A writer, editor, illustrator, cookbook author, children’s book author, and really fun guy to get to know, Joshua David Stein has got the goods, and we welcome him back into the studio. We catch up about all things cookbooks and food media, including his soon-to-be-published Korean cookbook, collaborating with Tom Colicchio, and his work on the wonderful Esquire Best New Restaurants list. It’s so great talking with JDS, and we hope you enjoy this conversation. Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us...
Dec 20, 2023•43 min•Ep. 328
Nasim Lahbichi is a recipe developer based in Brooklyn, where he’s built a big following creating videos that blend craveable recipes drawing from his Moroccan and Puerto Rican heritage with highly relatable dating escapades. His roots in interior design and New York City inform his work in exciting ways, and we’re excited to have him on the show today to talk about the future of food content creation. Also on the show Matt catches up with Kyle Newman , the co-author of a very cool and unique ne...
Dec 18, 2023•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 327
On this episode we bring together some of the smartest and most opinionated voices in the world of drinks. We welcome Jon Bonné , Alice Feiring , Jancis Robinson , and Talia Baiocchi . Jon Bonné is an erudite observer of food and culture trends and the author of a monumental new book, the two-volume The New French Wine . Alice Feiring is a journalist and celebrated wine writer, and she’s also the author of many great wine books, including 2019’s Natural Wine for the People , a prophetic look at ...
Dec 16, 2023•2 hr 59 min•Ep. 326
In our final episode of a weeklong tribute to Saveur , we speak with the magazine’s current editor and CEO, Kat Craddock. Kat has a long history at the publication, including serving as Culinary Director. In 2022 she was able to buy the publication full stop, and she is currently in the process of bringing back a print edition. We were so happy to hear this news, and Kat shares with us what the next generation of Saveur will look like, as well as some of her favorite stories. Do you enjoy This I...
Dec 15, 2023•48 min•Ep. 325
Next up in our weeklong tribute to Saveur is Colman Andrews , one of the publication’s founding editors, who also served as editor in chief from 2001 to 2006. Colman’s travel writing and recipe-based reporting had him traveling the world in search of the “good stuff” (well before Anthony Bourdain coined the term), and he served as the publication’s beating heart for nearly a decade. He’s a former Gourmet restaurant columnist and the author of a great memoir, My Usual Table: A Life in Restaurants...
Dec 13, 2023•46 min•Ep. 324
We kick off a weeklong tribute to Saveur magazine, past and present, with a colorful interview with the one and only Dorothy Kalins , Saveur ’s founding editor. Dorothy’s career in magazines and cookbooks is hall-of-fame-worthy—and in fact, she was inducted into the American Society of Magazine Editors’ Hall of Fame in 2018. She was founding editor in chief of Metropolitan Home , a leading baby boom design publication that inspired many magazines to follow. She launched Saveur in 1994, and the p...
Dec 11, 2023•54 min•Ep. 323
Today on the show we have a really, really, really great conversation with two of the most respected people in food: Ruth Reichl and Nancy Silverton . We came together earlier this week at Rizzoli Bookstore in Manhattan to talk about Nancy’s great new cookbook, The Cookie That Changed My Life . Ruth and Nancy have been friends for decades, and we cover a wide variety of topics including what is in fact the best cookie ever, as well as favorite restaurants in New York, Los Angeles, and Italy. Do ...
Dec 09, 2023•43 min•Ep. 322
Today on the show we have a really great conversation with Alice Luo and Elaine Mao , two staffers at the New York City–based nonprofit Send Chinatown Love. As the name suggests, the volunteer-run organization provides financial and resource-based aid to NYC’s Asian businesses. Alice and Elaine have helped put out one of our favorite cookbooks of the year, Made Here: Recipes and Reflections From NYC’s Asian Communities . It’s a super savvy book, beautifully photographed and featuring recipes fro...
Dec 08, 2023•42 min•Ep. 321
Melissa King is a Top Chef icon—but she’s also much more. The champion turned judge is also the host of Tasting Wild , a far-out outdoor cooking show, and she still finds time to be in the kitchen with pop-ups. It’s so fun to have her on the show to talk about cooking with her Top Chef crew, plus career-defining gigs like appearing on Sesame Street and cooking for the Met Gala. Also on the show Matt has a live interview with British author and TikTok chef Julius Roberts . He’s releasing his debu...
Dec 06, 2023•51 min•Ep. 320
We’re big fans of Marissa Mullen and super excited to have her back in the studio to talk about the keys to winning the holiday entertaining game (mostly through cheese), and also reveal some details about an exciting trip to France we are planning for next summer. Our latest TASTE Travels has Marissa joining TASTE editor Matt Rodbard for a week of cheese, wine, and castles in Normandy. Limited spots are filling up quickly. Marissa is the author of two books revolving around modern entertaining ...
Dec 04, 2023•27 min•Ep. 319
Shelly Fireman is the owner of several New York City restaurants of acclaim and heritage, including Redeye Grill, Bond 45, and Cafe Fiorello. He’s also a very accomplished sculptor with a studio in Tuscany. On this truly amazing episode, we hear some great stories from an industry legend, like about opening the first stand-alone bagel shop in New York in the early 1960s, the Hip Bagel, as well as many more from over 50 years in the business. Get to know Shelly Fireman in this great episode. Also...
Dec 01, 2023•53 min•Ep. 318
Bryan Washington is a writer from Houston whose latest novel, Family Meal , is an intimate portrayal of friendship, queerness, and pastries. He also writes about things like Japanese curry bread and queer bars for the New Yorker , and today we’re thrilled to have him on the show to talk about food as a plot device, his favorite okonomiyaki spots in Osaka, 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 BRYAN WASHINGT...
Nov 29, 2023•27 min•Ep. 317
Today on the show we have a really fun conversation with Jon Kung , a Detroit-based chef and TikTok creator we’ve fallen hard for over the past couple years. We wanted to have Jon in the studio to talk a little bit about his cooking videos on YouTube and his life online and off, but mostly we wanted to dig into his terrific new book, Kung Food: Chinese American Recipes from a Third-Culture Kitchen . We hope you enjoy this conversation. Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple , or s...
Nov 27, 2023•38 min•Ep. 316
Leah Koenig is the author of six cookbooks, including The Jewish Cookbook and Modern Jewish Cooking . Her latest book, Portico , is one of my favorites of the busy fall and taps into the rich history of Jewish food in Rome. On this episode Leah and I talk about the iconic dishes from Rome's Jewish ghetto, and talk about the years she took reporting this wonderful book. I hope you enjoy our conversation. Also on the show, Matt has a great talk with New York Times reporter Amelia Nierenberg . Amel...
Nov 24, 2023•48 min•Ep. 315
Today on the show, we have Claire Saffitz back in the studio for a really entertaining conversation. Claire is the author of a great recent cookbook, What’s For Dessert , and she’s truly one of our favorite cooking instructors and personalities on the internet. We talk about how to visualize a recipe before baking it, as well as some of the common bakeware mistakes we are all making. Dark bakeware is a big no-no! We also hear a little bit about her journey from Harvard to the kitchens of France ...
Nov 22, 2023•51 min•Ep. 314
Maurizio Leo is the big bread brain behind The Perfect Loaf , an incredibly popular online community of bread fans and home bakers. He’s also the author of The Perfect Loaf: The Craft and Science of Sourdough Breads, Sweets, and More , winner of both James Beard Foundation and IACP awards and an instant classic. On this episode we talk about what excites Maurizio in bread today, and his unique journey to teaching and writing cookbooks. Also on the show Aliza and Matt go over three things they ea...
Nov 20, 2023•48 min•Ep. 313
Fly By Jing is one of the most exciting brands in food, and we were lucky to have the company’s founder, Jing Gao , live in conversation at Rizzoli Bookstore in New York City. This conversation was part of our TASTE Live at Rizzoli author series, and we had Jing speaking about her amazing new cookbook, The Book of Sichuan Chili Crisp . 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 FLY BY JING: Sleek Suá Superette From the Ch...
Nov 18, 2023•54 min•Ep. 312
Sanaë Lemoine is a novelist and cookbook author whose work is united in its ability to make you very, very hungry. Before she wrote her novel The Margot Affair , Sanaë was a cookbook editor at Martha Stewart Books and Phaidon Press; now she combines her love of food and literature in her own writing and through cowriting cookbooks, like Make It Japanese with Rie McClenny. It’s a joy to have Sanaë on the show to talk about her creative process, her favorite spots for croissants in the city, and m...
Nov 17, 2023•45 min•Ep. 311
Today on the show we welcome Ethan Frisch and Ori Zohar , the cofounders of Burlap & Barrel , a very well-regarded spice company that might just play a starring role in your kitchen. We wanted to have these guys in to talk about the early days of their company and how both left successful careers in restaurant cooking and advertising to launch it. We also find out about their meticulous approach to sourcing Guatemalan cardamom and Turkish black Urfa chili, as well as digging into more spices...
Nov 15, 2023•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 310
Abena Anim-Somuah is the James Beard Award–winning host of The Future of Food Is You , a Cherry Bombe podcast network show in which she interviews rising talent in the food space. She’s also behind the Eden Place, a food-focused community series, and always has her eye out for what’s new and next. We had her on the show to talk about the future of food podcasting, spending time in Mexico City, and much more. Also on this show Matt catches up with Margie Nomura . Margie is a UK chef and the host ...
Nov 13, 2023•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 309
Today on the show we are featuring three classic conversations from some big names in coffee: James Hoffmann , Nigel Price , and James Freeman . Each has carved out a unique place in specialty coffee, and I really hope you enjoy getting to know some of the most interesting people in the business. 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 COFFEE ON TASTE: Meet the CEO of Coffee YouTube A Strong Case for Slow Coffee The C...
Nov 11, 2023•2 hr 19 min•Ep. 308
Yossy Arefi is a master of the one-bowl bake. The recipe developer behind cookbooks like Sweeter Off the Vine and Snacking Cakes is back with Snacking Bakes , a treasure trove of truly simple recipes designed to take you from zero to cookie in no time. In this episode, we talk about the advantages of developing accessible recipes in a cramped New York City kitchen, what to do with fall fruit, and more. Natasha Kravchuk is the creator of the popular website Natasha’s Kitchen, and the author of th...
Nov 10, 2023•50 min•Ep. 307
Christina Ward is the author of Holy Food: How Cults, Communes, and Religious Movements Influenced What We Eat . It’s a fascinating book that digs deep into how the fringe and mainstream spiritual practices of Americas past shaped modern food culture, from trends to products still in the grocery aisle today. It’s a conversation you won’t soon forget and we hope you enjoy. MORE FROM CHRISTINA WARD: A New Book Shows How Chicago’s Food History Intertwines With Cults, Communes, and Religious Movemen...
Nov 08, 2023•37 min•Ep. 306
Andrew Rea is the man with the sharp knives behind Binging with Babish , a wildly popular YouTube channel and series of food and food-adjacent productions (we can call them short films). On this episode we catch up with Andrew about his great new book, Basics with Babish . We also go back to find out about the founding of his community and what he’s been cooking and eating around New York City. It’s a lot of fun catching up with Andrew, and I hope you enjoy this talk. Do you enjoy This Is TASTE?...
Nov 06, 2023•34 min•Ep. 305
If you’d call yourself a “fruit person,” you’ll eat this episode up. William Mullan is a photographer and marketing manager whose book, Odd Apples , documents the stunning, strange world of heirloom apple varietals. His love of fruit extends to caring for urban apple trees in South Brooklyn and brewing his own cider—clearly there’s a lot to discuss! It was so fun to have William on the show to nerd out on fall fruit, the wine harvest, and more. Also on the show, Aliza and Matt are joined by prod...
Nov 03, 2023•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 304
For over a decade Ben Goodwin , the cofounder of Olipop , has been building a better-for-you soda that aims to change the soda game, disrupting the big boys at Coca-Cola and Pepsi and offering a high-fiber, unusually addictive beverage to discerning millennials. Well, dang, 2023 was most certainly the year of Olipop and Ben joins us in the studio to talk about it all. He details how he developed flavors like Vintage Cola, Crisp Apple, and Tropical Punch, and digs into the challenges facing bever...
Nov 01, 2023•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 303
Joshua Weissman is one of the strongest (and largest) voices on the food internet and the host of a series of YouTube shows that clock more than eight million subscribers. He has an abounding love of food and proper technique, and we get into what makes a great cooking video, how Joshua likes to spend his off time in Austin, Texas, and his great new cookbook, Texture Over Taste . We also talk about how he ranks fast-food burgers and foods from all 50 states. It’s really fun having Joshua in the ...
Oct 30, 2023•59 min•Ep. 302
How fun it was to have our old friend Chris Ying on the show. Chris is a cookbook author, podcast host, and the cofounder and former editor in chief of Lucky Peach . He’s currently running point at Majordomo Media, and he cohosts the podcast The Dave Chang Show with you can guess who. On this episode we find out about Chris’s cookbook writing career, including the fact that he’s authored one of our favorite books of all time (no joke). We talk about what makes great “food content” in 2023, worki...
Oct 27, 2023•1 hr 41 min•Ep. 301
We’re thrilled to welcome Sohla El-Waylly back to the show. Sohla is a prodigious recipe developer, a fixture of food YouTube, and a judge on HBO’s cooking competition The Big Brunch . Next week she will release her debut cookbook, Start Here: Instructions for Becoming a Better Cook . It’s a terrific book, and we discuss many of the recipes and techniques, and how Sohla photographed the book in her New York City apartment. We also talk about her love of Top Chef , her own reality cooking show tu...
Oct 25, 2023•39 min•Ep. 300
Yewande Komolafe is a recipe developer, food stylist, and author of the New York Times “ 10 Essential Nigerian Recipes ”. She also has a terrific new cookbook out now, My Everyday Lagos: Nigerian Cooking at Home and in the Diaspora . On this episode we talk about Yewande’s journey to writing this groundbreaking work, and how the book's recipes cover the converging cuisines of her hometown of Lagos. We also talk about her life in and out of the kitchen. It’s a great talk and we hope you enjoy it....
Oct 23, 2023•42 min•Ep. 299
