The Splendid Table

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...

Host Francis Lam chats with Osayi Endolyn about her introduction to Hoppin' John, and how it led her to explore both her personal background and the influence of African cuisine on the American South. Later, he discusses the intricacies of preparing chicken with Chef Jacques Pépin and building the Impossible Burger with Kurt Soller from Bon Appétit. Also, Melissa Clark talks with the Sporkful's Da...

Zhug, a Yemenite hot sauce, might be the next Sriracha. J. Kenji Lopez-Alt tells Lynne Rossetto Kasper all about it and the simple tools you need to make it. Anya Fernald swears by those same tools in her kitchen, and she chats with Russ Parsons about them and her rules for hosting a good party. In addition, Molly Birnbaum from America's Test Kitchen goes to college for frozen yogurt, Robin Ha dra...

Polar explorer and adventurer Ann Bancroft's latest journey took her to the Ganges River in search of fresh water. She tells Lynne Rossetto Kasper all about it. Plus, Sabrina Ghayour chats with Russ Parsons about simplifying Persian and Middle Eastern cooking traditions, Holly De Ruyter shares the history of Wisconsin supper clubs with Shauna Sever, and No. 7 Sub's Tyler Kord stands up for vegetab...

In an extended interview with host Francis Lam, chef Zoe Adjonyoh recalls her childhood fascination with the food from her father's home country - Ghana. She and Francis also discuss her personal travels to the West African nation in search of more experience with the methods and unique ingredients used in Ghanaian cuisine, and how it all comes together in her debut cookbook Zoe's Ghana Kitchen ....

Magnus Nilsson wrote what may be the definitive book on Nordic cooking, and he tells guest host Melissa Clark that there's more to it than pickled herring. Melissa also talks with John Wurdeman about preserving an 8,000-year-old Georgian wine tradition. Tucker Shaw, from America's Test Kitchen, gives the recipe for making perfect steak frites at home. And managing producer Sally Swift gets the low...

Krishnendu Ray talks with Von Diaz about the history of immigrant foods and their (eventual) acceptance in America. In addition, Molly Birnbaum from America's Test Kitchen examines the challenges of eggs, Steve Sando tells Lynne Rossetto Kasper about what it's like being an heirloom bean entrepreneur, and Marisa Huff explains northern Italy's "aperitivo" time to Shauna Sever. Plus, "Queen of Herbs...

This week it’s a celebration of the Fourth of July with a collection of classic interviews. We listen to an interview with Julia Child from our first national broadcast 20 years ago, Mario Batali shares the Italian way with vegetables and Sally Schneider of Improvised Life joins us with a primer in cooking with fresh cherries. Mediterranean food scholar Claudia Roden brings us ideas for exceptiona...

Lynne Rossetto Kasper chats with Caroline Eden and Eleanor Ford about their new book, Samarkand , a collection of essays, photos, and recipes from central Asia. Culinary historian Michael Twitty tells Joe Yonan about his deeply personal look at the African-American/Southern food tradition in The Cooking Gene , and Molly Birnbaum from America's Test Kitchen checks in with Sally Swift about the very...

In an extended conversation with host Francis Lam, Southern food historian John T. Edge ( The Potlikker Papers ) discusses the different influences that two southern icons, Colonel Harland Sanders and Mahalia Jackson, had on the popular fast food of the region – fried chicken. Read more about Mahalia Jackson’s fried chicken legacy at Southern Foodways Alliance website.   Broadcast dates for this e...

Host Francis Lam talks to Will Guidara about what defines great service, Joe Yonan finds meatless smoking options with Project Smoke author Steve Raichlen, and Corey Lee tells Francis about his new "covers" restaurant. Plus, Melissa Clark gets a refresher on low-alcohol summer drinks from Spritz co-author Talia Baiocchi. And Lisa McManus from America's Test Kitchen talks about their recent review...

Every once in a while, we like to share something extra with our fans and listeners. Our friend at Bon Appétit , Adam Rapoport, recently interviewed host Francis Lam for the Bon Appétit Foodcast podcast. Adam and Francis talk about Francis's early experiences with his new host duties at The Splendid Table, the difficulty of putting words to the page, eating Chrissy Teigen's scalloped potatoes, and...

This week we talk to hunger activist Robert Egger of L.A. Kitchen about his work feeding seniors, one of the fastest growing underfed populations. Molly Birnbaum, executive editor of Cook's Science at America’s Test Kitchen, is back with her monthly check-in. This time it’s goat's versus cow's milk. Plus Spring chef Skye Gyngell chats with contributor Noelle Carter about seasonal cooking, Taste of...

This week we talk to chef Lenny Russo about the realities of committing to local and sustainable in a Midwestern restaurant. He is the author of Heartland. Tucker Shaw of Cook's Science shares the glamourous origin of fettuccine Alfredo in the U.S. and the secret to perfecting the dish at home. We look into the heart of Basque cooking with Alexandra Raij, co-author of The Basque Book, and we get a...