http://www.clutchandchrome.com/news/news/ben-sargent-motorcycle-riding-seafood-chef



Ben Sargent, motorcycle riding seafood chef

Tuesday, 07 June 2011 | Written by Asia

The motorcycle will co-star in the latest cooking show as a celebrity chef straps his fishing gear onto a classic BMW motorcycle and takes his seafood passion to the open road.

Best known as the chef and fisherman who ran a successful underground lobster roll business from his Brooklyn basement apartment, lifelong seafood lover Ben Sargent is promising to bring boundless knowledge, experience, and passion to his new primetime Cooking Channel series Hook, Line & Dinner.

By bike, boat, car or surfboard, Ben Sargent embarks on the ultimate coastal road trip and uncovers the country's regional seafood specialties and the local joints at which they are served, all while taking viewers on the awesome journey from sea to table.

Premiering Tuesday, June 7th at 10:30pm ET, Ben strives to help viewers understand and appreciate seafood in a new way, from how it's caught, shipped and prepared to the many trials and tribulations that can come along with this demanding and often unpredictable industry.
In each of the first season's eight episodes, Ben rides into town on his classic BMW motorcycle and teams up with seasoned experts to secure the catch of the day, and then follows that catch straight to the best seaside kitchens.

Ben spotlights catfish and crawfish in Bayou Country; spiny lobster and stone crab in Miami and the Everglades; gumbo and oysters in New Orleans; sheepshead fish and blue crab in Charleston, S.C.; sturgeon and ling cod in Oregon; rockfish and crabs in Santa Barbara; sardines and sea urchin in San Diego; and clams and oysters in San Francisco.

The show takes the motorcycle riding seafood chef across the country.

For those looking for some Summer seafood tips from Ben;

Seafood should not actually smell fishy. It should smell fresh, almost like a fresh-cut cucumber.

Don't be afraid to touch the fish. If you press into the whole fish, it should bounce back; you shouldn't see a depression where you put your finger.

The fish should have a glisten and sheen to its skin, and the eyes should be glassy so you can see through into the pupil.

His passion for both motorcycles and cooking seem deep-rooted.

After moving to New York, Ben took on many jobs in the food industry to pay the bills while pursuing his career as an artist. In 2001, he decided to change course and follow his seafood passion. He opened the Brooklyn restaurant Hurricane Hopeful and simultaneously launched his website, which features an online cooking series and a chronicle of his quirky seaside culinary adventures.

When not in New York or on the road, Ben spends time in Londonderry, Vermont, working on his family farm, fresh water fishing, and riding his classic BMW motorcycle featured in the show.

Thanks.  I'll tape it tonight.

His bike has sagging jugs.....