The Taste Podcast

It’s the return of a special video podcast series: Food Writers Talking About Food Writing. It’s available on the TASTE YouTube channel, so make sure to subscribe and check out the video version of this podcast. Every couple of weeks, Matt Rodbard invites a journalist to talk about some favorite recent food writing as well as their thoughts on the industry as a whole. On today’s episode we have an amazing conversation with David Farley. Farley’s a longtime food and travel writer with stories in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Afar, and many other publications. He’s the author of An Irreverent Curiosity: In Search of the Church's Strangest Relic in Italy's Oddest Town and we talk about some recent food writing and David’s many travels. We also played “What would you pitch 1997 Graydon Carter?” That is, David considers his dream no-budget reporting assignment.  Check us out out YouTube. Featured on this episode: This Is the Secret Michelin-Star Capital of the World [Afar] Is This the New Cocktail C

It was really amazing to have Enrique Olvera in the studio. Olvera is the acclaimed Mexican chef behind Pujol in Mexico City, Cosme in New York (celebrating its 10th anniversary), and other acclaimed restaurants around the world. In this episode, Enrique shares his honest thoughts on how a global chef stays fresh, especially in the highly competitive restaurant scenes of New York and Mexico City. We also talk about the business of restaurants, which is always a hot topic with those running them.  Also on the show, we catch up with Ken Concepcion, from the terrific Los Angeles bookstore Now Serving. We discuss the busy spring season and what types of books Ken is most excited about. Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you. 

Hawa Hassan is a chef, the founder of Basbaas Foods, and the author of the James Beard Award–winning cookbook In Bibi's Kitchen. She’s spent the past several years writing an ambitious new book, Setting a Place for Us: Recipes and Stories of Displacement, Resilience, and Community from Eight Countries Impacted by War, and we had her in the studio to talk about her research and reporting process.  Also on the show we have a great conversation with Maryam Jillani talking all about her amazing debut cookbook, Pakistan: Recipes and Stories from Home Kitchens, Restaurants, and Roadside Stands. 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: Hawa Hassan Shares the Spicy Somali Pasta [Vogue] Maryam Jillani: TASTE Cook In Residence [TASTE]

Is Scarr’s the best pizza in New York? Some may debate this, but if you ask anybody in the industry, Scarr Pimentel’s shop on Orchard Street takes the prize. In this episode, Scarr joins us in the TASTE studio to talk about his deep NYC pizzeria history, his dedication to ingredients (to an extent many may not recognize), and his new cookbook, The Scarr’s Pizza Cookbook. Also on the show, we have a great conversation with Craig Mod. Craig is a prolific writer, photographer, and author of a terrific new memoir, Things Become Other Things. Craig’s walks around rural Japan are legend, and we talk about how walking allowed him to tap into a much deeper story. This interview was recorded live at Rizzoli Bookstore in New York City, and part of our ongoing live interview series with the bookseller. Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you. 

Giovanni Cervantes and Tania Apolinar are partners in life and in two amazing New York City taquerias: Taqueria Ramirez in Greenpoint and Carnitas Ramirez in the East Village. Formerly professional photographers, the duo is dedicated to making some of the most delicious tacos in New York’s ever-expanding scene, and it’s so fun to have them on the show today to talk about how it all happens. And, at the top of 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: The Observer's Guide to Japanese Vending Machines, coffee drinks with fruit at Not As Bitter in the East Village, How to Cook the Finest Things in the Sea, Wenwen in Greenpoint is sprinkling the Taiwan dust. Also: A great new Substack, NONGLUTEN, tackles gluten-free cooking in a cool way, the Americano Bianco at Bar Americano is our spring drink.       Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Sp

Our friend Jamie Oliver returns to the show, and we could not be happier to talk with him about so many things. He’s currently appearing on Netflix as part of the Chef’s Table: Legends series. In addition to the Netflix show, he will be launching his 10 Cooking Skills for Life platform in the United States, a free curriculum available for schools and organizations that is designed to teach young children all the skills they need to cook.   For those who didn’t grow up watching food TV, here’s the deal. Jamie pioneered a form of food television that brought cameras into the home in a way not previously seen. When The Naked Chef debuted on BBC Two in the UK and the Food Network in the United States in 1999, home cooking on TV was a stand-and-stir affair. Here, a young and floppy Oliver was cooking real food from a cool East London flat, talking viewers through the relative simplicity of making dinner. Oliver has gone on to write numerous cookbooks (selling 50 million in the UK alone) and create food television

It was really fun having Michele Norris in the studio. Michele is the host of the great podcast Your Mama’s Kitchen and the founder of the Race Card Project. A respected journalist, Michele cohosted National Public Radio's evening news program All Things Considered from 2002 to 2011 and was the first African-American female host for NPR. In this episode, we talk about Michele’s journalism career and what draws her to stories in the food orbit.  Also on the show, we have a great talk with cookbook author and artist Erin Gleeson. Erin is behind the best-selling Forest Feast series, and she’s the author of a really cool art book: The Watercolor Feast. It’s a guide to painting fruits, vegetables, and flowers, and it leads to a great conversation about Erin’s career and why more of us should buy a set of watercolors and just paint.  And, at the top of 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 whol

It’s the return of 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 invites a journalist to talk about some favorite recent food writing as well as their thoughts on the industry as a whole. Our next guest is Kat Kinsman, executive features editor at Food & Wine. Kat is an absolute legend in the game and has been at the center of food media for nearly two decades. In this episode, we talk about Kat’s journalism career, her current media diet, and some favorite stories we’ve been reading lately. We also played “What would you pitch 1997 Graydon Carter?” That is, Kat considers her dream no-budget reporting assignment. It’s a deeply personal conversation, and you should check it out.  Featured on this episode: Subscribe to TASTE [YouTube] A Shadow Hanging Over Europe: ‘A Taste of Italy’ From New Jersey [NYT] “Not Too Sweet” or Too Sweet to Fail? [TASTE] Where’d You Go

Today is all about ice cream, and we have two guests who know the business inside and out. Tyler Malek is the cofounder and head chef of Salt & Straw, a cult-followed ice cream chain with scoop shops across the country. Based in Portland, Oregon, Salt & Straw is known for churning out the most imaginative ice cream flavors around. In the new cookbook America’s Most Iconic Ice Creams, Tyler takes a look at the classics with fresh eyes, then branches out into new territory. Aliza had so much fun having Tyler in the studio to nerd out on ice cream, from hitting up vanilla geneticists to building “flavor trinities” in each scoop.  Also on the show, we catch up with Pooja Bavishi. Pooja is the founder and CEO of Malai, a South Asian–inspired ice cream company based in Brooklyn, and she’s one of the sharpest founders in the ice cream game. We talk about Pooja’s big idea for Malai and dig into her debut cookbook. Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from yo

We love catching up with Nicole Rucker. She’s a Los Angeles–based chef and owner of the wildly creative pie shops Fat + Flour. She’s also the author of a new cookbook, which covers some of the iconic pies at the shop and so much more. In this episode, we catch up about her favorite Los Angeles restaurants, have a blast debating fruit fillings, and cover all the big decisions a home baker needs to make. Also in the episode, we have a terrific conversation with Shaily Lipa. She’s the author of a really cool new cookbook, Yassou: The Simple, Seasonal Mediterranean Cooking of Greece. We talk about all the foods she ate traveling through Greece while growing up 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.  See more: This Is TASTE 40: Nicole Rucker [TASTE] The Founder of Fat + Flour Busts the Biggest Baking Myth [LA Times]

The meme can be funny, biting, poignant, and oftentimes ubiquitous. Eli Sussman, a talented chef and cookbook author, has mastered the art of the culinary meme with his IG account, @TheSussmans. Eli is a proud Michigander, and on this special episode, we talk about the state’s bounty and how Michigan’s sustainably farmed, artisanal spirits brand Thatcher's Organic Artisan Spirits is channeling the state’s produce in its line of liqueurs. We discuss how Eli mixes and cooks with Thatcher’s, and we go over some of his favorite Michigan restaurants. Also on the show is a fun conversation with Matt DeLong. Matt leads Thatcher’s commitment to organic ingredients and sustainable practices as well as its unique portfolio of flavors. We talk about the process of flavor development—and how hibiscus is actually quite versatile in the kitchen. This episode was supported by Thatcher’s Organic Artisan Spirits. 

It’s so special having Rick Martinez on the show to talk about his very fun new book, Salsa Daddy. Rick is the author of the best-selling cookbook Mi Cocina: Recipes and Rapture from My Kitchen in Mexico, and Salsa Daddy is just as delicious. It’s a salsa-first approach to cooking, with more than 70 salsa recipes that anchor 24 meals, from torta de Milanesa to pozole verde de pollo, and I can already tell it’s going to change my cooking for the better.  Also on the show, I chat with author Emma Christensen about the joy of brewing boozy drinks at home with help from her great new cookbook: Hard Seltzer, Iced Tea, Kombucha, and Cider Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you. 

Driven by her passion for food and travel, Rachel Simons traded her corporate law career for an entrepreneurial adventure, cofounding Seed + Mill, New York’s first store devoted entirely to sesame products. Located in the iconic Chelsea Market, the business quickly captured the hearts of locals and tourists alike, evolving into a nationally celebrated brand. Today on the show, we speak with Rachel about her growing business and her terrific new cookbook, Sesame: Global Recipes + Stories of an Ancient Seed. Also on the show, Aliza chats with fashion writer Emilia Petrarca about the rise of the resSTOREaunt, aka restaurants attached to luxury brands in NYC and beyond. 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: Would you eat at a reSTOREant? [Shop Rat] Give Printemps un Moment [The Cut] Seed + Mill Halva [official]

We are excited to bring you this episode. Recently Matt headed out of the studio to visit Philadelphia, one of America’s great food cities, to check out the scene and report back on his findings. He visited bakeries and coffee shops and stopped by a really cool cookbook store. He felt the incredible spice and vibes at Kalaya and met a bunch of new friends along the way.  In this episode, we speak with Tyler Akin, the chef of Bastia, an exciting tribute to the food of Sardinia and Corsica. We also catch up with Muhammad Abdul-Hadi, who runs the mission-driven Down North Pizza and is the author of a terrific new cookbook, We the Pizza. Throughout the episode, Matt and Aliza chat about some exciting food and drink discoveries. Mentioned on the episode: Bastia, Down North Pizza, Fork, New June, Mighty Bread, Kalaya, Isgro Pastries, Loratta's, Binding Agents. Save our Google Map of all the places mentioned in the episode. Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to he

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. 

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 st

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. 

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

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. 

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.