Skift Q&A: How Zero Point Zero Makes Television's Best Travel Shows

Zero Point Zero produces Anthony Bourdain's Emmy-nominated series Parts Unknown, one of the most successful travel shows on U.S. television. But ask the co-founder and managing director and they'll say ZPZ doesn't create travel content.

ZPZ founders and Executive Producers Lydia Tenaglia and Chris Collins have worked with Anthony Bourdain since his first show, A Cook's Tour, aired on the Food Network. Partner and Managing Director Joe Caterini joined the group in 2009. Last year the team took the leap from the Travel Channel to CNN to launch the new series.

In addition to work with Bourdain, ZPZ has shows on the Sportsman Channel, The Weather Channel, Speed, the Travel Channel, Food Network, and PBS. On September 25, The Getaway premieres on the new Esquire Network. Anthony Bourdain comes on as executive producer for the show, which is similar to his Layover program but with celebs like Aisha Tyler, Joel McHale, and Aziz Ansari in his place.

The second season of Parts Unknown airs Sunday, September 15. And after closely following the first season, we were excited for the chance to sit down with Lydia, Joe, and Director of Digital Content Helen Cho earlier this summer.

We talked about the the vision and strategies behind Parts Unknown, the show's impact on the travel industry, the production company's internal travel agency, and a hint of what to expect from ZPZ in the future.

Skift: How does ZPZ and Anthony Bourdain turn a traditionally "soft" topic like travel into something that's more in-depth and challenging?

Lydia Tenaglia: The food is the entry point into the journey. We often have meals with people at tables but that's not the point. I think that from the very early days of Cook's Tour to present day we went from just a meal -- which I think we shot gorg