The Splendid Table: Conversations & Recipes For Curious Cooks & Eaters

This week, we’re celebrating the holidays by looking beyond, into global stories that shape the season. First, we talk with Hetty Lui McKinnon about her new book, Linger: Salads, Sweets and Stories to Savor, and what the holidays look like in Australia, where Christmas is hot and the seafood markets buzz at midnight. Hetty reflects on the vegetable forward meals that defined her Chinese Australian upbringing and leaves us with her recipe for Coronation Cauliflower and Chickpeas. Then, we turn to writer Yasmin Khan for a deeper look at Yalda Night, the Persian winter solstice celebration that reminds us of the return of the sun, after the longest night of the year. Her latest cookbook, Sabzi: Vibrant Vegetarian Recipes, explores vibrant vegetarian cooking rooted in Persian culture. Yasmin shares how Yalda brings people together through poetry, pomegranates, and seasonal comforts, and leaves us with her recipe for Eggplant Fesenjan. Broadcast dates for this episode:  December 19, 2025 (originally aired) Subscribe to @TheSplendidTable on YouTube for full podcast episodes and full-length video interviews! Generous listeners like you make The Splendid Table possible. Donate today to support the show.

Transcribed - Published: 19 December 2025

This week, we’re taking a trip through the South and its food – how it tells the story of a region shaped by migration, memory, and culture. First, we talk with scholar and writer Michael W. Twitty about his new book, Recipes from the American South, a sweeping look at the many communities – Black, white, Indigenous, immigrant – whose traditions built Southern cooking as we know it. Michael reflects on the histories that define the region and leaves us with his recipe for Maque Choux, the Louisiana classic made of corn and peppers. Then, we turn to writer and filmmaker Deb Freeman for a deeper look at one of the South’s most influential voices: Edna Lewis. Her new PBS documentary, Finding Edna Lewis, traces how Miss Lewis’s rural Virginia roots shaped her cooking and her revolutionary impact on American food. Deb shares why Lewis remains essential today and what we can still learn from her. Our annual cookbook giveaway is live!  To enter for free, visit splendidtable.org/cookbook Broadcast dates for this episode:  December 5, 2025 (originally aired) Subscribe to @TheSplendidTable on YouTube for full podcast episodes and full-length video interviews! Donate to The Splendid Table today and we will show our appreciation with a special thank-you gift.

Transcribed - Published: 5 December 2025

Today we have a bonus episode for you from Happier with Gretchen Rubin, featuring our very own Francis Lam.  Gretchen Rubin is HAPPIER, and she wants you to be happier too. The #1 bestselling author of The Happiness Project and Better Than Before gets more personal than ever as she brings her practical, manageable advice about happiness and good habits to this lively, thought-provoking podcast. Gretchen’s cohost and guinea pig is her younger sister, Elizabeth Craft, a TV writer and producer living in Los Angeles, who (lovingly) refers to Gretchen as her happiness bully. On this episode of More Happier: It’s easy to get swept up in a cycle of holidays that feels more like a relentless to-do list than a source of joy. In this Celebration Roundtable, we talk about how to embrace the holidays as opportunities for intentional connection and meaning.

Transcribed - Published: 2 December 2025

Join us for Turkey Confidential, our must-listen-to annual Thanksgiving Day broadcast! This year’s guests are Samin Nosrat, author of bestseller Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat and Good Things; Brooklyn-based recipe developer Yossy Arefi, author of Snacking Bakes and Snacking Cakes; Vivian Howard, author, TV personality, and chef, known for This Will Make It Taste Good and Deep Run Roots; Evan Kleiman, chef, cookbook author, and host of KCRW’s Good Food. And, of course, Francis! Broadcast dates for this episode: November 27, 2025 Subscribe to @TheSplendidTable on YouTube for full podcast episodes and full-length video interviews! Generous listeners like you make The Splendid Table possible. Donate today to support the show.

Transcribed - Published: 27 November 2025

This week, we’re celebrating Thanksgiving and looking at the way this American holiday and its food tell our stories. First, we talk with Padma Lakshmi about her new cookbook, Padma’s All American, a celebration of the immigrant dishes and regional traditions that make up our country’s culinary landscape. Padma talks about what she’s learned from years of traveling for Taste the Nation and leaves us with a delicious Thanksgiving alternative for mashed potatoes: Podimas (Potatoes with Turmeric and Fried Lentils). Then, we turn to baker extraordinaire Dorie Greenspan for a sweet addition to the holiday dessert table. Her new book, Dorie’s Anytime Cakes, is filled with unfussy, comforting cakes meant to live on your counter — the kind you slice into whenever the craving strikes. Dorie talks about why simple cakes feel right for the season and leaves us with her Cocoa-Swirled Pumpkin Bundt. Head to our YouTube channel and watch our interview with Padma Lakshmi. Subscribe so you don’t miss anything! Our annual cookbook giveaway is live!  To enter for free, visit splendidtable.org/cookbook Broadcast dates for this episode:  November 14, 2025 (originally aired) Celebrate kitchen companionship with a gift to The Splendid Table today.

Transcribed - Published: 14 November 2025

This week, we’re breaking bread in every sense of the phrase. First, beloved actor Tony Shalhoub joins us to talk about his new CNN series, Breaking Bread, where he travels the world to explore the meaning of bread and how it connects us across cultures and tables. Growing up in a large Lebanese American family in Wisconsin, Tony shares memories of food as a bridge between worlds, from kibbeh and hummus to bratwurst and grilled cheese. Then, we meet Maureen Abood, author of Lebanese Baking, who brings us into the heart of the Lebanese kitchen with recipes and stories that honor tradition and community. She leaves us with her recipe for Za’atar Manakeesh, a beloved flatbread that captures the heart of Lebanese baking: simple, fragrant, and made to share. Head to our YouTube channel and watch this extended cut of our interview with Tony Shalhoub. Subscribe so you don’t miss anything! Broadcast dates for this episode:  October 31, 2025 (originally aired) Our annual cookbook giveaway is live!  To enter for free, visit splendidtable.org/cookbook Generous listeners like you make The Splendid Table possible. Donate today to support the show.

Transcribed - Published: 31 October 2025

Today we have a bonus episode for you, featuring our very own Francis Lam.  How We Survive is an award-winning podcast from Marketplace about the messy business of climate solutions. From the glitz and glam of Miami, to the punishing Arizona desert, to a sinking island that our national security depends on, every season takes listeners on an adventure. We’re finding the innovative, surprising and occasionally disturbing ways that people are navigating solutions to a changing climate. In this episode of “How We Survive,” host Amy Scott is joined by “The Splendid Table” host Francis Lam for a cultivated meat taste test. Plus, Francis shares his go-to recipes for climate-friendly proteins. Deep in the halls of the engineering school at Columbia University, professor Hod Lipson and his former student Jonathan Blutinger are reimagining how meat is made. In 2022, they developed a device that maps the texture of meat. “It's a machine that can poke steak at a bunch of different points and create these high-fidelity texture maps and see more clearly, you know, the toughness of different parts,” explains Blutinger. Lipson adds, “we tried to capture quantitatively, how hard is it to cut it with a knife? How hard is it to poke it with a fork? How hard is it to chew?” They sold that device to a fake meat company, ReDefine Meat, which 3D prints steak. It was during this time that Blutinger came up with a framework for thinking about meat: The uncanny valley of meat. “The uncanny valley is, a thought that a Japanese researcher came up with years ago, where the closer we get to mimicking human likeness with robots, the more we tend to be irked by them,” explained Blutinger. He said the same phenomenon happens when we eat fake meat that’s trying to look, taste and feel like the real thing. “People who are meat eaters are used to the texture, the feeling, the flavor, all the sensory aspects of any meat they've had from the hundreds of thousands of times they've tried it. So as soon as they try something that's trying to mimic that, they're extra cautious,” said Blutinger. We hear all the time that one of the best things we can do for the climate as individuals is eat less meat. But 3D printed meat alternatives are not on the market in the U.S. yet. So the “How We Survive” team got our hands on another new food tech that some argue could allow people to have their steak and eat it too: Cell cultivated meat (which is real meat grown from cells instead of living, breathing animals). Does cell cultivated meat pass the uncanny valley?

Transcribed - Published: 29 October 2025

This week, we’re diving into Italian cooking, from the Pacific Northwest to the Bronx. First, chef and author Joshua McFadden joins us to talk about Six Seasons of Pasta, his love letter to everyone’s favorite food. Known for his hit cookbook Six Seasons: A New Way with Vegetables, Joshua brings that same seasonal sensibility to pasta, pairing local produce with traditional Italian technique, and shares his recipe for Nut Ragu. Then, Bronx-born chef Christian Petroni takes us into the heart of Italian American cooking with his debut cookbook, Parm to Table. From chicken cutlets to clams casino, he celebrates the cozy red-sauce dishes that define Sunday dinners across America and leaves us with his Chicken Scarpariello recipe. Broadcast dates for this episode:  October 17, 2025 (originally aired) Our annual cookbook giveaway is live!  To enter for free, visit splendidtable.org/cookbook Donate to The Splendid Table today and we will show our appreciation with a special thank-you gift.

Transcribed - Published: 17 October 2025

This week, we sit down with two chefs at the top of their craft. First, we talk to legendary baker Richard Hart about the inspiration behind his new book, Richard Hart Bread: Intuitive Sourdough Baking. He fills us in on why he thinks that humble bakers are the best bakers, how he really is just a simple “yeast farmer” and he shares his realistic thoughts on how to keep a sourdough starter. Check out his amazing recipe for Rye Wrapped in Fig Leaves. Then, we talk with chef Ashleigh Shanti about her connection to Southern food, from its complex regional histories to the culinary traditions of her beloved Appalachia. She leaves us with her take on a classic green bean recipe, Leather Britches. Ashleigh is the author of Our South: Black Food Through My Lens and owns Asheville’s Good Hot Fish.  Broadcast dates for this episode: October 11, 2024 (originally aired)October 10, 2025 (rebroadcast) Our annual cookbook giveaway is live!  To enter for free, visit splendidtable.org/cookbook Donate to The Splendid Table today and we will show our appreciation with a special thank-you gift.

Transcribed - Published: 10 October 2025

This week, we’re celebrating new fall cookbooks that belong on your kitchen counter. First, Aleksandra Crapanzano, author of Chocolat: Parisian Desserts and Other Delights, takes us from Marie Antoinette’s early “truffle” to the French art of baking at home. She leaves us with her Chocolate Ganache Tart with Raspberries. Then, Anna Ansari explores the delicious connections across cuisines in Silk Roads: A Flavor Odyssey, tracing flavors from Baku to Beijing and shares her recipe for Shivit Oshi (Khivan green noodles with beef stew). Finally, creator and Next Level Chef alum Cassie Yeung brings big, weeknight-friendly energy from Bad B*tch in the Kitch, including her 30-minute Beef & Broccoli.  Broadcast dates for this episode:  October 3, 2025 (originally aired) Our annual cookbook giveaway is live!  To enter for free, visit splendidtable.org/cookbook Celebrate kitchen companionship with a gift to The Splendid Table today.

Transcribed - Published: 3 October 2025

This week, we sit down with Evie McGee Colbert to talk about her latest book, co-authored with her husband, Stephen Colbert. She tells us about the dynamics in her family’s kitchen, the joys and challenges of cooking together during the pandemic, Charleston food traditions, and we take a listener question from one special caller! Evie’s latest book with her husband, Stephen Colbert, is Does This Taste Funny?: Recipes our Family Loves. She leaves us with her recipe for Salt and Pepper Wings. Then, we hit the road with musicians Alex Bleeker and Luke Pyenson to talk about their latest book, a collection of essays and interviews with musicians about life and eating on the road. They talk about their most memorable meals while on tour and the deep connection between musicians and food. Alex and Luke are the authors of Taste in Music: Eating on Tour with Indie Musicians.  Broadcast dates for this episode: September 27, 2024 (originally aired)September 26, 2025 (rebroadcast) Generous listeners like you make The Splendid Table possible. Donate today to support the show

Transcribed - Published: 26 September 2025

This week, we’re diving into fall cooking and the beauty of bitter flavors. First, Genevieve Ko, deputy editor at New York Times Cooking, joins Francis to take your fall cooking questions. From freezing smart to cabbage makeovers, Genevieve shares practical advice for making the most of fresh produce and tackling leftovers. She also shares the NYT Cooking piece 15 Ways to Make a Head of Cabbage Dinner and her Pumpkin Meringue Pie recipe. And check out her Cinnamon-Toast Graham Crackers from the last time she joined us to talk about Better Baking. Then, London-based cookbook author Alexina Anatole shares the inspiration behind her debut book, Bitter. She makes the case for bitterness as an essential flavor, one that brings depth, intrigue, and balance to our cooking. Alexina reminds us how bitterness touches so many of our favorite foods and she leaves us with her recipe for Stout Sticky Toffee Pudding, a perfect example of sweet meeting bitter in harmony. Broadcast dates for this episode: September 19, 2025 (originally aired) Your support is a special ingredient in helping to make The Splendid Table. Donate today.

Transcribed - Published: 19 September 2025

This week, we talk with two incredible chefs about their culinary connections to their homes. First, chef Nini Nguyen talks about growing up in New Orleans and her connection to her tight-knit Vietnamese community. She shares the delicious Vietnamese foods she grew up eating and talks about how that upbringing shapes her cooking today, Nini is the author of Đặc Biệt: An Extra-Special Vietnamese Cookbook, and she leaves with her recipe for Grilled Rice Paper. Then, we head to Ukraine with chef Yevhen Klopotenko to talk about his work rediscovering traditional Ukrainian dishes that were once suppressed under Soviet rule. He tells us about his work, providing recipes online that have reached thousands of schools and getting traditional recipes like Borsch, finally recognized as Ukrainian. Yevhen is the author of The Authentic Ukrainian Kitchen, and he left us with his recipe for Syrnyky, delicious Farmer cheese pancakes. Broadcast dates for this episode: September 13, 2024 (originally aired)September 12, 2025 (rebroadcast) Donate to The Splendid Table today and we will show our appreciation with a special thank-you gift.

Transcribed - Published: 12 September 2025

Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Pandora | Amazon Music This week, we’re turning peak-season produce into bold, flavorful dishes. First, we talk with Rick Martínez, author of Salsa Daddy: Dip Your Way into Mexican Cooking, about transforming simple ingredients – think tomatoes, onions, garlic, and chilis – into salsas that sing. Rick explains why salsa is its own food group and leaves us with his family-inspired peach-and-pecan Salsa Tejana recipe. Then, we visit New York chef Sunny Lee of Sunn’s, a restaurant devoted to banchan, Korea’s iconic side dishes. Sunny teaches Francis how to elevate fresh vegetables into inventive, season-forward sides, including her recipe for Tahini Pickled Mushroom banchan.  Broadcast dates for this episode:  September 5, 2025 (originally aired) Celebrate kitchen companionship with a gift to The Splendid Table today. When you shop using our links, we earn a small commission. It’s a great way to support public media at no extra cost to you.

Transcribed - Published: 5 September 2025

This week, we're talking about summer cooking and how to stay cool in the heat. Carla Lalli Music joins us to talk about her favorite indoor cooking tips for ribs and takes your cooking questions. Carla is the host of Carla's Cooking Show on Patreon, and her most recent book is Where Cooking Begins. Then, we check in with Khushbu Shah, Food & Wine's restaurant editor, about the refreshers you need this summer, cold dessert drinks from all over Asia. From basil seeds and colorful tapioca to adding a savory element to your shaved ice, there's something here for everyone. Broadcast dates for this episode: June 25, 2021 (originally aired)June 24, 2022 (rebroadcast)June 23, 2023 (rebroadcast)August 29, 2025 (rebroadcast) Donate to The Splendid Table today and we will show our appreciation with a special thank-you gift.

Transcribed - Published: 29 August 2025

This week, we’re taking the stress out of back-to-school cooking with food that’s fast, fun, and full of flavor. First, we talk with Peter J. Kim, author of Instant Ramen Kitchen, about transforming those humble packets you associate with college kids into surprisingly elegant meals. Peter shares why instant ramen deserves a spot in your pantry and leaves us with his recipe for Aglio e Olio. Then, we catch up with chef David Nayfeld and his approach to quick, comforting meals. Known for his acclaimed restaurant Che Fico in San Francisco, David opens up about learning to cook for (and with) his daughter as a single dad. His new book, Dad, What’s for Dinner?, features kid-friendly recipes like the one he shared with us: Zucchini Parmigiana.  Broadcast dates for this episode:  August 22, 2025 (originally aired) Generous listeners like you make The Splendid Table possible. Donate today to support the show. 

Transcribed - Published: 22 August 2025

This week, we talk about cuisines from opposite ends of the world. We start by diving into the first, traditionally-published cookbook about Salvadorian cuisine with Karla T. Vasquez. She collected traditional recipes and techniques while documenting stories from the hands that made the dishes. Karla is the author of The SalviSoul Cookbook: Salvadoran Recipes and the Women Who Preserve Them. She left us with her recipe for a delicious Salvadoran Quesadilla. Then, we explore Southern Thai regional cuisine with author Austin Bush. Austin researched the diverse and unique cuisine of Southern Thailand through travel and cooking alongside local cooks He’s the author of The Food of Southern Thailand and he leaves us with a recipe for Simple Thai-Style Rice Salad - Khaao Yam. Broadcast dates for this episode: August 30, 2024 (originally aired)August 15, 2025 (rebroadcast) Donate to The Splendid Table today and we will show our appreciation with a special thank-you gift.

Published: 15 August 2025

This week, we turn up the ovens and test our baking skills with two incredible bakers. First, we talk to LA-based cookbook author and star baker, Nicole Rucker, on why summer is peak pie season, the fruit and flavor combinations that elevate her pies (imagine toasted fig leaves!) and making the best out of her leftover cookies for pie crusts. Nicole's latest book is Fat and Flour: The Art of the Simple Bake, and she left us with her Strawberry White Chocolate Cream Pie recipe. Then, Iowa's champion baker Eileen Gannon, talks to us about her surprising baking techniques for cakes, from making moister cakes, fillings vs frostings, and her buttercream preferences. Eileen is the winner of over 600 state and national baking awards and the founder of Sunday Night Foods Sauces. Broadcast dates for this episode:  August 8, 2025 (originally aired) Generous listeners like you make The Splendid Table possible. Donate today to support the show.

Transcribed - Published: 8 August 2025

This week we’re sharing an episode from our friends at This Old House Radio: Episode 19: Make Your Home Allergy Free + Fix Squeaky Wood Floors This week on This Old House Radio Hour, we’re talking about something you can’t see but definitely feel: the air inside your home. Kenneth Mendez, president of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, shares the smartest, science-backed ways to improve indoor air quality—from high-heat laundry to HEPA vacuums—and explains why your bedroom might be the most important place to start.  Then, The Splendid Table’s Francis Lam takes us back to the New Jersey home of his childhood. With vivid stories of birthday parties, incense-filled kitchens, and Hardy Boys books read in a mirror-covered living room, Francis reflects on how homes carry our deepest identities and contradictions. We also help callers tackle squeaky floors, stubborn drafts, mismatched temperatures, and that infamous 1970s gold bathtub. Plus, a fresh edition of House Rules and a real estate segment from Cheap Old Houses featuring a tiny Gothic summer cottage and a quirky Kansas gem for under $55,000.  All this, plus a “Simple Fix” from Tom Silva that will stop your window drafts cold. In This Episode, You Will Learn: How to reduce indoor allergens room-by-room  (0:55)Where to place air purifiers for maximum impact (3:56)Tips for dealing with uneven heating in split-level homes (17:13)How to fix squeaky wood floors with a DIY plug-and-glue method (22:49)When that faint stain on your drywall means trouble—and when it doesn’t (27:53)

Transcribed - Published: 30 July 2025

This week, we've got a show full of great ideas and terrific recipes for guesting…and hosting! First, Casey Elsass sits down with us to talk about how to guest like a pro, from tips on arriving prepared to great recipe ideas for sides, salads, appetizers, and desserts like his Mosaic Jell-O. Casey is the author of What Can I Bring: Recipes to Help You Live Your Guest Life. Then, renowned fashion designer and cookbook writer Peter Som guides us in hosting your parties in style. He lets us in on his inspiration for his creative dishes, from tea eggs to lemon chicken, and leaves us his recipe for Potsticker Frittata. Peter is the author of Family Style: Elegant Every Day Recipes Inspired by Home and Heritage. Broadcast dates for this episode: July 25, 2025 (originally aired) Donate to The Splendid Table today and we will show our appreciation with a special thank-you gift.

Transcribed - Published: 25 July 2025

This week, it's all about keeping cool and carrying on in the kitchen. First up , chef, farmer, and cookbook author Abra Berens joins Francis to take your calls about how to best use our summer produce. She’s full of ideas for all that zucchini, btw! Abra is the author of three wonderful cookbooks, Ruffage, Grist, and Pulp, and you can find the recipe for the Summer Squash Escabeche she talked about here. Then, we head into NYC to visit chef Jiho Kim at his restaurant, Joomak where he teaches us how to make a refreshing summertime dish: a Summer Salad with Cured Fish and White Kimchi. Broadcast dates for this episode: July 11, 2025 (originally aired) Celebrate kitchen companionship with a gift to The Splendid Table today.

Transcribed - Published: 11 July 2025

Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Pandora This week, we make our 30th anniversary tour stop in Tampa in partnership with WUSF, where we learn about what makes the food of South Florida so unique. First up, Dalia Colón, host of The Zest podcast and author of The Florida Vegetarian Cookbook, gives us an overview of the rich Tampa food scene. From its diverse cuisines to its old-school Southern charm. Then, we talk about Tampa’s cultural and culinary history and legacy with Andrea Gonzmart Williams, fifth-generation owner of Columbia Restaurant, a landmark in the Cuban American community, and Megan Sorby, co-founder and CEO of Pine Island Redfish, a startup land-based fish farm with an environmental restoration focus. And finally, we meet up with community leader Anthony Gilbert, better known as “Call Anthony,” for his video reviews of Tampa Bay’s under-the-radar- eateries.   Broadcast dates for this episode: June 27, 2025 (originally aired) Generous listeners like you make The Splendid Table possible. Donate today to support the show

Transcribed - Published: 27 June 2025

This week, we talk to two longtime restaurant critics from different parts of the country about what makes their work so interesting and what they're excited to eat. First, Bill Addison, restaurant critic for The Los Angeles Times, talks about his approach to critical writing, his favorite restaurant experiences, and the evolution of California cuisine. He just wrapped up one of the most ambitious projects of his career, the list of the One Hundred and One Best Restaurants in California for The Los Angeles Times. Then, we turn to the Midwest to join Wini Moranville, a restaurant critic based in Des Moines, Iowa. She tells us about her first job as a restaurant server and how that influenced her current work reviewing restaurants, and how restaurant criticism in smaller cities often have very different considerations. Wini is the author of the memoir "Love is My Favorite Flavor: A Midwestern Dining Critic Tells All," and you can check out her Substack, Dining Well in DSM. Broadcast dates for this episode: June 13, 2025 (originally aired) Your support is a special ingredient in helping to make The Splendid Table. Donate today

Transcribed - Published: 13 June 2025

Have you ever wondered how June looks and tastes in different parts of the country? This week, we visit three different corners of the country to hear about their Junes. Gullah Geechee Chef-Farmer, Matthew Raiford in Coastal Georgia describes this time of year as “where the wild things are”. He tells us how his decision to come back to the south to become a farmer came to be and paints a picture of his favorite low country boil. Matthew's latest book is Bress ‘N’ Nyam: Gullah Geechee Recipes from a Sixth-Generation Farmer. Then, we take a trip to Alaska to hear from Native Alaskan fisherwoman, Melanie Brown as she takes us into a radiantly green scene with sloughs and creeks and paints a vivid picture of millions of sockeye Salmon rolling into Bristol Bay. And then, we sit in with Ronni Lundy, author of the award-winning Victuals: An Appalachian Journey, with Recipes to talk about June in the mountains and summer preserves. Broadcast dates for this episode: June 11, 2021 (originally aired)June 10, 2022 (rebroadcast)June 6, 2025 (rebroadcast) Donate to The Splendid Table today and we will show our appreciation with a special thank-you gift.

Transcribed - Published: 6 June 2025

Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Pandora We're celebrating our 30th Anniversary on the road, and this week, we make our fourth stop in Iowa City in partnership with IPR. We talk to bakers, chefs, restaurateurs, and farmers about the food of the heartland. First up, Shae and Anna Pesek of Over the Moon Farm and T.D. Holub of The Garden Oasis Farm talk about their personal experiences with farm life, from agricultural challenges to sustainability and the community and passion that contribute to the success and drive of a farm. Then, we talk to Jamie Powers, owner and executive chef of Deluxe Bakery, and Carrie and Andy Schumacher, owners of the restaurant Cobble Hill, about opening their restaurants in Iowa and how building community is the most important part of their businesses. Broadcast dates for this episode: May 30, 2025 (originally aired) Celebrate kitchen companionship with a gift to The Splendid Table today.

Transcribed - Published: 31 May 2025

This week, we spend the hour with Deborah Madison, one of the trailblazers in popularizing vegetarian cooking in America — even though she’s not a full-time vegetarian herself. We chat with her about how she came to be the founding chef of Greens, likely America's first high-end vegetarian restaurant, at a time when fine dining meant meat at the center of the plate, and her study of Buddhism and the food path it opened up for her. Then she helps us answer your cooking questions. Deborah is the author of the classic Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone, The Greens Cookbook, The Savory Way, and her latest, memoir — An Onion in My Pocket: My Life with Vegetables. Broadcast dates for this episode: March 5, 2021 (originally aired)March 11, 2022 (rebroadcast)May 16, 2025 (rebroadcast)

Transcribed - Published: 16 May 2025

We're on the road celebrating our 30th Anniversary and this week, we bring you an eventful night in Seattle in partnership with KUOW. First up, Valerie Segrest, cofounder of Tahoma Peak Solutions, and Jeremy Thunderbird, owner of Native Soul Cuisine, about the diversity of indigenous food, carrying on traditional recipes, and food sovereignty. Then, Tan Vinh, host of KUOW's Seattle Eats podcast, and Melissa Miranda, chef-owner of Musang and Kilig, talk about the rich Asian community food scene and then, Yasuaki Saito, owner of Saint Bread bakery, a semifinalist for the James Beard award for the best bakery in the country, and Janet Becerra, chef and founder of Pancita, and a semifinalist this year for Best Chef: Northwest, talk about how their local eateries reflect and serve their communities. Broadcast dates for this episode: May 9, 2025 (originally aired) Generous listeners like you make The Splendid Table possible. Donate today to support the show

Transcribed - Published: 10 May 2025

We're back on the road to celebrate our 30th Anniversary! This week, we’re headed to Los Angeles, in partnership with LAist, to talk about the world-influencing food scene in LA and the community that brings it together. First, we dig into how LA dining influenced the country and the world with KCRW's very own Evan Kleiman, Host of Good Food, and Gab Chabrán, Associate Editor of Food and Culture at LAist. Then we talk community and the restaurants that foster those connections with chef-owners Uyên Lê, who makes delicious Vietnamese comfort food at her take-out, Bé Ù, Keith Corbin, executive chef and co-owner of Alta Adams, and bestselling author of his memoir, California Soul and Elvia and Alex Garcia, the James Beard nominated chef-owners of Evil Cooks, one of L.A.’s most lauded taqueria pop-ups now transformed into a full restaurant. Broadcast dates for this episode: April 11, 2025 (originally aired) Your support is a special ingredient in helping to make The Splendid Table. Donate today

Transcribed - Published: 11 April 2025

This week, we’re all about the diverse and delicious foods of Ghana and Nigeria. First, Food Network Star Eric Adjepong joins us from his childhood home to talk about the connection to food when eating with his hands, the community that happens around the Ghanain table, and his take on traditional dishes like his recipe for Roasted Banana Grits with Seasoned Shrimp. Eric is the chef and owner of Elmina in Washington DC and the author of Ghana to the World: Recipes and Stories That Look Forward While Honoring the Past. Then, geologist turned food blogger Ozoz Sokoh takes us into the world of Nigerian cuisine. From iconic Nigerian breakfasts like sweet fermented rice cakes known as Māsā̀, to corned beef sauce paired with West African Yams. We couldn’t leave without getting a recipe for her Classic Nigerian Jollof Rice. Ozoz is the author of Chop Chop: Cooking the Food of Nigeria and the blogger behind Kitchen Butterfly.  Broadcast dates for this episode: March 21, 2025 (originally aired) Donate to The Splendid Table today and we will show our appreciation with a special thank-you gift.

Transcribed - Published: 21 March 2025

This week, we dedicate the entire episode to answering your bread baking questions with two brilliant bakers and teachers, King Arthur’s very own Jessica Battilana, Staff Editor, and Martin Philip, King Arthur’s Baking Ambassador. While King Arthur has taught millions of people to bake through their school, website, and classic cookbooks. They only now have published a book devoted entirely to bread, The King Arthur Baking Company’s Big Book of Bread.  Francis, Jessica, and Martin take listener questions on everything from the “why” behind the flavor of English Muffins, best proofing practices, what to do with extra laminated dough (if you can imagine having that problem!), and why they consider "toast" a food group all its own. Don't miss their recipe for Masa Honey Toasting Bread. Broadcast dates for this episode: March 7, 2025 (originally aired) Celebrate kitchen companionship with a gift to The Splendid Table today.

Transcribed - Published: 7 March 2025

We're taking the show on the road this year to celebrate our 30th Anniversary! This week, we bring you to our first stop, Indianapolis, in partnership with WFYI. We dig into the local food scene with restaurateur Martha Hoover, founder of Cafe Patachou and the Patachou Foundation. We talk to her about her start as a prosecutor turned restaurateur and how the restaurant scene has changed over her 35-plus years running a restaurant in Indianapolis. Then, we welcome Samir Mohammad of 9th Street Bistro, Zoë Taylor of Borage, and food writer and Eater correspondent Brian Garrido to the stage to talk about the present: Indianapolis's new and booming food scene. Then, we close the show with a heartwarming story of Isaac Roman and Thomas Hayes re-opening Indy's beloved Rene's Bakery. Broadcast dates for this episode: February 21, 2025 (originally aired) Generous listeners like you make The Splendid Table possible. Donate today to support the show

Transcribed - Published: 22 February 2025

This week, we talk to two award-winning authors about their latest work. First, The New York Times cooking columnist Melissa Clark talks to us about her deep dive into the world of salt. From exploring salt harvesting in France to the history and revival of artisanal salts, she walks us through different types of salt and their uses in cooking. She sticks around to answer your cooking questions. Melissa Clark's latest book is Dinner in One, and for a taste of her style, check out her recipe for Roasted Cauliflower & Potatoes with Harissa, Yogurt & Toasted Almonds. Then, award-winning author Crystal Wilkinson talks to us about her new memoir, honoring her maternal ancestors, her kitchen ghosts. She talks about feeling them deeply while cooking and realizing their presence in her life. Crystal's memoir is Praisesong for the Kitchen Ghosts: Stories and Recipes from Five Generations of Black Country Cooks, and she leaves us with her recipe for Indian Creek Skillet Cornbread.  Broadcast dates for this episode: February 9, 2024 (originally aired)February 14, 2025 (rebroadcast) Your support is a special ingredient in helping to make The Splendid Table. Donate today.

Transcribed - Published: 14 February 2025

This week, food columnist for The New York Times Magazine, Lisa Donovan, joins us to talk about what she's been cooking up recently and help answer our listeners' kitchen conundrums, from making the best tomato paste despite out-of-season tomatoes to using unsweetened chocolate in baking recipes. Lisa is the author of the memoir Our Lady of Perpetual Hunger, and she leaves us with a recipe for a lovely Tarte Tatin to add to our repertoire. Then, we head over to Philadelphia, where we meet the founder and owner of Down North Pizza, Muhammad Abdul-Hadi. Muhammad tells us about his mission-driven restaurant dedicated to helping formerly incarcerated people rebuild their lives. Muhammad's new cookbook is We The Pizza: Slangin’ Pies, and Savin’ Lives and he leaves us with his signature pizza sauce recipe, Norf Sauce. Broadcast dates for this episode: February 7, 2025 (originally aired) Your support is a special ingredient in helping to make The Splendid Table. Donate today

Transcribed - Published: 7 February 2025

This week it’s a look at the different Lunar New Year celebrations in China, Vietnam, and Korea. First, Sarah and Kaitlin Leung talk about their Chinese New Year traditions and the symbolism behind the dishes they serve at their new year table. Sarah and Kaitlin, along with their parents, Judy and Bill, are the family behind The Woks of Life blog and cookbook, and they shared their family recipe for Poached “White Cut” Chicken. Then, Andrea Nguyen, author of Vietnamese Food Any Day, talks about celebrating Tet, the Vietnamese new year tradition that focuses on simple foods like rice, meat, beans, and vegetables. Her forthcoming book is, Ever Green Vietnamese, and she left us with her Braised Pork Ribs in Caramel Sauce (SUON KHO) recipe. Then Chef Hooni Kim, author of My Korea; Traditional Flavors, Modern Recipes remembers Lunar New Year celebrations spent with his family and leaves us a recipe for a classic accompaniment, Simple Zucchini Jeon, a delicious pan-fried fritter with your choice of meats or vegetables. Broadcast dates for this episode: January 20, 2023 (originally aired)January 19, 2024 (rebroadcast)January 31, 2025 (rebroadcast) When you shop using our links, we earn a small commission. It’s a great way to support public media at no extra cost to you!

Transcribed - Published: 31 January 2025

This week, we’re all about the Mediterranean dish. First, we sit down with New York Times bestselling author Suzy Karadsheh. Suzy talks about “eating the Mediterranean way,” growing up in a region with a plant-forward cuisine, Levantine cooking, using dried fruits in savory recipes, and making simplified Mediterranean recipes at home like her Flaky Veggie Phyllo “Pizza.” Suzy is the founder of The Mediterranean Dish.com and the author of The Mediterranean Dish: Simply Dinners. Then, we step into the world of olive oil with olive oil sommelier Claudia Hanna. Claudia tells us how olive oil has become central to Mediterranean culture, and how it’s made, and walks us through a tasting of different olive oils and their uses. She hosts the podcast If This Food Could Talk. Broadcast dates for this episode: January 24, 2025 (originally aired) Donate to The Splendid Table today and we will show our appreciation with a special thank-you gift.

Transcribed - Published: 24 January 2025

This week, we welcome the cold with delicious soup! Food Stylist Mariana Velásquez Villegas, author of Colombiana: A Rediscovery of Recipes and Rituals from the Soul of Colombia talks us through Colombia's biodiversity and regional identity and the unique foods it inspires like Sancocho. This hearty stew brings people together in a communal dining experience. Be sure to listen to her playlist while preparing it! Then, we talk about Haitian cuisine with award-winning chef Gregory Gourdet as he shares his childhood memories of growing up, commemorating Haitian Independence Day with Soup Joumou, a hearty squash-based soup typically served on New Year's Day. Gregory Gourdet is the chef-owner of Kann in Portland, Oregon, and the author of Everyone's Table. Then, chili sauce entrepreneur Jing Gao, author of The Book of Sichuan Chili Crisp, talks about Hot Pot, a zingy broth served in a large metal pot that gets tastier as you feast. Broadcast dates for this episode: January 26, 2024 (originally aired)January 17, 2025 (rebroadcast)November 28, 2025 (rebroadcast) Subscribe to @TheSplendidTable on YouTube for full podcast episodes and full-length video interviews! Our annual cookbook giveaway is live!  To enter for free, visit splendidtable.org/cookbook Celebrate kitchen companionship with a gift to The Splendid Table today.

Transcribed - Published: 17 January 2025

This week, we’re spending the hour with the charming and beloved Irish cooking teacher and writer Darina Allen.  It’s a spirited conversation about growing up in a country kitchen, her love of eating, and the single moment she decided to pursue her career in cooking. She tells us about her organic farm at the Ballymaloe Cookery School in Ireland,  shares her unusual and brilliant teaching style,  and explains why learning to cook and connect to nature is one of the greatest life skills anyone can achieve. She leaves us with a recipe for an Irish classic, Spotted Dog Railway Cake. Darina is the author of many best-selling books, including The Forgotten Skills of Cooking: 700 Recipes Showing You Why the Time-Honored Ways Are the Best. Broadcast dates for this episode: January 10, 2025 (originally aired) Celebrate kitchen companionship with a gift to The Splendid Table today.

Transcribed - Published: 10 January 2025

This week, we explore some of the iconic dishes of the Midwest. First, we talked to chef Paul Fehribach about Midwestern cuisine and the history of its unique dishes as they evolved from generations of immigrants. From the evolution of Midwestern-style barbecue to Cincinnati chili, considered by Paul to be one of the oldest examples of fusion cooking. Paul Fehribach is the author of Midwestern Food, A Chef’s Guide to the Surprising History of a Great American Cuisine. Then, we take a field trip to New York City and visit Burger Scholar George Motz at his new restaurant, Hamburger America, to see what makes an epic hamburger. He walks us through some of the most iconic burgers he’s tasted, their histories, and their different cooking techniques. George Motz is a filmmaker and author. His latest book is The Great American Burger Book. Broadcast dates for this episode: January 12, 2024 (originally aired)January 3, 2025 (rebroadcast)

Transcribed - Published: 3 January 2025

This week, we have just what you need to prepare for this holiday season. First, award-winning author and food scientist Nik Sharma shares his favorite holiday traditions and food pairings that will make your vegetables shine at the table. He is the author of Veg-Table, Recipes, Techniques and Plant Science for Big-Flavored, Vegetable-Focused Meals, and he left us with his recipe for Stuffed Cabbage Rolls. Then, the internet’s most beloved cooking star, Claire Saffitz, brings us her top holiday dessert ideas. She covers everything from citrus desserts, like her Souffleed Lemon Bread Pudding, to her holiday cookies, like the Chewy Molasses Spice Cookie, and what to make for New Year's. Her latest book is What’s for Dessert, Simple Recipes for Dessert People. Then, award-winning author Toni Tipton–Martin, talks about historical cocktail recipes and their modern interpretations. Her latest book is Juke Joints, Jazz Clubs and Juice: Cocktails From Two Centuries of African American Cookbooks. And she left us with her recipe for Pomegranate Demerara Rum Punch. Broadcast dates for this episode: December 22, 2023 (originally aired)December 27, 2024 (rebroadcast) Your support is a special ingredient in helping to make The Splendid Table. Donate today

Transcribed - Published: 27 December 2024

This week, we’re all about community and coming together for the holidays. First, we talk to Lisa Kyung Gross, founder of The League of Kitchens, a unique cooking school where women from all over the world,  welcome you into their homes and teach you how to make one of their family recipes. She talks about the delicious recipes she has collected in her new book, The League of Kitchens Cookbook: Brilliant Tips, Secret Methods & Favorite Family Recipes from Around the World.  She leaves us with an Afghan recipe for Cake Jawari, a delicious yellow cake with rosewater and cardamom. Then, The New Yorker’s food writer Helen Rosner stops by the studio with treats and ideas for your last-minute gifts. Broadcast dates for this episode: December 20, 2024 (originally aired) Generous listeners like you make The Splendid Table possible. Donate today to support the show.

Transcribed - Published: 20 December 2024

This week, we’re all about discovering the secret of cooking—and exploring an iconic French Dish. First, Award-winning food historian Bee Wilson talks to us about her latest book, The Secret of Cooking: Recipes for an Easier Life in the Kitchen. She talks about how to find the joy in cooking with real-world advice, from embracing your favorite kitchen tool to considering cooking as a remedy. She left us with her recipe for Magic Pasta with Mushrooms, Garlic Cream, and Wine. Then, food writer Sylvie Bigar takes us through an amazing culinary journey, exploring the history and culture of cassoulet and why she became so obsessed with the iconic French dish. Her book is Cassoulet Confessions: Food, France, Family and the Stew That Saved My Soul, and she left us with her recipe for Gateway Cassoulet. Broadcast dates for this episode: December 8, 2023 (originally aired)December 13, 2024 (rebroadcast) Celebrate kitchen companionship with a gift to The Splendid Table today.

Transcribed - Published: 13 December 2024

It’s the holiday season, and we’re kicking it off this week with some sweet treats. First, food editor and recipe developer Ben Mims joins us with his latest project, covering over 300 cookie recipes from Asia to the Levant to Scandinavia to the Caribbean. The varieties are astonishing.  We get into cookie styles, the fascinating ingredients in regional cookies, and the hundreds of flavor combinations. Ben is the author of Crumbs: Cookies and Sweets from Around the World. And he left us with a recipe for Guava-Filled Butter Cookies from Brazil. Then, we step into the world of wild chocolate with Rowan Jacobsen. We hear about the new breed of cacao farmers and the amazing flavor profiles found in wild chocolate and meet some of the farmers who are making it. Rowan is the author of Wild Chocolate: Across the Americas in Search of Cacao’s Soul. Broadcast dates for this episode: December 6, 2024 (originally aired)December 12, 2025 (rebroadcast) Subscribe to @TheSplendidTable on YouTube for full podcast episodes and full-length video interviews! Your support is a special ingredient in helping to make The Splendid Table. Donate today.

Transcribed - Published: 6 December 2024

It’s our favorite time of year – Fall Cookbook season! We’re joined by baker Samantha Seneviratne, author of Bake Smart, who tells us about her favorite baking techniques, including a butter trick that creates the creamy texture in her Gooey Cranberry Crumb Cake. Then, chef and content creator Jon Kung talks about his debut cookbook, Kung Food: Chinese American Recipes from a Third-Culture Kitchen. He tells us about his cultural identity as a “third-culture kid,” how he experienced multiple cultures at once while growing up, and how he applies that experience to his fusion cooking. He shares a recipe for reimagined Hong Kong Style Chicken and Waffles. Then, Rose Previte, author of the new book Maydan: Recipes from Lebanon and Beyond, talks about travels and her cultural background that influenced her award-winning restaurant and her interest in dishes cooked over fire like Omani Grilled Shrimp Kebabs. Broadcast dates for this episode: November 3, 2023 (originally aired)November 29, 2024 (rebroadcast) Donate to The Splendid Table today and we will show our appreciation with a special thank-you gift.

Transcribed - Published: 29 November 2024

Join us for Turkey Confidential, our must-listen-to annual Thanksgiving Day broadcast! This year’s guests are Andrea Nguyen author of Ever Green Vietnamese, Super Fresh Recipes Starring Plants from Land and Sea, Dallas-based chef Tiffany Derry of  Roots Southern Table and The Great American Recipe on PBS, Washington Post Food Editor and author of Mastering the Art of Plant-Based Cooking, Joe Yonan and pastry chef Paola Velez author of Bodega Bakes, Recipes for Sweets and Treats Inspired by My Corner Store. And, of course, our charming Francis!  Broadcast dates for this episode: November 28, 2024

Transcribed - Published: 28 November 2024

We are a week away from Thanksgiving, and this week, Award-winning authors J. Kenji Lopez-Alt and Deb Perelman give us the best advice on making the perfect Thanksgiving spread. From gravy hot takes to best brining practices and the ideal way to cook a perfect turkey we have you covered. J. Kenji López-Alt and Deb Perelman are co-hosts of "The Recipe with Kenji and Deb" podcast. Deb left us her recipe for delicious dinner rolls, Sour Cream & Chive Fantails. Then, we move on to delicious Indian-inspired desserts with cookbook author Hetal Vasavada. Her flavor combinations will transform your typical bars, cookies, and pies into deliciously nutty and sometimes spicy desserts. Hetal is the author of Desi Bakes, and she left us her recipe for Pistachio & Cardamom Muddy Buddies. Broadcast dates for this episode: November 22, 2024 (originally aired)November 21, 2025 (rebroadcast) Subscribe to @TheSplendidTable on YouTube for full podcast episodes and full-length video interviews! Our annual cookbook giveaway is live!  To enter for free, visit splendidtable.org/cookbook Donate to The Splendid Table today and we will show our appreciation with a special thank-you gift.

Transcribed - Published: 22 November 2024

This week, we are all about getting you ready for your Thanksgiving feast! First, cookbook author Amy Thielen sets us up with tips on keeping the holiday stress-free and enjoyable. She shares her remarkable thinking around “turkey secrets,” talks us through some of her favorite techniques for stuffing and starters, and leaves us with her amazing alternative to mashed potatoes, Fun House Baked Potatoes. Her latest book is Company: The Radically Casual Art of Cooking for Others. Then, Chef Eric Ripert talks us through simple seafood dishes to stand -in or accompany your turkey, like his Salmon Rillettes, a signature dish from Le Bernardin. His latest book is Seafood Simple. Then Chef Pierre Thiam brings West African flavors to the table with reimagined sidedish options like his Coconut Collard Greens with Butternut Squash. His latest book is Simply West African, Easy Joyful Recipes for Every Kitchen.   Broadcast dates for this episode: November 17, 2023 (originally aired)November 15, 2024 (rebroadcast) Celebrate kitchen companionship with a gift to The Splendid Table today.

Transcribed - Published: 15 November 2024

Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Pandora | Amazon Music | YouTube This week, we talk about comfort food around the world. First, Yotam Ottolenghi tells us about his latest book, which is filled with recipes for his favorite comfort foods. He talks about what it is about specific dishes that evoke emotional reactions, from taste to texture to memory like his recipe for “Thousand” Hole Pancake. Yotam’s latest book is Ottolenghi Comfort written with his collaborators Helen Goh, Verena Lochmuller, and Tara Wigley. Then, Luisa Weiss joins us to talk about her deep connection to German food. Growing up between Berlin and the US, she tells us about her favorite hot school lunches, (which are famous in German culture!), “low key dinners” known as abendbrot, and the influences German dishes have gleaned from other countries. Luisa is the author of Classic German Cooking, and she leaves us with her recipe for Käsespätzle, Swabian Noodles with Mountain Cheese and Caramelized Onions. Broadcast dates for this episode: November 8, 2024 (originally aired)November 7, 2025 (rebroadcast) Subscribe to @TheSplendidTable on YouTube for full podcast episodes and full-length video interviews! Donate to The Splendid Table today and we will show our appreciation with a special thank-you gift.

Transcribed - Published: 8 November 2024

When it comes to cooking, do you follow a recipe to a T, or do you do a little improv? This week, we learn a lot about cooking by feel with the star of the Peabody and Emmy-award-winning show A Chef’s Life, Vivian Howard. She talks to Francis about how she “deprogrammed’ herself from precision cooking and started thinking outside of a written recipe. Plus, she sticks around to help answer your cooking questions. Vivian’s latest book is This Will Make It Taste Good. Then, we take advice from the scientist-turned-cook Nik Sharma, author of The Flavor Equation, on how to be intuitive with our food.   Broadcast dates for this episode: January 22, 2021 (originally aired)January 28, 2022 (rebroadcast)November 1, 2024 (rebroadcast) When you shop using our links, we earn a small commission. It’s a great way to support public media at no extra cost to you! Celebrate kitchen companionship with a gift to The Splendid Table today.

Transcribed - Published: 1 November 2024

Cookbook season is back, and we talk to the authors of some of our favorite picks. We're joined by Carolina Gelen, who talks to us about learning how to cook, her favorite Romanian dishes, and how she comes up with her signature recipes like Butter Beans alla Vodka, a fast, one-pot dish inspired by the famous vodka pasta sauce. Carolina is the author of Pass the Plate: 100 Delicious, Highly Sharable, Everyday Recipes. Then, Sonoko Sakai tells us how to “wafu” our food! Wafu means Japanese in style, and Sonoko takes familiar dishes and adds a little Japanese flair. Check out her recipe for her Pasta with Miso Bolognese Sauce. Sonoko is the author of Wafu Cooking: Everyday Recipes with Japanese Style. Then, Jody Eddy talks to us about the incredible food she found and cooked in religious communities around the world. She walks us through some of her favorite recipes, from condiments and Chicken soup in Tibet to a recipe she learned from a Minnesotan monastery, Honey Glazed Turkey Tinga. Jody's book is Elysian Kitchens: Recipes Inspired by the Traditions and Tastes of the World's Sacred Space. Broadcast dates for this episode: October 25, 2024 (originally aired)October 24, 2025 (rebroadcast) Our annual cookbook giveaway is live!  To enter for free, visit splendidtable.org/cookbook Donate to The Splendid Table today and we will show our appreciation with a special thank-you gift.

Transcribed - Published: 25 October 2024

This week, we dedicate the hour to the fabulous Dorie Greenspan. We talk about her start in food, from burning her kitchen down when she was a pre-teen to her love for project baking early in her career and becoming the iconic writer and cookbook author we know today. She shares stories about meeting Julia Child, working alongside high-level pastry chefs, including France’s Pierre Hermé, and her highly- creative process for writing recipes. Dorie is the author of 14 Cookbooks, including the best-selling Baking with Dorie, Everyday Dorie, Dorie’s Cookies, and Around My French Table. Check out our collection of Dorie interviews and recipes here. Broadcast dates for this episode: October 20, 2023 (originally aired)October 18, 2024 (rebroadcast) Your support is a special ingredient in helping to make The Splendid Table. Donate today

Transcribed - Published: 18 October 2024