Phil Rosenthal’s infectious passion for traveling the world has helped him build a career and a following. Somebody Feed Phil, but his first taste of wanderlust didn’t come from a passport stamp or a five-star meal—it stemmed from a 7-Eleven in Atlanta. When he was nine, he was drinking a Slurpee on a family vacation when he realized: “Wow, i need to travel more.”
Rosenthal’s early years were not spent globetrotting or jet-setting. His early windows on the world were pages and screens. He said, “We had few ways to experience other worlds. We only had TV, movies and books.” Travel + Leisure.
A life-changing courier flight to Europe took place at age 23. He recalled, “My life changed forever when I visited Paris and Florence.” This trip did not only expand his worldview but it also changed his priorities. “I knew that my extra money was for saving up for these adventures, for me to travel.
He had no idea that travel would become his career, but the seed of an idea was planted in the writer’s corner at the university. Everybody Loves Raymond. In a casual chat with Ray Romano, Rosenthal asked the actor where he was going to vacation in between seasons. Rosenthal asked Romano if he’d ever been to Europe when he learned that Romano was heading to the Jersey Shore. The actor had not, and claimed he was not interested in anything “different.”
Rosenthal did as writers do and turned the moment he was in into an episode. “I said, “We’re going to do that episode. I’m going to send you in the show to Italy as you and you’re going to come back as me—someone who’s excited about traveling.'”
Three years is a long time. make the episodes happenIt was the first time that the series had been filmed outside of the United States. “I saw what I wrote—this character who didn’t want to go and is complaining the whole time, and then suddenly gets it—happen to Ray Romano, the person. It was 25 years ago that I wondered, “What if i could do this to other people?”
The answer to that question has become the foundation of Somebody Feed PhilEven though he had a series that was a huge success, it wasn’t easy to translate his vision into an actual show. He wrote several sitcoms prior to creating a show to inspire people to travel. “People believe I did Raymond They gave me an amazing show, and I could do whatever I wanted. No, it was 10 years. Was it worth it?” Yes.”
Phil Rosenthal
What is your favorite plane snack?
Nuts.
What foods will you not eat during a flight?
I prefer to eat before or in the lounge rather than on the plane.
What’s your favorite in-flight food?
Korean Airlines made a samgye-tang The whole baby bird is cooked in the soup. I thought it was just as good as eating at a restaurant.
Do you have the red flag in your restaurant?
Avoid eating at restaurants that have a menu for tourists.
What’s your favorite food souvenir?
Parmesan Reggiano. You can vacuum-seal it. I love a food souvenir.
For Rosenthal, travel doesn’t require luxury—it just requires action. He is clear and simple in his advice: don’t hesitate. “Don’t wait, go and do it now. You will never be so young again. He told T+L, “Get out while you can. I tell young people that they do not need to be rich. All you have to do is get there. You can either stay at a friend’s house or a youth hostel. Doesn’t matter; you’re there. “Just being anywhere on Earth is enough.”
His philosophy is that traveling isn’t only a personal adventure, but an opportunity to quietly change the world’s perception. “You can make the world better by representing where you come from and showing people what a true American looks like. Let the news go. You can spread a bit more love if you are a decent person. What you receive is priceless, as it changes your outlook on life and you can take that home with you.
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Now, Somebody Feed Phil Season 8 of is back on Netflix and takes viewers to places like Amsterdam, Tbilisi in Georgia, Sydney and Adelaide, Australia, Manila, Philippines, Las Vegas, Boston, and Guatemala.
You can also find out more about the following: Guatemala Rosenthal is attached to a particular episode. “Guatemala, a country I’d never heard of before, was one that we had a nanny who came from. She made us delicious little dishes that she brought back from Guatemala. So, when the idea came up to do Guatemala, I told my husband, “Let us bring Claudia home.” We brought Claudia with us. “That’s my favorite episode because she’s a part of the family.”
The food scene was amazing, even beyond the personal connection. You think you’re familiar with the food. Then it happens. Young people are reinterpreting authentic Indigenous food in a modern way. “It’s unlike anything I’ve ever eaten; it’s great.”
Netflix
Another winner this season? Spain’s culinary jewel: San Sebastián In the Basque Country. “It is so beautiful, and its food culture has everything”
Rosenthal’s favorite episode is the one he filmed in New York City, his hometown. It was a challenge, but also a great experience. “I was very nervous because it’s been done before. Every TV show and movie has featured it more than any other city. How can I make the definitive New York movie? I’m not able to. But I can do It is a good idea to use New York—and that turns out to be the key, always, you do what means the most to you.” This episode features one of his favourite scenes: visiting his parents’ flat.
Rosenthal returns to his favorite destinations when the cameras aren’t on (London, Paris and Japan to name a couple), but the travel dilemma still remains. “The more I travel the more I love places. You want to return to the places that you love but also realize you have to see the world. Who knows what I might be missing? So what I usually try to do is—if it’s my own vacation—a place I love with another place I haven’t been.”
Rosenthal points out the best food cities in the world when asked. Bangkok. “This city has some the best food that I have ever eaten in my entire life.” “Some of the best food I’ve ever eaten was in Thailand.” One of those memorable bites includes a $1 bowl Khao soiHe still recalls this meal from his trip to Chiang Mai. Northern Thai curry noodles are typically made using a coconut-based soup, with chicken or beef as the protein, and then topped off with pickled mustard leaves and crispy noodles.
Netflix
Rosenthal gave two surprising responses to the question of food cities that are not given credit for their culinary excellence. Orlando The following are some examples of how to get started: Las Vegas. “They’re similar in that they both have these giant tourist attractions—The Strip and Disney World—that were built and maintained by immigrants over many decades. The immigrants built their communities near the major tourist attraction. So they have a fabulous Chinatown, Thai towns, and Indian restaurants—these are microcosms of America, which is made up by immigrants. There are some great restaurants in Disney World and on The Strip, but the real Magic Kingdom lies outside. These cities are not considered great food destinations by many, but they really are.
Rosenthal’s golden travel rule is to not overplan. He believes that these unscripted experiences, be they chance encounters or local suggestions, are the keys to memorable travel experiences. He said to leave room in your itinerary for serendipity and other unexpected events, just as they do on the set of the show.
A little research is still important. Rosenthal is simple when it comes to searching for restaurants. “I don’t just rely on one review when I Google ‘best restaurant in Chiang Mai’. I cross-reference all the reviews and I notice that the same restaurants appear in every list. Now, we have access to such resources as people who blog or Instagram. Instagram can be dangerous because it makes you think the most photographed item is always the best. It’s not. “So you can’t rely solely on the number of photos.” He credits his New York-based production company and its team of fixers for the show.
Rosenthal’s bottomless meal is not what it seems. “A lot people think I ate everything in one day and it looks like he eats too much. We film for a whole week, and I probably ate nothing else that day. If I was excited, that’s because I had only eaten one meal.
Rosenthal’s live show has been a hit with fans, and he takes them behind the scenes to show his adventures around the world. And he’s doing exactly what he set out to do as a nine-year-old with a Slurpee: see the world—and bring the rest of us along for the ride.
