Plot Synopsis

VINNY & MA EAT AMERICA is a half-hour reality series that follows JERSEY SHORE's Vinny Guadagnino and his mother, Paola, as they travel across America while experiencing adventures and tasting regional delicacies and treats that Paolo's never eaten. Immediately after the finale of THE GREAT FOOD TRUCK RACE: FAMILY FACE-OFF -- an episode in which the mother/son pair worked together on Team Carretto Siciliano as one of two finalists -- Food Network premiered the pilot episode of VINNY & ME EAT AMERICA on Sunday, September 25, 2016 at 10pm ET/PT. In the pilot, Vinny and his mom head South, where Ma reluctantly ditches Italian food for some real-deal Georgia grub. First up, Vinny introduces Ma to the gold standard of Southern food: good old fashioned barbecue ribs. His goal is to get Ma to taste it for the first time in her life! From there, it's Southern-fried chicken and fly fishing with a few sweet pit stops in between. Four months later, VINNY & MA EAT AMERICA returned for its official series premiere on Tuesday, January 31, 2017 from 10-11pm ET/7-8pm PT, as Cooking Channel premiered back-to-back new episodes. In the series opener (10pm), "Austin Hand-Pulled Noodles and Pig Roast," Vinny and Ma are heading to Austin to get a taste of this funky spot. Ma falls in love with hamburgers on doughnut buns and tries her luck with hand-pulled Asian noodles -- not the usual pasta in her kitchen. Then, Ma harvests her own honey from beehives and tastes a pig's face. Then, in the night's second new episode (10:30pm), "San Fran Sushi and Bug Tacos," Vinny and Ma are heading west to San Francisco to taste all that the city has to offer. The first stop is the city's famed Chinatown for a dim sum breakfast, complete with pork buns and chicken feet! The new foods don't stop there as Ma falls in love with sushi at first bite, and even tries insect tacos. The journey is capped off with Ma's favorite food, grilled cheese, but with a twist you could never guess.
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On Tuesday, February 14, 2017 from 10-11pm ET/7-8pm PT, Cooking Channel premiered the season finale of VINNY & MA EAT AMERICA by showing back-to-back new episodes. In the night's first new episode (10pm), "Hot Chicken and Truck-Stop Catfish," Vinny and his Ma, Paola, continue their foodie road trip by hitting up Nashville, home to many iconic foods. Ma discovers a new and unexpected favorite condiment, while Vinny tries the hottest chicken south of the Mason Dixon line. Then, Ma is enlightened when she tastes truck-stop catfish and even learns a new way to make bread in a type of oven she has never seen before. Then, in the season ender (10:30pm), "Frog Legs and Bananas Foster," the last stop on Vinny and his Ma's epic eating road trip brings them to New Orleans. Ma is unsure of many foods like alligator, but gives Vinny a taste of his own medicine when she orders him frog legs, a dish he vowed he would never eat. Then, a visit to the birthplace of bananas foster has the duo ending their road trip on a very sweet note.