This Is TASTE

Gail Simmons is a very cool human being—had to say that from the jump! While many know her best from Top Chef, Gail’s career in food expands way beyond a judge’s table. She trained at culinary school and went on to assist legendary food writer and columnist Jeffrey Steingarten. She also worked the line in busy New York City restaurants and is the author of two books, including her latest, Bringing It Home. We wanted to have her on the show to talk about her past in New York City restaurant kitchens and what we can expect on the new season of Top Chef. And, hey, this is our 200th episode! While this is simply a round number and that’s it, Matt wants to acknowledge the team who helps bring the show to the feed many times a week. This show does not happen without cohost Aliza Abarbanel; our amazing producers, Shalea Harris and Pat Stango; our incredible editor, Clayton Gumbert; our amazing illustrator, Ellie Skrzat; and, most of all, all of you listeners out there. Thanks for tuning in each week. Thanks for all the messages on IG and the emails. And thanks for telling your friends about the show. MORE FROM GAIL SIMMONS: Make chicken schnitzel with Gail Simmons of ‘Top Chef’ [Today] Inside the ‘Top Chef’ Industrial Complex [New York Times] TASTE Podcast 05: Gail Simmons [TASTE] FOLLOW, FOLLOW, FOLLOW: instagram.com/gailsimmonseats instagram.com/mattrodbard instagram.com/taste Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chef and budding TV personality Daniel Harthausen is one of the most exciting voices in food, having just won the first season of HBO’s very good cooking competition show The Big Brunch and running the roving pop-up Young Mother in Richmond, Virginia. Harthausen was raised by a Korean mother and a half-Korean father and “had a baseline of what really good Korean food tasted like, without really knowing it at the time,” he told Matt during a Zoom conversation earlier this year. He was visiting New York recently, and we asked him to stop by the studio for a really cool conversation about his travels, his loot (he won $300,000 on the show), and the delicate topic of Korean-Japanese relations. He’s got a lot to say, and we were so excited to have him in. MORE FROM DANIEL HARTHAUSEN: Daniel Harthausen’s Big Korean-Japanese Brunch Is Special [TASTE] Brunch Time [Richmond Magazine] Richmond’s Daniel Harthausen wins big [Richmond Times Dispatch] FOLLOW, FOLLOW, FOLLOW: instagram.com/danielharthausen instagram.com/mattrodbard instagram.com/taste Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trigg Brown is the chef and co-owner of Win Son and the coauthor of a really great new book, Win Son Presents a Taiwanese American Cookbook. Trigg and Matt share many mutual friends, and it was really cool for them to meet for the first time on the mic. We talk about Trigg’s early cooking career in Charlottesville, Virgina, and working in New York City with the Colichio crew at Craft and Colichio & Sons (shout-out to Damon Wise) before opening his own restaurant, Win Son, to great acclaim. We also discuss his time traveling through Taiwan and what makes a modern restaurant work. Also on the show, we have a great conversation with Rani Cheema. Rani is the founder of Cheema’s Travel, a boutique travel agency specializing in food trips. We talk about some of the destinations that are trending around the globe and get into how we can all travel better (with food on the mind). It’s a great conversation as we gear up for summer travel planning. MORE FROM TRIGG BROWN: Food & Wine Best New Chefs 2020: Trigg Brown [Food & Wine] Trigg Brown – Taiwanese Food through American Lens [Flavor Unknown] How Win Son Bakery Makes One of Brooklyn’s Best Breakfast Sandwiches [Food52] TASTE Podcast 191: Cathy Erway [TASTE] FOLLOW, FOLLOW, FOLLOW: instagram.com/trigg.brown instagram.com/mattrodbard instagram.com/taste Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How cool to have our old friend and former colleague Talia Baiocchi on the show. Talia has one of the sharpest minds in food media, and we talk about the publication she has run for nearly a decade, PUNCH. We wanted to ask Talia about so many topics related to modern drinking culture, including the explosion of nonalcoholic drinks, the issues with natural wine, and her take on the future of the cocktail. We also talk about her cookbook, Pasta, that she wrote with New York City chef Missy Robbins. It was a blast having Talia on, and we hope you enjoy it. MORE FROM TALIA BAIOCCHI & PUNCH: Athleisure Now Comes Canned [PUNCH] Where to Drink in 2013 [PUNCH] Is Natural Wine Losing Its Cool Factor? [BA] TASTE Podcast 91: Missy Robbins [TASTE] FOLLOW, FOLLOW, FOLLOW: instagram.com/taliabaiocchi instagram.com/mattrodbard instagram.com/taste Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Yay, it’s Smitten Kitchen day, and we’re really, really excited to welcome back our friend Deb Perelman. Deb is the writer, photographer, recipe developer, and driving force behind one of the internet’s most popular home cooking destinations. We talk about what she’s been cooking and how she’s been living her best life with two kids in New York’s East Village, and we discuss her wonderful new book, Smitten Kitchen Keepers. What makes a “keeper” recipe, you might ask. We get into that and a lot more on this really fun episode. Also on the show, Aliza and Matt talk about spice blends, and how they finally deserve much more respect. More from The Smitten Kitchen: Deb Perelman’s Work Diary [The New York Times] Apple Cider Doughnuts [SK official] Black Bean Pumpkin Soup [SK official] You’re Gonna Need a Bigger Spice Rack [TASTE] FOLLOW, FOLLOW, FOLLOW: instagram.com/smittenkitchen instagram.com/mattrodbard instagram.com/taste Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Indian chef and Unapologetic Foods cofounder Chintan Pandya is a James Beard Award–winning chef and runs some of the best restaurants in NYC, including Adda, Dhamaka, Semma, Rowdy Rooster, and his latest Bengali triumph, Masalawala & Sons. We invited Chintan into the studio because, dude, we wanted to know how he keeps opening hit after hit. We wanted to talk about regional Indian cooking and how most American Indian restaurants focus on such a narrow spectrum of the recipe canon. And we wanted to find out about expansion plans—and a cookbook. And an upcoming trip to India. We really enjoyed catching up with one of the bright stars in the New York City restaurant scene. Also on the show, Aliza and Matt talk about some recent favorites including S&P Lunch, pop rock cake pops for ravers, Queens SF, How Far the Light Reaches, and Cadbury Curly Wurly Squirlies. MORE FROM CHINTAN PANDYA: Masalawala & Sons, Where the Food Is Bengali and the Mustard Oil Flows [NYT] F&W Game Changers: Chintan Pandya and Roni Mazumdar [Food & Wine] The Dish: Chef Chintan Pandya, Roni Mazumdar [CBS] FOLLOW, FOLLOW, FOLLOW: instagram.com/chefchintan instagram.com/mattrodbard instagram.com/taste Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Yes, Bill Addison is back on TASTE. We’ve long been a fan of Bill’s writing, going back to his well-considered restaurant criticism in Atlanta, Dallas, San Francisco, Eater as a roving national critic, and for the past three-plus years as the head restaurant critic at the Los Angeles Times. Bill is our favorite critic, writing about our favorite food city in the United States, and we talk about what’s exciting about LA right now. We also get into his writing routine, some of his favorite slept-on gems, and what the hell is going on at The ROW? And what is up with Craig’s? This is such a great conversation, and we hope you enjoy it as much as we did. And to close out Restaurant Critic Week, Aliza and Matt talk about the state of the restaurant critic in 2023. Who are their favorites in the game? Which writers should be given a reviewing beat? And what about Tik Tok reviewers? There’s a lot to go over, and we cover it all. MORE FROM BILL ADDISON: The 12 Most Loved Restaurant Dishes of 2022 [LA Times] The Latest Blockbuster from the Couple Behind Bestia and Bavel [LA Times] How Damian grew to be one of L.A.’s finest modern California-Mexican restaurants [LA Times] The Year I Ate Pico Boulevard (Aliza was right!) [LA Weekly] MORE FROM RESTAURANT CRITIC WEEK: TASTE Podcast 192: The New Yorker's Hannah Goldfield TASTE Podcast 193: Eater's Ryan Sutton FOLLOW, FOLLOW, FOLLOW: instagram.com/bill_addison instagram.com/mattrodbard instagram.com/taste Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For years, Ryan Sutton was the chief restaurant critic at Eater New York, before his position was recently eliminated. Ryan is one of the most respected critics in the game, and we wanted to invite him to the studio to talk about his career and some of the memorable stories he’s worked on. Does Ryan have any reviews that he regrets? How does he stay excited about dining out each and every night? And what is next for Ryan Sutton? He answers most of our questions in this amazing episode. We hope you enjoy it. MORE FROM RYAN SUTTON: How to Get Into the Restaurant You Can’t Get Into [Eater NY] The Case Against Hudson Yards Dining [Eater NY] Manhattan’s Next Great Steakhouse Isn’t a Steakhouse [Eater NY] Eleven Madison Park Isn’t Ready to Be a World-Class Vegan Restaurant [Eater NY] MORE FROM RESTAURANT CRITIC WEEK: TASTE Podcast 192: The New Yorker's Hannah Goldfield TASTE Podcast 194: The Los Angeles Times' Bill Addison Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. We welcome Hannah back to discuss her life as a New York City restaurant critic. We talk about some of her recent reviews and get some of her thoughts on that little film called The Menu—where a big-city restaurant critic is portrayed in the most curious of ways. Does Hannah find it accurate? Our producer Pat Stango joins to discuss. MORE FROM HANNAH GOLDFIELD: The Hannah Goldfield New Yorker archive [TNY] Your Food’s Alter Ego [TNY] Le Rock Goes Long on Midtown [TNY] B.O. Boys [Apple Podcasts] FOLLOW, FOLLOW, FOLLOW: instagram.com/hannahgoldfield instagram.com/mattrodbard instagram.com/taste MORE FROM RESTAURANT CRITIC WEEK: TASTE Podcast 193: Eater's Ryan Sutton TASTE Podcast 194: The Los Angeles Times' Bill Addison Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this very special episode, we catch up with the one and only Cathy Erway. Cathy is a prolific writer and cookbook author behind the great new book Win Son Presents a Taiwanese American Cookbook, which she wrote with the cofounders of Brooklyn restaurant Win Son. During this wide-ranging conversation, we find out about Cathy’s cookbook writing career and her James Beard Award–winning work on TASTE. We also dive into her column, Shelve It, and find out how grocery store shelves tell us so much about our modern culture. Buy: Sheet Pan Chicken MORE FROM CATHY ERWAY: Let’s Unpack Sardines [TASTE] The Case for the Supermarket Supershopper [TASTE] The Korean Immigrant and Michigan Farm Boy Who Taught Americans How to Cook Chow Mein [TASTE] FOLLOW, FOLLOW, FOLLOW: instagram.com/cathyerway instagram.com/mattrodbard instagram.com/taste Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Justin Smillie is the chef of Il Buco Alimentari and the author of the now-classic live-fire cooking book Slow Fires: Mastering New Ways to Braise, Roast, and Grill. We wanted to have Justin on the show to talk about his life in and out of the kitchen and what is currently exciting him while running one of New York’s most popular restaurants. We also discuss his previous restaurant, Upland, and what it was like to have the Obama family as frequent diners. What was it like having an official Presidential taster alongside him at the pass? We always love catching up with Justin Smillie, and we hope you enjoy our talk. MORE FROM JUSTIN SMILLIE: The 10 Dishes That Made My Career: Justin Smillie of Upland [FWF] Montauk Squid seared with fermented yuzu, parsley, moscatel vinegar [IG] TASTE Podcast 68: Donna Leonard [TASTE] FOLLOW, FOLLOW, FOLLOW: instagram.com/chefjsmillie instagram.com/mattrodbard instagram.com/taste Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re thrilled to welcome Sohla El-Waylly to the show for the first time. Sohla is a prodigious recipe developer, a fixture of food YouTube, and a judge on HBO’s cooking competition The Big Brunch—plus a friend of Aliza’s. This week, Aliza and Sohla unpack Sohla’s background before becoming one of the most viral stars in food media today, her thoughts on the ever-controversial brunch, the concept behind her debut cookbook, and much more. MORE FROM SOHLA EL-WAYLLY: Sohla and Ham Turn Hot Pockets Into A 3-Course Meal [The New York Times] Caramelized Onion and Toasted Rice Porridge [Hot Dish with Sohla] The Big Brunch [HBO] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode, we catch up with Ben Van Leeuwen, the cofounder of a namesake chain of ice cream shops with an accompanying grocery store freezer section line. We invited Ben on the show to talk about what inspires his exacting, hypercreative flavor creation. We also talk about the ups and downs that come with running a growing consumer food brand. Was he freaked out about the Halo Top takeover a few years back? Most certainly. We also talk about flavor booms and busts, and how to sell ice cream in winter. Stick around to hear one of the more inspiring stories in food. Also on the show, Matt and producer Shalea Harris talk about Shalea’s recent kitchen journey making mchuzi wa nyama ya mbuzi, and shopping for fresh goat meat. MORE FROM BEN VAN LEEUWEN: Food Truck Week: Van Leeuwen Ice Cream [PBS] Finally Ready to Go Big [Brooklyn Magazine] The Summer of Halo Top [TASTE] FOLLOW, FOLLOW, FOLLOW: instagram.com/benwvl instagram.com/mattrodbard instagram.com/taste Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stay calm and…just act like Eric Ripert. Young cooks, are you listening? Ripert, a celebrated chef and TV personality, is a balancing force. We talk about how he keeps the exquisite (and massive) Le Bernardin empire running, day after day. We talk about recruiting talent, and he’s also just a really good interview, as we find out in his return to the show. And we also discuss his meals at Noma, and his love of Korean food and culture—from the late-night partying to the vegetarian temple style of cooking that aligns with the Buddhist religion that’s so important to the chef. He loves it all, and we remember a trip we took together to Seoul a couple years ago. Buy: Vegetable Simple MORE FROM ERIC RIPERT: Eric Ripert Is Cooking Through It [TASTE] Le Bernardin Holds On to Its Craft (and Its Four Stars) [NYT] L’ Ami Pierre [official] FOLLOW, FOLLOW, FOLLOW: instagram.com/ericripert instagram.com/mattrodbard instagram.com/taste Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Yes, it’s James Hoffmann day on TASTE, and we couldn’t be more thrilled. James is one of the coolest dudes on the Coffee internet, and we wanted to have him on the show to talk about all things coffee at home. On this episode, we talk about what actually makes great coffee at home (the topic of a new book), his big thoughts on espresso, how he rated the best grocery store coffee brands, and what it’s like running his crazy popular YouTube channel—a space that is educating millions of coffee drinkers around the world to drink better coffee. It was a real treat to catch up with James, and I hope you enjoy it. MORE FROM JAMES HOFFMANN: Meet the CEO of Coffee YouTube [TASTE] The Coffee Issue [TASTE] The Best USA Grocery Store Coffee [YouTube] TASTE Podcast 144: Jimmy Butler and Ashley Rodriguez [TASTE] FOLLOW FOLLOW FOLLOW: instagram.com/jimseven instagram.com/mattrodbard instagram.com/taste Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We wanted to have journalist Anne Helen Petersen on the show not only to talk about modern office lunch culture...we wanted to have journalist Anne Helen Peterson on the show to talk about soup! Peterson is the author of the amazing newsletter Culture Study, and she has much to say about the intersection of food and pop culture. She also name checks some of her favorite cookbooks from Ali Slagle, Alison Roman, and Jenny Rosenstrach to name a few. This is such a rich and textured conversation from one of the sharpest observers around. We hope you enjoy it. More from Anne Helen Petersen: There Is No Such Thing as “Junk” Food [BA] When Did Fitness Become a Luxury Item? [Culture Study] New Year, New Job, New Me [Work Appropriate] CrispyEgg420 [Instagram] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Himanshu Suri is best known by his rap name Heems, and he is our guest on this entertaining episode of the show. We wanted to have Heems on not just because we are a fan of his former group Das Racist (you may remember their song “Combination Pizza Hut and Taco Bell”) but because we wanted to talk to him about Punjabi food. About growing up in Queens. About his new passion for gardening. We really enjoyed catching up with Heems. More from Heems: Dosa Hunt! [Official] Swet Shop Boys - "T5" [YouTube] Heems on Rap, Race and Identity [NPR] Das Racist - Rapping 2 U Live in Sydney [YouTube] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you’ve ever clicked onto the NYT Cooking or Bon Appétit websites looking for something to make for dinner, you’ve probably seen Hetty McKinnon’s name. The prolific plant-based recipe developer and cookbook author is one of the busiest people in food media, contributing reliable and highly craveable recipes across the internet while releasing cult books like Neighborhood and Family. On this episode, Aliza talks with Hetty about how she keeps up the seemingly endless stream of ideas and stays excited about cooking with vegetables, even in the middle of the deep winter freeze. (Hint: Sometimes you just need to let go of seasonality.) Plus a bit about her upcoming spring release, Tenderheart. Also on the show, Matt has a cool conversation with Gotham chef Ron Paprocki. Gotham is a legendary NYC restaurant and Ron has much to say about the life of a working chef. More from Hetty McKinnon: Lunar New Year Delight [To Vegetables, With Love] Tofu Larb [NYT Cooking] Kale Kimchi [official site] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You’ve spotted their iconic squeeze bottle on the shelves of Whole Foods and seen it used by your favorite food influencers and chefs on Instagram. But do you know the story behind Spanish olive oil company Graza, one of our favorite upstart food brands around? On this episode, we speak with Graza’s charismatic cofounder Andrew Benin to talk about the ups and downs of running a quickly growing food company. We find out about how the company landed on their logo and look, and Andrew answers the question: But isn't there already too much olive oil in the market? More from Graza: If the Olive Oil Aisle Gives You Anxiety, Graza Is for You [BA] Olive Oil Has Never Been Cooler [Eater] Customers Reward CEO’s Honest Emailed Apology [Pymnts] Graza oil oil review [The Strategist] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Christina Tosi is a chef and TV personality as well as Milk Bar’s CEO and CCCO (Chief Compost Cookie Officer) and the author of a new cookbook, All About Cookies (among many others). On this lively episode, we talk to her about all things cookies and cake, moving upstate, grocery shopping at dawn, baking David Chang birthday cakes every year, and Milk Bar life (as a mother). We always enjoy having Christina on the show. Also on the show, Aliza and Matt talk about travel. We just launched our first TASTE Travels trip to Puglia with author Suzy Karadsheh and talk about some other places we will be visiting this spring including Mexico City, Israel, Los Angeles, and rural Italy. More from Christina Tosi: Christina Tosi’s World Spins Around Cakes and Cereal Milk [TASTE] How Christina Tosi Gets It Done [The Cut] TASTE Podcast 20: Christina Tosi [TASTE] TASTE Travels Italy: Cooking and Eating Through Puglia with Suzy Karadsheh [TASTE] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Odette Williams is the author of Simple Cake and Simple Pasta, and she was really fun to have back in the studio. We talk about her journey from novice pasta maker to authoring a cookbook on the subject. We also discuss the art of simplification, and how her Australian upbringing has shaped the way she eats and cooks. Also on the show, Aliza and Matt talk about three things that are on their minds, including Masalawala & Sons, Reyes Deli, the new J Ryan Stradal novel, Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club, citrus salads, and stick around for a poem at the end. More from Odette Williams: How to Host a Lasagna Making Party [NY Mag] Winter Chicories With Date and Anchovy Dressing [Epicurious] Odette Williams x Carla Lalli Music at Books Are Magic [YouTube] TASTE Podcast 66: Odette Williams [TASTE] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The social media meme can be funny, biting, poignant, and oftentimes ubiquitous. Eli Sussman, a talented chef and cookbook author, has mastered the art of the culinary meme, and we talk about it on this very special episode. Eli has been a friend of ours for years, and we had fun catching up about his journey from Michigan short-order cook to LA music marketer to NYC restaurateur, provocateur, and meme maker. Eli is truly one of one in the food world, and we hope you dig this conversation. More from Eli Sussman: @TheSussmans [IG] The Sussmans Are Way More Than Just Meme Kings [Food and Wine] Max and Eli Sussman Strike Out on Their Own [Food Republic] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jamie Oliver returns to the show, and we could not be happier to talk with him about so many things. For those who didn’t grow up watching food TV, here’s the deal. Jamie 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. His latest book, One: Simple One-Pan Wonders, is out now. Oliver was a joy to have on the program, and we talked about spice blends, Cool Britannia, the sugar tax, Jamie’s future in UK politics, and what sparks creativity for a guy who is always working on three projects at once. This was such a great talk, and we hope you enjoy it. Also on the show, Aliza and Matt catch up to talk about what’s underrated and overrated (protein bars, savory granola), before diving into a discussion about starlight mints, the Werther’s children, and the Holiday Inn Holidome. More from Jamie Oliver: Jamie Oliver’s Sneaker Game Needs No Seasoning [High Snobbery] Jamie Oliver Dishes Up Easy & Affordable One-Pot Recipes [The View] Miso Roasted Chicken [GMA] Superiority Burger [IG] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Frankie Gaw is the author of a new cookbook, First Generation, and one of the most original voices writing in food today. In this episode, we talk about his journey from working at Facebook to authoring his book, which is part recipe collection and part memoir. We also talk about his love of Costco, and cooking with Reese’s Puffs cereal (two things we can also get behind). We hope you enjoy this conversation—it’s a good one. More from Frankie Gaw: Frankie Gaw’s Kitchen Is Filled With Dumplings and Dorito Dust [TASTE] Frankie Gaw’s Ideal Seattle Day Is Packed Full of Food [Dwell] Little Fat Boy [official] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Eunji Lee is a pastry chef running one of New York City’s most exciting new dessert spots, Lysée. Eunji was born in Korea and trained in France before working at some of the world’s top restaurants, including at Alain Ducasse’s Le Meurice in Paris and serving as the pastry chef at Jungsik in New York. Now she has her own dessert studio, Lysée, which has become one of the hottest tickets in the city. On this episode, we find out what it was like competing on one of France’s most popular cooking reality shows and what drives her to create some of America’s finest desserts. This is such a sweet conversation. We hope you enjoy it. More from Eunji Lee: An Ambitious Pastry Chef Debuts Her Own Dessert Palace in Flatiron [Eater] It’s Corn [Instagram] Lysée’s Pastries Reflect Korea, France and New York [NYT] Buy: Plating Dessert Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From Otafuku’s OtaJoy yakisoba to Maya Kaimal tikka masala to Hamburger Helper, the dump-and-stir sauté sauce has been part of our cooking vocabulary for a generation—and for good reason. Packed with powerful flavors and the vapors of nostalgia blowing through a kitchen within minutes, these pouches, bottles, and jars can transform a kitchen in Tulsa to a stove in Kerala, Osaka, Seoul, or Tuscany. Kim Pham, cofounder of start-up food company Omsom, grew up with these sauces in her life, too. In this really cool episode, we speak with Kim about what the journey has been to found one of the most exciting brands in food. We find out about what inspires the company’s sauce research and development process, and we tap into the empathy needed to run a startup in 2023. We hope you enjoy this wonderful talk. More from Kim Pham: A Quest to Reinvent the Homemade Sauce [TASTE] Meet the Tastemaker: Deuki Hong of Sunday Family [Omsom] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

John deBary is a bartender extraordinaire, a cookbook author, and a great spokesperson for the bar and restaurant world. This being the start of “dry January” (for those who celebrate), we wanted to have John on to talk about the rise of the nonalcoholic (NA) movement and how spiritless drinking is hardly without spirit. We find out what it was like launching his own NA brand and what the future holds for the term “mixologist.” We always love catching up with John and hope you enjoy this conversation. More from John DeBary: From Bartending to Building a Drinks Company [Eater] Recipe: The Shark Pre-order: Saved by the Bellini Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Slow down and have coffee” are some great words to live by, especially if you love coffee as much as Nigel Price—the owner and creative force behind one of the most exciting coffee operations in America: Drip Coffee Makers. On this very exciting episode, we catch up with one of the coolest guys in coffee. We talk about why Nigel loves pour-over coffee so much, as well as some of the big problems with espresso. We also discuss how New Yorkers are embracing his very unique style of service. We’re huge fans of Nigel’s work, and we were so happy he stopped by the studio. Follow Drip on Instagram. More from Nigel Price: A Strong Case for Slow Coffee [TASTE] Now Pouring at Drip: Coffee Worth Slowing Down For [Bushwick Daily] TASTE Podcast 144: Jimmy Butler [TASTE] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today on the show, we have a great time catching up with Tammie Teclemariam. Tammie is a New York–based writer who, for the past year, served as New York magazine’s The Year I Ate New York columnist—which, as the name suggests, was a rigorous look at New York’s techno-colored dining scene. We find out how she pulled it off, talk about some of her best and worst meals, and learn what’s next for one of our favorite food writers in the game. More from Tammie Teclemariam: The Best (and Worst) of the Year I Ate New York [NY Mag] What’s Wrong with Cocktails Right Now? [NY Mag] Caraflex Is the Ultimate Cabbage Flex [TASTE] Scalloped > Mashed [TASTE] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today on the show, we have a really amazing conversation with Zosia Mamet. Zosia is an actor, best known for roles on Mad Men, The Flight Attendant, and Girls. She’s also the editor of My First Popsicle: An Anthology of Food and Feelings, a really wonderful collection of short (sometimes very short) stories from a unique cast of characters—fellow actors, food writers, comedians, and novelists. These include Tony Hale, Patti LuPone, Ted Danson, Ruth Reichl, and Jia Tolentino, and we talk about this unique collaboration. We also find out about who does the best craft service (“crafty”) on set, stealing cereal from The Michael J Fox Show, filming in Japan, and knowing her way around a pie or pumpkin bread. Fun stuff. Also on the show, we continue our conversation about culinary school with Clarkson Potter editorial assistant Bianca Cruz. We’ve been following Bianca’s journey from school to stage and we find out how she did on her final exam and which big-time NYC kitchen she’s currently working in. More from Zosia Mamet: Zosia Mamet Shares Swedish Fish With Her Horse [Grub Street] Some Favorite Food Spots [Apple Maps] Eclectic, Nourishing Collection of Essays on Food and Feelings [Shondaland] Zosia Mamet’s Week: Log Cabin Living [NYT] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today on the show, we welcome one of our favorite writers in the game, Jason Diamond. Jason runs the wonderful newsletter The Melt and has written two books, Searching for John Hughes and The Sprawl: Reconsidering the Weird American Suburbs. In this action-packed episode, we cover a great many topics: Spago Rock, time travel, forgotten foods of Chicago, burger night in the Diamond household, and the enigmatic restaurateur Keith McNally. This is only a fraction of what we discuss, and I really hope you enjoy our talk. More from Jason Diamond: That Wolfgang Puck Sound [The Melt] Auteurcore: How Vintage Movie Merch Became Cool [GQ] Is PJ Clarke’s the Perfect NYC Dining Experience? [The Melt] A Kinder, Gentler Explorecore [The Melt] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Since Cynthia Shanmugalingam was young, she has witnessed the food of her ancestral home, Sri Lanka, through her immigrant parents’ kitchen in London. In this really fun episode, we talk with Cynthia about living in both worlds, as well as how she transitioned from working in finance to writing a cookbook, Rambutan, and opening a restaurant, all in the same year. We also find out what it was like to photograph the book on location with a friend of the show, Alex Lau. Also on, Matt catches up with three of our favorite cookbook authors to talk all about holiday cooking, gifting, and how to save the day—when the day needs saving. We hope you enjoy Matt’s conversation with Melissa Clark, Suzy Karadsheh, and Claire Saffitz. More from Cynthia Shanmugalingam: A Chef’s Secret Ingredient: Fresh Curry Leaves [The Guardian] Cynthia Shanmugalingam Thinks Fish Curry Is ‘One of Life’s Great Pleasures’ [Eater] Buy: Rambutan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today, we welcome Matt Sartwell into the studio. Matt is the owner of the legendary New York City bookstore Kitchen Arts & Letters, and he’s one of the biggest supporters of cookbook publishing in the business. On this episode, we find out what it’s like to run an independent cookbook store today, and we go over some of Matt’s favorite cookbooks of the year—including what is selling briskly in the Upper East Side store. Matt also shares his thoughts about what the publishing industry is missing (hint: it’s hot and rhymes with “schloup”). It was really fun catching up with Matt and talking about cookbooks. More from Matt Sartwell: A Q&A with Matt Sartwell [Shelf Awareness] Browse the KAL books by category [KAL] Subscribe: Kitchen Arts & Letters newsletter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today, we welcome Rita Sodi and Jody Williams on the show. They are the duo behind some of New York City’s favorite restaurants, including Buvette, the Commerce Inn, I Sodi, and Via Carota—“New York’s Most Perfect Restaurant,” according to the New Yorker. In this episode, we talk about the couple’s new cookbook, a tribute to the West Village’s Via Carota. We also find out how the restaurant stays fresh, what it’s like to expand a brand overseas, and some of their favorite recipes from regional Italy. It was so great getting to know two legends in the chef world. Also on the show, we catch up with Tara Schuster, author, playwright, and accomplished entertainment executive. Schuster served as VP of talent and development at Comedy Central, where she was the executive in charge of the Emmy and Peabody Award–winning Key & Peele. We talk about writing for comedy as well as her book, Buy Yourself the F*cking Lilies: And Other Rituals to Fix Your Life, from Someone Who’s Been There. Buy: Via Carota More from Rita Sodi and Jody Williams: On Doing Things Their Own Way [Cherry Bombe] Will Shaker Food Be the New Shaker Furniture? [WSJ] Recipe: Dark Chocolate Semifreddo [Bon Appetit] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ken Forkish is a legend in bread baking and the Ken behind Ken’s Artisan Bakery and Ken’s Artisan Pizza in Portland, Oregon. He’s also a prolific cookbook writer of favorites like Flour Water Salt Yeast, The Elements of Pizza, and his latest release, Evolutions in Bread: Artisan Pan Breads and Dutch-Oven Loaves at Home. In this entertaining episode, we find out about what it was like for Ken to leave Portland for his new home in Hawaii, and how he launched one of the country’s most influential bakeries. We also find out some of Ken’s strong opinions about baking trends and science. This is a great talk with one of our favorite cookbook authors today. Also on the show, Aliza and Matt catch up about Matt’s recent trip to Korea, where he visited for two weeks while working on his book with Deuki Hong and Alex Lau, Koreaworld. What did he find? What did he eat? More from Ken Forkish: Bread Legend Ken Forkish Doesn’t Know How to Retire [TASTE] Influential Baker Ken Forkish Leaves the Restaurant Industry [Eater] Evolutions in Bread How-To Videos [Youtube] Seoul Coffee Edition [WITI] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fly By Jing is one of the most exciting brands in food, and we were lucky to have the company’s founder, Jing Gao, stop by the studio for a really cool conversation. We find out how the company has grown and grown, from a tiny Kickstarter selling chile crisp to a major player in the competitive condiment wars, now being sold in a great many Targets and Whole Foods in the United States. We also hear about Jing’s upbringing in China and when she knew that Fly By Jing was a winner. We always have a jar of Fly By Jing close by, and it was great catching up with the brand’s founder. More from Fly By Jing: Launching a Hot Chile Crisp Brand on the Internet [Eater] The Book of Sichuan Chili Crisp is coming [IG] This Chili Oil Is So Good, Even My Taiwanese Mom Is Obsessed With It [F&W] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We welcome back our good friend Akira Akuto to the show. Akira is the co-owner of Los Angeles sandwich and pastry counter (and so much more) Konbi and one of the more clairvoyant voices in the restaurant world. We talk about many things on this entertaining episode, including lunch vs. dinner bias, paying for good coffee, his go-to LA restaurant rotation, and some strong opinions about New York City. We loved catching up with Akira, and we think you will enjoy this. Also on the show, TASTE contributing editor Aliza Abarbanel joins Matt to talk about some things that are on their minds including: smoking turkey, poached pears obsession, Nothing Hidden Ranch, NA beers getting better, the lack of food in The White Lotus. More from Akira Akuto The New (Old) Konbi Will Have Reservations, Steak Frites [Eater LA] Konbi Has a Secret Croissant Machine [TASTE] TASTE Podcast 45: Akira Akuto [TASTE] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jason Stewart is a DJ (playing as Them Jeans) and cohost of How Long Gone, a podcast that dips in and out of the food world with surprising and entertaining frequency. It was so great to have Jason stop by to talk about many things: punching up vs. punching down, cool email jobs, regional Mexican food chain Del Taco, breaking veganism, how Italian food in Italy is mid, Erewhon vs. Gelson’s vs. Ralphs, and Brooks Headley’s Fancy Desserts. If you don’t know TJ, now you do. A real pleasure to have him on. More from Jason Stewart: We Pay Attention to What Podcast Host Jason Stewart Is Roasting [TASTE] ‘How Long Gone’ Is in It for the Long Haul [New York Times] Brooks Headley Is Moving On to Focaccia [TASTE] How Long Gone 363: John Early [hlg] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wow, we love David Tamarkin so much, and this is such a great interview. We’re old friends and have been reading David since he worked at Time Out Chicago and Epicurious—and he’s now the editorial director at King Arthur Baking Company. How did an award-winning journalist end up working for Big Flour? It’s easy. The guy likes to bake. We talk about the job, a new cookbook King Arthur Baking just released, and look back at the time David was perhaps a little too snarky, a little too tough, on restaurants while working as a restaurant critic. He also talks about the 100%-employee-owned model at King Arthur and how that culture is baked (ha) into everything the company does. David is always welcome on the show, and we enjoyed catching up with him. We also have a great conversion with the writer Tarajia Morrell and hear about the very special book she has written, Savor: A Chef's Hunger For More. It's a collaboration with the chef and Top Chef fan favorite Fatima Ali. We talk about writing a book with somebody with only months to live. This is a really touching and human talk about loss and legacy and should not be missed. More from David Tamarkin and Tarajia Morrell: Vanquish the Bananas [The Occasional Tamarkin] Inside David Tamarkin’s Kitchen [Epicurious] King Arthur Baking School [official] TASTE Podcast 34: David Tamarkin [TASTE] A Memoir From a Young Chef Who Fought to the Bitter End [New York Times] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today on the show, we welcome back one of the most interesting and entertaining voices in food, Lucas Sin. He’s a chef and creator, and he’s behind some of the biggest ideas in home and restaurant cooking. This conversation was recorded the day before Lucas left his longtime home of New York City for a planned multiyear trip around Asia. We get into those details and how this Yale grad and culinary superstar stays fresh. We think you’re going to really dig this talk. More from Lucas Sin: Food & Wine Best New Chef: Lucas Sin [F&W] Thanksgiving Teriyaki Carrots [Eater] Chef’s Night Out with Lucas Sin & Eric Sze [Munchies] TASTE Podcast 78: Lucas Sin [TASTE] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sonia Chopra joined Bon Appétit and Epicurious as executive editor in August 2020, previously working in various roles at Eater for nearly a decade. In this entertaining episode, we find out about Sonia’s journey through food media and how she and her colleagues are putting their own stamp on BA. We also talk about the world’s best toaster oven, as well as the magazine’s big Thanksgiving issue, and how it reflects a change in the way Americans are cooking the big meal this year and for years into the future. We really enjoyed catching up with our friend. Also on the show, Cheryl Rodbard (aka Mombard) catches up with Matt in the studio. They talk about family holiday traditions, including some strong opinions about turkey, how to do the sides, and the famous “pink shit” (aka the best cranberry condiment) that lands on the Thanksgiving table each year—and, of course, we dive into Cheryl’s take on holiday English toffee. More from Sonia Chopra: Guy Fieri’s Nonstop, All-Day Dream Dinner Party [Bon Appetit] What Bon Appétit executive editor Sonia Chopra does in a workday [Washington Post] The Best Toaster Oven Is Versatile, Compact, and Can Replace Your Full-Size Oven [Bon Appetit] Mama Stamberg's Cranberry Relish Recipe [NPR] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tina Choi is the Seoul-based genius behind one of our favorite food YouTube channels around, Doobydobap. In this episode, we find out how Tina grew her incredible following through hard work, a lot of style, and many trips to Korean Costco. We also talk about her food science education at Cornell, and why one of Matt’s favorite cities to visit, Seoul, South Korea, is full of energy and innovation that cannot be matched. We hope you enjoy this extremely fun conversation with Tina Choi. Also on this episode, Matt catches up with writer Jordan Michelman to talk about the state of natural wine (#nattywine) and how his recent writing in Bon Appétit has shaken things up a bit. We always love having Jordan on, and he has lots to say. More from Doobydobap and Jordan Michelman: Our New Normal [youtube] White Sesame Chocolate Cookies [official] Gimjang and Lockdown [official] Is Natural Wine Losing Its Cool Factor? [Bon Appetit] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How cool it is to have Gregory Gourdet on the show. Gregory is a chef and cookbook author based in Portland, Oregon. Many of you may know Gregory from his memorable appearances on Top Chef—as both a contestant and a judge. In this lively conversation, we discuss his ambitious new restaurant in Portland, Kann, his '90s raver past, and vintage Nike fits in the Kann dining room. We also talk about his plans for bringing the spotlight to Haitian cuisine, as well as living a fulfilled life of sobriety. More from Gregory Gourdet: Gregory Gourdet Is Ready to Define Dining His Way [Resy] Watermelon-Berry Salad with Chile Dressing [gregorygourdet.com] Buy: Everyone's Table: Global Recipes for Modern Health Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pierce Abernathy is a really interesting and multitalented dude, and we were really happy to have him join us in the studio. Pierce is a trained cook, a big-time TikTok and Instagram creator, and a former Buzzfeeder, and he’s been known to model and work with fashion brands in interesting ways. We love the way Pierce thinks and talks about food, and we tap into his background living in Kentucky, cooking in New York, and walking the runway in Italy. Pierce is a rising star in food for all the right reasons, and we hope you enjoy getting to know him a bit better. Also on the show, cookbook author Ixta Belfrage stops by to talk about her very cool new book, Mezcla: Recipes to Excite. More from Pierce Abernathy: Leek butter! [TikTok] Pierce Abernathy Is All About Cool Dips [Food52] #199: Pierce Abernathy [Perfectly Imperfect] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Osayi Endolyn is a journalist, cookbook author, and cultural commentator of the highest degree. In this action-packed episode, we talk about her latest cookbook project, Ghetto Gastro Presents Black Power Kitchen. We find out about what goes into writing a cookbook that isn’t structured like a typical cookbook, and we go back to hear about Osayi’s life growing up around California, her early work in TV and film, and her assessment of what the Ghetto Gastro authors describe as “hood Chinese” food. This talk is a long time coming, and we hope you enjoy getting to know one of food media’s great voices. Also on the show, restaurateur and former Eleven Madison Park owner Will Guidara stops by to talk about his new book, Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect. More from Osayi Endolyn: Assisted Living [Oxford American] Christmas With Musicians Is as Sweet as It Sounds [Food & Wine] I Drove 300 Miles Through the Low Country for Life-Changing Food [CN Traveler] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today on the show, we have Claire Saffitz stopping by for a really entertaining conversation. Claire is the author of a new cookbook, What’s For Dessert, and she’s truly one of our favorite cooking instructors and personalities on the internet. We talk about how to visualize a recipe before baking it, as well as some of the common bakeware mistakes we are all making. Dark bakeware is a big no-no! We also hear a little bit about her journey from Harvard to the kitchens of France to millions of YouTube streams. We all love Claire Saffitz at TASTE, and we hope you enjoy this talk. More from Claire Saffitz: Claire Saffitz Makes Tiramisu Icebox Cake [Youtube] The Life and Death of Tart Frozen Yogurt [TASTE] Claire Saffitz Goes Outside Her Comfort Zone to Embrace Ours [TASTE] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kaitlin and Sarah Leung join us in the studio to talk about their long-running online food blog The Woks of Life. For anybody who has ever held a wok over high heat, The Woks of Life has been a steady hand helping you along the way. In this fun episode, we talk about how the pair went professional with their blog and how they wrote their new cookbook, The Woks of Life, with their parents. That’s four authors—two parents and two siblings—for those who are counting. We also find out some answers to life’s biggest burning Chinese home cooking questions. Read more from the Woks of Life: How to Make Wontons [The Woks of Life] Behind the Blog: The Woks of Life [The Food Network] Pulling Noodles at Xi’an Famous Foods [Food Network] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It was really fun having Molly Yeh join us in the studio for an absolute riot of a conversation. Molly is legitimately one of the funniest writers (and guests) that we’ve encountered in a long time, and we get into all sorts of topics on the show. We talk about what makes a great Hallmark Channel movie, and we theorize about how she will possibly star in one one day. We also talk about Little House on the Prairie (the TV show) and how Molly is living her best life in North Dakota, and we dive into her truly incredible new book, Home Is Where the Eggs Are. What a fun conversation—I hope you enjoy it. Also on the show, the return of Three Things. Aliza and Matt catch up about campfire s'mores injuries, a visit to '90s media power lunch spot Michael's, okonomiyaki, Matt's trip to Lysée, oat cortado vs. cow cortado, Aliza's barista past, the hot coffee era is here, Waffle House and losing bets, WWE Superstars, fantasy basketball picks, go Nets! More from Molly Yeh: Molly Yeh’s Margherita and Prosciutto Pizzettes [YouTube] Girl Meets Farm [The Food Network] In Her New Book, Molly Yeh Goes Back to Basics [Modern Farmer] Buy: Home Is Where the Eggs Are Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you’ve checked out Instagram lately, chances are you’ve spotted one of Hannah Ziskin’s slab cakes, princess cakes, and fruit custard tarts making the algorithm rounds. Hannah is the co-owner and pastry chef at Echo Park’s Quarter Sheets Pizza in Los Angeles. She runs Quarter Sheets with her partner, Aaron Lindell, and on this episode, we talk about the unlikely marriage of pan pizza and sheet cake. We also find out what it’s like running one of LA’s buzziest restaurants, and how she gets it all done with such a tiny staff. We really loved getting to know Hannah on this fun episode. More from Hannah Ziskin: Pastry Chef Hannah Ziskin Seasons Her Sweets Like Salads [TASTE] How LA cake virtuosos learned to thrive on Instagram [LA Times] House of Gluten [IG] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What a joy it is to have Claudia Fleming live in the studio. Claudia is the executive pastry director of Union Square Hospitality Group and the author of the new cookbook Delectable: Sweet and Savory Baking. But many listeners may know Claudia best from her iconic (and once out of print) first cookbook, The Last Course. In this episode, we dive into Claudia’s long career working in New York City restaurants and writing books. We find out how the pandemic brought a great opportunity to write Delectable, a book that I think should be considered a modern baking classic. I also pick her brain about some of life’s biggest baking mysteries. It’s so cool getting to know Claudia Fleming a bit better. Also on the show, we catch up with the cofounders of the amazing food magazine Cake Zine. Aliza Abarbanel and Tanya Bush talk about the theme of their latest issue and what makes their partnership so sweet. It’s a great talk with two rising stars in food media. More from Claudia Fleming: The Tart That Launched a Thousand Tarts [TASTE] A Legendary Pastry Chef Returns to New York City [Food & Wine] Rekindling the Flame at Danny Meyer’s Ci Siamo [The New York Times] How the Budino Craze Swept Across America [TASTE] Buy: Cake Zine Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices