New York, NY (October 24, 2018) – Culture Trip, the travel, media and entertainment startup, today announced the launch of its first original digital series, Hungerlust. The food show that’s not really about food, Hungerlust follows eight proud locals from around the globe as they open their kitchens and communities to satisfy viewers’ appetites for far-reaching food culture with equal parts wanderlust and untold real stories. No celebrity host, no foodie influencers, no “how-to”s and no cheese pulls, Hungerlust serves up authentic food stories from a local point of view that’s synonymous with Culture Trip. With a focus on what’s special and unique about a place, its people and its culture, the eight-episode season is available to stream starting today at https://series-hungerlust.culturetrip.com/hungerlust/.
“Our millennial audience loves Culture Trip’s videos, with over 2 billion streams in the past two years,” says Kris Naudts, founder & CEO, Culture Trip. “A large part of our exponential growth has been due to our travel and food content, and Hungerlust will allow us to super-serve our audience with exceptional storytelling about one of their favorite topics.”
Hungerlust Episodes:
Tokyo – King of Ramen
The King of Ramen makes the spiciest ramen in Tokyo. Makoto Shirane, owner of Mouko Tanmen Nakamoto, had long loved Nakamato Ramen’s spicy ramen before the acclaimed restaurant shuttered in the 1990s. Fueled by this love affair, he reopened the restaurant, having learned all the secrets from the retired chef. These days, the restaurant has garnered immense fame as the home to Tokyo’s spiciest ramen: spice-stained broth simmered for hours, crowned with long, curvy noodles.
Paris – The Real Baguette Magique
At Paris’s Legay Choc, bread is steeped in gay pride. Housed in the Marais, a historically gay neighborhood, the bakery flaunts la baguette magique, a baguette crafted in the shape of a penis. Owner Richard Legay comes from a long line of bakers, but he never expected to join the family business. It was only when his brother requested he make risqué breads that he decided to open a boulangerie in Paris dedicated to magic baguettes. Paris may have bakeries scattered on every corner, but Legay Choc is the only place with baguettes boasting a cheeky twist on a symbol of France.
Mexico – Tequila’s Oldest Cousin
Mexico’s youth are leading the country’s revival of pulque. A viscous, white, alcoholic beverage, pulque was once reserved for the elite but morphed into a drink for the mainstream. However, with the introduction of beer in the 20th century, pulque began to vanish as Mexico’s bars and restaurants replaced the bitter, yeasty drink with frothy pints of beer. Carlos Martínez Rentería, owner of Pulquería Insurgentes in Mexico City, is dedicated to restoring the drink of the Aztec gods to its full glory, allowing Mexico’s up-and-coming generation to taste the nation’s history.
London – The Sunday Roast Tradition
In the UK, the Sunday roast is as British as it gets. While it was once a staple among the royals, the Sunday roast has become a dish for the masses. Sally Abé, head chef at The Harwood Arms, the only Michelin-starred pub in London, pays homage to that tradition, expertly crafting a version that mimics the beloved family meal. Hunks of bone-in dry-aged sirloin, beef-fat-roasted potatoes, glazed parsnips and carrots and Yorkshire pudding, brimming with braised beef and bone marrow, are arranged on a communal board, the perfect way to enjoy an inherently shareable meal together.
Jerusalem – Shakshuka Secrets
For Israelis, shakshuka is a poignant depiction of Israel’s story. Shakshuka means “all mixed up”; just as the dish is a mix of ingredients, Israel too is a confluence of immigrants, refugees and cultures, forming one diverse society. Although locals remain divided on how to make the dish – everyone has their own recipe, their own spin – all agree that breakfast in Israel without shakshuka is hardly breakfast at all. Chef Atalya explores Jerusalem’s diverse culinary scene – from the Old City to the famed Machane Yehuda market – sampling a wealth of food and showcasing her own twist on shakshuka.
Morocco – Fire-Kissed Comfort Food
Cooking in Marrakech is a communal affair. Tanjia, the city’s beloved fire-kissed meat stew, is a dish crafted by many hands. Friends and families gather all the ingredients in Morocco’s pulsing, vibrant markets, then release everything into a clay pot, where it’s slowly baked in the embers from a fire. The finished product – most often lamb or beef marbled with spices like cumin and red saffron threads – is always shared. For Bouldine, a Moroccan hostel owner, supplying travelers with an experience no other hostel could provide was his goal at BOHO27. Here, guests from around the world come together, celebrating Morocco over tanjia.
Austin – Barbecue, Pitmasters and Pride
At Sam’s Bar-B-Que, barbecue is more than just the food. The Austin barbecue joint is run by three brothers, the third-generation owners. Here, the brothers smother ribs in a spice-flecked rub and smoke sausage links. Over the years, Sam’s has become a bona fide meeting point for the community. Locals station themselves at tables, flanked by a plate of beans and ribs, playing chess, while children dash and dance throughout the restaurant. Despite developers looking to purchase Sam’s to gentrify the neighborhood, Sam’s has persevered, remaining both a gathering place for the community and a genuine temple of ribs.
Hong Kong – Yum Cha’s Master
In Hong Kong, yum cha (otherwise known as dim sum) is more than a way of life: it’s an opportunity to pluck plump dumplings off roving carts and nurse steaming cups of tea with friends and family. But in a city strewn with dim sum parlors, it can be awfully hard to stand out. Chef Winson Yip has crafted a new kind of space for dim sum at his restaurant Yum Cha, one where bamboo baskets glide across tables teeming with neon-orange dumplings – plastered with edible eyes – spurting custard when prodded. His unique creations make dim sum anything but ordinary.
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Hungerlust is executive produced by Adu Lalouschek with Ciaran Carney as series producer, both for Culture Trip. Stream all eight episodes now at https://series-hungerlust.culturetrip.com/hungerlust/.
