INTRODUCING “TASTE OF METAL,” A METAL INJECTION SERIES CREATED BY FRANK GODLA + CHEF BRIAN TSAO

FIRST EPISODE FEATURES ZAKK WYLDE

FUTURE EPISODES INCLUDE KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, AMON AMARTH, DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN & CANDIRIA

HEAVY METAL HAPPY HOUR LAUNCH PARTY SET FOR KIMOTO IN BROOKLYN ON MAY 13

(New York, N.Y.): Because who doesn’t love food and heavy metal?! Allow yourself to enjoy the mouth-watering and metallic debut episode of “Taste of Metal,” a Metal Injection series created by the site’s own Frank Godla and chef Brian Tsao.

The five-part first season features an impressive lineup of some of the biggest names in metal. The likes of Zakk Wylde, Jesse Leach and Adam D. of Killswitch Engage, Johan Hegg of Amon Amarth, John Lamacchia of Candiria, and Ben Weinman of Dillinger Escape Plan put their instruments down in favor of picking up cooking utensils.

In each episode, the musicians are tasked with replicating a delicious dish inspired by their music and carefully prepared by Tsao. How do these artists fare off the stage and in the sacred space that is Tsao’s kitchen? The culinary results are mixed, but always hilarious!

Watch the Season 1 teaser here.

Watch the first episode, featuring the legend that is Zakk Wylde, here.

More episodes will be released shortly.

The series is another benchmark for Metal Injection, one of the most essential sites where metalheads go multiple times a day to get their fix for original content, news, reviews, and more.

Queens-born Brian Tsao is a celebrated chef and a lifelong metal fan. At the age of 15, he lived in China, learned the language, and became the guitarist of the country’s first touring thrashcore band. This situation allowed him to travel the country and learn about the cuisine of each region and their specialties.

By fusing the cuisines and his experiences, Tsao has created very unique menus that speak fluently to Chinese, Korean, Malaysian, Japanese and American cuisines.

In March 2014, Chef Brian appeared on Beat Bobby Flay, a Food Network program where two chefs compete to challenge Bobby Flay by cooking a dish highlighting an ingredient chosen by Flay. The winner then faced the Food Network star in another battle—this time, the challenger picking the dish they will both cook. A panel of three judges (and fellow chefs) decided the winner. Tsao challenged Flay in a taco battle and won with his Beef Bulgogi Tacos. He was the sole chef to beat Bobby Flay the entire season.

He is currently the executive chef at Manhattan’s Mira Sushi and Brooklyn’s Kimono.

Now Tsao is back in front of the camera with “Taste of Metal,” where he cross-pollinates his two biggest passions: food and heavy metal.

“For a time, I had stopped paying attention to metal,” Tsao says. “My tastes had diversified and I was exploring other forms of musical expression. I did not feel a hunger or connection to much of what was going on. But then I realized, that at the hardest times during my career, when I was closest to giving up, it was metal that reignited my fire to push forward, to keep progressing, and continue the fight.

“Despite stepping away, all my guitar playing remained thrash. I would warm up with Metallica licks and tease my non-metal listening bandmates (at the time) with’ Angel of Death’ on a cranked amp. Killswitch Engage helped rekindle my love for metal with their song ‘My Curse’ because their use of melody and brutal guitar riffs helped me see boundaries I had put on myself. Also, nothing satisfied my urge to lash out at my bosses like jamming out to Lamb of God after a horrible long shift at the restaurant.

“Heavy music is the soundtrack to my life. It makes me a better chef. It’s the only thing that can express my motivation and drive to succeed and progress. A dish is like a melody and each ingredient is a note that forms a song. After you’ve figured out the arrangement, they become a multi-course meal, just like an album. When I’m looking for inspiration in cooking, I always look to satisfy my basic primal instincts first and then build outwards. Metal helps me hone in on this concept because it’s primal, yet technical.”