Omnivore - An Emory foodie

• Emory Magazine

Emory Magazine, always a good read, interviews Adam Richman in its Summer 2011 issue. Richman, an Emory graduate, is host of the Travel Channel’s “Man vs Food,” now re-launched as “Man vs. Food Nation.”

According to the story, Richman did a lot of dabbling as a student, starting in pre-med and then switching to international studies. Then he went to Yale for an MFA in acting. He attributes his landing the TV gig to a self-help book:

True story: in 2007, he was between acting jobs and working at Madison Square Garden when he read a self-help book called The Renaissance Soul, aimed at helping people pursue both passions and success. One of the key components of the book was an exercise in which you work backwards from your interests to discover the best job for you. Guess what Richman’s was? Yep, hosting a food TV show....

Richman’s train came three days after he finished The Renaissance Soul, in the form of an email from an agent at Yale saying the Travel Channel was looking for someone to host a food show that would roam the country spotlighting regional cuisine.

Better than The Secret, eh?

Be sure to check out Richman’s favorite Atlanta restaurants. He mentions the much-missed Virginia’s. His other choices are — well, check them out. They may be his favorites but most are far from the city’s best.

(By the way, Emory is the source of another national-level foodie, Adam Roberts, The Amateur Gourmet).