Baron Ambrosia was a character played by international explorer Justin Fornal from 2006 to 2013. The character was a self-proclaimed "quaffer of culinary consciousness" and traveled around New York City, mostly in The Bronx, documenting various ethnic cultures and their indigenous cuisines, represented typically by the small food establishments (including restaurants, food trucks, street vendors, and grocery stores) he visits. Baron Ambrosia appeared in Fornal's self-produced video podcast Underbelly NYC, the public-access television cable TV channel BronxNet's Bronx Flavor, and "The Culinary Adventures of Baron Ambrosia" on the Cooking Channel. In 2012, Fornal won a New York Emmy (best on-camera talent: performer/narrator) for his portrayal of Baron Ambrosia. Fornal stopped using the character after the feature length film BARON AMBROSIA IS DEAD to pursue exploration and documentary film-making full time.
Character development The Baron Ambrosia character first appeared in 2006 in the video podcast Underbelly NYC which was distributed through Liberated Syndication. The show reached a number No. 1 ranking under iTunes culinary podcasts. Fornal produced, in total, eight episodes of Underbelly NYC.
In early 2008, Baron Ambrosia re-emerged in Bronx Flavor on BronxNet, a Public-access television cable TV channel in Bronx, NY.
Both series focus on Baron Ambrosia's adventures in food (mostly ethnic cuisines and restaurants that are not covered by mainstream media). Bronx Flavor focuses strictly on his adventures in the Bronx. In both shows, Baron Ambrosia involves local business owners, diners, and passers-by in comedic sketches. All Underbelly NYC and Bronx Flavor episodes are written, directed, and edited by Fornal.
The show's following stems largely from its balance of education and humor. Each episode typically begins with the Baron describing a particular ethnic community and then focuses on its culinary heritage. The Baron will then hunt it down and get into a comical situation stemming from his obsessive personality and knack for over-indulgence.
In May 2011 Baron Ambrosia began filming a special for the Cooking Channel entitled The Culinary Adventures of Baron Ambrosia. Cooking Channel's official description of the project appears on their website...
Culinary adventure-seeker Baron Ambrosia faces banishment from his hometown of the Bronx after being accused of pie theft by Grandmaster Mele Mel. Challenged by an athletic duel, he takes to the streets of Newark, NJ in search of the famed Jersey Devil fajitas, said to bring super-human strength to anyone that consumes them. Along the way, he's distracted by other food delights Newark has to offer including Trinidadian roti, Italian hot dogs and Portuguese dry soup.
On November 6, 2011 The Culinary Adventures of Baron Ambrosia pilot aired on the Cooking Channel.
On June 1, 2012 Episode 001The Culinary Adventures of Baron Ambrosia premiered on the Cooking Channel entitled "The Just Desserts of P.T. Barnum". After finding a treasure map hidden in a haunted carousel, Baron makes his way through Bridgeport, CT in search of P.T. Barnum's tasty treasure. With circus ghosts close on his heels, Baron explores the world of Peruvian ceviche, enjoys some Haitian oxtail, and catches a ride on a food truck filled with Jamaican jerk chicken.
On November 2, 2013 Ambrosia premiered his first feature-length movie based on the Bronx Flavor series, "Baron Ambrosia is Dead". The movie screened on the lawn at the Andrew Freedman Mansion on the Grand Concourse and was free for the community.
On October 5, 2014, Ambrosia appeared and served as consulting producer on Anthony Bourdain's Parts Unknown episode on the Bronx. Bourdain referred to Ambrosia as, "an evangelist for introducing the manifold splendiferous delights of his mighty borough to the ignorant. He has a show on the TV, and throws parties where he serves creatures that would make Andrew Zimmern turn gray and slump unconscious to the floor. A showman, iconoclast, explorer, and gourmet."
Appearances On July 27, 2008 Baron Ambrosia appeared in The Bronx's Dominican Day Parade in his purple roadster the P-Rex to publicize the show.
In February 2009, Bronx Flavor received a New York Emmy Awards nomination.
Baron Ambrosia appeared on the May 27, 2009 episode of Cash Cab, after two strikes Ambrosia won $800 on the "Double or Nothing" bonus question.
The New York Times reported on Baron Ambrosia, Underbelly NYC, and Bronx Flavor on July 22, 2009, describing the current show this way: "flashy production numbers aside, at bottom Bronx Flavor is an effort to educate and entertain without pretension."
Baron Ambrosia appeared as a featured speaker at the National Association of Broadcasters Sony Software User's Event on April 12, 2010. Also in 2010, Sony used Baron Ambrosia to promote its Vegas Pro suite of video editing software.
The New York Times reported on May 5, 2010 that "NYC Life will show the third season of Bronx Flavor on Wednesdays at 9 ... [after this, the] Baron will re-emerge with a new show, tentatively titled Spice Hunter NYC, which will allow him to tour all five boroughs in search of exotic flavors and crazier story lines."
On Wednesday May 12, 2010, with BronxNet's consent, Bronx Flavor Season 3 was rebroadcast on NYC Life (a component of NYC Media). NYC Life reaches all five boroughs as well as parts of Connecticut and New Jersey. As part of the campaign, NYC Life put Baron Ambrosia's face (along with other show hosts) on 103 New York City bus shelters. Footage from the show is also included in a preview reel of the network's new programming on small monitors in 13,000 taxicabs.
On May 14, 2010, The New York Times critic Ariel Kaminer reviewed Bronx Flavor saying, "In its own bizarre way, the show's humor is as unpredictable, and as specific to its time and place, as Monty Python was to Oxbridge of the late 1960s (fewer references to Proust, and more to bikini waxing)."
Following the success of his character Baron Ambrosia, his daughter Tatiana was born on August 27th, 2010.
On November 19, 2010 Baron Ambrosia started a Stomp Out Domestic Violence campaign by releasing a Public Service Announcement.
On December 12, 2010 Baron Ambrosia received a proclamation from Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. proclaiming him the official culinary ambassador to the Bronx.
On December 30, 2010 BronxNet premiered the first episode of 'Bronx Flavor Season 4' at the Paradise Theater on the Grand Concourse in the Bronx. After the screening Grandmaster Mele Mel performed.
February 17, 2011 Bronx Flavor received its second New York Emmy Nomination.
In March 2011, Baron Ambrosia was funded by Sony Software to travel to Port-au-Prince, Haiti where he filmed the finale for Season 4. While in Haiti Ambrosia visited Le Ciné Institute in Jacmel and taught students how to edit with Vegas Pro Software. The story was documented in a project entitled Giving Voices.
On October 14, 2011 was elected to be a member of The Explorers Club.
On November 6, 2011 Baron Ambrosia received a proclamation from Newark Mayor Cory Booker proclaiming him a culinary ambassador to the city of Newark.
On April 1, 2012, Justin Fornal won the New York Emmy for "On-camera talent: Performer/narrator" for his portrayal of Baron Ambrosia.
On June 2, 2012 Mayor Bill Finch of Bridgeport, Connecticut officially proclaimed June 2 Baron Ambrosia Day.
On June 12, 2012 a 20X80 foot billboard advertising The Culinary Adventures of Baron Ambrosia went up on the neon 'Welcome to the Bronx' sign on the Bruckner Expressway where the RFK Bridge enters the Bronx.
Baron Ambrosia is the President of the Bronx Pipe Smoking Society which holds an annual small game dinner in the Bronx. Dishes served have included raccoon, porcupine, bobcat, coyote, skunk & beaver castor schnapps. All the meat is captured in the wilds of the Adirondack Mountains and is prepared by a team of chefs selected by Ambrosia. The events are invite only and are designed to introduce alternative protein sources as well as celebrate native eating traditions. The first dinner was held at the abandoned Bronx County Courthouse January 29, 2011. The 2nd annual dinner was held at the Latvian Society's Daugavas Vanagi House February 11, 2012 The third annual dinner was held at the Andrew Freedman Home March 3, 2013
On July 27, 2013 Baron Ambrosia became the first person in recorded history to swim the length of the Bronx using the Bronx River. He entered the water at Neried Avenue on the Bronx/Yonkers border and exited at Soundview Lagoon in the East River
On July 19, 2014 Ambrosia launched his first product Płacz Brzozy Birch Sap Wine by hosting an illegal cave party and tasting in a partially submerged grotto.
On October 8, 2014 Ambrosia became the first person to swim the width of Camden, New Jersey using the Cooper River. The swim was done to protest street violence and showcase the positive attributes of Camden. A lawyer representing Camden County threatened to have Ambrosia arrested if he attempted the swim on the planned date of October 11. Baron swam under cover of night to avoid detection by law enforcement.
Underbelly NYC episodes 1. Chimi Chimi Bang Bang Release Date: January 25, 2007 Culinary Focus: Chimichurri trucks of Washington Heights parked on Broadway between 175th and 181st Street. Location New York City
2. Cuchifritos of Love Release Date: March 11, 2007 Culinary Focus: 188 Cuchifritos Restaurant in the Bronx Location: Bronx, New York
3. Battle of the Forbidden Fruit Release Date: March 12, 2007 Culinary Focus: In this break away episode Baron puts forth the possibility the Durian was the true forbidden fruit in the garden of Eden. Location: Vandcourtlandt Park Bronx, New York
4. Secrets of the Liberian Funk Release Date: March 14, 2007 Culinary Focus: The homemade Liberian foods of Eliza Smith (i.e. palm butter, fried pepper sauce, sweet potato greens, torborgee) Location: Jamaica, New York
5. Ca Cuong City Release Date: April 19, 2007 Culinary Focus: The thoracic exudate of the lethocerus indicus (giant water bug) Location: Vietnam (various), Bronx, New York
6. Fruit Van Fantasia Release Date April 26, 2007 Culinary Focus: The mamey milk shakes and mavi sold at the fruit van located at exit 5 off the Bronx River Parkway
7. Viva Pulque Release Date: July 22, 2007 Culinary Focus: The sacred fermented juice of the Magey plant known as Pulque. Location: Mexico (various)
8. A Latke Lunacy Release Date August 12, 2007 Culinary Focus: the potato pancakes sold by Paul Schmuckler from his Briggs Avenue apartment. Location: Bronx, New York
Bronx Flavor episodes
Season 1 1. The Purple Coffin Air Date: March 11, 2008 An introductory episode in which the Baron arrives in the Bronx after a five-year mission to exotic lands and is asked to be a culinary correspondent for Bronxnet Channel 67
2. Legend of the Bullet Proof Foot Air Date: April 4, 2008 Culinary Focus: The Jamaican curried cow's foot from Jamrock Cooking. Location: Jamrock Cooking
3. Burek Mania Air Date: April 18, 2008 Culinary Focus: Albanian and Kosovan Burek Locations: Tony & Tina's Pizza, Dukagjini Burek
4. The Platinum Paan Don Air Date: May 2, 2008 Culinary Focus: The Indian aperitif created from the leaf of the betelnut creeper Location: Dashi Bazaar
5. The Rites of Sandwich Air Date May 16, 2008 Culinary Focus: A mammoth sandwich named after Baron Ambrosia
6. Fufu Inferno Air Date June 2, 2008 Culinary Focus: West African cuisine in particular soup and fufu Location: Sankofa Restaurant
7. The Giffiti That Keeps on Giving Air Date: June 13, 2008 Culinary Focus: Garifuna cuisine and the aphrodisiac known as giffiti Location: Garifuna Star
8. The Ghosts of Endorsements Past Air Date: June 27, 2008 Culinary Focus: Thai curries Location: Siam Square Restaurant
9. A Cheesecake Odyssey Air Date: July 11, 2008 Culinary Focus: Cheesecake