We’ve made it to 100 episodes, and it feels like we’re just getting started. Thank you for listening—we have some amazing things in the works and can’t wait to share them with you. Our guest this episode is a legend in the food podcasting world. Dan Pashman is the creator and host of the long-running podcast The Sporkful. In this fun conversation, we learn about how Dan pivoted his career from producing radio (including a stint with Marc Maron at Air America) to launching his own series that dives deep into all areas of food. We discuss what makes a great Sporkful episode and learn about Dan’s recent adventure of inventing a pasta shape. How do you invent a pasta shape? We’ll find out. We also ask Dan about some of his home cooking adventures and hear about an exciting new book in the works.Additional Reading and Listening:Everything You Need to Know About Cascatelli [The Sporkful]Are The Jell-O Heirs Cursed? [The Sporkful]Are Shallots Bull$#!t?  [The Sporkful]See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For coffee fans and professionals, there is no more critical resource than the website and media company Sprudge, and we were really happy to have a lively conversation with Sprudge’s cofounder Jordan Michelman. While we do discuss the evolution of the so-called third-wave coffee bar around the globe, we also dive into Jordan’s career in journalism and discuss some of his memorable stories for TASTE and beyond. He won a James Beard Award for his PUNCH story on mineral water, and we talk about how he reports on topics with an interest that borders on obsession.Buy: The New Rules of Coffee Additional Reading:The Future of Ice Cream Is Here, and It’s Vegan [TASTE]Seltzer Is Over. Mineral Water Is Forever. [PUNCH]My Favorite Cold Brew Isn’t Cold Brew at All [TASTE]What Your Hangover Food Says About You [TASTE]See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For many followers of the home cooking internet, Jenny Rosenstrach’s Dinner: A Love Story has been a steady hand holding the whisk for the past decade. She recently released the New York Times best seller The Weekday Vegetarians. As the name suggests, Jenny’s vision is of a world where plant-based eating becomes more of a Monday-through-Friday habit than a life-altering stricture. In this fun conversation, we talk about cookbooks, writing a weekly newsletter, and what’s next for one of our favorite food writers around.Also in this episode, TASTE editors Anna Hezel and Matt Rodbard discuss three things each of them have been excited to eat, cook, match, and read lately.Additional Reading, Listening, and Cooking:The Weekday Approach to Eating Less Meat [TASTE]The Roast Chicken Conspiracy [Cup of Jo]Black Calamari Orzo [Kalustyans]Should You Write a Cookbook? [Everything Cookbooks]See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

If you’re a fan of recipes that make clever use of a handful of ingredients and a few swift moves in the kitchen, then chances are, you’ve probably cooked an Ali Slagle recipe. Maybe it was her margherita pizza reimagined as beans on toast, or maybe it was her oat milk chocolate pudding. Ali’s new book, I Dream of Dinner, is full of these types of recipes that manage to be both wildly efficient and gently playful at the same time. In this episode, we talk about the book and Ali’s life on the road this past year, developing recipes from a camper van.Also in this episode, TASTE editors Anna Hezel and Matt Rodbard discuss three things each of them have been excited to eat, cook, or read lately.Check out Ali’s Book: I Dream of DinnerAdditional Reading:I’ve Made Everything from Gnocchi to Mapo To ] fu in My Camper Van’s Kitchen [The Strategist]Masa Harina Cornbread [Los Angeles Times]Eric Kim’s Maple Milk Bread [The New York Times]See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We’ve long been fans of Jenny G. Zhang’s incisive journalism and podcasting, and we couldn’t wait to have the current Gawker editor and writer on the show. In this wide-ranging conversation, we talk about food in the time of TikTok, Zhang’s memorable 2018 Eater story about Pizza Hut in China, and the regular food she covers in her Gawker column Regular Food Reviews. We also talk about the world of NFTs in food. Additional Reading and Listening:American Pie [Eater]Why do people on TikTok Chew Like This? [Gawker]I’m Sick of Scrolling Past Essays to Get to Recipes I’m Not Paying For [Eater]Give Your Dumpling a Crispy Skirt [TASTE]See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On today’s episode, we have a great conversation with Emily Weinstein, the Food and Cooking editor of the New York Times. We’ve been great admirers of the work at NYT Cooking, and we took the opportunity to cover many subjects in home cooking and food media. We talk about what makes a great story and some of the cooking trends Weinstein is most interested in covering. We also discuss Weinstein’s long journey working at the paper, starting as a dining listings fact-checker and rising to various editorial roles, eventually taking the top spot. Also on the episode, TASTE editors Anna Hezel and Matt Rodbard have a discussion about language, particularly the words they’ve effectively banned from the pages of TASTE. Can you guess what they are?Additional Reading:Subscribe to Emily’s newsletter: Five Weeknight Dishes The Fish That Makes Me Want to Cook [New York Times]One Huge Hog, One Long Day and a Nourishing Southern Tradition [New York Times]Why Does Every Recipe Have to Be Magic? [TASTE]See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today on the TASTE Podcast, we’re talking to Nisha Melvani, the author of Practically Vegan. Nisha is the creator of the website and Instagram account Cooking for Peanuts, a source for colorful, practical, no-nonsense plant-based recipes. We talk about how much range cashews have as an ingredient for creamy dishes, and about why tempeh has such a bad reputation (and how to make it taste truly delicious). We also discuss how using less salt can actually make you a much better cook.Also on the show, TASTE editors Anna Hezel and Matt Rodbard return with a Three Things segment. Matt is excited about two upcoming barbecue cookbooks and Anna discusses her tinned fish storage situ, while shouting out some favorite recipes from Caroline Schiff and Sohla El-Waylly.Check out Nisha’s book: Practically VeganAdditional Reading:Caroline Schiff’s Salted Honey Focaccia [TASTE]Yurrita Boquerones in Vinegar [Fresh Direct]Sohla El-Waylly’s Braised Lamb Shoulder with Dried Chiles and Dates [Serious Eats]See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On today’s episode, we have a really fun conversation with the one and only J. Kenji López-Alt. As the author of The Food Lab, Kenji has been a guiding force in home cooking for over a decade. He’s back with a new book, The Wok: Recipes and Techniques, and we discuss creative ways to cook with one of the best tools around. We go all the way back to the heady days of early Serious Eats, a time when food blogging was starting to find its footing, and Kenji reflects on his time working at the scrappy start-up. We also talk about some of his favorite condiments and spices and what foods he enjoys most in the kitchen.Additional Reading: A Lamb Stew With a French Onion Twist [New York Times]The Scientific Methods of J. Kenji López-Alt [Seattle Met]J. Kenji López-Alt says Seattle’s bagels are as good as New York’s [Seattle Times]See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On today’s episode, we’re sitting down with longtime food writer and cookbook author Cathy Barrow. Cathy’s the author of Mrs. Wheelbarrow’s Practical Pantry, Pie Squared, and When Pies Fly. Her most recent book, Bagels, Schmears, and a Nice Piece of Fish, makes the case for bagels at home. As she points out, if you throw together the dough before bed and proof it in the refrigerator overnight, boiling and baking in the morning is a complete breeze. We discussed some of the biggest bagel myths and truths out there. It turns out that using New York City tap water isn’t really a necessity, but getting the right flour is.Check out Cathy’s book: Bagels, Schmears, and a Nice Piece of Fish Pick up Some Ingredients for Bagels at Home:High-Gluten FlourNon-Diastatic Malt PowderPumpernickel FlourSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today on the show we are speaking with one of the clearest and most singular voices in Italian cooking in New York City, Missy Robbins. In the episode, we turn back the clock to the heady days of Missy running two major NYC restaurants in the late aughts, as well as discuss her current hit Brooklyn restaurants Lilia and Misi. We also talk about her new cookbook, Pasta: The Spirit and Craft of Italy’s Greatest Food, with Recipes, which she wrote with our former TASTE colleague and friend Talia Baiocchi. We find out about the duo’s extensive research and reporting, and how the book has taken off online since it was released last fall. Have you spotted folks stamping out pasta coins on the internet? We have.Additional Reading:45 Pasta Shapes and Counting [TASTE]Recipe: Spaghetti alla Puttanesca [Pasta]Recipe: Spaghetti with Colatura and Bread Crumbs [Pasta]Buy the book: Pasta: The Spirit and Craft of Italy’s Greatest Food, with RecipesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, we’re sitting down with Mark Canha, the biggest food personality in Major League Baseball. Mark is an itinerant diner who documents his eating and cooking on Instagram as @bigleaguefoodie. We asked him about his pregame eating rituals, as well as some of the restaurants in New York that he’s most excited to check out as a new player for the New York Mets. We also talked about some untapped markets for Italian stadium food served in plastic souvenir helmet bowls.Later in this episode, hosts Matt Rodbard and Anna Hezel catch up about the most exciting things they’ve cooked and eaten in the last few weeks.Additional Reading:In Singapore, Lunar New Year is a Multicultural Feast [New York Times]Skillet Greens with Runny Eggs, Peas, and Pancetta [New York Times]NY Indonesian Food Bazaar [Facebook]Smorgasburg LADanny Boy’s Famous Original See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For the past year and a half, Daniela Galarza has written one of our favorite things on the internet: a four-day-a-week cooking column for the Washington Post food section, Eat Voraciously. In this episode, we hear about Daniela’s journey from pastry cook and private chef to holding down editorial jobs at LA Weekly, Eater, and the Post. We also talk about some of the great work she’s done as a writer for TASTE, particularly focusing on pastry and desserts. And she answers the burning questions of the day: What makes a great recipe, and what makes a great food newsletter? Additional reading:The Tart That Launched a Thousand Tarts [TASTE]Spain’s Burnt Cheesecake Breaks All the Rules [TASTE]Big Crisp Energy [TASTE]How do you like to cook your least favorite veggies? We’ve got ideas, too. [WaPo]See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today on the show, we’re catching up with Gary Shteyngart, a New York Times best-selling novelist and food writer who has written memorable books including The Russian Debutante’s Handbook, Super Sad True Love Story, and his most recent work, the rollicking pandemic satire Our Country Friends. In this episode, we talk about some of Shteyngart’s world travels, both as a hired gun and for fun, as well as what he’s eating and drinking in his Upstate New York home. We also remember New York City restaurants from the 1990s and early 2000s, including fond memories of the long-lost Meatpacking District bistro Florent, which plays a role in his most recent novel.Check out Gary Shteyngart’s recent book Our Country Friends.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On today’s episode of the podcast, we’re talking to Fany Gerson, the pastry chef mastermind behind La Newyorkina, Dough, and, most recently, Fan-Fan Doughnuts in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn. In addition to making some of New York’s most legendary doughnuts, Fany has written extensively about the paletas, ice creams, and other sweets of Mexico, where she grew up. We talked about the secret ingredient that makes her yeasted doughnuts special, how the fan-fan (her signature eclair-like doughnut baton) came about, and some of the best, often-overlooked Mexican food in New York.Later on the show, hosts Anna Hezel and Matt Rodbard discuss the ever-present, ever-evolving world of fad diets.Additional Reading:Mexican Desserts and the Magical Can [TASTE]Inside Fany Gerson’s Brand-new Doughnut Shop [Grub Street]The Best Advice After Trying Every Fad Diet? Just Eat. [TASTE]When SnackWell’s Was the Flavor of Permissible Indulgence [TASTE]The Summer of Halo Top [TASTE]Buy Fany’s cookbooks: My Sweet Mexico, Paletas, Mexican Ice CreamSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today on the show, we’re talking to Hrishikesh Hirway, the musician behind The One AM Radio, the podcaster behind The West Wing Weekly and Song Exploder, and the host of Netflix’s adaptation of Song Exploder. In addition to collaborating with Yo-Yo Ma and interviewing musicians like Michael Stipe and Alicia Keys, Hrishikesh is also the cohost, with Samin Nosrat, of Home Cooking, which has quickly become one of our favorite food podcasts during the pandemic. We talked about the joys of savory oatmeal, lessons learned from hosting a call-in show about cooking, and a very special mango pie. We also got to hear about an exciting new EP that’s hot off the presses.Additional reading and listening:Accept Cookies [Substack]A Very American Mango Pie, Inspired by Indian Aunties [The New York Times]Song Exploder, The West Wing Weekly, Home CookingSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today on the show, we have a colorful conversation with Cara Nicoletti, a fourth-generation butcher, writer, and cofounder of the vegetable-centric sausage company Seemore Meats & Veggies. We’ve fallen hard for these sausages, which are made with 35 percent vegetables, and we wanted to have Cara on the podcast to talk about how she went from working at the legendary Meat Hook butcher shop in Brooklyn to disrupting the sausage game. We also talk about the many problems with the massive investment and growth of the plant-based meat megacompanies, and how TASTE readers can buy better at their local butcher shops.Also on the program, hosts Anna Hezel and Matt Rodbard discuss all things chicken soup: the many versions made around the world, and how the recipe is interpreted in some of our favorite recent cookbooks. Matt also remembers many a fine bowl of Detroit Lions’ loss chicken soup. Additional reading:Can Chicken Soup Save Us? [TASTE]Samgyetang: Korean Ginseng Chicken Soup [TASTE]Cooking At Home by David Change and Priya KrishnaSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On today’s episode, Anna sits down with longtime chef and sustainable seafood advocate Bart van Olphen. The Dutch chef has written many cookbooks for an international audience (including several on the topic of tinned fish), and he’s the founder of Sea Tales, a company that sells sustainable canned tuna, anchovies, and sardines. They talked about why tinned fish is having a moment, how to shop responsibly for seafood, and Bart’s newest book, Veggies & Fish.Later on the show, Anna talks to author and alternative medicine advocate Deepak Chopra about mindful holiday eating and why the self-care industrial complex might not be such a bad thing. Deepak has some thoughts about how to eat well (and thoughtfully), even in the midst of a hectic travel schedule or a deluge of holiday celebrations.Buy the books: Veggies & Fish, by Bart van OlphenTotal Meditation, by Deepak ChopraSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

One morning this fall, Matt found himself in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, seated in the front yard of Edy’s Grocer, the remarkable deli and specialty food shop run by the amazing young entrepreneur Edy Massih, who joins him on the show today. Massih formerly worked as a caterer, and during the pandemic, he took over a storefront and began selling all sorts of delicious foods—all with a modern and exciting point of view. There’s a long list of mezze—Lebanese small plates like baba ganoush, rosy ricotta, and za’atar goat cheese—as well as harissa paste, jams, oils, and packaged spice rubs. It’s a delightful shop, cared for with the greatest eye for detail and deliciousness. We find out how the store began and how its ambitious owner is making things work during this challenging time to be running a food business. Additional reading:Edy Massih Wants to Be 'the Middle Eastern Martha Stewart' [Grub Street]The Dish: Chef Edy Massih on Lebanese roots, new shop [CBS This Morning]He Rescued an NYC Deli So He Could Share Lebanese Food With the World [The Manual]See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Matt met author and television writer Jean Kyoung Frazier through Instagram during last year’s NBA playoffs. She is a Los Angeles Clippers fan, he’s a Brooklyn Nets fan, and they had a lot to talk about. But what most inspired the exchange, and eventually this episode, is Jean’s novel Pizza Girl, which is based partially in a suburban Los Angeles pizzeria. We speak with Jean about how she writes about food in her fiction, as well as not writing about food on Law & Order: Organized Crime. We also talk about her upbringing in Southern California—the food, the hoops, and how pizza topped with pickles plays as a critical plot point in her work.  Also on the show, hosts Anna Hezel and Matt Rodbard talk about some of the winter cooking projects and goals they will be undertaking during the colder months ahead. We go through a year of buying cookbooks and clipping recipes on the internet, but sometimes we run out of time to actually make them. Winter is a time to make things happen, and your cohosts have some thoughts about cannelloni, kimbap, khao soi, chocoflan, fresh tortillas, and pan pizza.Additional reading:Writing Toward Feeling: An Interview with Jean Kyoung Frazier [The Rumpus]Long Distance with Jean Kyoung Frazier [Literary Arts]Buy the book: Pizza GirlSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

If you’ve caught some of the exciting new writing coming from the relaunch of Gawker, you may have read some food writing by Tammie Teclemariam, who’s been taking down moka pots, making the case for buying a whole ham, and lauding the Black Russian as a far superior alternative to the espresso martini craze. Tammie’s also written for TASTE about the virtues of fried chicken livers, how Caraflex is the ultimate cabbage flex, and why mozzarella in carrozza is the fanciest iteration of a grilled cheese. We talked about some of the joys (and terrors) of whole-ham ownership, as well as a few unexpectedly cool ideas for holiday drinking.After recording the episode, it was announced that Tammie will be New York Magazine’s first ever Diner-at-Large. You can follow along with her eating and writing in 2022 here.Also on this episode, hosts Anna Hezel and Matt Rodbard dive into the topic of nonalcoholic drinks for celebratory occasions—all of the sodas, seltzers, and beers that are worth pulling out for a toast, including drinks from Kimino, Casamara Club, and Athletic Brewing. Finally, Matt recalls his grandma Gert’s stash of Canfield’s Diet Chocolate Fudge in Highland Park, Illinois.    Additional reading:On the Acquisition and Maintenance of a Ham [Gawker]Moka Pots Make Shitty Coffee [Gawker]If You “Like” Espresso Martinis You’ll Love the Black Russian [Gawker]Have You Fried a Chicken Liver Lately? [TASTE]The Grilled Cheese Gets Regal [TASTE]The Year I Ate New York [New York Magazine]See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Samah Dada is the brainpower behind Dada Eats, a recipe blog that has blossomed into a plant-based lifestyle brand. We got to know Samah a few years back at a TASTE Podcast taping at Books Are Magic, and we have been following her career as she’s grown from Today Show production assistant to author of Dada Eats: Love to Cook It. In this interview, we talk about her recipes for chocolate chip cookie pie and the “best dal ever” (controversial!) while diving into her understated and, we'd say, highly seasoned take on plant-based cooking. Samah’s vibe is fun and approachable, and the lack of meat and dairy in her recipes is sorta less emphasized. We also talk about the challenge of baking with avocado and her time working food TV.Additional reading:How Samah Dada Got The Confidence To Share More Personal Recipes [Cherry Bombe]Chocolate chip cookie pie [Dada Eats]2 Easy Plant-Based Dinner Recipes For When You're Cooking Solo [Today]Buy the book: Dada Eats: Love to Cook ItSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Our guest today needs little introduction—but if you didn’t grow up watching cooking on television over the past 20 years, here’s the deal. Jamie Oliver pioneered a form of food television that brought cameras into the home in a way not previously seen. When the Naked Chef debuted on BBC Two in the UK and the Food Network in the United States in 1999, home cooking on TV was a stand-and-stir affair. Here, a young and floppy Oliver was cooking real food from a cool East London flat, talking viewers through the relative simplicity of making dinner. Oliver has gone on to write numerous cookbooks (selling 50 million in the UK alone) and create food TV that expanded beyond cooking, producing documentaries about the sugar industry and school lunches that transitioned his work from dude food evangelist to heartier activism. Oliver was a joy to have on the program, and we talk about the early days of his television career, working at the River Café with the legends Ruth Rogers and Rose Gray, and a pressing question: Blur vs. Oasis (while discussing bassist turned cheese maker Alex James). We also learn about his latest book, Together: Memorable Meals Made Easy. Additional reading and viewing:Jamie Oliver’s first TV appearance in 1997 [YouTube]It’s Not Always Excellent to Be Jamie Oliver [The New York Times]Keep Cooking and Carry On [Jamie Oliver website]See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The truly unique food worldview of chef and entrepreneur Lucas Sin is shaped by a Hong Kong upbringing, a US education, and a deep love for culinary history, which we talk about in this entertaining interview with one of the food world’s rising stars. We also discuss his love of the Midwest—Michigan in particular—and how his work at his restaurants, Junzi and Nice Day, is partially based on a drive to “reeducate” Americans about Chinese American food, which represents over 45,000 independent mom-and-pop restaurants around the country. And if you haven’t followed Lucas on Instagram, you are missing out.Also on this episode, cohosts Anna Hezel and Matt Rodbard talk about cooking the whole fish! There are many techniques being presented in the recent crop of cookbooks released this fall. They debunk some of the myths about the difficulty of cooking the whole fish (it needn’t be hard), and they each share some of their fondest memories of cooking whole fish at home and enjoying it around the world.Additional reading:A Course Correction for American Chinese Food [TASTE]Best New Chefs 2021: Lucas Sin [Food & Wine]1 Fried Rice, 4 Ways [YouTube]Grab That Whole Fish By the Tail [TASTE]See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Archestratus is Paige Lipari’s Greenpoint, Brooklyn, café and cookbook store. For over six years, the store—stacked neatly with copies of new and used titles, as well as dusty magazines and long-forgotten reference materials, with a stellar Sicilian restaurant attached—has become one of New York City’s go-to spots for exceptionally curated book browsing paired with molten arancini. In this episode, we speak with Lipari about how one of the country’s finest cookbook stores survived the pandemic—and eventually grew, with a recent expansion. We also talk about many of her favorite fall cookbooks, just in time for the holiday book buying season. Have you picked up a title today? Archestratus will have what you are looking for.Also on the show, we speak with Cathy Erway. She’s a journalist, podcast hosting legend, and TASTE columnist. We talk about some of her recent work, including stories about sugar, sesame oil, and chile powder. We also discuss her recent cookbook collaboration, and the process of collaborating on cookbooks with chefs more broadly.Additional reading:How Many Chile Powders Does Your Kitchen Need? [TASTE]When White Sugar Won’t Do [TASTE]Spring for the Good Sesame Oil Already [TASTE]Visit Archestratus online at: archestrat.us/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Vallery Lomas is a former Washington, DC, lawyer, a current New York City food writer and restaurant chronicler, and the author of a wonderful new cookbook, Life Is What You Bake It. Vallery also competed on—and won— season 3 of The Great American Baking Show. In this interview, we talk a little bit about her season of the show, which unfortunately never aired because of many allegations made against one of the judges. We also tackle some of the baking world’s biggest questions—we’re talking cookie vs. brownie and mint vs. white chocolate.Also on the show, cohosts Anna Hezel and Matt Rodbard talk about one of the greatest culinary achievements in the history of food (at least to one of the hosts): ranch dressing. They discuss what defines ranch, the beauty of ranch on pizza, and how ranch may need a little PR. Well, here is some PR!Additional reading:Vallery Lomas and Ruby Tandoh on New Cookbooks and Old Food Media [TASTE]Leah Chase Expanded Horizons for Black Women in Food [TASTE]Ranch Isn’t a Dressing. It’s a Lifestyle. [TASTE]  Buy the book: Life Is What You Bake It   See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

There are plenty of things we take for granted about walking into a grocery store: the fluorescent lights, the astoundingly inexpensive milk, the neatly stacked boxes of Nabisco cookies. But as Benjamin Lorr uncovers in his book The Secret Life of Groceries, there’s more than meets the eye. Lorr went undercover as a Whole Foods fishmonger, boarded a shrimp-fishing boat in Thailand, and rode along with a truck driver in a quest to understand some of the unseen economics and labor that fuel our everyday commodities. In this episode, we talk about supply chain disruptions, neighborhood grocery tastemakers, and the origins of Trader Joe’s.Also on the show, Anna sits down with author and journalist Leah Koenig to discuss the burgeoning world of TikTok and Instagram foraging.Additional reading:It Was a Big Year for TikTok Foraging [TASTE]Benjamin Lorr’s ‘The Secret Life of Groceries’ Book Being Adapted As TV Docuseries [Deadline]Buy the book: The Secret Life of GroceriesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Our old friend and former TASTE columnist Priya Krishna has had a meteoric rise in food media, starting in the marketing department at Lucky Peach and going on to roles at Bon Appétit and, most recently, the New York Times, where she is a star reporter on the Food desk. In this interview, we talk about the new book she wrote with David Chang, Cooking at Home, and how they both set out to write a book that was original, opinionated, and clearly not the Momofuku Cookbook 2.0. We also talk about some of her recent stories at the New York Times, as well as in the pages of TASTE.Also on the show, Anna Hezel speaks with Adam Erace, author of a recent hit story about the godfather sandwich, a mainstay in delis on the East Coast. We found out how the sandwich takes on many personalities—and was not necessarily inspired by the film that shares its name.Additional reading:Was Cast Iron Almost Canceled? [TASTE]The Vegan Jerky Industrial Complex [TASTE]Why Do American Grocery Stores Still Have an Ethnic Aisle? [The New York Times]The Godfather Sandwich Is Everything and Nothing [TASTE]Buy the book: Cooking at HomeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jesse Szewczyk is a talented food stylist, recipe developer, and author of a new cookbook, Cookies: The New Classics. Were you hoping for some inspiration for your planned holiday cookie swap? He has some really creative takes on classic cookies, including Smoked Butter Chocolate Chunks and Cacio e Pepe Slice and Bakes. In this episode, we talk about his unique creative process, in which he comes up with the cookie name first and then backs into the actual recipe development—a bold move indeed. We discuss his former life as a corporate recipe developer, helping develop concepts for major fast food and QSR chains like Buffalo Wild Wings, Sizzler, and the granddaddy of them all, Taco Bell.Also on the show, cohosts Anna Hezel and Matt Rodbard talk about some of their favorite cookbooks, both big and small, being released this fall. They discuss books about Chicago pizza, New York pizza, Southern baking, sustainable meat, and the latest from Dorie Greenspan and Sandor Katz.Additional reading:Brown Butter–Bourbon Rice Krispies Treats [Food52]Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies [The Kitchn]Parmesan Cheesecake Bars [TASTE]Buy the book: Cookies: The New ClassicsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

You may know him as the friendly face who joins Julia Child on-screen to cook crêpes Suzette with precision and to improvise with big hunks of pork in Julia & Jacques Cooking at Home. Or you may know him from one of the most viral omelet instructional videos of all time. But lately, the celebrated 85-year-old chef, TV personality, and author has been focusing on cooking what’s growing in his garden, painting chickens, and showing the internet how to prepare a meal on a tight budget. In this episode, Anna Hezel speaks to Jacques Pépin about some of these recent passions—and why nonstick pans are so key to making a perfect omelet.Also on the show, Matt Rodbard catches up with Adam Reiner, the founder of the Restaurant Manifesto and the author of a recent TASTE story about the brilliant cookbook manuscript left behind by late pastry chef Gina DePalma.Additional reading:When Jacques Pépin Made All the World an Omelet [TASTE]The Pastry Chef’s Lost Cookbook [TASTE]See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We are BACK, and have some incredible interviews lined up on the freshly relaunched TASTE Podcast. One of those interviews is with Eric Kim. Eric has a signature style with his food writing and journalism, which has appeared frequently in the New York Times, Food52, and other publications. He blends a truly lyrical style of prose with deep reporting chops and a knack for simple and highly focused recipe development—a rare triple threat! In this conversation, Eric talks about some of his hit recipes in the Times, and he shares details about his forthcoming cookbook Korean American, out next March. We also talk about how crushing deadlines can sometimes inspire a genius recipe idea.Also on the show, cohosts Anna Hezel and Matt Rodbard discuss what they’ve been up to for the past two years and how the TASTE Podcast is coming back bigger, bolder, and featuring 100 percent more ranch dressing.Additional Eric Kim reading:The Perfect Dinner for Two [New York Times Magazine]What’s in Your Second Fridge? [TASTE]The Best Coffee Break Is an Affogato [New York Times]Preorder Eric's book: Korean AmericanSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The TASTE Podcast has brought some incredible friends and heroes into the studio, and we wanted to relive some of our favorite conversations, including candid and sometimes hilarious talks with Ruth Reichl, Pete Wells, Helen Rosner, Dorie Greenspan, Julia Moskin, and Francis Lam.We also talk about all the exciting things in the works for TASTE, including our upcoming cookbook, Lasagna, and a bunch of other projects. This is not goodbye. This is see you on the Internet, or in person, very soon. You can follow us on Twitter at: @HezelAnna and @MattRodbard. And of course, visit TASTE online: tastecooking.com.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Friend of TASTE Daniel Holzman joins for a hilarious and truly meaningful conversation about the life of a traveling chef. Holzman, cofounder of the Meatball Shop and veteran of high-end kitchens in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York City, is also a TASTE columnist and a gifted photographer. We talk about his journey from working at Le Bernardin in high school, to his time as a young cook with Jean-Louis Palladin, to opening a restaurant with his best friend.Also on the show, journalists Matt and Ted Lee join to talk about their latest book, Hotbox: Inside Catering, the Food World's Riskiest Business. It’s a deep and meaningful look at the world of corporate catering. They talk about what it was like to go undercover.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What a lineup on today’s episode! First up, Tartine’s Chad Robertson sits down for an interview at his brand-new Manufactory in downtown Los Angeles. We talk a bit about the grand expansion of Tartine but also go back to his early days of baking in his backyard in Northern California—and how he might just crave that simpler time. We also talk about his company’s move to Korea, and what it’s like to operate there. What a cool interview.Next up, I had the great pleasure of sitting down with Serious Eats founder Ed Levine. We talk about his early days in food journalism and the ups and downs of running a media start-up in a wildly competitive, and changing, landscape. We also dive into his great new memoir, Serious Eater.Lastly we speak with Donna Leonard, the owner of legendary New York City restaurants Il Buco and Il Buco Alimentari. We talk about some of the amazing chefs who have cooked at the restaurants, and she closes with a ghost story.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

David Kinch is the chef-owner of acclaimed Northern California restaurant Manresa and a legend in American fine-dining circles. On this episode, we head back to New York City in the 1980s and talk about his time working at the influential restaurant Quilted Giraffe—and how his post-shift meals at Midtown izakayas back then reflected the city’s changing culinary landscape. We also discuss his upcoming opening, Menton, and how he’s been traveling around America researching pasta.Also on the episode is Isaac Toups, the James Beard Award–nominated chef-owner of Toups’ Meatery in New Orleans and the author of Chasing the Gator. We discuss the definition of Cajun cuisine and how it occupies such a unique place in American culinary history. Plus, we talk about a trip he took to Lyon, France and the surprising connections he made.Lastly, Max Falkowitz answers a burning reader question about the price of vanilla.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Odette Williams is the author of Simple Cake and delivers on the book’s lofty promise: that baking cake can be simple! The book is organized into 10 base cakes and 15 toppings, and readers are encouraged to mix and match at their baking leisure. In this episode, we dive into what inspired the Australian bakeware designer to make the leap to publishing—and what is so rad about baking cakes for everyday snacking. Indeed, she’s a very big proponent of the snacking cake. What an idea.Also on this episode, photographer and author Austin Bush joins to talk about his incredible book, The Food of Northern Thailand. He shares stories of adventure and pork rinds, and what goes into the writing and reporting of a guidebooks. He’s currently working on editions for Laos and Vietnam. He also shares details about an upcoming book project.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Big ideas, strong opinions, and a deadpan Instagram. These are a few of my favorite things. Former pastry chef and current Empellon boss man Alex Stupak is a complicated—and incredibly sincere—dude, and in this episode we have a really spirited conversation about chicken sandwiches, aquafaba, his time at WD-50, Maggi seasoning, his cookbook, Tacos, and making Mexican food at home. Phew! It’s a really cool talk.Also on the show, we ask Smitten Kitchen’s Deb Perelman a reader question. Hint: There are donuts involved.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As the cofounder of online restaurant watchdog/chronicler Eater, and reservations booker Resy, Ben Leventhal has been at the center of all things dining out for over a decade. On this episode, we go back to the early days of Eater and talk about the rapid shift toward food as pop culture—which is not to be confused with pop culture’s crossover with food. That is, society’s deep interest in New York City’s Taiwanese restaurant boom, and not what that Foodgod guy is guiding this week. We clarify the difference.Ben also tackles the state of the restaurant reservation, and how restaurant owners are making it work in a very competitive climate. Note: This interview was conducted before Resy was acquired by American Express on May 15.Also on today’s show, Max Falkowitz answers a burning reader question about figs and veganism. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Hello summer, and hello vegetables! Michigan chef and cookbook author Abra Berens loves vegetables and has an inspiring new cookbook that presents them in the coolest way: braised, blistered, roasted, and raw. On this episode we talk about Ruffage, and Berens's journey from working the counter at Zingerman’s Deli to culinary school in Ireland to her current post cooking and farming in an exceptional way that recalls Dan Barber’s Blue Hill.Also on the show, TASTE’s Tatiana Bautista has a great conversation with Auria Abraham, the supercool founder behind Auria’s Malaysian Kitchen. They talk cooking with sambal and kaya, two amazingly diverse ingredients. And Auria makes the best around.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

“Rice is culture”—the spiritual spine of a new restaurant in Harlem—is one of the many big ideas chef and award-winning cookbook author JJ Johnson tackles in this spirited episode. We also go over how the media covers African-American food and the economics of running restaurants in New York City, and he relives a recent trip he took to Puerto Rico.Also on the show, writer Maggie Hoffman talks about her new book, Batch Cocktails. Just in time for all of those backyard parties.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Holy smokes, Priya Krishna and her new book, Indian-ish, have had quite a spring. She appeared on Today, toured America, sold a few copies along the way, and maybe pissed off a few people along the way, too (never a bad thing). I catch up with Krishna, a journalist and frequent TASTE contributor, about a month after the book’s release, and we went over it all. We talk about her great saag feta recipe and why the technique known as chhonk (tempering) is key in Indian home cooking. Also, why you should buy some asafoetida today.In addition we talk about her recent TASTE stories diving into yogurt culture (ha!), budino, and sun-dried tomatoes. What a cool conversation we had. Also on the show, Max Falkowitz answers a reader question: What is the difference between ice cream and gelato?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

So that thing about needing to rest your cooked petite filet for 20 minutes before slicing? The quest for cartoonish grill marks on your rib eye? Sous vide as the means to tenderloin glory? It’s all sorta false. Aaron Franklin has some strong opinions about all things steak (which he writes about in his new book, Franklin Steak), and we unpack many in this entertaining episode. Franklin, of waiting in a long line for barbecue in Austin, Texas, fame, also talks about the status of cutting that line and shares some thoughts on why a trip to Japan might just ruin him forever.Also on this episode, we had a great time speaking with some of the top minds in specialty coffee (jump to 21:34), including Christopher “Nicely” Abel Alameda (Menotti’s Coffee Stop), Kyle Glanville (Go Get Em Tiger), Bronwen Serna (Counter Culture Coffee), and Geoff Watts (Intelligentsia Coffee). Topics covered include farmer compensation, the pros and cons of espresso, the cost of a cup of coffee, and the rise of good coffee in Los Angeles, where this conversation was recorded at NeueHouse Hollywood.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What exactly does it mean for food to be “modern”? Who better to ask than Anna Jones, the author of A Modern Way to Eat, A Modern Way to Cook, and most recently, The Modern Cook’s Year. In this conversation, we talk about what the word means to her, and she explains why she decided not to label any of her three books “vegetarian” even though none of them contain any meat.We also talked about why lettuces and salad greens are better when they’re charred, wilted, and a little bit warm.Also on this episode, Matt talks the stock market and the booming dumplings game with Hannah Cheng of New York’s Mimi Cheng’s.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Soleil Ho isn’t like other restaurant critics. She doesn’t use a star system to rate restaurants. She doesn’t use terms like “up-and-coming” or “ethnic” or “addictive,” and there’s a reason for that. Since she became the restaurant critic for the San Francisco Chronicle a few months ago, she’s been shaking things up, rethinking the system, and…yeah, pissing some people off.We talked about this approach and what a restaurant critic’s responsibility is to their city. We also got to catch up about some of Soleil’s writing for TASTE, about eating dogs, and about the difference between “fusion” and the food that results from assimilation.Later on the show, Matt asks Smitten Kitchen’s Deb Perelman a question from a listener.\See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

After working as a fact checker for years at The New Yorker and contributing to the magazine’s Tables for Two column, Hannah Goldfield was named the magazine’s first full-time restaurant critic in 2018. What a gig! It was great fun having her on, and we talked about how the column has evolved—it has gotten longer and tackles big ideas happening in food today through the lens of New York City restaurants. She reveals some of her favorite, and not favorite, meals from the past year and how she keeps her eating schedule in check. “Every day is a different calculation,” she reveals. We talk deadlines, linguistics, rent hikes, saving NYC, and why it was so very terrible to fish for your dinner (inside a fancy NYC restaurant, that is).Also on the show, Anna talks to cookbook author Danielle Walkerabout her new book, Eat What You Love, and the secret to her grain-free pizza dough.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

You might remember her cardamom-pistachio Swiss rolls from the Great British Baking Show, or the orange savarin that blew Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood away. But in her new book, Chetna Makan is moving from all the butter and sugar onto another topic: Healthy Indian. We talked about daily baking habits, canned chickpeas, and why her black lentil recipe is better than her mom’s. She also told the story of a recent Great British Baking Showreunion at a wedding that involved not one, but 10 cakes.Later on the show, we grill TASTE contributor Max Falkowitz with a hard-hitting question about hot dogs.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Chef and restaurateur Meherwan Irani is on a mission to change the perception of Indian food in America. Born in London, raised in India, and living in America for many decades, Irani’s experience with his native food is textured. At his outstanding and innovative Asheville and Atlanta restaurants, Chai Pani, he articulates a clear vision in the form of street food, which on this lively episode of the show we discuss in detail.From his Internet famous kale pakora, to the idea of jugaad—which basically means the ingenious ethic of hacking things to make them work—to his clear argument that there really isn’t something called Indian food. I love this guy.Also on the show, Anna has a fun and revealing interview with Donald Moore, the Chief Culinary Officer at The Cheesecake Factory. And, yes! They discuss the origins of the cheeseburger springroll.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Mike Fadem and Marie Tribouilloy love bitter amaros, buttery mortadella, and what some people might call “salad” but Marie calls “room temperature vegetables.” Their unpretentious Bushwick pizza restaurant, Ops, was just named as a James Beard Award semifinalist for its unique wine program. Most of the selections are natural wines picked by Mike (who also makes the pizzas), and when part of a bottle is leftover at the end of a night, Marie turns them into homemade vinegars. We talked about their Brooklyn neighborhood (Bushwick), charcuterie, and why cheap beer and amaro are a great combination.Later in this episode, Matt talks to Sumi Ali and Tony (Tonx) Konecny from Yes Plz Coffee, a weekly coffee subscription service that comes with some mighty fine reading material—newsprint zine. We love these guys.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The sudden and rather intense rise of Carla Lalli Music and her test kitchen crew at Bon Appétit to legit food-world celebs has been simply amazing to watch from the sidelines. Lalli Music is the longtime food director at the publication and stars in many of the YouTube videos BA puts out each month. On this highly entertaining episode of the podcast, Lalli Music talks about what’s in the special sauce for viral-video glory. And, oh yeah, she has written one of the year’s best cookbooks: Where Cooking Begins. It’s an argument for better and happier shopping, which ultimately leads to better cooking. This may seem a little abstract, but it all makes too much sense.Also on the episode, contributor Max Falkowitz answers a reader’s burning food question: Do spices actually expire?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.