Culinary Expert Adam Richman Discusses New Season of History Channel’s “The Food That Built America”, Premiering Sunday, April 19th

Tune in this Sunday, April 19, as the History Channel premieres Season 7 of The Food That Built America. Since its debut in 2019, the series takes a deep dive into the iconic food brands and chains that have become staples of American culture and cuisine.

Offering fresh insight this season is culinary expert and food historian Adam Richman, who explains, “These are the raw, unadulterated, behind-the-scenes origin stories of the brands, the foods, and the companies that have truly shaped the American business and food landscape,” Richman said. Noting that the series goes beyond what people think they know, he elaborates, “You may know Birds Eye, but do you know Clarence Birdseye and how his revolutionary freezing technique transformed food in America and created a multi-billion-dollar industry? You may know Kellogg’s, but do you know about John Harvey Kellogg or his brother William Keith Kellogg and how Corn Flakes were born amid rivalry, innovation, and even espionage? That’s what this show is all about, determination, self-will, ingenuity, and hard work. And it manifests itself in Oreos and Big Macs and Filet-O-Fish.” 

Richman also notes that the show has been a major source of inspiration for him and believes it has the power to motivate others looking to break into the food industry. For the premiere episode this season, the History Channel turns its focus to pizza, one of the most beloved and influential foods in American culture. From its humble beginnings to the rise as a nationwide obsession, pizza’s journey is packed with innovation, rivalry, and entrepreneurial grit. Viewers can expect educational and historical context on chains including Little Caesars, Pizza Hut, Domino’s, and Papa Johns. Explaining more, Richman elaborates “People in the middle of the country were not eating pizza before these food chains. Buffalo wings were also a regional dish in northern New York. Believe it or not most Americans tasted their first buffalo wing because of Domino’s, and so learning the historical context behind these food chains will help you appreciate it in a whole new way.”

Other foods this season will focus on include snacks such as Bubblegum, Cheeze-It’s, Wheat Thins, Goldfish and more.

Richman, known for his contributions to many food centered television shows including The Travel Channel’s Man vs. Food  brings his expertise and passion to the series, helping to uncover the stories behind some of America’s most iconic dishes and brands. Viewers can tune in each week and watch the series on The History Channel app, and on history.com

“I really want to convey that this is history, and we want to make a great entertaining show and we absolutely do,” Richman said. 

Learn more here. 

The History Channel link to Instagram here.