Sam Zien , known as Sam the Cooking Guy , is a Canadian-born television cook , Youtube personality and cookbook author , based in San Diego , California . Zien 's career in television began after quitting his job as an executive for a San Diego pharmaceutical company . In 2001 , after a poorly timed effort to begin a career in travel television &mdash; that was unfortunately derailed by the September 11 attacks &mdash; he switched his focus to a cooking show . He produced his own test screening and distributed the tape to local San Diego television stations . San Diego 's Fox affiliate XETV-TDT offered him a 2 &ndash; 3 minute slot during its morning news program . The job was unpaid — a situation that changed after his work earned a Regional Emmy from the National Television Academy 's Pacific Southwest Chapter
September 11 attacks
September 11 attacks
Sam Zien