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DISCOVERY TRAVEL & LIVING'S RESIDENT GLUTTON FOR PUNISHMENT BOB BLUMER IS BACK WITH MORE EXTREME CULINARY CHALLENGES!

Bob Blumer has travelled the world, taking on each location's most well-known and most extreme culinary challenges. True to form, this GLUTTON FOR PUNISHMENT is back for more! From cracking coconuts in Hawaii to taking on sushi masters in San Diego, season four of GLUTTON FOR PUNISHMENT sees culinary bon vivant Bob continuing to break rank in a bid to beat masters at their own game with just five short days of training. 

Did you know that when cooked, stinging nettles lose their sting and actually taste like spinach? So, what's the big deal about eating them then? Well, if you're a GLUTTON FOR PUNISHMENT or if you're taking part in the Nettle Eating Competition in Dorset, England, you do it the hard way - eat them raw, along with Mother Nature's "condiments" such as caterpillars and other nettle-loving bugs! Among the other challenges that await Bob this season are kung fu tea pouring in Hangzhou, China, and ice cream making in Austin, Texas, and hand rolling bagels in Montreal, Canada.

Bob pushes himself harder and further than ever before to tackle extreme food challenges around the globe. It will be a long and hard journey - both psychological and physical - as he stakes his reputation before thousands. But no challenge is too intense for this GLUTTON FOR PUNISHMENT. Follow Bob on a journey that promises thrills, spills, and a fair share of bumps and scrapes, in the following episodes of GLUTTON FOR PUNISHMENT:

Kung Fu Tea Challenge
The Kung Fu Tea ceremony remains an important part of social etiquette in Hangzhou, China. This is no timid tea party though. Combining piping hot tea with martial art moves, the Kung Fu Tea ceremony requires the skill of "bartending" - the server must pour the tea from a great height and from behind his back with flair and precision. Bob's challenge is to master the tea ceremony and then perform it for a tough panel of judges. His skills will be critiqued at the Tai Ji Tea House where the tea master expects only one thing - perfection.

Nettle Eating
Stinging nettles are the British equivalent of poison ivy. Just brushing up against them will cause a painful rash. When cooked, however, nettles lose their sting and taste like spinach. But in the Nettle Eating Competition in Dorset, England, the nettles are eaten raw. Bob must train himself to endure intense pain while attempting to swallow 40 linear feet of raw nettles. Has Bob finally bitten off more than his (swollen) lips can chew?

Sushi Masters
Sushi has been a treasured part of Japanese culture for hundreds of years. These days, virtually every North American neighborhood seems to have a sushi joint. In this episode, Bob has five days to learn the intricacies of cutting raw fish, assembling a traditional sushi plate and creating his signature roll. Then he will go head-to-head against a seasoned group of sushi chefs in the Sushi Masters Competition - a live competition that showcases a mastery of sushi art and style. Bob's mentor has his work cut out for him since Bob has never made sushi in his life! By week's end, Bob will have to prove that he is ready to embrace the Zen of sushi. Will he come out of the competition with his knife held high?

Goat Milking
Bob has faced a lot of competitors in his day but he is about to meet his match - a mean-tempered 150-pound nanny goat. Bob must take on this milking dairy goat at the Goat Milking Competition in Pennsylvania - America's mecca for goat and sheep. To train for the big event, Bob works on a Paradise Gardens and Farm where he learns the proper technique of milking a goat. With his freshly pumped spoils, he will learn how to make products made with goat's milk such as unpasteurised milk and goat cheese. Then it is time for the contest where Bob must chase down his chosen goat, roll up his sleeves and get the most milk in a bucket in a timed event. Will Bob succeed or will he be udderly defeated?

Slice and Dice
Bob, a self-trained chef, has never had his culinary skills tested at a culinary institution. In this challenge, he will find out if his knife skills are sharp enough to compete against culinary professionals in a Knife Skills Competition at Kendall Culinary College in Chicago. He will take on the professionals in a triathlon knife skills challenge that includes culinary cuts, vegetable carving and the longest daikon radish roll. Whichever competitor is the fastest and executes with the most precision in the competition is the winner. Will Bob be able to slice and dice himself to victory or suffer a dull execution?

Ice Cream Making
In smoking hot Austin, Texas, ice cream is not just a treat, it is a lifesaver! At the Austin Ice Cream Festival, competitors make ice cream the old-fashioned way - by hand-cranking freezing cream until it sets. It takes a strong arm and considerable stamina but true ice cream purists know it is worth it. In his quest to take home the prize for best new flavour, Bob uses his nouvelle cuisine perspective to re-invent a classic. In true Bob style, he devises his own foot-crank bicycle ice-cream maker. But will it play in Texas?

Potato Peeling
Bloody fingers, cuts, scrapes and sore hands await Bob as he takes to the stage, grabs a peeler and strives to be the fastest at the annual Potato Days Peeling Contest in tiny Barnesville Minnesota. The inhabitants of Barnesville, one of the best potato producing areas in the US, pride themselves on their spuds. Bob finds himself against some stiff competition. Will Bob be able to beat his nimble-fingered competition?

Chinese Dumpling
Bob heads to a popular Chinese dumpling restaurant in Vancouver, where he will have five days to learn how to make dumplings in a fast-paced kitchen where screaming chefs slam out thousands of dumplings a day. Bob's task is to learn the most difficult one -xiao long bao (soup dumpling) - a dumpling with a complex filling and 24 intricate folds. Bob then goes head-to-head against Dim Sum Pros in a Dumpling Making Competition at the Night Market. There, Bob and his competitors have five minutes to roll and fold the dumplings, steam them and serve them to the judging panel. Does Bob have what it takes or will he end up crying in his soup (dumpling)?

Bagel Roll-off
Bob loves bagels but mastering the art of the hand-rolled Montreal bagel takes time that he does not have. In five short days, Bob has to learn how to make this legendary Montreal staple from start to finish. Bob then has to tackle the toughest skill of the process, hand-rolling perfect bagels before he goes before the entire team of bakers at the famous St Viateur Bakery, in a challenge to roll 44 bagels in just five short minutes. Can Bob rise to the challenge or will he get toasted?

Coconut Husking
Bob is strong but does he have the strength to rip the husk off a bundle of coconuts in seconds with his bare hands? He had better be, to compete in the 13th Annual Coconut Festival. Bob trains by learning the proper technique of removing the husk from his Polynesian teacher, a master in all things coconut. With his freshly cracked coconuts, he will travel to the island of Kauai to discover the many uses of this delicious nut, from making coconut milk to creating haupia, a traditional Hawaiian coconut pudding. Will he be able to endure this challenging competition, or will it drive him nuts?

Gumbo Cook-off
Bob is put to the test to see if he has what it takes to win the Gumbo cook-off in New Iberia, Louisiana - The Gumbo Capital of the World. They mean business in New Iberia and they want to show this Hot Shot from Hollywood that he might as well quit before he even begins! Bob's training for the competition includes learning what makes a tasty gumbo from local champs. He also ventures into the muddy swamps of Louisiana to catch the ingredients for his creation. Does he have what it takes to beat these local competitors, or will Bob's perception of "The Big Easy" change when the competition starts?

Edible Car
Bob loves cars and food but he has never combined them. This changes when he is pitted against elite engineering students in the Edible Car Competition at Brown University. Students build and race vehicles made entirely out of food ranging from loaves of bread to butternut squash. Bob sees how the food is repurposed back into the land through compost and sustainability plans while touring local farms and working at Brown University's own cafeteria. Can Bob outwit some of Brown University's brightest sparkplugs to create the ultimate speed racer or will he be left in the dust by a vehicle made out of rice cakes and zucchini?

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