Adam Richman is one of the popular TV personalities from The History Channel. The acclaimed food expert is host of “The Food That Built America.” The series explores the creation of many top food brands and restaurants across the USA.
While the series offers an informative and fun look at the history of food, it can also get sometimes emotional, especially for Richman.
The Peanut Butter Episode of ‘The Food That Built America’ Touched Adam Richma
GettyThroughout its seven seasons, “The Food That Built America” has showcased the history behind many brands and restaurants. Everything from Kellogg’s cereal to Pizza Hut to Hershey chocolates have been featured on the show.
Hosting the show has been a joy to Richman, who loves sharing the creation of many beloved products. But there’s one episode in particular that touched him.
“This might sound silly to someone who isn’t me. There was the peanut butter episode. I love it as an entity or religion or the fact it exists in the world,” Richman told TV Insider.
The episode titled “Peanut Butter Battle” aired in April 2023 and shows the rivalries of big named brands such as Peter Pan, Skippy, and Jif. The show featured one of Skippy’s famous commercials that had a special father and son moment.
“There used to be this great commercial I think for Skippy where it was a dad and his son, and they were making a little snack with peanut butter on one slice of bread. The dad folded it up in half. The son asked me why the dad folded the bread in half. ‘Well, my dad used to do that. I wanted to be like my dad.’ The son folds his own.”
Seeing the commercial again brought back memories of Richman, whose parents divorced when he was young. Richman remembered seeing the Skippy ad with his dad and the two recreated the peanut butter sandwich moment.
When it came time to talk about Skippy on camera, Richman got a bit emotional as he thought about that moment with his dad.
“I remember talking about it on camera and in spite of myself weeping. It’s what the brands are that connect with you.”
Adam Richman Is in Awe of the Success of ‘The Food That Built America’
GettyBefore becoming a member of The History Channel family, Richman hosted “Man v. Food” on The Travel Channel. In the series, Richman traveled across the country participating in various food challenges.
After leaving the show in 2012, Richman went on to host other food content shows including “Food Fighters” and “Man Finds Food.” In 2019, he was hired to be a contributor on “The Food That Built America,” sharing his knowledge for his favorite foods. By 2021, Richman had been bumped up to host of the series, which is now in its seventh season.
Seeing the success of the series has been overwhelming for Richman, who believes the food TV landscape is changing for the better.
“People want to dig deeper and want to go off the beaten path to find the best empanadas. They want more knowledge about the food landscape of which they live. I think the show is able to impart these amazing origin stories behind these iconic brands that in no uncertain way built the country. But it does it in this wildly entertaining, really immediate human kind of way.”
Viewers can watch Season 7 of “The Food That Built America’ on Sundays at 10pm.
