Rick Easton is co-owner of Bread and Salt Bakery in Jersey City, New Jersey. He’s also the coauthor of a fascinating new cookbook, Bread and How to Eat It , which he wrote with his partner, the great journalist Melissa McCart. On this episode, we talk about Rick’s love of baking, sandwiches, and not following convention. We also find out how working in Italy informed his unique style that has made Bread and Salt one of the region’s most beloved spots. We hope you enjoy learning more about Rick E...
Jun 09, 2023•1 hr 17 min•Ep. 238
Is there an introduction needed here? Over her groundbreaking career, Ruth Reichl has served as the food editor of the Los Angeles Times , the restaurant critic of the New York Times , and the editor in chief of the legendary magazine Gourmet . She’s written juicy memoirs, mentored a generation of writers and editors, and still writes with regularity, curiosity, and a love for real journalism in her wonderful Substack newsletter, La Briffe . On this episode, Ruth joins us in the studio for a dee...
Jun 07, 2023•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 237
Emily Sundberg has a knack for writing stories that get people talking. The freelance writer and mind behind the business newsletter Feed Me has an expert eye for trends in the food space and beyond, like the return of whole milk and the rise of the “shoppy shop”—you know, those cute, curated grocery stores that all seem to carry the same made-for-Instagram products. We’re thrilled to have her on the podcast to forecast the drink of the summer, the current state of founders in the direct-to-cons...
Jun 05, 2023•51 min•Ep. 236
Here’s a bonus episode from our recent conversation with cookbook authors Eric Kim and Ali Slagle , live at Rizzoli Bookstore in NYC. Eric is a New York Times Magazine columnist and the author of the best-selling book Korean American . Ali is a recipe developer, consultant, and author of the best-selling I Dream of Dinner . Stay tuned for future episodes recorded live at Rizzoli. Subscribe to our newsletter for all of those details. MORE FROM ERIC KIM AND ALI SLAGLE: 4 Books Eric Kim Can’t Live ...
Jun 03, 2023•46 min•Ep. 235
Dan Frommer is the founder and editor in chief of the The New Consumer , an influential publication that covers the intersection of technology and consumer brands—and many of these brands live in the food world. We wanted to have Dan on the show to talk about some recent grocery store news and trends including Graza vs. Brightland, and to find out how the celebrated tech journalist started scrutinizing the canned foods aisle. We hope you enjoy this super entertaining talk with Dan. MORE FROM DAN...
Jun 02, 2023•56 min•Ep. 234
Wylie Dufresne is a legendary force in the New York City chef world. As the owner of wd~50, he pioneered a form of cooking, sometimes called modernist cuisine, and brought it to worldwide attention. And now he’s turned his attention to pizza with the opening of Stretch Pizza on Park Avenue. In this lively conversation, we talk about Wylie’s pandemic pizza project that went to the next level. We also discuss cookbooks and our shared love for the New York City shop Kitchen Arts & Letters. I ho...
May 31, 2023•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 233
Sandro Roco is the founder of Sanzo , which has been our go-to flavored sparkling water of choice. We wanted to invite Sandro into the studio not only because we are big fans of his cans of lychee- and calamansi-spiked bubbles. We like the way he runs his business, as well as the story of how he bootstrapped this company in one of the most crowded categories in all of grocery: beverages. We also talk about how he was able to get Jeremy Lin to appear on the Sanzo can. It was so cool getting to kn...
May 29, 2023•40 min•Ep. 232
Andrea Nguyen is back on the podcast to talk about her latest—perhaps even greatest—cookbook: Ever-Green Vietnamese . Andrea is a prolific cookbook author behind favorites like Vietnamese Food Any Day and Into The Vietnamese Kitchen . Her latest book dives deep into Vietnamese food’s rich palate of plants from the land and sea, offering up ingenious recipes for things like homemade vegan fish sauce and a Grand Slam bánh mì breakfast combo. It’s such a fun, craving-inducing conversation, and we h...
May 26, 2023•1 hr 19 min•Ep. 231
Today on the show, we welcome in James Harris , one half of Throwing Fits , a very funny podcast and online community dedicated to all things menswear. We wanted to invite James in not just to talk about chef fashion but also to find out about where he’s eating and drinking around his hometown of New York City. We also get into Fanelli vs. Lucien, not being able to get into Gem Wine thanks to TikTok, eating fried prawn heads, Japanese food at home vs. in restaurants, and eating the miso black co...
May 24, 2023•41 min•Ep. 230
Samantha Irby is a humorist, a TV writer, and the author of an incredible new essay collection, Quietly Hostile . On this episode, we talk about so many things: Chicago pizza, living in Michigan, Bosnian food in Grand Rapids, car wash dudes in Kalamazoo, and what it’s like to write lines for Carrie Bradshaw (as well as give her diarrhea). We have long been huge fans of Sam’s work, and it was a real joy to have her in the studio. I hope you enjoy this conversation. Also on the show, Aliza and Mat...
May 22, 2023•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 229
The future of food is fungi—at least if you ask Adam DeMartino and Andrew Carter , the cofounders of Smallhold . The new-school farming company grows delicate maitake, spongy lion’s mane, blue oysters, and more of our favorite mushrooms in patented aquarium-like tanks and mega farms across the country. They’re a favorite of buzzy chefs and major grocery chains alike, so today we’re going deep on this mushroom moment and how they’re forecasting the future of fungi. Also on the show, we catch up w...
May 19, 2023•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 228
It was so much fun having Jamie Loftus in the studio. Jamie is a comedy writer and podcast host behind some of our favorite series, including My Year in Mensa and Aack Cast , a very “Cathy” podcast. On this episode, we tackle all sorts of topics, and talk about Jamie's incredible new book, Raw Dog: The Naked Truth About Hot Dogs . Yes, Jamie spent a solid year traveling around America, diving into the world of tube steaks. We find out about banishing ketchup from the bun and what makes a great m...
May 17, 2023•40 min•Ep. 227
We’ve long admired Chris Crowley ’s reporting at Grub Street , the food and drink arm of the great New York magazine. So it was a real treat to have Chris in to talk about his career in food media and the big stories unfolding right now in New York City. We go over some of his favorite slept-on restaurants before digging into the big questions in life: mainly, what is New York City’s best slice? We also talk about how restaurant PR plays into the editorial decisions, and go back to the good old ...
May 15, 2023•55 min•Ep. 226
Sandor Katz is an activist, a fermentation guru, and the author of many influential books, including The Art of Fermentation and the deeply reported The Revolution Will Not Be Microwaved . We had Sandor in the studio to talk about life and writing and what he’s been up to on his Tennessee farm. We also get into what fuels his big and ambitious book projects. Also on the show, we have a great conversation with Martha Hoover , a chef and restaurateur from Indianapolis. We talk about how she’s grow...
May 12, 2023•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 225
Danny Trejo is an actor and the author of several cookbooks, including Trejo’s Tacos and his latest, Trejo’s Cantina . We had Danny in the studio recently, and he honestly let it rip. Such great stories! He talks about working with Robert Rodriguez, Quentin Tarantino, what makes a great taco, food for the incarcerated, and what food was like growing up on the Eastside of LA. We really hope you enjoy this conversation with one of America’s most colorful actors. MORE FROM DANNY TREJO: Danny Trejo ...
May 10, 2023•35 min•Ep. 224
Michigan chef and cookbook author Abra Berens returns to the studio to talk about her third book in a trilogy on Midwestern farming and cooking that started first with vegetables and followed up with grains and legumes. Her new book, Pulp , tackles fruit with some bold recipes and sound advice. In this episode, we get personal in praising Michigan for its superior apples, incredible blueberries, and possibly overrated cherries. We also talk about Abra’s restaurant at Granor Farm , which is one o...
May 08, 2023•37 min•Ep. 223
Emma Orlow is a reporter for Eater New York whose colorful aesthetic is matched only by her thoughtful reporting—and her love of Jell-O. As the city’s dining scene heats up alongside the weather, we invited Emma onto the show to share her constantly updating perspective on the state of New York City restaurants, why so much exciting food is happening at pop-ups, the rise of worker-owned food businesses, and more. It’s a great conversation, and we hope you’ll enjoy it. MORE FROM EMMA: The Hottest...
May 05, 2023•40 min•Ep. 222
Alicia Kennedy is a writer and academic living in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and she’s the voice behind one of our favorite newsletters, From the Desk of Alicia Kennedy . On this great episode, we talk about Alicia’s recent work and what she is reading, as well as diving back into her writing for New York magazine, the Village Voice , and here at TASTE. We discuss the course she recently taught on food travel writing and the guilt of not reading enough. Finally, we share a moment of love for the Mon...
May 03, 2023•1 hr 17 min•Ep. 221
Yes, it’s Anna Hezel day on TASTE! We welcome back our old colleague and friend to catch up about not just tinned fish (the subject of her new book, Tin to Table ) but also what she’s been up to since signing off as cohost of this show. Anna’s new cookbook is an instant classic, and you should go out and buy it today. Also on the show, we have a great talk with Evan Hanczor . Evan is the founder of Tables of Contents , a home for delicious gatherings at the intersection of food, literature, arts...
May 01, 2023•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 220
Emma Lovewell is a star instructor at Peloton and a driving force for fitness and inspiration for millions. Emma is our favorite instructor (we rank our favorites on this episode!), and it was a lot of fun to have her in the studio to talk about her gardening skills, what she likes to cook, and what she eats before and after teaching her classes, as well as some of her favorite New York City restaurants. We also talk about her great new book, Live Learn Love Well: Lessons from a Life of Progress...
Apr 28, 2023•37 min•Ep. 219
André Hueston Mack is a sommelier, wine educator, whiskey maker, restaurateur, a Bon Appétit on-air host, and one of the freshest voices in all of food. He’s the author of the incredible book 99 Bottles: A Black Sheep’s Guide to Life-Changing Wines , and we had him in the studio to talk through his many career highlights. This includes his time running the beverage program at Per Se, opening his own wine and ham bar in Brooklyn, and his journey to YouTube, where he is currently one of the most p...
Apr 26, 2023•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 218
Snaxshot , the curatorial and slightly mercurial grocery newsletter and community, has grown into an industry force, read by CPG executives and members of food media on a near-religious level. (We are one of these people.) There’s real Blackbird Spyplane energy with the work that founder and solo writer Andrea Hernández creates, and we had her in the studio to talk about what is interesting to her in the grocery store. We also discuss the major changes afoot in the trillion-dollar grocery indust...
Apr 24, 2023•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 217
Did you catch longtime New York Times restaurant critic Pete Wells dropping a monumental story this week, the 100 Best Restaurants in New York City ? This is the first time in Pete’s 12-year career that he’s published such a list, and we had him back in the studio to talk about his method and some of his favorite places. We also dove into his reviewing career, as well as how he schedules all the meals and keeps tabs on the trends. We get some quick hits from Pete, including the best pizza, the b...
Apr 21, 2023•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 216
We’re big fans of Marissa Mullen , and we are really super excited to have her in the studio to talk about her career working in the music industry (she worked at both The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and The Late Show With Stephen Colbert ), but mostly to talk about cheese. She’s the author of two books revolving around modern entertaining and the art of the cheese plate. Her latest, That Cheese Plate Wants to Party , is a sharp and highly enjoyable guide to buying cheese for all sorts of...
Apr 19, 2023•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 215
Comedians writing books about food is nothing new, and in some cases, we are pretty allergic to the practice. But with Dan Ahdoot ’s smart and candid memoir, Undercooked , the Cobra Kai actor and longtime stand-up comedian has written with truth and wit, and we couldn’t put the book down. In this episode, we talk with Dan about his time working at the infamous Spotted Pig in New York, and we ask for some of his go-to spots for Persian and Korean food in Los Angeles. We also find out what pops on...
Apr 17, 2023•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 214
It’s a good day when we can get an expert at the top of their game to join us in the studio. Writer and editor Jon Bonné is just that in the wine game—but he’s also an erudite observer of food and culture trends. In this action-packed episode, we talk about his monumental new book, the two-volume The New French Wine . We discuss France as a source but also a construct, and we dive into some of Jon’s restaurant reporting at Resy, where he serves as managing editor. We also talk about his work at ...
Apr 14, 2023•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 213
There are some restaurants where skipping dessert is just not an option—and if you’re in New York City, Gage & Tollner is at the top of that list. Pastry chef Caroline Schiff has created an all-star lineup of sweets that nod to the chop house’s historic past—it dates back to the late 1800s—while feeling totally fresh. On today’s episode, she shares with Aliza her pastry philosophy, her take on the most iconic desserts in the city, the origin behind her book, The Sweet Side of Sourdough , and...
Apr 12, 2023•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 212
Chanie Apfelbaum is the author of a really cool new book, Totally Kosher , and the force behind Busy in Brooklyn , a go-to resource for kosher recipes and thoughts on modern Jewish living. We wanted to have Chanie into the studio to talk about the many nuances of modern kosher cooking, and to ask her some pointed questions about her modern Orthodox life. Chanie was super game to talk about many topics, including how the recipes in her book are not only for the religious set. We hope you enjoy th...
Apr 10, 2023•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 211
Today is a special episode devoted to our love of the SPAM® brand— the multifunctional and influential canned meat that is used creatively in kitchens around the world every day. Whether it’s Korean budae jjigae or musubi rolls spotted in the 7-Eleven in Hawaii, SPAM ® is an American heritage food brand that we want to celebrate. Up first, we speak with New York City chef and Iron Chef competitor Esther Choi . We discuss her childhood love of SPAM ® products and how she cooks with them at her re...
Apr 07, 2023•29 min•Ep. 210
Nobody makes cake—or cookies, or tarts, or anything else in the pastry case—quite like Natasha Pickowicz . The former pastry chef at Flora Bar and Altro Paradiso, who now helms the acclaimed pop-up Never Ending Taste and organizes mega bake sales raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for reproductive health justice, Natasha makes extremely cool pastries, like crackly shoyu peanut cookies and cakes crowned with radicchio. Now she’s releasing a debut cookbook to share her recipes with the world...
Apr 05, 2023•52 min•Ep. 209
