This Is TASTE

Aaron Lindell is the chef and co-owner of Quarter Sheets, the wildly popular Los Angeles restaurant he runs with his wife, Hannah Ziskin. Now, listen, you’ve probably read about Quarter Sheets. You may have even had Hannah’s iconic princess cake. But this is a conversation about Aaron’s pizza. It’s…amazing. And it has a great backstory. On this episode we hear about Aaron’s wild career as a private chef for NBA stars and tech icons, and how the pandemic led to his amazing pop-up and restaurant. It’s such a great talk, and I hope you enjoy it.Got a question, comment, future guest idea, fact to share, fun fact to share, less-fun fact to share? Send us a voice memo and we will listen to it, and may feature your message on the show!MORE FROM AARON LINDELL: This Is TASTE 152: Hannah Ziskin [TASTE] One of L.A.’s Best Pizzerias is Finally Taking Reservations [Time Out] How Quarter Sheets Conquered LA, One Pan Pizza and Slab Cake at a Time [Eater] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Celina Baljeet Basra is the Berlin based author of Happy, a sweet and surreal postmodern novel released last year. It follows a young man named Happy from his family cabbage farm in Punjab to his clandestine journey to Europe, and the service jobs he works along the way. I’ve never read a book quite like Happy and it's so fun to have Celina on the show to talk about unconventional food writing, her favorite restaurants in Berlin, and more.Got a question, comment, future guest idea, fact to share, fun fact to share, less-fun fact to share? Send us a voice memo and we will listen to it, and may feature your message on the show! MORE FROM CELINA BALJEET BASRA: Happy [Literary Hub] The Tragic Exploitation that Puts Food on Our Plates [Washington Post] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rocco DiSpirito is an iconic Italian American New York City chef, television personality, and highly acclaimed author of 14 cookbooks, including three New York Times bestsellers. On this episode we go way back to his star turn on one of the first food reality TV shows on air, and we talk about his time in the kitchen at Union Pacific, his acclaimed New York City restaurant from the early 2000s. We also discuss what excites him about food in New York City and beyond. 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 ROCCO DISPIRITO: Where'd You Go, Chef Rocco DiSpirito? [Food & Wine] How Rocco DiSpirito, Chef, Spends His Sundays [NYT] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alan Sytsma, New York magazine's food editor, discusses NYC restaurant scene, cultural history of dining, critic collaboration, challenges of transitioning to digital media, importance of regular customers, legacy of New York Magazine, and future of dining culture.

Journalist Aaron Goldfarb discusses vintage spirits hunting, bourbon myths, and the rise of Pappy Van Winkle. The podcast explores rare collections, vintage liqueurs, and odd soda finds, ending with a fun chat about sandwich preferences and future projects.

MacKenzie Chung Fegan is the new restaurant critic at the San Francisco Chronicle. She’s a former Bon Appétit editor who returned home to the Bay Area to shape food coverage at her hometown paper, and it’s so fun to have her on the show to break down her first few months on the job, the state of modern restaurant criticism, and more. MORE FROM MACKENZIE CHUNG FEGAN Your New Restaurant Critic Won’t Be Anonymous. Here’s Why [SF Chronicle] I Loved My Food at S.F.’s New Waterfront Restaurant — Until Dinner Abruptly Ended [SF Chronicle] Are My Expectations of Restaurant Hospitality Outdated? [SF Chronicle] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Erin Patinkin, Cofounder of Ovenly, discusses exciting food brands and common founder mistakes. She shares insights on running Ovenly and her future plans. Topics include regenerative farming, food formulation, food franchises, and culinary reflections.

Giada De Laurentiis is in the studio for an all-time classic conversation. She is the Emmy-Award-winning television personality of Food Network’s Everyday Italian (among many other shows) and the author of nine New York Times best-selling cookbooks, including her most recent, Eat Better, Feel Better. On this episode we talk about her panettone chops, what running her own media company and e-commerce brand, Giadzy, is really like, and her first time on television. There’s so much to cover, and we got to it all! What a great talk. It’s our 400th episode, and we are just getting started. Thanks for following along, writing us nice notes, and being such a smart and engaged community. We really appreciate it.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 GIADA DE LAURENTIIS: Layer-free Lasagna [Today] How to Get it Right [Fast Company] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today on the show we have some really cool conversations about European butter from France. First up is David Lebovitz, a cookbook author and baker extraordinaire. Our lively conversation is all about cooking with good European butter and why using the good stuff is essential in baking and other kitchen adventures. David is such a pro, and we loved catching up with him about one of his favorite products.Also on the show, we have a great interview with Charles Duque, managing director (Americas) for the French dairy board. We hear about trends in European butter and how sustainability and animal wellness are top of mind with butter production in Europe. He also answers the question “How do you actually taste butter?”Finally, Aliza, Matt, and Shalea share some of their favorite ways to cook with quality butter, including some unexpected twists and turns.This episode is presented by Taste Europe, Butter of France. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rachel Dratch is an actor, a Broadway star (and has the Tony nomination to prove it), and a comedian, and she was a cast member on Saturday Night Live from 1999 to 2006. She is also the host of a great podcast, Woo Woo with Rachel Dratch. This is a really fun conversation, and we get a sense that Rachel is quite the fooooooodie! For real, we talk about her favorite places to eat in New York’s East Village, how her cooking skills are “nice,” and why she has been hanging out at the new Second City location in New York City. 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 RACHEL DRATCH: Will Ferrell: Not Now, Ghosts!! [Apple Podcasts] Rachel Dratch on Marrying Seth in a Dream [Late Night with Seth Meyers] This Is TASTE 60: Donna Leonard [TASTE] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices