This Is TASTE

Eden Grinshpan is a Canadian chef and television host based in Toronto, Ontario. She has hosted Top Chef Canada since 2017, and she is the author of a very cool new book, Tahini Baby. In this episode, we talk about Eden’s career both on and off television. We dig into her New York City restaurant takes — the good, the bad, and the labneh — and how she developed her unique recipe style and vibe. Also on the show we have a terrific conversation with Gena Hamshaw, author of the new book, A Grain, a Green, a Bean. We talk about her work as a nutritionist, and how her book cracks many codes when it comes to eating a plant-based diet. Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode, we talk about protein, one of the biggest topics in food today. First up is a really fun conversation with our friend Daniel Holzman. Daniel is the chef and owner of Danny Boy’s Pizza in Los Angeles and cofounder of The Meatball Shop in New York City. This is a guy who knows about cooking with beef while balancing his diet for optimal health. We also talk about the pizza game and the creative ways he cooks to maximize his daily protein intake. Also on the show, we have a fascinating talk with sports dietitian Christina Chu. Christina works with professional athletes and actors on building programs to balance their diets and compete at the highest level. We talk about Christina’s favorite sources for protein (beef included) and how she likes to think visually about the plate, balancing carbs, vegetables, and protein. This special episode was brought to you by Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. On behalf of the Beef Checkoff. USDA recommends a safe minimum internal temperature of 145ºF for steaks and roasts, and 160ºF for ground beef. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The one and only Adam Richman joined us in the studio for a really memorable conversation. Adam has been a fixture of food TV for over two decades, and he is one of the sharpest minds in the game. His series The Food That Built America just returned for season six, and we talk about Adam’s career exploring the foods of the world on shows like Man v. Food and many other food TV hits. What an interesting guy! Also on the show we have a great conversation with Lyndsay C. Green. She's the restaurant and dining critic at the Detroit Free Press and discusses here recent feature on the top 10 new restaurants in Detroit. Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Roy Choi is known as one of the architects of the modern food truck movement through Kogi BBQ. He is cohost of the Netflix cooking series The Chef Show along with Jon Favreau and has written a terrific new book, The Choi of Cooking. In this episode, we talk all about Roy’s philosophy around cooking with foundation, balance, and compassion in mind. We hear about how he reinforces these concepts through smart recipes, and about his connection to the rise of Korean food in America. (For you dakdoritang lovers out there, this is the episode for you.) Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you. Buy: The Choi of Cooking Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

MacKenzie Chung Fegan is the restaurant critic for the San Francisco Chronicle, which has just released its top 100 restaurants list. It’s the first time in six years the publication has done a big list like this, and in this episode, MacKenzie goes over how she chose the restaurants and why the Bay Area food scene is absolutely on fire. We go over many of the picks, including the top ten. Also on the episode, Aliza and Matt talk about a recent trip to San Francisco and a number of exciting restaurant discoveries. Some of the places were on the Chronicle’s list, while others may have slid under the radar. Matt visited bakeries and coffee spots and had a number of memorable meals. Places visited include: Bodega, Neighbor's Corner, The Coffee Movement, Hi NRG, El Mil Amores, Che Fico, Outerlands, Aziza, Maison Nico, Timbri Hotel. Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sisters Danielle and Gabrielle Davenport are the cofounders of BEM, a bookstore and community space for Black food literature. After years of operating online and at pop-ups, they’re getting ready to open a permanent location in Bed-Stuy. It’s so fun to have Danielle and Gabrielle in the studio to nerd out on food literature, building a family business together, and more. Also on the show, it’s the return of Three Things, where Aliza and Matt talk about what is exciting them in the world of restaurants, cookbooks, and the food world as a whole. On this episode: Cake Zine x Seeyousoon hosted a pop-up, Breadivore is doing really great bread and viennoiserie in South Brooklyn, and some thoughts on Girl Scout cookie season. Also: A review of Graydon Carter’s memoir, When the Going Was Good, checking in at Wu’s Wonton King, The Studio is a great new show on Apple TV+. Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re pretty sure many of you have at least heard of Cava and have possibly ordered lunch or dinner from the wildly popular Mediterranean restaurant chain. In this episode, we have a really cool conversation with Cava’s cofounder, Ted Xenohristos. We talk about the company’s early days and how Ted’s Greek heritage and detail-minded approach have made Cava one of the biggest restaurant stories in years. We discuss the group’s broad expansion, how the company’s IPO changed everything (and nothing at all), and how Ted looks at developing culinary ideas that are accessible, a little exotic, and pretty darn delicious. Also on the show we have a great talk with actor Alexandra Metz. She plays Dr. Yolanda Garcia on one of our favorite shows of the year, the medical drama The Pitt. We talk about filming the intense emergency room scenes, and what it’s like to hit craft service after sawing off a patient’s limb (act sawing, of course). We also hear about all the food in her life growing up in a Jewish and Latina household. Follow her Instagram: @metzaballsoup. Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re excited to launch a special video podcast series: Food Writers Talking About Food Writing. It’s available on the TASTE YouTube channel, so make sure to subscribe! Every couple of weeks, cohost Matt Rodbard will invite a journalist or cookbook author to talk about some favorite recent food writing as well as their thoughts on the industry as a whole. Our first guest is a special one: Eric Kim is a writer and columnist at the New York Times and a great consumer of food writing. In this episode, we talk about Eric’s media diet, discuss a few favorite stories, Eli Sussman taking over as NYT restaurant critic, and ask the big question: What would you pitch 1997 Graydon Carter? That is, Eric considers his dream no-budget reporting assignment. You can check out the full episode on YouTube now. Featured on this episode: Steak Fries: Deservedly Reviled or Underappreciated Edible Spoons? [NYT] What Can’t Jerk Do? [TASTE] Chef Eli Sussman Named NYT Restaurant Critic [Instagram] Lessons From Germany on a Better Bratwurst [NYT] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We have such a great episode today. Shilpa and Miro Uskokovic are the husband and wife duo behind the amazing new New York City bakery Hani’s Bakery + Café, located in the East Village. First up Matt has an amazing conversation with Shilpa about her professional cooking career, which led to a job at Bon Appétit. Today Shilpa is BA’s senior test kitchen editor, and we talk about some of the stories she is working on and how the new BA Bake Club is getting so many people to take a break and just bake. Later on, Aliza catches up with Miro to talk about his own incredible pastry career and his legacy as pastry chef at Gramercy Tavern, where he worked for over a decade. Of course, they also talk about Hani’s and the amazing desserts, breads, and other items lining the bakery’s case. Shilpa and Miro are two of our favorites in food—what a power couple! I hope you enjoy this episode. Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Robert Sietsema is a longtime New York City restaurant critic and neighborhood wanderer who has written for the Village Voice and Eater and who, prior to that, ran the influential underground food zine Down the Hatch. He currently publishes a really great Substack, Robert Sietsema's New York. It’s dispatched in a purely Sietsema way - full of reporting, knowledge, and lots of undiscovered restaurant gems around New York City. You should really be reading Robert’s work and our conversation covers burgers, soups, pizza, and New York as a place that has everything - and not always good. Also on the show, Matt shares about his recent trip to Tucson, Arizona. What a great food city! Mentioned on the episode: Seis Kitchen at Mercado San Agustin, La Estrella Bakery, Presta, La Mesa Tortillas, Time Market, Casa Asada, Taqueria Juanitos, El Rustico. Check out the Tucson Google map and save for a future visit. Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you. Read more: 5 Wonderful Things I've Eaten Around NYC Lately [RSNY] This Is TASTE 51: Robert Sietsema [TASTE] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It was really fun having Molly Yeh back 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 has amazing recipe writing chops to boot. We get into all sorts of topics on the show including her latest book about Midwest baking, Sweet Farm. We talk about Minnesota's deep cookie salad traditions, the genius of Furikake puppy chow, and what it’s like to live on a sugar beet farm. Also on the show it’s the return of Three Things where Aliza and Matt discuss what is exciting in the world of restaurants, cookbooks, and the food world as a whole. On this episode: Besha Rodell’s memoir Hunger Like a Thirst, Carolina Gelen with a hot (cold) coffee tip, Selva is an all-day cafe/wine bar doing special things. Also: Syme's Letter Writer will make you appreciate letter writing in a special way, Sing Sing didn’t get the attention it deserved, Brooklyn’s Dinner Party is a restaurant serving what we are looking for right now, Wonder Bread has its first product launch in a hundred years. Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you. Read more: This Is TASTE 153: Molly Yeh [TASTE] 8 Reasons Why Molly Yeh Loves Yogurt More Than LIFE [BA] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We recently headed out of the studio to visit Victoria, British Columbia, to check out the food and drink scene and report back on my findings. Listeners, this is a really exciting place, and we’re excited to speak with Andrea Alridge, the chef at a terrific new restaurant, Janevca, and Lori Joyce, owner of truly unique ice cream shop, Better Acres Ice Cream. Victoria rests on the naturally stunning Vancouver Island and is located a short ferry ride from Vancouver and Seattle. We found amazing coffee, fine dining, a historic botanical garden, and fresh seafood around every corner. Throughout the episode, Aliza and Matt also catch up to talk about some of the highlights of the visit. We hope you enjoy our dive into Victoria. Save our Google Map of all the places mentioned in the episode. Visit Tourism Victoria for more information on places to eat and drink. Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today on the show we welcome Eric Adjepong to the studio, who, along with the writer Korsha Wilson, has released one of our favorite books this spring: Ghana to the World. It’s a wonderful collection of stories and recipes that captures Eric’s deep connection to Ghana and how the country’s cuisine has shaped his career. Eric has appeared on Top Chef and various Food Network programming, and he shares his amazing story and the deep reporting that went into this special book. Also on the show are sisters Alia and Radwa Elkaffas, who have been creating food videos together for over a decade. Known online as the Food Dolls, they’ve built a following with craveable recipes that blend their Egyptian heritage with their Midwestern upbringing. Now it’s all enshrined in their new debut cookbook: Pretty Delicious. It’s so fun chatting with Alia and Radwa about finding cooking inspiration, working together as sisters, and much more. Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Zaynab Issa is a cookbook author, recipe developer, and content creator based in Brooklyn, New York. Formerly a food editor at Bon Appétit, she contributes recipes to a variety of publications and just released a great debut cookbook, Third Culture Cooking: Classic Recipes for a New Generation. It’s so fun having Zaynab in the studio to talk about blending her East African and South Asian roots with Americana classics, building the perfect dinner party menu, and more. Also on the show we have a really fun talk with Holly Brickley, author of the new novel Deep Cuts. We talk about the music scene in the early 2000s, and how the novel tackles a generation of musical vibe shifts. We also talk about the book’s exciting Hollywood future with A24. Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you. Read More: Third Culture Cooking: Classic Recipes for a New Generation [Abrams] Zaynab’s Substack [Substack] Saoirse Ronan And Austin Butler To Star In Feature Adaptation of ‘Deep Cuts’ [Deadline] New Denizen [official] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Camilla Marcus is a chef, restaurateur, and founder of west~bourne, a wildly progressive restaurant and products company based in Los Angeles. Camilla is one of my favorite big thinkers in food, and I so enjoyed having her in the studio to talk about some important topics of the day, including the pioneering west~bourne, her career in and out of the kitchen, and how the government can help restaurants survive during these challenging times. And before our conversation with Camilla, it’s the return of Three Things where Aliza and Matt discuss what is exciting in the world of restaurants, cookbooks, and the food world as a whole. On this episode: We love Spongies Cafe in Manhattan Chinatown, early thoughts on Keith McNally’s buzzy memoir I Regret Almost Everything. Also: Visits to Kru in Brooklyn, Paul’s Pel'meni in Madison, WI, and Smithereens in the East Village. And we’re really enjoying the debut cookbook from New York City’s Scarr’s Pizza. It’s called The Scarr's Pizza Cookbook and is out March 25. Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you. READ AND LISTEN TO MORE: This Is TASTE 444: Restaurants Are Broken with Akira Akuto [Apple] This Is TASTE 205: Rich Torrisi [TASTE] Buy Camilla's book: My Regenerative Kitchen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Asmeret Berhe-Lumax is the founder of One Love Community Fridge, a network of ten community refrigerators across New York City and Seattle working to eradicate food insecurity. Its work is more urgent than ever, and it’s so special to have Asmeret into the studio to talk about fighting hunger and the stigma associated with it, and about One Love Community Fridge’s big plans for expansion. Also on the show we have the big grocery news of the week. Poppi was acquired by Pepsi and we’re joined by Andrea Hernández of Snaxshot to talk about what this means for the better-for-you soda wars. Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you. READ MORE: Woman Helps Feed Thousands by Putting Refrigerators Full of Nutritious Food into Communities [ABC] Pepsi Acquiring Poppi [Snaxshot] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How fun is it having Paul Carmichael in the studio? Paul is the chef of Kabawa and Bar Kabawa, which is part of Momofuku and located in the former Ko space in New York City. Paul is a Momofuku veteran, having served as chef at Má Pêche in NYC and Seiobo in Sydney, Australia. In this episode, we hear about Paul’s career, from wd~50 to his leadership position working alongside David Chang. We discuss what makes a Momofuku restaurant special and about the Caribbean food history that flows through Paul’s menus. We also get the latest updates on the opening of Kabawa, which is one of New York City’s most hotly anticipated restaurants. It was so fun catching up with Paul. Also on the show, Aliza has a great talk with Roger Kamholz. A longtime contributor to PUNCH, he’s something of a cocktail world expert, and today he unpacks how he tapped into his mixology knowledge to create Pour Together, a book of imaginative and delicious two-ingredient cocktails. Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you. Read More: This Is TASTE 376: Momofuku CEO Life with Marguerite Zabar Mariscal This Is TASTE 233: Wylie Dufresne Momofuku’s First New Restaurant in Years [Eater] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jaeki Cho and Brian Lee are the co-founders of Righteous Eats, a multi-platform media brand spotlighting small, immigrant-run food businesses in New York and beyond. They’ve racked up millions of views with thoughtful storytelling that goes beyond the typical food porn—and they’ve got ambitions for a whole lot more, hosting events and providing resources to empower business owners. Today on the show, Jaeki and Brian go deep on Righteous Eats POV and plans for the future, plus some of their favorite spots in the city. Also on the show, it’s the return of Three Things where Aliza and Matt discuss what is exciting in the world of restaurants, cookbooks, and the food world as a whole. On this episode: HI NRG coffee pop-up in San Francisco, @keithhysiu x @fruitsomm pop-up report, Pistakio has a new crunchy spread. Also: Casa Dragones Reposado, Visitor NA beer, and love for the tofu scramble. Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today on the show, we welcome Fany Gerson into the studio. Fany is the chef and owner of a diverse roster of New York City food businesses, including La Newyorkina, famous for ice cream and paletas, and Fan Fan Doughnuts, which was recently named a James Beard Award semifinalist. In this episode, we talk about her amazing career, her many cookbooks, and what it’s like to run a restaurant in these tumultuous times. Fany is one of my favorite people in food, and I hope you enjoy our conversation. Also on the show we present to you a spring restaurant preview of sorts. Aliza and Matt go over a number of restaurants they want to visit. They are opening their Apple Notes "Restaurants" page for all to see, and land on some good ones, including Zimmi's, Golden HOF, Sunn's, Smithereens, Rasarumah, Cafe Kestrel, and many more. Mixteca has been at the forefront of supporting thousands of newly-arrived asylum-seekers. Visit: mixteca.org Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you. READ MORE: Mexican Desserts and the Magical Can [TASTE] This Is TASTE 87: Fany Gerson Buy: Paletas, My Sweet Mexico, Mexican Ice Cream Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Calvin Eng is the chef and owner of Bonnie’s, a very popular Cantonese American restaurant in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. He’s also the author of a great new cookbook: Salt Sugar MSG, an introduction to his unique style of home cooking, cowritten with his partner, Phoebe Melnick. It’s so fun to have Calvin in the studio to talk about growing up in New York’s many Chinatowns, developing recipes for home cooks (instead of line cooks), and more. Also on the show, Matt has a fun conversation with Substack’s Austin Tedesco. We love Substack and talked about the upcoming Grubstack virtual festival, running from March 13-15. We also talked about how Substack is helping writers reach wide audiences, and go over some of our favorites. Mentioned on the episode: Bangers and Jams, Alison Roman, Feed Me, Vittles, Sweet City, The Best Bit, Perfect City, Bite Sized, The Angel, Cake Zine, Sook, A Small & Simple Thing, Snaxshot, Why Is This Interesting? Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you. READ MORE: Buttery Oyster Sauce Noodles [TASTE] Salted MSG Caramel Sauce [Food and Wine] The Future of Food Media Is in Your Inbox [TASTE] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Laurie Woolever is a longtime journalist and has written a memoir for the ages. Care and Feeding covers her time working as a dutiful assistant for both Mario Batali and Anthony Bourdain (let that sink in for a moment), and how her life was entangled in and around the Most Important People in Food for over two decades. It’s a wild ride, and Laurie covers her ups and downs with a strong voice and biting wit. In this episode, we hear all about her work, from booking flights to writing magazine features, and how her addiction to drugs and alcohol nearly brought it all down. This is a modern recovery story and a must-read for anybody interested in her megawatt former bosses. I so loved catching up with Laurie. Also on the episode, I’m joined by Rebecca Flint Marx. Rebecca is Eater’s home editor and leads the publication’s cookbook coverage. She just published a massive spring preview, and we go over so many wonderful books being published this season. You can find information about 12-step programs in your area online. For additional recovery reading visit the excellent The Small Bow. READ MORE: Cook the Whole Damn Heart [TASTE] The Untold Story of the Lady From Louisville and the Bubbe Who Wasn’t There [TASTE] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today on the show we return to the world of New York City restaurants with two great conversations. Just because Michael Stillman’s father is Alan Stillman, founder of the Smith & Wollensky and TGI Fridays chains, doesn’t mean he grew up wanting to go into the family business. Indeed, Michael grew up in the business, but it took some time for him to get to where he is today: operating Quality Branded, the restaurant group behind Quality Italian, Quality Meats, Don Angie, Bad Roman, and many more. We talk about the current restaurant climate and what inspires Michael to dive headfirst into a restaurant concept. It’s a really cool talk. And before that, we speak with the incredible chef Emma Bengtsson. Emma is the chef and partner of Aquavit, which is one of my favorite restaurants in New York. Emma joined us in the studio to talk about her cooking career, which started in Sweden and landed in New York City. We discuss Emma’s expert baking, what she enjoys about running a busy kitchen, and much more with one of New York’s top chefs. Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What a terrific episode dedicated to the world of bread. First up is a conversation with Richard Hart, an icon in the clubby world of sourdough. Richard has an amazing story to tell, and we get into his London upbringing and how he ended up in California working at Tartine—but that’s where the story just starts to get good. He then teams up with René Redzepi to open a humble bakery, Hart Bageri, in Copenhagen, and the rest is history. Richard Hart, my friends, is a wonderful guest, and we also talk about his first cookbook, the terrific Richard Hart Bread. But the bread fun doesn’t stop there. I also have the talented writer and recipe developer Lukas Volger on the show to talk about his book, The Bread Machine Book. Yes, the iconic bread machine now has its own cookbook, with recipes that cover so many different styles. Lukas and I dig into his process for writing recipes for the machine and so much more. Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tavel Bristol-Joseph is pastry chef and partner at Emmer & Rye, Hestia, Canje, and many other acclaimed restaurants in Austin, Texas, and beyond. He’s also just opened a really cool dessert bar, Nicosi, in San Antonio. In this episode, we talk about Tavel’s early cooking life in New York and how he grew a cheesecake mini empire out of his Brooklyn apartment—well, there were many apartments involved. It’s a great story. We also discuss his move down to Texas and how his unique skills with pastry and restaurant hospitality have made him one of our country’s most important chefs. I really enjoyed getting to hear Tavel’s story. Also on the show, Aliza and Matt preview some really exciting cookbooks being released this spring. And stay tuned, as we will be back with many more exciting titles hitting bookstores in the next couple of months. Books mentioned on the episode: In the Kusina: My Seasonal Filipino Cooking by Woldy Reyes, Pakistan by Maryam Jillani, Fat + Flour by Nicole Rucker, Salsa Daddy by Rick Martínez, By Heart by Hailee Catalano, Sesame by Rachel Simons, Setting a Place for Us by Hawa Hassan, Every Day with Babs by Barbara Costello, Lugma: Abundant Dishes And Stories From My Middle East by Noor Murad, The Choi of Cooking by Roy Choi. Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you. READ MORE: TASTE Live at Rizzoli with Barbara Costello One of America’s Top Pastry Chefs Just Opened a New Dessert Bar [Robb Report] Food & Wine Best New Chefs 2020: Tavel Bristol-Joseph [Food & Wine] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cake Zine is an independent literary food magazine cofounded by pastry chef Tanya Bush and TASTE contributing editor Aliza Abarbanel. The newest issue, Daily Bread, explores how bread impacts our lives through ritual, religion, and routine. Today on the show, Aliza invites Tanya into the studio to talk about the editorial process behind this sixth issue and the many cultural meanings baked into bread. Also on the show, it’s the return of Three Things where Aliza and Matt discuss what is exciting in the world of restaurants, cookbooks, and the food world as a whole. On this episode: Adam Robert's debut novel, Food Person, is a riot, Odd One Out is our new favorite boba shop, Craig Mod's memoir Things Become Other Things takes a long walk in Japan. Also: Kiki's has long been a favorite restaurant of ours, and you should visit the American Treasure Tour Museum outside Philadelphia. Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you. MORE FROM CAKE ZINE: Daily Bread The Temple and the Tradwife [Cake Zine, excerpted in Literary Hub] This Is TASTE 437: Cake Zine’s Candy Land 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 back on the show to talk about where he’s been dining out in Los Angeles and New York, his home cooking stylings, and some of his recent writing for TASTE. Also on the show we have a great conversation with Tejal Rao, a critic at large for the Food section of The New York Times. Tejal is based in Los Angeles and wrote a terrific story about Pasadena’s Panda Inn, the parent restaurant of Panda Express. We talk about the restaurant’s legacy while digging into some of Tejal’s recent favorite Los Angeles restaurants. Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you. MORE FROM JASON STEWART: A Year of Los Angeles Dining [TASTE] Horses Wakes Up From a Very Bad Dream [TASTE] Craig’s Isn’t Fun or Fancy. It’s Forgettable. [TASTE] Los Angeles Restaurants Right Now with The Angel’s Emily Wilson [This Is TASTE] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The weather is cold and the produce selection in the grocery store is smaller, but that's no reason to despair! Chris, Jesse, and Shilpa have the recipe for winter cooking optimism—and the answers to listener questions about homemade broth, frozen veggies, and more. Listen to and follow Bon Appétit's Dinner SOS here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It was incredible to sit down with Dana Cowin, a creative force and an important figure in the history of food media. Dana served as the editor in chief of Food & Wine for over two decades, and she’s the founder of Progressive Hedonist, an organization that looks to find joy in purposeful action. In this episode, we go back to hear about the early days of Food & Wine and how Dana had a vision for placing chefs at the center of a magazine’s coverage. Great idea, Dana. We talk about the magazine’s transition from print to digital and what she finds interesting in the world of cooking and restaurants today. Also on the show, it’s the return of Three Things where Aliza and Matt discuss what is exciting in the world of restaurants, cookbooks, and the food world as a whole. On this episode: Mariscos el Submarino is opening in Clinton Hill, a visit to Hani's bakery in the East Village, Deep Cuts by Holly Brickley is the 2000s indie rock novel you always wanted, Funny Bar is a new downtown bar, and steak frites spot, from the Baby's Alright folks. Also: Ed Zwick's new Hollywood memoir names the names, Strange Delight is doing a great fish-and-three lunch, and L.A. Burdick Chocolates is a new favorite box of chocolates. Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kristina Cho is an award-winning cookbook author, recipe developer, home cook, baker, food stylist, and photographer. Her terrific debut cookbook, Mooncakes and Milk Bread, won her two James Beard awards, and her follow-up, Chinese Enough, is a big favorite of all of us at TASTE. We were so happy to have Kristina in the studio, where we found out about how she pivoted from a career in architecture to work on food full time. It was a bet that paid off, and we dig into Kristina’s family history and how she writes her incredibly inspired recipes. Kristina and Matt are appearing together at the Tucson Festival of Books on March 15. Also on the show we have a really fun conversation with Eleanor Wilkinson. She is the author of a very cool new book, One Pot, One Portion. Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tyler Zielinski is a London-based drinks professional. He’s best known for his work in drinks journalism, writing about bars, cocktails, and other subjects for an array of publications including Punch, Eater, and Food & Wine. In this episode, we talk about his very cool debut book, Tiny Cocktails. What makes a tiny cocktail exactly? Tyler will explain. We also dig into where Tyler likes to drink in his hometown of London and what makes an extraordinary cocktail experience. Also on the show, we have a great conversation with Bonny Reichert. Bonny is a journalist and author of an incredible memoir, How to Share an Egg: A True Story of Hunger, Love, and Plenty. Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeremy Robinson-Leon is the founder of Moonburger, an ambitious chain of restaurants whose core focus is bringing high-quality fast food to the masses. We personally love Moonburger and have visited locations in Kingston and New Paltz, and it’s now operating in Poughkeepsie and Brooklyn. In this episode, we hear about Jeremy’s journey to opening these restaurants and how he enlisted the help of some big-name talent to assist him in developing a signature plant-based patty. We also hear about the company’s pivot to serving beef and what this all means for future expansion plans. We're rooting for Moonburger, and had a great time catching up with its very cool founder. Also on the show, it’s the return of Three Things where Aliza and Matt discuss what is exciting in the world of restaurants, cookbooks, and the food world as a whole. On this episode: Cake Zine's Raffle for LA Fire Relief, Care and Feeding by Laurie Woolever is a book you need to read (read twice if you work in food media), you can freeze pancake batter, Janevca in Victoria, British Columbia is a favorite meal of the year. Also: Peaches HotHouse is a staple for fried chicken in Brooklyn, and staying in Canada, Minami in Vancouver opened our eyes to aburi-style sushi. Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today on the show, we’re doing something a little different: a special travel episode, featuring Aliza and her girlfriend, Shirley Chan. Shirley's a talented cinematographer and also a favorite travel partner. They just came back from a month in Asia visiting Thailand and Shirley's family in Taiwan. In this episode, they dive deep into recs for Taipei, Kaohsiung, Taichung, and Tainan, with a stopover in Chiang Mai and Bangkok too. It’s a must listen if you’re planning a trip to either country, and even if you’re not, it’s still a lot of fun. Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you. MORE FROM ALIZA AND SHIRLEY’S AVENTURE: Here’s a Google Map for all the places mentioned on the episode. Buy: Made In Taiwan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kiera Wright-Ruiz is a food writer and recipe developer based in Tokyo. She’s the author of the very cute children’s book I Want to Be Spaghetti! and now a debut cookbook, My (Half) Latinx Kitchen. It’s a culinary journey of discovery, blending memoir and lots of recipes connecting Kiera’s Ecuadorian and Korean heritage and the extended family of caregivers from across Latin America who helped raise her. Today, in Aliza’s interview, they dig into what it’s like developing Latin American recipes on the other side of the world, Kiera’s favorite restaurants in Tokyo, and more. Also on the show, Matt has a fun conversation with Anna Hezel. She’s a writer and the former cohost of this very show, and she has launched (with some friends) a cool new project: Best Food Blog. They talk about some of the memorable stories in Best Food Blog’s young life, and some of Anna’s favorite stories from the early days of TASTE. Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you. MORE FROM KIERA AND ANNA: Ceviche de Camarón [TASTE] The Aughts-Era "Foodie" Is Dead [Best Food Blog] The New Party Food Aesthetic Is Scarcity [Best Food Blog] Let’s Call It Assimilation Food [TASTE] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Caroline Eden is a writer and literary critic. She’s also the author of many terrific food and travel books, including Samarkand, Black Sea, and Red Sands. She has been awarded both the Art of Eating Prize and an André Simon Award, and Red Sands was a book of the year for the Financial Times, the Sunday Times, and the New Yorker. In this episode, we talk about Caroline’s terrific new book, a memoir titled Cold Kitchen. The book is a real journey through parts of Eastern Europe, the Baltic region, and beyond, and it dives into Caroline’s travels through Russia, Bulgaria, Georgia, and many other locations that perhaps don’t get the time they deserve. Caroline is a brilliant reporter and we had such a great time catching up with her. Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Eric Kim has a signature style with his writing, which has appeared frequently in the New York Times, where he is a columnist for the magazine. Eric blends a truly lyrical style of prose with deep reporting chops and a knack for simple and highly focused recipe development—a rare triple threat! He’s also the author of the best-selling cookbook Korean American. This is a return visit to the show for Eric, and we talk about his reporting process, how he unpacks big topics in food and culture in his columns, and some of his recent work, including dumplings, Chicago pizza, the origins of Philadelphia cream cheese, and many other memorable stories. Also on the show, it’s the return of Three Things, where Aliza and Matt share what’s interesting in the world of restaurants, books, television, food products, and much more. On this episode: Birria La Flor is doing Tijuana-style birria in Brooklyn, Caroline Eden’s great memoir Cold Kitchen, Flour + Water dry pasta is terrific. Also, a Kingston, New York, scene check. Matt visits Pinkerton’s Bakery, Fantzye Bagels, and Sorry, Charlie. Also, also: Severance is a good show, and not Westworld (we hope), and Matt tries Frost Buttercream. Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you. MORE FROM ERIC KIM: It’s Dumpling Week! [NYT] What Puts the ‘New York’ in New York Cheesecake? [NYT] The Most Surprising Thing About Deep Dish Pizza? It’s Not That Deep. [NYT] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Emily Wilson is a writer based in Los Angeles and runs the terrific publication The Angel, covering the city’s legendary restaurant scene. On this episode, recorded before the devastating wildfires, we hear about how Emily views her city’s technicolor restaurant scene. What are her favorite places to visit for all occasions? She has quite a list. And check out The Angel’s guide on how to support wildfire recovery efforts. Also on the show, Matt walks the floor of the Winter Fancy Food Show, an annual trade show featuring the best in grocery and CPG. He spotted a number of exciting discoveries, including: Joyus Non-Alcoholic Cabernet Sauvignon Spritz King Chipotle Smokey and Spice Tanglewood Ginger Spiced Chai Mauka Meats Veal Stock Island Sausage Belle Chevre Spreadable Goat Cheese Chalet Cheese Eddy's Homemade Kitchen Maazah Magic Sauce Eataly CPG Vermont Creamery Marieke Gouda Uncle Waithley's Frost Buttercream Tamarind Heads Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you. MORE ABOUT LOS ANGELES: L.A.'s Most Interesting New Restaurant is a Mile Away from LAX [The Angel] Is It a Bar? Or Is It a Restaurant? Who Cares? It’s Sam’s Place [The Angel] Southern California Road Trip: Orange County and the San Gabriel Valley [Apple] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Abi Balingit is the author of Mayumu: Filipino American Desserts Remixed, a delightful cookbook full of maximalist personality and transfixing sweets, like the adobo chocolate chip cookie. She’s a singular force in the NYC baking scene, and it’s so fun to have her on the show today to talk about what she’s been up to since publishing her first book, her love of kitsch, and more. Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you. MORE FROM ABI BALINGIT: Adobo Chocolate Chip Cookie [NYT] Ube Macapuno Molten Lava Cake and More Maximalist Filipino Desserts from 'Mayumu' [KCRW Good Food] Telling Delicious Filipino Food Stories With Chef Abi Balingit [Forbes] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s episode is all about Dijon mustard, and it brings a couple of mustard lovers into the studio. First up is Jeremy Salamon. He’s the chef-owner of two singular and sensational restaurants in Brooklyn: Agi’s Counter and the newly opened Pitt’s. We talk about what he’s been cooking and all of the creative ways he thinks about using Dijon mustard, even with dessert. Next up is a real treat—we get to talk with a mustard sommelier. His name is Brandon Collins, and he helps develop recipes for Maille mustard, which is our personal favorite brand. Brandon takes us through some of the company’s history before giving us a taste of some rare Dijons. This special episode was made in partnership with our friends at Maille. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chef Edward Lee is a good friend of ours and one of the most respected voices in American cooking. He’s also one of the stars of the breakout Netflix cooking show Culinary Class Wars, which has earned millions of fans for its unique approach to cooking competition on television. In this episode, we hear all about the production and about how Edward prepared for the competition. We also talk about his new Washington, DC, restaurant, Shia, and his time cooking in New York City in the ’90s at the pioneering restaurant Clay. It’s always so much fun catching up with Edward. Also on the show, Aliza is back from Asia! Her and Matt catch up about what they've been up to at the start of the year, and discuss how much boba you can drink in a month's time. Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Michael McCarty is the owner of two restaurants, Michael’s in Santa Monica, which opened in 1979, and Michael’s on West 55th Street in Midtown Manhattan, which followed a decade later. McCarty is truly the father of California cuisine, at the center of a culinary movement that produced top Los Angeles chefs like Jonathan Waxman, Mark Peel, Nancy Silverton, and many others. I had so much fun having Michael back into the studio, and he was happy to go over his deep history in the American restaurant scene. He also talked about his early days cooking in Paris, and how he ended up in Santa Monica and helped establish the legendary farmers’ market there. It’s Michael, the early years, in this amazing episode. Also on the show we catch up with Eater Chicago editor Ashok Selvam. He recently wrote about the revival of Charlie Trotter’s in Chicago, and how Dylan Trotter is taking a big role in the rebirth. Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you. MORE FROM MICHAEL MCCARTY: This Is TASTE 383: The Father of California Cuisine with Michael McCarty [TASTE] A Pioneer of California Cuisine Turns 35 [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 writes the wonderful newsletter The Melt and has written two books, Searching for John Hughes and The Sprawl: Reconsidering the Weird American Suburbs. He’s also worked on the truly amazing New York Nico’s Guide to NYC, which we talk about in this great episode. We get into what Jason has been eating and reading, and the Jason Diamond way of life. I always enjoy catching up with Jason, and I hope you enjoy this episode. Also on the show, we catch up with Vivian Song. Vivian wrote a terrific piece in the New York Times, “It’s Zinc Bar vs. Barista in a Paris Battle of the Buzz,” and we hear all about the shifting coffee scene in Paris. Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you. MORE FROM JASON DIAMOND: The Many Garlics of My Childhood [TASTE] Shattering the Jarred Pasta Sauce Stigma [TASTE] Luncheon with a Zabar [TASTE] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we have a very special episode. Visit California invited us out of our New York City studio and over to the West Coast for a food-focused road trip around Orange County and the San Gabriel Valley. We start our journey at Mercado González at Northgate Market in Costa Mesa, where Aliza and Matt share an incredible afternoon walking around the mercado looking for pozole, churros, and many more surprises along the way. We hit the road for our next stop, a visit with Sara Lezama, the owner of Rye Goods, an acclaimed sourdough bakery and deli with three locations throughout Orange County in Newport Beach, Tustin, and Laguna Beach. Next on our road trip, we head to the San Gabriel Valley, where journalist Kristie Hang gives us a tour of some of her favorite new and under-the-radar restaurants, including Banh Mi Hoa Phat, Good Alley, and Bistro Na’s. We stay in the SGV for a conversation with chef Chris Yang of Yang’s Kitchen, which has firmly become one of our favorite restaurants in all of California. To close, Aliza and Matt share many more discoveries from their road trip around Southern California. More places we visited: Folks Pizzeria, A&J Seafood Shack, Burritos La Palma. And a great hotel for your future home base in the SGV is the Hilton San Gabriel. To donate to California wildfire relief, visit Restaurants Care. This very special episode of This Is TASTE is supported by Visit California. While this episode was recorded before the LA wildfires in January, all of the restaurants featured are open for business, and we can’t think of a better time to pay California a visit for your own food-obsessed road trip. Dining out in LA is one way to help support the city, and these truly were some amazing places. Questions about visiting LA now? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we have a very special episode. Visit California invited us out of our New York City studio and over to the West Coast for a food-focused road trip around San Diego and North County, including stops in Carlsbad and Oceanside. We start our journey at the source at the legendary Chino Farm, where three generations of Japanese American Chinos have been growing incredible produce used by chefs throughout California. Our next stop is a visit with Jeff Lozano, a brand ambassador at San Diego’s Ballast Point Brewing, one of the foundational craft beer makers in a city famous for its great beer. The journey then heads up Interstate 5 to Carlsbad, where we catch up with Eric Bost, a prolific chef behind the newly opened Wildland and the soon-to-open tasting menu restaurant Lilo. To close, Aliza and Matt share many more discoveries from their road trip around Southern California. More places we visited: Rare Society, City Tacos, Tribute Pizza, Wayfarer Bread, Aisu Creamery, Little Fox Cups and Cones, Wrench & Rodent. You can visit the Salk Institute for Biological Studies by reserving a spot on a weekly docent-led tour. And some great hotels to keep in mind: Catamaran Resort Hotel and Spa and the Omni La Costa Resort & Spa. To donate to California wildfire relief, visit Restaurants Care. This very special episode of This Is TASTE is supported by Visit California. While this episode was recorded before the LA wildfires in January, all of the restaurants featured are open for business, and we can’t think of a better time to pay California a visit for your own food-obsessed road trip. Dining out in LA is one way to help support the city, and these truly were some amazing places. Questions about visiting LA now? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In her latest cookbook, Romy Gill’s India, chef and British TV personality Romy Gill shares more than 70 of her beloved family recipes, each a testament to the flavors that define her childhood. From the iconic butter chicken, a beloved staple in every Indian home, to the delicious simplicity of her masala omelette, Romy taps into her personal connection to India. In this episode, we talk about what drives her to write a perfect recipe and how her London home base informs so much of her work. Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Over the last nine years, journalist Shane Mitchell has braved snakes, fire ants, floods, rallies, marches, protests, pageants, and near heat stroke to write the essays contained in her new collection of work published in The Bitter Southerner. The Crop Cycle: Stories with Deep Roots has Shane traveling throughout the South, uncovering history both past and modern and reporting on major topics such as farm labor, race, gender, and the history of the Georgia peach. Shane has incredible writing chops, and she has contributed memorable stories for TASTE as well. We go over all of it in this terrific episode. Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you. MORE FROM Shane Mitchell: Odd Birds [The Bitter Southerner] Kiss My Grits [The Bitter Southerner] This Is TASTE 261: Cherry Bombe & The Bitter Southerner [TASTE] Buy: Far Afield. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

David Joonwoo Yun has a great story to tell. As one of the partners of New York City Korean restaurants C as in Charlie and Kisa, he’s been at the center of Korean cooking in NYC for a minute. But how did he get here? And how did he and his partners eventually redefine Korean cooking one banchan at a time? We dig into his great story in this terrific episode. Also on the show we have a great conversation with journalist Mehr Singh, who speaks about her recent TASTE reporting digging into Gen Z cheesemakers. We also talk about her career, and some memorable stories. Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you. MORE KOREAN FOOD EPISODES: This Is TASTE 391: Koreaword with Koreaworld with Cote and Coqodaq’s Simon Kim [Apple] This Is TASTE 390: Koreaworld with Eater LA Editor Matthew Kang [Apple] This Is TASTE 388: Koreaworld with Doshi's Susan Kim [Apple] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Cooking and the Crown: Royal Recipes from Queen Victoria to King Charles III, Tom Parker Bowles, award-winning food writer, restaurant critic, and son of Queen Camilla, blends history, monarchy, and gastronomy to provide a fascinating window into the world of royal tastes and traditions as far back as Victorian times. In this episode, we hear about Tom’s reporting on how the Royal Family really eats, and we dig into his long restaurant reviewing career. Finally, we get his take on the food scene in London, and we talk about some unexpected places to find amazing food around the United Kingdom. Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It was a lot of fun having J Lee into the studio. Lee writes for the terrific business and culture (and the culture of business) publication Feed Me and files unflinching restaurant reviews and observations about the state of the food world, from NYC, and points beyond. We wanted to have him in to find out a little bit more about his background, and what got him interested in writing about restaurant culture. We also go over some of his memorable writing, including a very funny takedown of a Midtown newcomer, some Buy/Sell grades, and lots of love for the places doing it right. You can read J in Feed Me, and follow along on IG: carry_bradshaw_ Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you. MORE FROM J. LEE: Meet Feed Me's Semi-anonymous Restaurant Critic [Feed Me] This Is a Review of a Restaurant with Personality Disorder [Feed Me] This Is TASTE 330: Emily Sundberg [Apple] This Is TASTE 479: Ryan Sutton [Apple] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lisa Cheng Smith is the founder of Yun Hai Taiwanese Pantry, an importer, online shop, and brick-and-mortar general store in Brooklyn offering premium ingredients for Taiwanese and Chinese cooking. Yun Hai has quickly established itself as a beating heart of the Taiwanese diaspora here in New York, and in this episode, we talk with Lisa about growing the business into making their own products, where to get great Taiwanese food in NYC, and more. Also on the show, Clayton and Matt go over their favorite books of 2024, both new and less new! Clayton's picks: The Stronghold - Dino Buzzati, Three Summers - Margarita Liberaki, In Love - Alfred Hayes, Speedboat, Renata Adler Mating - Norman Rush,The End of Vandalism - Tom Drury, Playboy - Constance Debre, Love Me Tender - Constance Debre, Permafrost - Eva Baltasar, Boulder - Eva Baltasar, Mammoth - Eva Baltasar, The Third Realm - Karl Ove Knausgaard, Long Island Compromise - Taffy Brodesser-Akner Matt's picks: Great Expectations - Vinson Cunningham, Reboot - Justin Taylor, The Friday Afternoon Club - Griffin Dunne, Real Americans - Rachel Khong, Ghosts - Dolly Alderton, Hard Rain Falling - Don Carpenter, The Underground Railroad - Colson Whitehead, The Nickel Boys - Colson Whitehead, Chang-Gang All-Stars - Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah, Long Island Compromise - Taffy Brodesser-Akner Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you. MORE FROM LISA CHENG SMITH 9 Recipes for a Vibrant Lunar New Year Celebration [Bon Appétit] Yun Hai Taiwan Stories [Substack] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nicolas Heller, better known as New York Nico, calls himself the “unofficial talent scout of New York City” with over 1.5 million fans tuning into his Instagram for colorful profiles of a city in flux. He recently published the book New York Nico’s Guide to NYC which is a true insider’s guide to beloved community businesses across the five boroughs, from 200-year-old bars to new-school pizza spots. Nico says it’s not really a guidebook, but a documentation of a city in transition. It’s great having him into the studio to discuss some of his favorite places. All of us at TASTE are thinking about our friends in Southern California. If you would like to support wildfire relief efforts, some great places to start are the Displaced Black Families of Altadena GoFund Me Directory and the Los Angeles Food Bank. Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices