This Is TASTE

Zoë François is a professional pastry chef, recipe consultant, cookbook author, food photographer, and baking instructor and the host of Zoë Bakes on Magnolia Network. We recently spoke with her live at Rizzoli Bookstore in New York City to talk about the subject of her latest book: cookies. Her new book is Zoë Bakes Cookies, and it’s one of our favorite cookie books of all time. We get into so many great tips for baking the perfect chocolate chip cookie, snickerdoodle, peanut butter cookie, and other Midwestern favorites. We hope you enjoy our conversation. Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we have two great conversations with two of our favorite recent cookbook authors. Have you found your way into the world of Suzy Karadsheh and the megapopular YouTube channel and website The Mediterranean Dish? We sure have, and it’s changing the way we cook. Born and raised in the cosmopolitan Mediterranean city of Port Said, Egypt, Suzy grew up just a boat ride away from countries like Italy, Turkey, Lebanon, Greece, and Israel. In this episode, we hear about Suzy’s terrific new cookbook, The Mediterranean Dish: Simply Dinner. Also on the show, we have a great talk with Jeremy Salamon. He’s the James Beard Award–nominated chef behind Agi’s Counter, one of our favorite restaurants in all the land. We talk about his life as a young chef, the near-universal praise for Agi’s Counter’s unique approach to modern Hungarian cooking, and his debut cookbook, Second Generation: Hungarian and Jewish Classics Reimagined for the Modern Table. I hope you enjoy these conversations.Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you.MORE FROM SUZY KARADSHEH & JEREMY SALAMON: White Bean Shakshuka [The Mediterranean Dish] A Crown Heights Lunch Counter Stirs New Life Into the Nostalgic Egg Cream [Eater] This Is TASTE 139: Suzy Karadsheh [TASTE] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today on the show we are talking all about restaurants in America with two talented editors. First up is Kate Kassin who along with the staff at Bon Appétit just released their list of the best new restaurants in America. Kate talks about the rigorous process that goes into selecting the restaurants, shares stories from the road, and offers some great restaurants we should be visiting, from New York City to Columbus to Seattle.Also on the show is Raphael Brion. He’s the Restaurant Editor at Food & Wine and a longtime reporter covering food around the globe. It was great catching up with Raphael about the magazine’s latest Best New Chefs class, and about how he personally traveled the country, tasting and tasting more, to bring this incredible group of talents to the surface.Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Elyse Inamine is a writer and editor based in New York. A former restaurant editor at Bon Appétit and Food & Wine, she’s now writing some of our favorite food stories across the internet, including here at TASTE. It’s so fun to have Elyse on the show to talk about her TASTE story on the rise of cute food, her view on restaurant reporting, and more.Also on the show it’s the return of three things where Aliza and Matt discuss exciting food and drink on their radars. These include: A visit to Funke in Los Angeles, Untitled Art is maybe the best NA beer on the market today, Fluffy McCloud’s is the ice cream of our dreams, thoughts on the new memoir from Griffin Dunne, The Friday Afternoon Club, tacos at Lincoln and Rose, Industry season 3 is the best things on TV.Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you.MORE FROM ELYSE INAMINE Food Is Identity. For Korean Chefs Who Were Adopted, It’s Complicated. [New York Times] Everything You Need to Make Hot Pot at Home [Bon Appetit] It’s Cool to Care About NA Beer [TASTE] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ben Leventhal, cofounder of Eater and Resy, dives into his latest venture, Blackbird, a loyalty program revolutionizing the restaurant experience. He shares insights on NYC's dynamic dining scene, revealing the community spirit of the Burger League. The conversation also touches on navigating hype in the restaurant industry, the challenges of modern dining culture, and the evolving landscape of food media and its impact on culinary narratives. Plus, there's a lively discussion on exciting new fall cookbooks celebrating global cuisines.

Ellen Marie Bennett, founder and chief brand officer of Hedley & Bennett, dives into her journey of reinventing the apron and building a beloved kitchen gear brand. She shares insights on culinary education in Mexico City and the evolution of home cooking during the pandemic, inspired by social media. The chat also touches on exciting culinary trends, including hidden gems like a new Cantonese restaurant in NYC and the upsurge of outdoor cooking. With personal anecdotes, Ellen infuses humor and practicality into her relatable culinary adventures.

Fall cookbook season has arrived, and there’s nobody better to talk about the busy time than Rebecca Flint Marx, editor of Eater at Home. Rebecca just dropped Eater’s thoughtful fall cookbook preview, and we go over a number of her selections in this episode. We also talk about Rebecca’s journalism career and what she has been excited about in the world of restaurants, home cooking, and product trends as well as the changing face of food media.Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you.MORE FROM REBECCA MARX: Cooking’s New Minimalism [TASTE] The Untold Story of the Lady From Louisville and the Bubbe Who Wasn’t There [TASTE] SF Chron Critic and His Partner Become the Subject of a Major Takedown [Eater SF] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Giada De Laurentiis, an Emmy-winning TV personality and bestselling cookbook author, joins chef and farmer Julius Roberts, who thrives in the idyllic English countryside. They discuss the vital connection between farming and cooking, share personal culinary journeys, and expose the challenges faced by female chefs in the industry. The duo dives into Southern Italy's culinary treasures, the joys of seasonal cooking, and even sprinkle in humorous tales about chickens on the farm. Their passion for food and community shines through!

Join Jenny Rosenstrach, a talented writer and editor known for her delightful cookbooks and newsletter, as she shares insights from her latest book, The Weekday Vegetarians Get Simple. Discover how to make vegetarian meals exciting and accessible, featuring delicious recipes like crispy polenta with broccoli pesto. Dive into the joys of being a 'weekday vegetarian' and hear about culinary adventures at the US Open and in Flushing, NYC. Jenny also discusses upcoming travels to Mexico, blending personal stories with food writing.

Melissa Urban is the cofounder and CEO of Whole30, a megapopular 30-day elimination diet program. She’s a six-time New York Times best-selling author and just released a new book: The New Whole30. We had Melissa on the show to reflect on the Whole30 universe and how it’s evolved alongside food culture over the past 15 years.Also on the show, it’s time to talk about cool new cookbooks. All fall Aliza and Matt are previewing some of their favorites, category by category. First up is baking and desserts, featuring: Desi Bakes by Hetal Vasavada, Crumbs by Ben Mims, Richard Hart Bread by Richard Hart and Laurie Woolever, Breaking Bao by Clarice Lam, and The King Arthur Big Book of Bread. Tune in for more great new cookbooks.Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices