I first met Andrew Zimmern last fall at Whip In in Austin where the spirited television chef was filming his hit Travel Channel series, “Bizarre Foods.” Though Zimmern has traveled all over the world, he made it clear to me during his stop in Texas that Austin’s culinary scene evoked a certain quality he rarely ever saw in American cuisine. “The people of Austin really enjoy being experimented at,” Zimmern explained to me. “They redefine the meaning of bizarre food.”

Tonight, the Austin episode of Bizarre Foods premieres at 8 p.m. CT and features some Austin favorites, including Foreign & Domestic, Contigo, Lamberts, Barley Swine, Gourdoughs, Dai Due, and a number of other Austin spots. It seems like Rene Ortiz of La Condesa will also be featured on the episode as well, according to a post on Sway’s Facebook page which warns, “Spoiler alert: Rene might kill something [tonight].”

Bridget Dunlap with Andrew Zimmern

The host for Zimmern’s Austin visit is Rainey Street Queen Bridget Dunlap, owner of Lustre Pearl, Clive Bar, Bar 96, and the yet-to-be-opened Container Bar. ”Andrew and the crew are super badass! He was so fun, sweet, and down-to-earth,” Dunlap said of her experience with Zimmern. ”We all stayed out together until 12:30 a.m. and had a blast. He loves his job and the crew loves him…the whole experience was really amazing.”

Catch all the Austin bizarreness tonight on the Travel Channel!

Tagged: Andrew Zimmern, austin, Barley Swine, Bridget Dunlap, Contigo, Dai Due, Foreign and Domestic, la condesa, Lambert's, Layne Lynch, Rene Ortiz, Sway, Travel Channel, Whip In