This Is TASTE

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

Helen Rosner returns to the TASTE Podcast, and we couldn’t be happier. Helen is a journalist, Twitter commentator, and staff writer covering food at the New Yorker. We wanted to have Helen into the studio to talk about some of her recent stories, including writing about roasting duck at home, the Chicago-style hot dog, and the busy fall cookbook season. We also discuss the epic Twitter thread, bursting with wisdom and common sense, that she wrote on her 40th birthday. But we mostly just wanted to catch up with one of our oldest friends from food media. More from Helen Rosner: Things I’ve Learned [Twitter] The Unbreakable Rules of the Chicago Hot Dog [The New Yorker] Sunday Reading: The World of Helen Rosner [The New Yorker] Food Is Stupid [Substack] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It was with great anticipation, and some unknowns, that we spoke with George Saunders, the author of many works, including the Booker Prize–winning Lincoln in the Bardo. This is a really great conversation that switches gears often. We talk about pizza and Italian delis on the South Side of Chicago, as well as lunch in the Texas oil fields. We talk about success in the kitchen and how intuition crashes together with luck. We talk about food in the year 2300. We talk about the near future and mustard collections in a short story from his new work, Liberation Day. We talk about perfectionism, Santa Cruz coffee, and time traveling to find out how dinner has been prepared over thousands of years. The great George Saunders is on the show. Enjoy it. More from George Saunders: Ghoul [The New Yorker] Story Club with George Saunders [Substack] Eat, Memory: The Absolutely No-Anything Diet [New York Times Magazine] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Yes, Gideon Glick joined us in the studio for one of our favorite conversations in recent memory. Gideon is a prolific actor, having starred in memorable roles on Broadway (including in Little Shop of Horrors, in To Kill a Mockingbird, and in the original Broadway cast of Spring Awakening) and on television, including the mysterious magician Alfie on The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, currently filming its final season. Gideon is the coauthor of the excellent new cookbook Give My Swiss Chards to Broadway: The Broadway Lover's Cookbook, and we talk about the art of creating a great theater-themed recipe pun. We also talk about the food situation on set and during the marathon-like eight-shows-per-week Broadway schedule. Having Gideon join us in the studio was such a ray of sunshine, and we hope the theater lovers out there enjoy this conversation with a living legend. Also on the show we catch up with Brian Noyes, author of The Red Truck Bakery Farmhouse Cookbook and a certified pie master. More from Gideon Glick: The Queer, Half-Deaf Actor Redefining the Idea of a Leading Man [New York Times] ‘Spring Awakening’ Cast Reunites at Tony Awards [TV Insider] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Genevieve Ko is a deputy editor of New York Times Cooking and the Food section, as well as a prolific cookbook author and collaborator. Here we have such a great time catching up about all things cookbooks, food media, and what it’s like to help run one of the best, and most popular, sections at the New York Times. We talk about Genevieve’s collaborations with chefs like George Mendes, Pichet Ong, and many others. We also discuss the problem with calling an ingredient “trendy” and share some thoughts on the recipe reply guy. I really loved catching up with Genevieve, and I hope you enjoy this talk. Read more from Genevieve Ko: Pulled Pork Is Easier Than You Think [New York Times] The Irresistible Thrill of Kung Pao [New York Times] The Endless Torment of the ‘Recipe?’ Guy [New York Times] Read: My Portugal: Recipes and Stories Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tokyo-based journalist Craig Mod is part journalist, part ethnographer, and part performance artist, and we’re really happy that he stopped by the studio for a lively chat. While he may not be a household name (yet), those in the know about such topics as digital book publishing, Japan, and multiday walks around Japan respect Craig’s incredible body of work. This is a wide and deep conversation about food trends in Japan, where you should visit in the country outside Tokyo, and Craig’s unique style of publishing—all based around his Special Projects membership program. It was such a pleasure to get to know Craig Mod, and we hope you enjoy this conversation. And subscribe to Craig’s latest walk around the Kii Peninsula, taking place October 4-17. More from Craig Mod: Electric Bike, Stupid Love of My Life [official] I Walked 600 Miles Across Japan for Pizza Toast [Eater] The Life of One Den [Ridgeline] A Long Walk in a Fading Corner of Japan [New York Times] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Reem Assil’s cookbook, Arabiyya, shows that great hospitality is easy to pull off—as long as you have enough pomegranate molasses to go around. In this lively episode, we talk to the Bay Area chef and activist about her inspiring career, which has taken her between the kitchen and the community—and sometimes to the poker table. Yes, Reem is a hell of a poker player, and we dive into that. We also talk about her zaatar hookup and how she is crystallizing a “Pali-Cali” (that would be Palestinian-Californian) style of cooking. Get to know Reem Assil a little better on this fun episode. More from Reem Assil: Sumac Spiced Chicken and Muhammara [Today Show] Reem’s California [official] Telling the Story of Arab Home Cooking, from Beirut to the East Bay [TASTE] Ramy [Hulu] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s not often that we get to speak with an NBA legend on the show, but Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler is no average NBA legend. He’s a coffee geek, just like us, and we talk about his exciting new company, BIGFACE, and what inspires Jimmy’s love for all aspects of coffee, including the farming, cupping, and barista work. We also talk about food in the NBA and hear about the coffee orders of some of his Heat teammates. Also on the show, we catch up with Ashley Rodriguez. Ashley is the boss barista behind the popular podcast and newsletter Boss Barista, and we welcome her to the show to talk about all things coffee. We learn about Ashley’s long history working in coffee—as a writer and leader in a movement toward education and equality. We talk about the idea of “sweetness” in coffee, and together we go through her method in tasting and grading coffee. We also tackle the big topic of espresso. Is it a net positive for coffee? I loved catching up with Ashley and hope you learn a little bit more about one of the world’s most popular beverages. More from Jimmy Butler and Ashley Rodriguez: Jimmy Butler Wants to Sell You a $100 Cup of Coffee [Fast Company] Loyalty Isn't Real [Boss Barista] How to Actually Taste Coffee and Forget About Those “Notes of Blueberries” [TASTE] The Coffee Issue [TASTE] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’ve long been fans of cookbook author and creative thinker Molly Baz, and many of you have, too. With a signature voice and absolutely wild recipe development skills (as well as years of professional cooking under her belt), Molly has won over millions of fans worldwide. Her book Cook This Book was a New York Times Best Seller, and we talk about some of the many things she’s been up to since its release a little over a year ago. We find out about her move from New York to the West Coast, as well as what it was like growing up in New York’s Hudson Valley. We really enjoyed catching up with Molly on this really great episode. Also on the show, contributing editor Aliza Abarbanel joins Matt to talk about what’s on their minds: Quarter Sheets, late-summer apples, samgyetang roasted chicken, A24 merch, the great B. O. Boys podcast. They also play a game involving Chex Original Party Mix and ASMR. More from Molly Baz: The Club by Molly Baz [official] Hit the Kitch [Youtube] Baz to Basics [TASTE] Into It With Sam Sanders [official] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stefano Secchi is a modern pasta master and the chef behind New York City’s hit restaurant Rezdôra. In this entertaining episode, we dive into the ins and outs of making hundreds (sometimes thousands) of fresh tortellini, ravioli, and gnocchi a day. We also talk about what it’s like running the restaurant attached to one of New York’s most difficult reservations, and how screening an episode of the TV show The Bear might hit a little too close to home for the chef. We loved getting to know Stefano, and we hope you do, too. More from Stefano Secchi: At Rezdôra, a Fresh Voice in Italian Cooking for New York [New York Times] Make Fresh Pasta in Literally 5 Minutes [Youtube] Where to Eat in Piedmont, According to a Chef Who Mastered His Craft There [Bon Appetit] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bettina Makalintal is a reporter at Eater who previously served as associate print editor at Bon Appétit and a staff writer at VICE’s Munchies. We’re big fans of Bettina’s erudite and internet-first journalism, and we wanted to have her on the show to discuss it all. We talk about her home cooking feeds on Instagram and TikTok, and we dive into how her natural curiosity drives her to find answers to the most esoteric food and cooking questions. Why are so many cakes shaped like domes? Why are reservations for hot tables so impossible to land these days? This is such a great conversation with one of food media’s strongest voices today. Also on the show Matt catches up with Contributing Editor Aliza Abarbanel to talk about two recent New York Times articles that got them thinking. More from Bettina Makalintal and NYT Food: The Unlimited Potential of Meat-Free Asian Cookbooks [Eater] The Return of the Hot Table [Eater] It’s Time to Take Suburban Food More Seriously [Vice] Does Anyone Drink Hot Coffee Anymore? [NYT] The Endless Torment of the ‘Recipe?’ Guy [NYT] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Bear. We all love The Bear, the hit restaurant drama from FX. And we love The Bear for good reason. The show was the talk of TV this summer, and it’s still gaining popularity. Courtney Storer is a Los Angeles–based chef and the show’s culinary producer. That means she’s behind the show’s hyperrealistic cooking scenes that are now legendary. On the show today, we find out how Courtney translates her decade of professional cooking experience for the actors, and how growing up in Chicago informed the way she thinks about food. Get to know Courtney Storer on this entertaining episode of the TASTE Podcast. More from Courtney Storer: The Bear Glossary [Uproxx] At Home with Courtney Storer [L&G] TASTE Podcast 123: Ayo Edebiri [TASTE] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Have you found your way into the world of Suzy Karadsheh and the megapopular YouTube channel and website The Mediterranean Dish? We sure have, and it’s changing the way we cook. Born and raised in the cosmopolitan Mediterranean city of Port Said, Egypt, Suzy was just a boat ride away from countries like Italy, Turkey, Lebanon, Greece, and Israel. In this episode, we hear Suzy’s unique story that had her leaving Egypt to attend college in the United States and eventually settle in Atlanta, Georgia. We talk about her new cookbook, The Mediterranean Dish, and what excites her in the kitchen today. Also, loud hummus! Also on the show, we catch up with Salvadoran poet and author Javier Zamora about his remarkable new book, Solito. This is such a great episode, and we hope you enjoy it. More from Suzy Karadsheh: Kofta-Seasoned Ground Beef Pita Sandwich [Mediterranean Dish] Mediterranean Cooking Expert Suzy Karadsheh’s Favorite Things [Barrons] Buy: The Mediterranean Dish and Solito. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alice Feiring is our guest today, and we have a great conversation that goes to some unfamiliar places. Alice is a journalist and celebrated wine writer, and she’s also the author of many great wine books, including 2019’s Natural Wine for the People, a prophetic look at the natural wine movement that has swept the drinking world away. She also wrote The Battle for Wine and Love: or How I Saved the World from Parkerization. That would be a reference to wine critic Robert Parker, and we talk about major shifts in the wine world over the past decade, as well as Alice’s interest in the wines of the country of Georgia. But we mostly talk about her incredible new memoir, To Fall in Love, Drink This. We read it in two sittings, and it has so many great stories to cover. What a fun episode. More from Alice Feiring: The Feiring Line [official] How a Wine Writer Spends Her Sundays [NYT] So Everything’s a Natural Wine Bar Now? [PUNCH] Buy: To Fall in Love, Drink This Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We welcome one of our favorite chefs in the game, JJ Johnson, back to the program. JJ is the James Beard Award–winning chef behind the fast-casual restaurant Field Trip and a coauthor of the cookbook Between Harlem and Heaven. In this episode, we catch up about JJ’s time attending the Culinary Institute of America and what it was like being one of the few Black chefs in the program. Then we fast-forward to the present day and talk about JJ’s big ambition with food television and his growing empire of rice-focused restaurants. We love chatting with JJ whenever we can, and we hope you enjoy this conversation. More from JJ Johnson: Chef JJ Johnson Is Making Rice Cool Again [Nations Restaurant News] JJ Johnson’s Field Trip To Malliouhana [Forbes] JJ Johnson Is a Young Chef on the Rise, to a Hip-Hop Beat [New York Times] TASTE Podcast 62: JJ Johnson [TASTE] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How fun to have Paula Forbes on the show! Paula is a longtime journalist covering the cookbook publishing industry, among many other topics, and is the founder of Stained Page News. On this episode, we find out what draws Paula to review, critique, and obsess over cookbooks—as well as what she enjoys cooking at home. We also dive into the busy fall season and find out what Paula is most looking forward to. It’s a great time catching up with our old friend. Later on the episode, we speak with chef Tanya Holland, author of the new cookbook Tanya Holland’s California Soul. It’s a beautiful tribute to the Black food traditions of California. We find out some of Holland’s own personal history and what drove her to write about this incredible topic. More from Paula and Tanya: Fall Preview 2022: Chef & Restaurant Books [Stained Page News] Fall Preview 2022: Baking and Pastry [Stained Page News] Time to Put Equity on the Plate in Our Restaurant Industry [Newsweek] Buy: Tanya Holland’s California Soul Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How do you introduce Melissa Clark, a prolific cookbook author, longtime New York Times columnist, and one of the most respected food writers around? Well, first you must know that one of our absolute favorite cookbooks of all time is her 2017 tome Dinner: Changing the Game. In this episode, we talk about what inspires her weekly recipe column in the paper of record and how her latest book, Dinner in One, may be one of her most personal books yet. We also go back to her days collaborating with great chefs including Daniel Boulud, David Bouley, and Claudia Fleming. We hope you enjoy getting to know Melissa Clark a little better. Also on the show Matt catches up with Contributing Editor Aliza Abarbanel to talk all about this McTorta moment we are all living in, as well as ranking the top fast food menu items of the land. More from Melissa Clark: Take Your Cakes to the Upside Down [New York Times] Elbowing for Scallops With Melissa Clark [TASTE] How to Roast the Perfect Chicken [Youtube] The McTorta Moment [TASTE] Buy: Dinner in One Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does a cookbook editor actually do day-to-day in the year 2022? It turns out, more than you could ever imagine. On this episode of the show, we catch up with our old friend Raquel Pelzel. She’s the editorial director at Clarkson Potter and has authored more than a dozen cookbooks of her own. It’s clear that Raquel has tremendous respect for her authors, including Eric Kim, Rick Martinez, and Claire Saffitz, and we find out how she allows her authors’ voice to shine through. We also talk about the way she edits a recipe, which goes back to her time working at the demanding Cooks Illustrated. Was her mom “the worst cook in the world”? Yes, she was, and we find out about Raquel’s interesting upbringing living on the North Side of Chicago. This is such a great conversation about making and loving cookbooks! More from Raquel Pelzel: High Cuisine: How I Wrote a Serious Pot Cookbook [TASTE] Thank You, WhatsApp. Or, How to Crowd-Source an Israeli Family Recipe. [TASTE] What Cookbook Author and Publishing Maven Raquel Pelzel Cooks for Her Family in a Week [Epicurious] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When Mission Chinese opened in New York in a crowded, slightly dank subterranean space on Orchard Street a decade ago, the food world collectively paused to praise the inventive and fully out-there cooking of a young chef named Danny Bowien. On this episode we catch up with Danny to hear about the up-and-down decade that followed and what it was like to recently close his last Mission location in NYC. We also talk about the 2020 Grub Street article that painted a portrait of abuse in the kitchens run under his watch. And we dive into his great new cookbook, Mission Vegan. This episode is a long time coming, and we hope you enjoy it. More from Danny Bowien: Goodbye to Mission Chinese Food and Its Complicated NYC Legacy [Bon Appetit] The Nightmare Inside Mission Chinese Food [Grub Street] Danny Bowien on the Hard-Partying Chef Life—Now Fueled by SoulCycle and Spirulina [Vogue] Twice-Cooked Bacon is the Best Kind of Bacon [Saveur] Buy: Mission Vegan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Journalist and cookbook author Eric Kim is back on the show, and we had such a great time catching up with him. So much has happened since we had him in last fall, and we talk about so many things, including his recent work at the New York Times and the release and warm reception of his NYT bestseller, the cookbook Korean American. We also talk about the Chicago hot dog, one of our favorite foods, and his and Matt’s complicated feelings behind the assertion that “Korean food is having a moment.” Eric has an open invitation to be on the show, and we’re so glad he accepted again. Also on the show, the return of 3 things! Contributing editor Aliza Abarbanel joins Matt to talk about what’s on their minds: donut peaches, eating out in Portland, Oregon, the forthcoming cookbook Rambutan, the best peanut butter, and Spago Rock. More from Eric Kim: Welcome to Chicago, Hot Dog Town, U.S.A. [New York Times] A Chocolate Cake for the Queen of ASMR Eating [New York Times Magazine] What’s in Your Second Fridge? [TASTE] Cake Zine [Official website] The Melt [Substack] Buy: Korean American Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s really fun having Alex Delany on the show and getting to know the food and drink (and menswear and rare book) writer and collector a little bit better. You may know Alex from his time working at Bon Appétit as a writer covering home cooking, wine, cocktails, and naturally processed coffee (respect), as well as a series of memorable YouTube videos. But since leaving BA in early 2021, Alex has been busy working as a consultant, podcaster, wine educator, and most recently as the author of a really cool city guide called “Everything Good.” As the name suggests, the free Google Doc notes the good things happening in neighborhoods around New York City. In this wide-ranging conversation, we talk about his time working at Details (RIP) and later BA, where he rose to become drinks editor and write exhaustive guides about amaro, coffee subscriptions, and regional pizza styles. We also go over some of Alex’s favorite places on his beloved Lower East Side (aka Dimes Square, aka one of NYC’s most vibrant and controversial neighborhoods). It’s really fun catching up with Alex. More from Alex Delany: Everything Good on the Lower East Side [Google Doc] Everything Good in Soho and Noho [Google Doc] I Never Thought I Would Say This: I’m Into This Non-Alcoholic Beer [BA] Sound Radio [Spotify] What Is Natural Process Coffee? [Sprudge] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A writer, editor, illustrator, cookbook author, children’s book author, and really fun guy to get to know, Joshua David Stein really has all the goods. In this truly epic episode we cover Joshua’s long and interesting career, from the early days of Gawker and the New York Observer to writing cookbooks with Kwame Onwuachi, Wilson Tang, and Joe Campanale. We talk about why writing about restaurants is such a compelling act of cultural anthropology, and why writing cookbooks was the natural progression for Joshua. And how the years-long process of writing a cookbook is the type of project, a huge one at that, that is both satisfying and an exercise of letting go. We also talk about the hustle required to hack it in food writing today. This is an amazing talk with one of our favorites. More from Joshua David Stein: When Jacques Pépin Made All the World an Omelet [TASTE] Chef Michael White's New York Comeback [Esquire] This Is the Story of the Rainbow Room [PUNCH] Buy: Vino: The Essential Guide to Real Italian Wine Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We don’t talk much about the wine world on the show, but we couldn’t pass up the chance to have the legendary wine critic and big-ideas person Jancis Robinson in the studio. Wine talk can be a real snooze, but this wide-ranging chat is hardly the audio version of swirling and spitting. We talk about Jancis’s pioneering wine show on the BBC and how she translated wine to a wide audience. We also discuss what it’s like to select wines for Her Royal Highness and how the wines are highly scrutinized by the press and “royal watchers” (and we debate the accuracy of The Crown). We talk about natural wine and how the conventional wine world has been challenged by a seismic change in the industry. We learned a great deal from this conversation! More from Jancis Robinson: The 24 Hour Wine Expert [Talks at Google] What Wine Twitter Taught Me About Wine [PUNCH] What Does It Take to Be a Great Wine Reference Book Today? [PUNCH] Visit Jancis online at: jancisrobinson.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What a thrill to have Stephen Satterfield on the show. Stephen has many layers in his long career in journalism, wine, and television—and we discuss them all. He is the founder of Whetstone, a media company founded in 2017 that produces journals, podcasts, and an anchor magazine that is one of our favorites on the rack. He’s also the host of the Netflix series High on the Hog: How African American Cuisine Transformed America, winner of a Peabody Award for documentary. This conversation is wide-ranging and dips into Stephen’s sommelier past, as well as digging into his approach for producing the magazine Whetstone. It’s a really great conversation. More from Stephen Satterfield: F&W Game Changers: Stephen Satterfield [Food & Wine] The Lasting Impact of ‘High on the Hog’ [Eater] The Profound Significance of ‘High on the Hog’ [New York Times] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Emily Schildt wants food shopping to be a more fun and mind-expanding experience, and with her company, Pop Up Grocer, she’s getting customers closer to the destination. As the name suggests, PUG travels the country and sets up shop for 30-day runs in cities like Miami, New York, and Washington, DC. Each pop-up sells hundreds of the most interesting and emerging food brands around (some of which we’ve covered on the TASTE Podcast), all heavily curated and many run by women and BIPOC founders. We speak with Emily about the company’s big ideas, even bigger plans, and some of the products she is most excited about selling. What a great conversation with Emily! More from Emily Schildt: Emily Schildt on Rethinking the Grocery Experience [Modern Retail] The Utopian Promises and Novelty Cheese of a Discount Grocery Store [TASTE] How Pop Up Grocer Curates its Aisles with Emerging Food Brands [Forbes] Pop Up Grocer [official website] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices