The History of Eastern Cuisine on TLC

CEBU, Philippines - Award-winning chef, restaurateur, author and TV personality Shane Delia embarks on a culinary pilgrimage as he takes viewers on a spice journey across the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East to explore his heritage and discover food traditions that go back thousands of years. Premiering today, April15, "Shane Delia's Spice Journey" airs every Tuesday at 7 p.m. on TLC. It replays every Wednesday

and Sunday at 10:00 a.m.

For Shane, a second-generation Australian that hails from four generations of Maltese bakers, food is more than a meal; it's a way of life. Middle Eastern food is his passion. Beginning in his homeland where his love for cooking was born, he traces the gastronomic roots of his family while broadening his horizons by experiencing new tastes, sensations and flavors during his travels.

Over ten half-hour episodes, "Shane Delia's Spice Journey" spans a distance of more than 2,000 kilometers and covers 2,000 years of culinary history. From the old Phoenician outpost of Malta, where the aromatics and spices of the Middle East mingle with the European traditions of the Mediterranean, he heads across the sea to Lebanon, the original Land of Milk and Honey and birthplace of contemporary Middle Eastern "mezze." He then follows the time-worn caravan trails of the spice route to ancient Persia - Iran - which is home to saffron, pomegranate, rose water… and where some of the oldest surviving recipes on Earth can be found.

Shane tastes his way around the region learning and seeking inspiration from medieval Arab and Persian recipes passed down through generations as well as rural and regional contemporary cuisines, then heads back to his Melbourne kitchen armed with this knowledge to put his unique twist on some of the world's most ancient and influential culinary traditions by transforming these time-honored delicacies into modern dishes.

From the busy souks to ancient ruins and from the mountains to the beaches, experience the rich and varied cuisines of Malta, Lebanon and Iran including "pashmak," the Persian version of candy floss and what Shane considers the original dude food, "falalel."