What does it take to run a successful restaurant or several in a city full of them? Josh Fontaine, cofounder of Candelaria, Le Mary Celeste, and the newly opened A La Renaissance, knows something about it. He joins me to talk about what’s changed in the Paris food and beverage scene since COVID, the proliferation of concept-driven restaurants, creating longevity, and some of the details he’s most proud of at his new restaurant. Mentioned in this episode: Joshua Fontaine, Quixotic Projects Candel...
Oct 09, 2025•42 min•Season 9Ep. 151
Almost a year ago, I launched a series on my newsletter called Leaving America, based on the multitude of reasons Americans opt to leave the country and why many of them, as it happens, end up in Paris. Through this series and my network of creative women in Paris, I’ve connected with so many brilliant Americans who have moved, want to move, or at least understand the desire to. That includes Susanna Schrobsdorff, a former executive editor and columnist for Time Magazine who moved to Paris withi...
Sep 25, 2025•48 min•Season 9Ep. 150
Paris = luxury fashion, right? Louis Vuitton, Hermès, and Chanel are pillars of France’s soft power and legacy of craftsmanship. And they are among the most counterfeited brands in the world. That's part of what I learned reporting on secondhand luxury and authentication issues for Bloomberg Businessweek. I got to go behind the curtain at Vestiaire Collective , the leading French secondhand platform, to understand the surge in superfakes, how brands are responding to them, and how platforms like...
Aug 19, 2025•30 min•Season 9Ep. 149
Today's guest, André Michel, is a Paris insider; the unofficial Mayor of Paris with a deep and varied knowledge of food and culture, and a talent for weaving it all into compelling storytelling and events. The occasional food and travel writer and event organizer joins me to talk about what it means to know Paris, why there’s never been a better or more dynamic time to visit or live in Paris, and what travelers should check out this summer. Mentioned in this episode: André Michel The Butcher of ...
Jul 21, 2025•50 min•Season 9Ep. 148
Diehard fans of Paris already know there’s never been a shortage of activities to fill one’s intellectual and cultural cup. Art openings, talks and conferences, concerts and performances happen every day of the week. But if you’re interested in learning in a classroom setting without going back to school in the traditional sense, the options dry up. That’s where Off Campus steps in. It’s a two-month-old coffee shop and bookstore launched by two friends that has a special room dedicated to classe...
May 22, 2025•38 min•Season 9Ep. 147
My new book is officially on shelves! To celebrate, The Red Wheelbarrow bookstore hosted me for a launch event last week. At the start, I was in conversation about the project (and more) with the legendary New York Times bestselling and James Beard Award–winning cookbook author Dorie Greenspan. This episode is an edited version of that discussion. Mentioned in this episode: The Eater Guide to Paris Dorie Greenspan Julien Pham / Phamily First Kubri / Rita Higgins Audio production & editing: M...
May 06, 2025•38 min•Season 9Ep. 146
In the canon of Paris narratives, few focus on oddball finds and secrets lurking right beneath our noses. But Vanessa Grall, more commonly known and Messy Nessy, has made it her calling card. For more than a decade she has sussed out offbeat tales and fascinating individuals who have shaped our world and published several guidebooks to help travelers get beyond the obvious. More than a year ago, she opened a storefront, Messy Nessy’s Cabinet, a shop full of curiosities she joins me to talk about...
Apr 01, 2025•38 min•Season 9Ep. 145
So far, the year in Paris has been bright — at least in a cultural sense. The Louvre Museum is leading the charge with its very first full-fledged fashion exhibition in its 232-year history. To talk about why it’s significant, what visitors can expect, and the cultural context surrounding the pieces on display is Amy Verner, a fashion journalist and longtime Paris resident who has likely spent more time pondering the works inside the Louvre than all of my listeners combined. Mentioned in this ep...
Mar 06, 2025•43 min•Season 9Ep. 144
Like many people living in France, I took a break from alcohol during the imported milestone of Dry January. But we’re in February, and two wine fairs have brought wine lovers and wine pros to the city for talks, tastings, and buying. Wine consumption has been dropping steadily in France, and sales have declined since the 1970s. So what’s happening here? How are people drinking? Are they drinking? What’s the status of natural wine today? Where should people go to drink well in Paris if they’re g...
Feb 20, 2025•41 min•Season 9Ep. 143
A quick one from me to kickoff season 9 and share some fun news: I have a new book coming out this spring! The Eater Guide to Paris hits shelves on April 29 in the U.S. /Australia/Europe and on May 8 in the U.K., wherever books are sold. A few links below to pre-order now: Abrams (publisher) Bookshop.org Barnes & Noble Amazon (U.S.) Shakespeare & Co Waterstones Indigo Books Booktopia (Australia) Audio production & editing: Matthew Jordan Music by Little Glass Men...
Feb 12, 2025•4 min•Season 9Ep. 142
I'm recording new episodes for season 9 (coming soon!) but I wanted to bring back some of the most appreciated episodes of the show in the meantime. I originally recorded this episode with Comice co-owner and sommelière Etheliya Hananova in March 2022, and it ranks among the most listened-to since I first started recording in 2017. She talks about the journey from Montreal to Paris, the type of dining environment she and her husband, Comice's chef, Noam set out to create, and what it means to be...
Jan 27, 2025•50 min
This month is my 18th December living in Paris, and as I reflect on that time, I’m struck by how much the city still enchants and surprises me. It might be a buzzy neighborhood, a refurbished historical marvel like Notre Dame, a dining experience, or something more unexpected. Someone in the business of sussing out and building such experiences, including some I have attended, is today’s guest Catherine Down. She’s a food writer and travel and event consultant who joins to talk about the most su...
Dec 07, 2024•38 min•Season 8Ep. 141
In times of turmoil, we naturally seek sources of calm. And in Paris, perhaps nothing that recenters Parisians more than the Seine. The city’s most iconic waterway has shaped its mythology long before there were tourist boats and selfie-taking travelers. Today, the significance of the Seine is front and center again, thanks to the Olympics and a billion-euro cleanup project. To talk about this, I’m joined by my friend and fellow journalist Mary Winston Nicklin, who reported National Geographic’s...
Nov 23, 2024•38 min•Season 8Ep. 140
Did you know that Arabic is the second most spoken language in France? However, the way it is perceived and taught has led many Arabic speakers in France to either abandon the language or not pass it down to their children. It’s this particular experience that the journalist Nabil Wakim sought to investigate in his documentary for France 2, Mauvaise Langue . He joins the show to talk about the project, what has been done, or not done, politically to boost Arabic instruction and France’s relation...
Oct 28, 2024•33 min
It’s been several months since the President threw us into a mess by calling a snap election and in early September, months overdue, Macron finally named a prime minister. What does his choice mean for the country, and what does it signal to voters who cast their ballots for the left coalition? I speak with Alexander Hurst , a writer and columnist for The Guardian whose recent op-ed looks into what went wrong and what issues the new government inherits. Mentioned or featured in this episode: Ale...
Oct 14, 2024•37 min•Season 8Ep. 138
After enduring nearly a year of pandemic-related isolation and a punishing lack of human touch, author Glynnis MacNicol boarded a plane for Paris in August, 2021 to sublet a friend’s apartment for the month. She was 47 years old and on a mission—100% enjoyment. An exploration of pleasure. Close contact. Her memoir about this time, called I’m Mostly Here to Enjoy Myself , came out a few months ago and I was delighted to interview her in Paris last week at The Red Wheelbarrow bookstore. This episo...
Sep 30, 2024•36 min•Season 8Ep. 137
It’s the end of summer holidays, the city is slowly filling up again and that means, novelty is upon us. I associate this time with new restaurant openings, events, and even pop-ups that will carry us to the end of the year. It’s a return to life. One person who is full of life, with plenty of creative ideas to usher in a new season, is Fanny Boucher . She’s the creator of the jewelry brand Bangla Begum and she joins the show to talk about moving to Paris after high school, becoming an entrepren...
Aug 30, 2024•44 min
After years of planning and a solid 7 months of Parisian complaining, the Olympics are here! Over their history, they have put some tourist destinations on the map, attempted to build unity, and accelerated social and infrastructural change in host cities. Of course, not everyone benefits, and the legacy of the Olympics, including the impact on tourism, is fraught. To discuss both Paris 2024 and the broader issue of tourism, the good, the bad, and the complicated, I'm joined by Paige Mclanahan, ...
Aug 06, 2024•46 min•Season 8Ep. 135
In the last episode, you heard me talk to Katy Lee about the snap elections in France. Why they happened, what they mean, and what party was predicted to perform well in the first round. Now, the day before the second round and not only has everything we discussed come to pass, but the stakes are even higher now. Let's go through the results of the first round, what they mean, and why the far right really does present the same danger it always has for democracy in France. Mentioned in this episo...
Jul 06, 2024•13 min•Season 8Ep. 134
(This episode was recorded on June 14) There's a lot to unpack following President Macron’s decision to dissolve the lower house of parliament and call snap elections for the end of June and there is no one better to dive in with me than journalist and podcaster Katy Lee. We discuss the role of these elections, what Macron’s move means for the country, and the political alliances that have formed in record-breaking time. Is there reason to remain hopeful? Have a listen and find out. Mentioned in...
Jun 20, 2024•36 min•Season 8Ep. 133
There’s something about leaving Paris, even briefly, and returning that makes all of its idiosyncrasies and charms all the more compelling and obvious. And sometimes, it takes talking with someone who is a particularly keen observer of daily life to highlight these elements even further. Seb Emina , today’s guest, is one such example. The writer and former editor of The Happy Reader joins the show to talk about moving from London to Paris, the essence of the Parisian experience, and how he feels...
Jun 10, 2024•44 min•Season 8Ep. 125
As much as the Paris food scene has grown increasingly international and casual, fine dining establishments continue to soar. They’ve had to modernize their menus and their approaches to service to stay relevant, but the tasting menu and Michelin-starred experience continues to thrive. However, the way to do that while also opening up the experience to more people who can’t necessarily afford a Michelin meal is by expanding the offering in new ways. Few have done that better than La Tour d’Argen...
May 27, 2024•8 min•Season 8Ep. 131
When it comes to artistic endeavors, Paris shines bright as a historically welcome place to pursue them. The city that gave us the Louvre and some of the finest galleries in the world is full of creative talent or, at the very least, creative inspiration. But how it feels living and working as an artist in Paris is an altogether different story. Today’s guest trained as an architect but has been working as an illustrator and painter for several years and has a unique viewpoint on the arts. Guill...
Apr 20, 2024•40 min•Season 8Ep. 130
Running a business in Paris is a dream for some, a hardship for others. But for today’s guest, Jane Bertch, it has been a variety of things including life changing. 15 years ago she confounded La Cuisine Paris , a French cooking school that is still going strong. She talks about the journey to Paris and running a cooking school in her book: The French Ingredient: Making a Life in Paris One Lesson at a Time which hits shelves April 9. Our conversation covers the Jane from Chicago to the Jane of P...
Apr 01, 2024•40 min•Season 8Ep. 129
There’s nothing like leaving Paris for a short time to reset perspectives. I’ve recently returned from 10 days in New York and the Philadelphia region and I was struck by how worn and behind both destinations felt. Part of that is lingering socio-economic impact of the pandemic, and part of it may be insufficient funds devoted to much-needed improvements to public services and transportation. It only served to amplify how good we have it in Paris where major infrastructural investment and urban ...
Mar 11, 2024•40 min•Season 8Ep. 128
Paris has always been a refuge for foreigners. For a lifetime for some, for a chapter of their lives for others. One of my very best friends in Paris was drawn to many of the qualities that I’ve described on the show over the years (and in The New Paris book) and falls into one of those categories. Like me, she’s been an avid storyteller and reporter covering the many ways that old meets new in the city and how it’s changed over the years. But now, she’s gearing up to leave which is exciting for...
Jan 29, 2024•42 min•Season 8Ep. 127
Welcome to the end of 2023! Let's take a look back at the challenging, protest-heavy, crisis-generating year in Paris and beyond, with a few thoughts for 2024. Bonnes fêtes et bonne année! Season 8 will begin in the second half of January. Buy my book: The New Paris Buy my book: The New Parisienne Follow me on social: @LindseyTramuta Follow the show: @TheNewParisPodcast Audio production & editing: Matthew Jordan Music by Little Glass Men...
Dec 22, 2023•4 min•Season 7Ep. 126
Paris has a long legacy not merely as a world capital of culture but as a literary capital. Some of the world’s greatest writers and thinkers have created some of their best work in or about Paris and found homes for it in bookstores, to be sure, but also libraries. Two years ago I interviewed the bestselling author Janet Skeslien Charles on this show about her novel The Paris Library ( Episode 74 ) but today I’m excited to be joined by the executive director of The American Library in Paris Aud...
Dec 08, 2023•33 min•Season 7Ep. 125
It’s the week of thanksgiving and that seems like an appropriate time to bring back an American friend. Amanda Bankert is a previous guest of this show (episode 8!) and the owner and pastry chef behind Boneshaker , the only donut shop in Paris worth your time, money, and sweet tooth. She’s also just released her first book in English called Voilà Vegan . We talk about how she got into baking, becoming vegan, how easy it is to find veggie or vegan food in Paris these days, and why all of this fit...
Nov 22, 2023•27 min•Season 7Ep. 124
I have been waiting to talk about the new book by today’s guest for years. Actually, since I met him some 7 years ago when he was already hard at work researching it. Jon Bonné has worked as a journalist for three decades and currently serves as the managing editor at RESY. He is, particularly for wine lovers, best known for his wine reporting and two essential wine books : The New California Wine and The New Wine Rules , which has sold more than 50,000 copies and has been adapted into numerous ...
Nov 05, 2023•40 min•Season 7Ep. 123
