Food with Mark Bittman

Today, we revisit last year's episode with Michelle Horovitz, LaTasha Powell, and Princess Titus, the founders of Minneapolis-based Appetite for Change. The mighty team talks to Mark and Kate about how to use the psychology of a community to create a food system that works for all; passing the torch of food justice to the next generation; and teaching a community to cook. To get the recipe for the...

The Executive Director of WhyHunger talks to Mark and Kate about how her grandmother’s values and being raised by Civil Rights-era elders shaped her beliefs; how she made the move from charity work to structural change—and why we need both; what it's like being a hopeless optimist; and the most inspirational things she's seen in 16 years of working with marginalized communities. Subscrib...

We revisit an episode from last year, in which the author and cook talks to Kate about what she remembers about fleeing her home in Cambodia at the age of nine, five years before the genocide; why, and how, she decided to reclaim her family's recipes; and what brings her true happiness now. The recipe mentioned on today's show can be found on the Bittman Project, here:  https://bittmanproject...

The author and former commissioner of the US Food and Drug Administration talks to Mark about his new book, Diet, Drugs, and Dopamine: The New Science of Achieving a Healthy Weight; why self-control isn't enough when it comes to losing—and keeping off—weight; the problem with 'eat less, exercise more"; and his own personal weight loss journey. Read an excerpt from DIET, DRUGS, AND DOPAMINE on the...

The journalist talks to Mark and Kate about his book, DINING OUT, which is the first book dedicated to the history of gay restaurants and how they've shaped our culture; why he was reluctant to include his own personal stories—and what convinced him to do so; how the culture has changed over the years, and why; and Mark's gay restaurant tour of 1970s New York City. Read an excerpt from DINING...

Journalist Ted Genoways talks to Mark about his book,  Tequila Wars: José Cuervo and the Bloody Struggle for the Spirit of Mexico , which is the first biography of Cuervo; about how Cuervo was responsible for the first cartel—and what it was like when cartels were simply business collectives; about how Cuervo saw the future of Mexico; and about why tequila is at the nexus of food and power. R...

The chef and author of  How to Cook the Finest Things in the Sea  talks to Mark and Kate about what to look for when you walk into a fish market—and what to avoid; the myth of "sushi grade" fish; the importance of fish farming; and how to get the crispiest, most delicious fish skin. The Bittman Project is featuring three recipes from Ari Kolender's new book, How to Cook the Fin...

The prolific food writer and cook talks to Mark and Kate about having one foot in two cultures; the auntie whisperer network – or, how Indians in America learned to make do without some of their beloved staples, and how they learned to make do with what was readily available; and why and how the term "fusion" got a dirty rep. Find the recipe for Khushbu's Masala Smashed Potatoes on the Bittman Pro...

Daniela Oancea, Corporate Beverage Manager for Regent and Oceania, talks to Mark and Kate about how growing up in Transylvania prepared her for hospitality life; how trends have changed on cruise ships, from sobriety to liquor preferences; the rise of solo travelers; and where in the world some of her favorite bars are. Subscribe to Food with Mark Bittman on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherev...

The author and chef talks to Mark and Kate about how and why her personal experiences have prompted her to share the experiences of others; telling a better story of what it means to be displaced; the most harrowing travel experience she had while working on her latest book,  Setting a Place for Us ; and where to find the best sushi outside of Japan. The Bittman Project is featuring thre...

Rob LaZebnik and Jeff Westbrook, co-executive producers on  The Simpsons , talk to Mark and Kate about the great joys of writing for Homer; the food-related caveat that got Paul McCartney on the show; Lisa predicting the Trump presidency; and where the inspiration came from for their recent episode—one that focuses on avocados and making fun of pickleball. Subscribe to Food with Mark Bit...

The editor-in-chief of  Bon Appétit  and Epicurious talks to Mark and Kate about how we can—and should—have bigger conversations about food, on par with other entertainment industries; why the best restaurants are like self-portraits; the importance of social courage; and her perfect meal—fried rice and champagne.  The Bittman Project is featuring two recipes from Bon Appétit's...

The writer talks to Mark and Kate about her memoir, Dirty Kitchen; living in the US as an undocumented immigrant for 22 years (and then self-deporting); what it's like to feel rooted in colonial mentality; and a common comforting mechanism of the Filipino immigrant experience. Read an excerpt from Dirty Kitchen at the Bittman Project:  https://bittmanproject.com/dirty-kitchen/ Subscribe to Fo...

A revisiting of a beloved episode from two years ago. Mark and Kate talk to the incomparable actor about finding comedy in a "soft" place, eating like a goldfish, love of family, and his disdain for cooking (but not eating).  Get the recipe for Classic Levy Family Egg Salad on the Bittman Project:  https://bittmanproject.com/recipe/classic-levy-family-egg-salad/ Subsc...

Writer and cook Rick Martinez talks to Mark and Kate about parental inspiration; being a cheesecake-obsessed teen; how Mexican-Americans are pigeonholed, culinarily; how and why he relocated from New York to Mazatlan; and his new book,  Salsa Daddy .  The Bittman Project  is featuring two recipes from Rick's book,  Salsa Daddy :  Breakfast Tacos:  https://bittmanproje...

The author, of  How to Eat Weed and Have a Good Time,  talks to Kate and Holly about how she got deep into the heart of making and selling cannabis goodies, how we can learn from her mistakes (and what some of them are!), one food that cannabis should probably not go into, and why she wanted to write a "safe" weed cookbook. Get Vanessa's recipe for Hot Honey Firecrackers on the Bittman P...

In this revisiting of a 2022 episode, Mark talks to one of our most forward-thinking Senators about Big Food's long standing capability of corrupting food policy, the possibility of real change, why a Twinkie is cheaper than an apple, and how we can find our way back to regional food systems. Subscribe to Food with Mark Bittman on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you like to listen, and please...

The journalist talks to Mark and Kate about his latest reporting, which focuses on allegations of human trafficking at a JBS meatpacking plant in Greeley, Colorado. The viral TikTok video that started it all, the thousands of Haitian migrants in the crosshairs, and how JBS' HR department saw it as a positive thing. Plus, what it's like to report such an emotional story.  Want to listen to Ted...

Revisiting a (still quite relevant) episode from 2023: Kathleen Finlay, president of Glynwood, and Mark talk with Black Farmer Fund co-founders Olivia Watkins and Karen Washington about the special, specific challenges facing Black farmers; who the food system "belongs" to; and how to combat the inherent racial injustices in the US food system, notably as applied to farmers. Subscribe to Food with...

The writer—and ex-Mario Batali employee and assistant to Anthony Bourdain for a decade—talks to Kate about how (and if) kitchen culture has changed since the early-aughts heydey; why she never felt like a victim; her new memoir,  Care and Feeding ; and how Anthony Bourdain put people at ease—and why people loved him so much.  Subscribe to Food with Mark Bittman on Apple Podcasts, Spotify...

In a rerun from 2021, the Broadway star talks to Kate about a complex mother-daughter relationship—and the therapeutic nature of writing a memoir, coming up in the worlds of acting and food, and crocheting for Hugh Jackman. Subscribe to Food with Mark Bittman on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you like to listen, and please help us grow by leaving us a 5 star review on Apple Podcasts. Fo...

The philosopher and journalist talks to Mark about why the big picture surrounding food confuses people, and what we can do to remedy that dynamic; what surprised him most in his research around the global food landscape; and 'food citizens' vs 'food consumers.' Read an excerpt from Julian Baggini's new book, 'How the World Eats,' on the Bittman Project:  https://bittmanproject.com/how-t...

In this rerun from 2024, acclaimed journalist Michele Norris talks to Mark about how she came to start her podcast, Your Mama's Kitchen; the standout moments in her (amazing) career; and how she preps for meals 30 days ahead.  View this episode's recipe here:  https://bittmanproject.com/recipe/michele-norriss-zucchini-bread/ Subscribe to Food with Mark Bittman on Apple Podcasts, Spotify,...

The writer, chef, and TV star talks to Mark and Kate about fame, "then" and now; the problem with memory—and memoir; falling up the stairs; his farewell tour; and eating on the road, monastically.  Head to the Bittman Project for a special excerpt from Alton's new book,  Food for Thought :  https://bittmanproject.com/alton-brown-meals-that-made-me-part-i/ Subscribe to Food with Mark...

Professors—and ultraprocessed food experts—Ashley Gearhardt and Kelly Brownell join Mark and Kate to talk about why the robust new science about food and addiction is going to be hard to ignore, how junk food could take the path of cigarettes and opioids with regards to litigation (and how tobacco paved the way), and why marketing these foods to kids is so successful (and the many reason...