The Things I Endure for Food
The celebrity chef is overrated. The Food Traveler shows inundate the cable landscape and the hosts are becoming more PC and cookie cutter. The Television-viewing Public is tiring of Reality TV shows. So why do I want in? Why do I think that Travis and I (the incomparable NonSensical Chef Rants) can change the lay of the land, bring new flavor to THE LAYOVER, and bring glory, humor, and passion BACK into this genre?
Apparently, even I don’t know the answer to these questions. The above paragraph has sat on my desktop for two weeks now. Each additional sentence or paragraph subsequently deleted while cursing like a mad man.
That’s not true. I wouldn’t have been smacking this keyboard around and furiously scribbling in my notepad if there wasn’t a spark of insanity and reason for me to be doing this.
My name is Gregorio Pedroza. I’m a cook, friend, idiosyncratic son and brother, and a dreamer. My resume reads like an ADHD Journeyman: computer engineer, actor, concierge, watch salesman, chef. Life is my obsession. Experiences are my goals. If there is something to be done or had, I want it. I want it now.
Food has been the venue in which I’ve gotten closer and closer to my goal of world travel and cultural understanding. You should see the mantle above my computer right now: French Cooking (Child), Founding Foodies and Da Vinci’s Kitchen (DeWitt), The Whole Beast (Henderson), Indian Cookery, Charcuterie, Portuguese Table, etc etc etc etc. Even here in New York, I’ve managed to find small eateries where the staff’s indigenous cuisine have been nice enough to tell me their stories. Telling them that you’re a cook always gives them cart-blanche to talk about their food, home, and lives. I love that. Look back at my New Orleans post and podcast and you’ll see what I mean.
A union of Travel Channel’s resources, my hunger for food/knowledge and ability to try anything, AND (of course) Travis’ energetic willingness to “never say die” would make for an epic show. THE LAYOVER is all about making the best out of a situation where you have only 24-48 hours in one given location. Every single host on every show have already experienced the world. And perhaps, you want take the advice from those who have already been there. Why wouldn’t you want to see these places from the Point of View from newcomers? Two knuckleheads who would be new to the area… just like you!! You give us that time frame to root out all the cool, fun, and fascinating spots in any given location, and I promise you great television, hilarious shenanigans, and that you will take away something very important: the story of the people.
The possibilities are endless! Even amongst ourselves, the personalities are quite different so as to create a cornucopia of wonderfulness. See Travis getting blitzed in a pub in Ireland. Is that Gregorio eating guinea pig in Ecuador? Are they both passed out in front of an Iberico Ham stall in Spain? Why yes, that is the NCR crew cooking in the wilds of Africa or helping out in the rice paddies in China! Being the sadist that I am, I would have to drag Travis to a few museums and special food historical spots around the world. In return, I think I’d let him convince me to jump out of a plane or run with them ornery bulls in Spain (Seriously, if you only have 48 hours in Spain, you may as well run with the bulls. If you’re lucky, you may have to extend your stay. Painfully, but you’d still be in Spain)
And what about our very own U. S. of A?! I’m sure many of us look towards traveling the world as our idealistic goals, but think nothing of rooting around the culture, food, people, and silliness of our own backyard! Forget the usual fish catching in Seattle or skiing in Aspen… I want watering holes, odd trivia, and groups of eclectic people who are fiercely proud of their city and their country.
The possibilities are endless, my friends. Travis and I know no fear. Our pension for food, knowledge, and experience are television gold… but we can’t do it alone. Keep getting the word out on us. The podcast, the videos, the blogs… everything. Do what you can… and we’ll keep bringing you the NonSensicals. And thank you again for taking the time to include myself and Travis in your lives. We are truly grateful
~ Gregorio Pedroza
“I eat, therefore I am”
