Josh Rosen on Who He Was Before Dirt, His Favorite Off-Camera Moments, and More

I thought I knew what to expect when I sat down with Josh Rosen, host of Dirt, a Huckberry travel and adventure series that follows the former pro snowboarder around the world exploring food cultures, connecting with local farmers and chefs, and of course, getting a little wild.

But I was surprised to hear how transformative the show has been for him. Not only has it changed the way Rosen imagines a collective future; it has changed the way he imagines his own.

“I just want to be engaged with people, telling stories,” Rosen told Outside. “Dirt has made that clear.” Rosen and his team have spent nearly 200 days on the road immersing themselves in 16 vibrant cultures. “It’s brought me joy,” he says. “[Dirt] has helped me shed ego. And understanding people and their experiences has brightened my horizons in a way I never expected.”

“So this will be the heart of your work forever?” I asked him.

“Yeah. I’ve found it.”

Who Was Josh Rosen Before Dirt?

If you’ve followed Rosen’s career (or if you’ve seen the show) you know he’s a bit of an adventure junkie. He grew up skiing, then built a career as a professional snowboarder in his late teens through early 20s. Snowboarding is still one of his greatest passions. “And I push myself harder each year,” Rosen told Outside from a helicopter in Alaska headed for a run.

Rosen’s career had shifted to apparel before becoming the host of Dirt (fashion being another one of his passions). When he and the show’s director/producer Kate West connected for the first time, he was living in New York City growing Saturdays Surf NYC, a clothing brand that mixes coastal surf vibes with New York City edge. West was the director of Stoked Mentoring at the time, a nonprofit that helps underserved youth discover action sports. West rented out space in the back of Rosen’s brick and mortar for an event.

“We just had this connective energy,” he says.

In 2018, Rosen decided to take a couple of years off from apparel to see if he could find a way to make a living doing what he loves: discovering, traveling, and engaging with people. He moved to Seattle, unaware that West decided to do the same by relocating to Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

“Serendipitously, Kate West reached out from Huckberry and said she was working on a project,” Rosen says. The two started dreaming up the show.

“I come from snowboarding and she comes from independent film. And so, when we came together, there was this idea that I bring the adventure and she brings the ability to dig into a place and understand it on deeper levels.” The two accessed both of those energies and harnessed them to make the show. The pitch stuck and things took off in 2021.

“[Josh] is a real unicorn in a lot of ways,” West says. “My mantra on set is ‘fun is fun.’ Josh is fun. People love being around him.”

Rosen’s Favorite Off-Camera Moments

“Dirt is a true reality show,” Rosen says. “We don’t script anything. The show is a complete expression of our journey.”

Some of the best travel moments happen spontaneously. “When we travel to these places we are just non-stop traveling, meeting people,” Rosen says. “Oftentimes you’ll meet someone who will say, ‘Hey, you should go see my uncle’s farm on the way out of here. He’s right on the way and he’s got these special pigs. You’ve got to see these pigs.'”

While in New Zealand, a Māori guide who was helping the crew explore local hot springs for the show offered to take them cliff-jumping. “He’s really interesting. He was in a punk rock band back in the day and he sort of still keeps that energy,” Rosen says. The man’s home was on a small, nearby lake, surrounded by cliffs to jump from.

“I perked up,” Rosen says. “And it was one of those beautiful, natural transitions to this guy’s home that we couldn’t show. Being invited into somebody’s home is a really beautiful experience because it’s unfiltered.”

True Farm-to-Table

In each episode of Dirt, Rosen explores unique, local culinary experiences before setting out to harvest ingredients. He brings those ingredients back to the featured chef for a “final meal,” a true reflection of farm-to-table eating. The story behind every meal reveals a connection to the source, its seasonal benefits, and how the food supports local communities.

“[In America,] you spend $200 on a bag of groceries because it all says organic,” Rosen says. “But then you go to places where they’re consuming food where people were careful and thoughtful about every piece from the beginning to your plate, and you recognize the difference.”

“What we found out early on, is that it’s not ‘you are what you eat;’ it’s you are what the thing you’re eating ate,” Rosen says. “If the animals are grazing on wild pastures, they’re eating the most nutrient dense things, like clovers and all these really beautiful grasses, then of course that milk is going to be really special.”

Rosen’s Favorite Episode and Favorite Dish

Dirt Newfoundland is the last episode to drop, and Rosen’s favorite so far. It’s a fun one, because unlike the other destinations, he had no idea what to expect this time around. “I found that it’s a place of extreme isolation,” Rosen says. “There’s no way to fly there direct. It was 20 hours to get there, even though it’s just on the other side of the country.”

“Newfoundland slows people down,” Rosen says. People have migrated there from places like Europe and built a world around fishing. “There’s no tourism industry. It’s like you understand when you’re born there that you’re going to be a fisherman or you’re going to be a beekeeper,” Rosen says. “It’s the most culturally interesting place I’ve ever been, and it’s in Canada—just this little rock floating in the ocean existing in this beautiful way.”

And the people really opened up. “People are so excited to share their beautiful pasture of goose hunting or whatever it is, that no one has ever asked them about,” Rosen says. “But when you get in it, there’s just this incredibly beautiful, rich, dense history that they’re sort of sharing for the first time, and you really feel like you’re discovering something.”

As for all the culinary magic he’s experienced, Rosen has a favorite one of those, too.

In Newfoundland, you have a short amount of time to gather food. “They have really long, really cold winters,” Rosen says. “A lot of the food that you’re eating has to be reconstituted or kept in these root cellars, which is this whole amazing world, these little holes in the ground that are beautiful.”

The locals take codfish that’s been salted and reconstitute it and crisp it, then mix it with things like potatoes. “Then it’s got this beautiful buttery flavor around it. My mouth is watering now,” Rosen says.

The dish is a local staple that made its way to Newfoundland by an established trade route to the Caribbean. “Newfoundlanders wanted rum and sugar and in the Caribbean, they have plenty of fish,” he says. “And the cod fish has a flavor and a texture that is unique, that you long for.” Newfoundlanders travel 3,000 miles to retrieve it.

“Without being forced, just a naturally made route,” I said.

“It’s just so romantic. Right?”

What Kate West Hopes We All Learn From Dirt

“I was so motivated to reconnect with the world in meaningful ways,” West told Outside. “As a mother I wanted to show my kids a perspective of the world that encouraged them to slurp up life and embrace wonder.”

West intentionally crafted Dirt as a hunt that pays off.  “Beyond that, there is no formula. Each episode inspires a different curiosity that I set free and I just follow the trail.”

But at the heart of the show is the power of human connection. “I believe this on an almost spiritual level: that there is something bigger than the individual and that this connection is what gives life meaning,” West says.

“I hope that’s what this inspires in others. It’s really not that scary out there.”

You can watch the latest episode of DIRT on Outside TV or on the Outside channel on Samsung and Roku. New episodes will drop mid-April. You can also shop each episode’s gear.