Plot Synopsis

This six-part series explores the evolution of what we eat and how we eat it -- and how it has defined human civilization. Food is the root of everything we've ever done as a species, and the ways we continue to refine it will define our future. From the way Spam helped defeat Hitler, to how sausage spread the Roman Empire, to how spices created the global economy, EAT: THE STORY OF FOOD leaves no morsel of information on the plate. Each one-hour episode is centered on a different theme: food revolutionaries, meat, sugar, seafood, junk food and grains. Plus, throughout the episodes, a group of food ambassadors -- nearly 70 chefs, authors, food experts and food scientists -- share their personal stories and reflections on food, not just looking back at history but looking to the future and the cultural impact of our food consumption. EAT: THE STORY OF FOOD premiered on Nat Geo on Friday, November 21, 2014 at 9pm ET/PT, airing back-to-back episodes on three consecutive nights, as part of National Geographic's initiative to educate the world about food, following the United Nations report showing food security is at risk from climate change. As part of this initiative, in April 2014 Nat Geo launched NatGeoFood.com, an online portal that aggregates content from a major series in "National Geographic" magazine, which kicked off in May, and includes many digital-only features, such as animated motion graphics, videos, food facts of the day and news stories.
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On Sunday, December 20, 2015 from 9-11pm ET/PT, Nat Geo premiered two special episodes of EAT: THE STORY OF FOOD. The night's first new episode (9pm), "Indulgences," highlights how people are hardwired to crave certain indulgent foods: bread, candy, beer, pizza, ice cream, chips, and more. Then, the second episode (10pm), "Surf and Turf," reveals humans' abilities to gather, hunt, fish and cook, while chronicling the history of meat and seafood.