuisine: crawfish. Eric and Mauzner's crawfish journey begins with a trip to Breaux Bridge, Louisiana - the crawfish capitol of the world. There they meet Rocky, owner of Bayou Cabins B&B, who introduces Eric and Mauzner to "T-Paul," who takes them fishing for wild crawfish along the Atchafalaya River. Then they're off to meet with David Savoy, the head of the Louisiana Crawfish Association. David's crawfish farm has been in his family for generations, and he invites them to try a 100-year-old crawfish recipe. At David's farm they learn the difference between farmed and wild crawfish. Finally, they meet Anthony, the owner of Hawks, the most off-the-beaten-path place for the best crawfish boil, who treats them to his famous boil: three heaping buckets of crawfish with corn and a jalapeno on top. Dishes include: "crawfish" beignets, crawfish bisque and the ultimate crawfish boil.

Eric Greenspan Is Hungry: Arkansas Buffalo Premieres Monday, Dec. 22, at 10 PM ET/PT Eric and Captain Mauzner head to Jasper, Arkansas, on THE HUNT for meals made with an ANIMAL that is quintessentially American: bison (aka the American buffalo). Eric and Mauzner are on THE HUNT for buffalo in the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas, where they mount up and head out to meet buffalo rancher/farmer LC Ratchford. There they learn the ins and outs of raising buffalo, how to strengthen the herd's bloodline and the process of skinning and dressing a buffalo. Next they travel to the Arkansas House in Jasper, where they find their way into the owner's kitchen, devouring delectable buffalo dishes. Finally, Eric and Mauzner meet up with owners of The Big Springs Restaurant, a very rustic roadside smoke shack. A sassy queen of her domain, the head cook puts the boys to work helping her make chicken-fried buffalo steak with gravy, corn and smashed potatoes. Dishes include: biscuits with buffalo gravy, buffalo meatloaf and chicken-fried buffalo with smashed potatoes, creamed corn and biscuits.

Eric Greenspan Is Hungry: Louisiana Goat Premieres Monday, Dec. 29, at 10 PM ET/PT Eric and Captain Mauzner head to Cajun country to experience the heart of Acadian culture and honor an ANIMAL that provides milk, cheese and meat: the goat. In the beautiful town of Moreauville, Louisiana, Eric and Mauzner arrive at Wesmar Farms. There they meet Marguerite, the owner of this goat farm, who's excited to teach them all about goats, the food they can provide and the self-sustaining nature of her farm, which is operated in the Acadian tradition. She treats the guys to various kinds of goat cheese and a very savory goat sausage. Next Eric and Mauzner head to Lafayette, Louisiana, where they hook up with Greg for a goat burger cooking challenge. Then they meet Toby, a chef and food historian, in Grand Coteau, Louisiana. Toby shows them how to cook a whole goat in a Cajun boucherie ceremony in the tradition of his Acadian ancestors. Finally, after roasting the goat for four hours, they sit down for a goat feast that celebrates their community. Dishes include: goat cheese with apples, goat sausage, goat burgers with tzatziki slaw and whole-roasted goat flambéed with sugarcane vinegar.

Meet Eric Greenspan

Eric Greenspan loves meat. He's made a career out of it - duck, pig, bison, cow, goose, hen or lamb; you name it, he's already cooking it in wildly creative and delectable ways.

Eric graduated from Berkeley's Haas School of Business and the Cordon Bleu Culinary School in Paris; he has trained with celebrated chefs including Alain Ducasse, David Bouley and Joachim Splichal. While executive chef at the renowned Patina, he was named one of Angeleno magazine's "Eight Hot Chefs," and his kitchen garnered a 27/30 rating and was named a "Top French Restaurant" from Zagat. Eric was recognized by 944 magazine as one of the "Most Buzzworthy Chefs in America," and apropos of his latest venture (Greenspan's Grilled Cheese), Eric won the 2008 Grilled Cheese Invitational. In addition, Eric defeated Bobby Flay on the Food Network's popular "Iron Chef" television program.

Along with partners Jay Perrin and Jim Hustead, Eric formed the Foundation Hospitality Group, which includes the acclaimed The Roof on Wilshire and chain restaurant Greenspan's Grilled Cheese, and participates in national pop-ups under the El ?osh Latin/Jewish Delicatessen brand.

Meet "Captain" Mauzner

Mauzner is a writer, journalist and - most important - a gastronome of epic proportions. Friends since their college days, Eric and Mauzner have traversed the world in search of the perfect meal. In fact, Mauzner came up with the name for Eric's first restaurant: The Foundry. Inspired by the local-food movement, Mauzner, a self-proclaimed Brooklyn indie foodie, loves to immerse himself in local food and culture. His writing/producing credits include "Wonderland" and "Factory Girl."

Eric Greenspan Is Hungry is produced by Relativity Television for National Geographic Channel. For Relativity Television, Tom Forman, Josh Bingham, Jon Beyer and Brad Bishop are executive producers. For National Geographic Channel, Eric Lange is executive producer; Lynn Sadofsky is vice president, production and development; Noel Siegel is senior vice president, production and development; and Heather Moran is executive vice president, programming and strategy.

Relativity Television

Relativity Television, led by CEO Tom Forman, is one of the largest suppliers of television programming in the United States. Since its inception in 2008, Relativity Television has produced more than 750 hours of programming for more than 40 networks, including NBC, MTV, Showtime, A&E, Discovery Channel, Food Network and Disney Channel. In 2013, Relativity Television produced 36 series, including "Catfish: The TV Show" (MTV), "The Great Food Truck Race" (Food) and "The American Bible Challenge" (Game Show Network).

Upcoming unscripted series include "Sex Box" (WE), "Guy's Grocery Games" (Food), "SHOP" (FOX Sports 1) and "Kim of Queens" (Lifetime). Scripted projects include "Creep Show" (SyFy), "Godfall," "Snakehead" and "Young & Hungry" (ABC Family), as well as series based on the Relativity films "Limitless," "Haywire" and "Act of Valor."

National Geographic Channel

Based at the National Geographic Society headquarters in Washington, D.C., the National Geographic Channels US are a joint venture between National Geographic and FOX Networks. The Channels contribute to the National Geographic Society's commitment to exploration, conservation and education with smart, innovative programming and profits that directly support its mission. Launched in January 2001, National Geographic Channel (NGC) celebrated its fifth anniversary with the debut of NGC HD. In 2010 the wildlife and natural history cable channel NAT GEO WILD was launched, and in 2011 the Spanish-language network Nat Geo Mundo was unveiled. The Channels have carriage with all of the nation's major cable, telco and satellite television providers, with NGC currently available in over 85 million U.S. homes. Globally, National Geographic Channel is available in more than 440 million homes in 171 countries and 45 languages. For more information, visit www.natgeotv.com.

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