Chef Andrew Zimmern On Holidays & Caring For Parents | Moms.com - Moms

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The holidays are looking different this year. Along with the normal juggle of food and family comes the sense of obligation more than ever to “get it right” for our loved ones. Chef Andrew Zimmern is known for his Emmy-winning television show The Zimmern List, as well as, everything from Bizarre Foods to What’s Eating America. This year, the Minneapolis-resident is focusing on philanthropy and the ways in which he can help others create an authentic, meaningful Thanksgiving experience fit for 2020.

As the Travel Channel notes, Zimmern is “regarded as one of the most versatile and knowledgeable personalities in the food world.” So, he knows good holiday fare.

What makes him a standout expert for this Thanksgiving holiday in particular is that he is a dad to teenage son Noah, as well as, a man with a background as full-time caregiver to his parents. He is eager to help all the moms and dads out there getting overwhelmed by the pressure of creating a holiday celebration-in-a-pandemic, especially those with generations of family in their care.

Chef Andrew Zimmern Reflects on Past Thanksgivings

Reflecting on Thanksgivings of the past, Zimmern acknowledges the bittersweet nature of comparing this year to others. He describes previous Thanksgivings as having an “open door.”

He notes, “We'd have 24 to 30 people seated in the house for the meal. We had friends who stopped by in the morning on the way to their family's house, some that would stop by for 15 minutes during the day just to say hi, a huge wave of people that would come after the meal at their family's house for dessert, coffee, and to sit around and watch football.” In fact, the chef recalls, “It was an all-day affair in my house with a revolving cast of characters.”

How This Year Will Be Different for Zimmern

This year, he will be cooking for two, but that hasn’t slowed his commitment to making the Thanksgiving meal special in a big way.

“I'm also going to cook 16 meals and take them out to folks in the neighborhood who may not be able to cook for themselves. Not everyone is the cook in the family, and a lot of those people are staying home. I want to give them something really delicious. Then two days before Thanksgiving, I'm feeding a couple hundred children at a local shelter.”

Asked why giving back was so important this November, the answer is simple: “Doing service work for those that don't have as much makes [this Thanksgiving] special for me. I can't be with my family this year,” he explains, so caring for his community is a gift he cannot wait to extend.

Zimmern's Collaboration with AARP

Zimmern also notes that the holidays can be complicated if the responsibilities have fallen to adult kids to care for mom or dad. He has partnered with AARP, an organization he describes as “an amazing resource for so many, not just for older Americans who they advocate for, but they're the they're the lone voice in the wilderness advocating for family caregivers.” Their collaboration has taken the form of a virtual caregiver’s Thanksgiving, which will happen live at 7 pm EST.

“November is National Caregivers' Month. There is a unique spotlight on those caring for multiple generations right now…and I truly believe that it is through food that we can connect multiple generations of a family,” he says.

At the same time, 2020 hasn’t felt like the year in which we can all come together – indeed, many of us quite literally cannot. For those who do have children and parents in their care, the onslaught of the holidays may feel like an avalanche versus a cozy chance to reunite. Zimmern can relate. “As a parent, I did juggle caring for my child and caring for my parents,” he says, and he agrees that it can be extremely stressful. So, how can moms and dads approach Thanksgiving with a positive spirit?

It's Not Only About the Perfect Dish This Thanksgiving

For folks adapting holiday celebrations to be inclusive, Zimmern suggests that “everyone pare down as best they can. That's why the recipes that we're posting on the AARP website are so important for people to look at.” And – even though he is a world class chef – Zimmern emphasizes, “The genesis of the Thanksgiving holiday is is one of gratitude. We can practice that many different ways.” The focus doesn’t have to be exhaustively on preparing the perfect dishes. “I'm planning on calling all of my relatives to tell them how much I love and appreciate them…we can send some handwritten notes to neighbors and slide them under a door when you're out walking the dog.”

Indeed, that kind of generosity of spirit can be the unifying thread in neighborhoods and families alike. “You don't have to do the big gesture. Oftentimes, it's the small little thing that matters the most.”

Lastly, for the moms, dads, and family members still feeling the push of the season, it absolutely does not go unnoticed. “I'd like to tell parents and caregivers,” Zimmern says, “That everything they do for their families, it matters, it counts.” Folks looking for creatively curated ways to pare down and still maximizes the joy of Thanksgiving dinners for kids, parents, and family in their care should tune in to Mr. Zimmern's event, in partnership with AARP, here.

Sources: Travel Channel, AARP, Andrew Zimmern

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About The Author

Emily Schafer (104 Articles Published)

Emily is a contributing news writer for Moms. She is a youth development professional and is currently pursuing a Master's in Camp Administration and Leadership. She is most proud of her work as mom to her three-year-old daughter.