A group of Wisconsin fans enjoy a Saturday afternoon tailgate outside of Camp Randall.

In 1996, Cahn sold his house and his business, the New Orleans School of Cooking, and bought a motorhome and set out to explore what he calls “the new American community.” Now, in his 12th season, Cahn has traveled over 500,000 miles to more than 500 tailgate parties.

However, Cahn rarely attends the actual games.

“Too busy tailgating,” he says. “It’s a tough job, but somebody’s got to do it.”

Cahn regularly visits Camp Randall, Lambeau Field and Miller Park and admires the uniqueness of each stadium, specifically Camp Randall.

“The fun part about Wisconsin is that it’s one of the few major universities that doesn’t really have a parking lot, so all the tailgating is done on the street,” Cahn says. “People just tailgate wherever they can.”

Jeff Wendorf, the vice president of programs and outreach for the Wisconsin Alumni Association, organizes tailgate parties for UW-Madison alumni each year and appreciates the inventiveness of UW tailgates.

“I think there’s a lot of creativity on our campus, and I think people reflect their creativity in their tailgate parties,” Wendorf says. “The way people come dressed, the way people behave, the way they act, their spirit. It really personifies our tailgate parties.”

Wendorf has tailgated at each of the Big Ten Conference stadiums and remains loyal to his alma mater.

“The unique thing about our tailgate parties, whether it’s our organized tailgate parties we have here at the WAA or the tailgate parties that individuals are throwing, I think there’s a sense that we’re all in this together. This community of Badgers,” Wendorf says.

The camaraderie of tailgating serves as the fundamental concept behind “Tailgating America,” the official name of the website documenting Cahn’s nationwide tailgating journey.

“You aren’t judged by your economic status, your ethnic background, your race or the car you drive,” Cahn says. “You’re judged by one criteria and that’s what color jersey you have on. And as long as you have that color jersey, you’re part of this incredible collective.”

“There’s nothing like it really in this country,” Cahn adds. “Where 70,000 [to] 80,000 people gather on a Saturday or Sunday and talk to each other and realize that we have more in common than we have differences.”

In a world governed by the Internet and the latest social media fad, Cahn believes the community involvement factor of tailgating is more important than ever before.

“I am in the reality Facebook. … When somebody says, I want to be your friend, you’re looking at them in the eye instead of getting this little ‘Bing!’ notification,” Cahn says. “[Tailgating] is being a participant in your community rather than just being an observer.”

As a former chef and owner of a cooking school, Cahn also enjoys sampling the “food of America.”

“When we travel, we know the greatest compliment you can ever get is being invited into somebody’s home and eating a home-cooked meal,” Cahn says. “And that’s what tailgating is about.”