In The Weeds with Ben Randall

Sorry, folks, this one is part of our ongoing "Bad Chefs Doing Bad Things" series, so buckle up for this to be kind of a bummer.  Also, Ben's travel plans, weaponized social media, and the continued exploration of Oreo's descent into darkness.

Just in time for the Super--I mean the Big Game!  We talk Superbowl party food, go hard against vegans and wonder about what CBS Sports is thinking, employing children.

In this episode, we keep banging our collective heads against cultural appropriation in food, get deep into some listener feedback, we broach the subject of 'Discomfort Foods' and we dissect the newest Oreo trainwreck, the Most Stuf (still mysteriously missing an 'f').

Tonight we wrestle with the ideas of successful cuisine fusion, art, cultural appropriation, ice cream, donuts and corn.  Also, what exactly IS a food allergy?

So, it looks like millennials are now killing terrible processed cheese.  More power to 'em!  Also, what's the favorite cheese in YOUR state?  Also also, naked restaurants continue to shutter.  It's a wild ride.

Tonight we engage in a year-end wrap-up (at long last), talk about the composition of poop (Google forgive me) and finally ask the question we've all been thinking: When will Instagram open a restaurant?

@page { margin: 0.79in } p { margin-bottom: 0.1in; line-height: 120% } Tonight, we Accidentally Review Joe vs The Volcano, talk SPAM, pooping, food replacement pills (not unrelated) and discuss the Environment of Mars.  Also, what does 2019 look like through the eyes of the people who will be writing about what 2019 looked like a year from now?

Tonight we talk everything Cruise Food!  Steve & his wife just got back from a Disney Cruise, and it sounds like the best part is the food!  Also, what would YOU call MI:6's catering company?

Did you get sick over Thanksgiving? Think it was the fault of the chain burger place where you had lunch on Black Friday?  Just FYI, it was more likely because of a toddler in a grocery store who you will never meet.  Also, there will be pie.

So when did Pumpkin Spice become a season?  What do Muppets taste like?  Was the ham a victim of circumstance?  Where do breadfruits really come from, and do they still sound appetizing?  Also, I was on somebody else's show.  Goodnight!

Tonight we talk alcohol-free whiskey, vodka made from milk, medium-roast coffee and Big Tuna.

Oh, man you guys.  Tonight we're all over the place.  We talk Sonic, Oreos, Dunkin, Starbucks, Hot&Now, candle technology and is it possible to make an apple pie potato chip.

So yeah, I forgot to tell you kids where exactly we ate while we were in Paris!  Also, I address some listener feedback.

Oh, man you guys, I went to Paris for a long weekend!  In this episode we talk travel, french food, cheese & bugs.  Not necessarily in that order.

Tonight, Steve & I chat about tricking diners at your invite-only pretentiousfest, bad marketing ideas and solar-powered German potato salad.  Also, 'relikes'.

@page { margin: 0.79in } p { margin-bottom: 0.1in; line-height: 120% } In which Mario Batali & Ken Friedman might go to jail, Sliders & Quantum Leap get a crossover reboot & Papa John Schnatter accuses Big Bird of using the n-word.

Oh, man, you guys.  Steve & I went to the Wisconsin State Fair.  And ate all the things.  Also, Chicago now has a Pizza Museum (your move, New York) and we want to put a bunch of fryers on a truck.

Oh, man you guys.  Tonight we talk bad decision food, theme burger restaurants, cultural appropriation and lawsuits (not how you think), racist beer in Indiana and Steve goes #vanlife all the way to Canada!

Remember how I said I was going to start interviewing people?  This was not an empty threat!  I sit down today with Josh from www.potandpanhandler.com and talk tacos, travel writing, old-school restaurant jobs and chicago pizza.

Today we're interviewing author Emily Belden about her new book 'Hot Mess', which tells the story of a young woman who gets swept up into the life and lifestyle of a rockstar chef in Chicago.  I'm not going to say that the rockstar chef is me, but his name is Benjy, so you make up your own mind.  It's a tale of love, loss, addiction, great food, craziness and restaurant life stress.  I highly reco...

Abuse is Abuse is Abuse.  Sometimes, you don't get killed.

This week on the show we discuss the theater merits of washed-up 90's bands, continue watching serial sexual abusers in restaurants crash & burn, and old-man rail against computers in kitchens.

Yo!  Tonight we talk through a bunch of olde timey kitchen idioms & axioms, debate pie bakeries, propose a zombie movie and rename hedgehogs.

In which we talk about antiquated candy names, answer a Random Cheese Question and discuss the passing of the legendary, influential Anthony Bourdain.

What is your state's favorite sandwich?  This week, Steve & Ben take a swing at figuring that out!