The Splendid Table

Host Francis Lam talks to food historian Jessica Harris about her life among African-American icons in 1970s New York City, part of her new memoir My Soul Looks Back. We head into the kitchen of Talde with chef Dale Talde for another in our ongoing segment The Key 3 . America’s Test Kitchen’s Jack Bishop brings us the interesting results of a bagged popcorn taste test. And we look at "trash cookin...

Welcome to Splendid Table Selects, our mini podcast where we share the interviews that inspired us, taught us something new, or just helped make us better cooks. A few shows back we visited the taco historian Gustavo Arellano, author of Taco USA: How Mexican Food Conquered America . And if you didn’t catch it, he came on basically to defend the honor of the flour tortilla . He also clarified that...

Welcome to Splendid Table Selects, where we pull together some of our favorite conversations that shine a light on the many cuisines found in the United States and around the world. In this Splendid Table Selects, we learn about a very special food city. In 2015, Tucson, Arizona, became the first U.S. city to be named a City of Gastronomy in the Creative Cities Network by the United Nations Educat...

In this episode of The Splendid Table, host Francis Lam takes a look at what it means to feed your family. Molly Wizenberg and Matthew Amster-Burton, from the podcast Spilled Milk, muse about why we take what our kids will eat so very personally. We talk to Pableaux Johnson, a man who has been cooking red beans and rice in his house for guests every Monday night for more than 15 years. Self-confes...

Welcome to Splendid Table Selects, where we pull together some of our favorite converations that prove to be especially useful in the kitchen. In this Splendid Table Selects, we're featuring a new interview with Dan Souza, Editor-in-Chief of Cook's Illustrated for America's Test Kitchen. He and our Managing Producer Sally Swift talk about the importance of three sauces that are essential to Asian...

Welcome to Splendid Table Selects, our spin-off podcast that highlights interviews and stories that we find particularly important to our larger discussions about food. This episode, we're focusing on fat. Fat is one of those ingredients that tends to get a pretty bad rap, but it really shouldn't. Fat is essentially responsible for the flavor, appearance and texture of many of the dishes we love t...

Chef Amanda Cohen is an outspoken critic of food media and sexism in the food industry. She and Francis Lam discuss the changes that need to be made in the restaurant industry to order to get more women excited about and active long-term in professional kitchens. Food writer and journalist Hanna Raskin introduces the groundbreaking women who made American food writing before anyone called it "food...

Welcome to Splendid Table Selects, where we pull together some of our favorite interviews -- from the past and present -- to showcase conversations that surprised us, illuminated something new in our world, or have proven to be especially useful in the kitchen. In this Selects, contributor Noelle Carter talks with Col. Chris Hadfield, an astronaut who was the first Canadian commander of the Intern...

Welcome to Splendid Table Selects. This is where we pull together some of our favorite interviews -- from the past and present -- to showcase conversations that surprised us, illuminated something new in our world, or have proven to be especially useful in the kitchen. The first time that travel writer Tim Neville smelled cheese fondue, he did not even want to try it; he says the aroma was dreadfu...

Francis Lam celebrates his first full episode as the new host of The Splendid Table with the return of The Key 3 and great guest interviews. Francis visits with historian Adrian Miller, who shares stories of the influence and support that African-Americans have provided throughout American history by way of the White House kitchen. His new book is The President's Kitchen Cabinet. Pho may seem like...

Welcome to Splendid Table Selects. This is where we pull together some of our favorite interviews -- from the past and present -- to showcase conversations that surprised us, illuminated something new in our world, or have proven to be especially useful in the kitchen. In this Selects, we talk with Michael Cimarusti, a chef considered to be the king of Southern California seafood for the last 20-p...

For almost 30 years, Jimi Yui has designed kitchens for chefs like Eric Ripert and Masaharu Morimoto. He tells Francis Lam about one of the most important tools to successful designing -- knowing how to listen. Writer and reporter Lisa Napoli has been obsessed with the lives of Ray and Joan Kroc, and how the couple created one of the world's most recognizable restaurant brands. Contributor Russ Pa...

Host Francis Lam talks with Azalina Eusope, a fifth-generation street vendor from Malaysia setting the San Francisco food scene on fire. Vegetarian food writer and filmmaker Anna Thomas explains why colorful, nutrient-rich green soups are the perfect antidote for the wintertime blues. Bridget Lancaster, host of America’s Test Kitchen, has been investigating sourdough starters in her kitchen and pr...

It's the end of an era here at The Splendid Table as we say goodbye to our marvelous host and wonderful friend Lynne Rossetto Kasper. Lynne is retiring after more than 22 years hosting our show, and this episode is an homage to her. Recorded during a live farewell event at The Fitzgerald Theater in her hometown of Saint Paul, Minnesota, "Lynne's Goodbye" features Lynne, Francis Lam and Managing Pr...

The Splendid Table partners with America's Test Kitchen for a holiday special to help with the menu, drink list, and conversation at your party. Broadcast dates for this episode: December 19, 2016 (originally aired) December 22, 2017 (rebroadcast)

J. Kenji López-Alt (Serious Eats, The Food Lab) takes us around the world in search of unique breakfasts. Molly Birnbaum and Dan Souza from America's Test Kitchen look at the science and skill of using bitterness in your cooking. Food journalist and matriarch Betty Fussell shares insight from her illustrious career in Eat, Live, Love, Die. Field reporter Shaina Shealy looks at the tradition and tu...

This week, we meet Linnea Burnham, a woman who travels for cheese and records her adventures in her blog Journeys of a Cheese Girl. Madeline Puckette of Wine Folly introduces us to the wines of Verona, Italy, which are perfect for holiday sipping. Traditional rye bread is on the rise worldwide; we go deep into the topic with Stanley Ginsberg author of The Rye Baker. And America’s Test Kitchen host...

Spice master Lior Lev Sercarz introduces three exotic spices. Molly Birnbaum from America's Test Kitchen explains the secret behind perfect pineapple rolls. Dorie Greenspan promotes world peace through cookies. Fig biologist Mike Shanahan talks about the unique relationship between wasps and figs around the world. And SAVEUR's Leslie Pariseau takes us to Norway for a look at the importance of drie...

Lynne Rossetto Kasper and Francis Lam cohost our Thanksgiving 2017 call-in show -- Lynne's last Turkey Confidential before retiring at the end of 2017. Lynne and Francis take calls and are joined by special guests -- chefs/restaurateurs Lidia Bastianich and Marcus Samuelsson , comedian/actor Amy Sedaris from At Home with Amy Sedaris , and Dan Souza of America's Test Kitchen . Broadcast dates for t...

Rockstar chef Anthony Bourdain talks about calming the chaos of a holiday kitchen. Lynne Rossetto Kasper talks with Vivian Howard about her family connection to sweet potatoes. Contributor Jennie Cecil Moore visits Minnesota for a wild rice harvest and look at efforts to preserve the native grain. Plus, Tucker Shaw from America's Test Kitchen and Cook's Country joins us with the recipe for an amaz...

Marcus Samuelsson takes Melissa Clark on a personalized tour of Harlem, the neighborhood he has called home for over a decade. Charlotte Druckman gives Melanie Dunea the secret to cast-iron baking, Robert Simonson tells Joe Yonan the story behind the craft cocktail revival, and Beth Dooley shares what inspired her food-writing career with Lynne Rossetto Kasper. Plus, Sally Swift talks with Dan Sou...

Apple breeder David Bedford comes in from the orchard to let Lynne Rossetto Kasper sample the latest apple flavors, and Molly Birnbaum from America's Test Kitchen helps Sally Swift with the science behind a mushroom's durability. Also, David Leite chats with Molly Yeh about her new cookbook and her journey from Juilliard to a rural Minnesota farm, Von Diaz talks with Tunde Wey about his Blackness...

Francis Lam recently visited Chef King Phojanakong in the home kitchen of King's mother, Emma, for our Filipino Food episode. The three of them were featured in the episode making the traditional Filipino sour stew, Seafood Sinigang . Afterwards, Francis and King continued their kitchen conversation with a lesson on making another popular comfort food of the Philippines, pancit canton. There are m...

Paul Freedman gives Lynne Rossetto Kasper the names of the ten restaurants that changed America. Lynne also talks with Melanie Dunea about the latter's conversation with Sylvia Weinstock, who is still making artisan cakes at 87 years old. In addition, Noelle Carter chats with author Michelle McKenzie about a unique use for fig leaves, David Leite gets the lowdown on turmeric from Julie Sahni. And...

The Perennial Plate is back, and Daniel Klein tells Lynne Rossetto Kasper about the season-focused concept of their fourth season. Also back is Jekka McVicar, who gives Lynne a history lesson on sage. In addition, Rachel Khoo opens up her notebook for Shauna Sever, Ronni Lundy shares the story of Appalachian salt with Von Diaz. Plus, Jennifer Cecil Moore on the Gravenstein apple's comeback in Sono...