

This Is TASTE
Aliza Abarbanel & Matt Rodbard
If you're a fan of smart and lively conversations about food, home cooking, and culture, this is the place. We interview the most interesting characters in the world of food, media, and cookbooks and release episodes several times a month. The program is hosted by TASTE editors Aliza Abarbanel and Matt Rodbard, and is sometimes recorded live at Rizzoli Bookstore in New York City. Visit TASTE online: tastecooking.com
Episodes
Mentioned books

Feb 9, 2024 • 1h 11min
354: Alex Prud’homme & Ali Rosen
Today we have a great double episode of the show. Alex Prud’homme’s new book, Dinner with the President, is a history of American food, politics, and 26 presidents, from George Washington starving at Valley Forge in 1777 to Donald Trump’s burger banquets. It was such a good time having Alex on the show to talk about how food has been used as a diplomatic tool since the founding of the United States, and also dig into the legacy of his famous great aunt - Julia Child.Also on the show we welcome Ali Rosen to the studio. Ali is a cookbook author, TV food host, and successful rom-com novelist, having published the hit novel Recipe for Second Chances. She is also the author of the new cookbook, 15 Minute Meals. On this episode we talk about what makes a 15 minute meal, and how she writes her food-focused fiction. It’s such a fun talk, I hope you enjoy 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 ALEX PRUD’HOMME & ALI ROSEN:
Diplomacy Is Best Conducted at the Dinner Table [NYT]
Alex Prud’homme Wishes He Was in the Room Where It Happened [NYT]
Potluck with Ali Rosen [official]

Feb 7, 2024 • 45min
353: Rose Wilde
Rose Wilde is the pastry chef and owner of Red Bread in Los Angeles, a pioneering microbakery that’s been championing whole grains and sustainable baking for over a decade. She's headed the bread and pastry programs at Michelin-starred Rustic Canyon, Manuela, and Mother Wolf, and now she’s sharing her wisdom in the wonderful baking book Bread and Roses. We loved having Rose on the show to talk about the joys and challenges of baking with whole grains, her flock of chickens, and more. 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 ROSE WILDE:
Red Bread Bakery [official]
Rose Wilde's 'Bread and Roses' [Wordloaf]
Buy: Bread and Roses

Feb 5, 2024 • 42min
352: PJ Vogt
It was a lot of fun having PJ Vogt in the studio. PJ is a recognizable figure in the world of public radio and podcast. He’s currently the host of one of our favorite shows today, Search Engine, and we talk about his recent food-related episodes, digging into sushi fraud and airplane coffee. We also chop it up about so many topics in food, including his ongoing coffee journey and some of PJ’s favorite NYC restaurants. What a great talk—we hope you enjoy 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 PJ VOGT:
Why Are There So Many Chicken Bones on the Street? [Apple]
Am I the Victim of an International Sushi Scam? [Apple]
Search Engine Is the Spiritual Successor to Reply All [Vulture]

Feb 2, 2024 • 60min
351: Aura Bora
Aura Bora is a sparkling water that pushes the limits of sparkling water. Founded by Paul Voge, it’s a company that prides itself on spiking its cans of water with herbs, fruits, and flowers for earthly tastes and heavenly feelings. (True to the claim, we certainly had some feelings when we tried their green bean casserole concoction.) Paul, a guest on today’s show, has incredible taste and is bursting with passion for his waters. We talk about his journey and how he comes up with flavors that include chai cranberry, persimmon clove, and peppermint watermelon. If you haven’t tried Aura Bora, you don’t know what you’re missing. Also on the show, Matt is back from a California road trip and gives some of his highlights, including The Duchess and The Summit in Ojai, Bell’s in Los Alamos, Ad Astra Bread in Monterey, Cat & Cloud Coffee in Santa Cruz, Itani Ramen and Fentons Creamery in Oakland, the cafe at Chez Panisse in Berkeley(!), Ad Hoc and Mustards Grill in Yountville, and El Molino Central in Sonoma.Want to partner with TASTE? Send us a note at: partner@tastecooking.com. MORE FROM AURA BORA:
We’ve Hit Peak Beverage [TASTE]
Dry Guys Olive Oil Martini [official]
This Is TASTE 303: Olipop [TASTE]

Jan 31, 2024 • 44min
350: Angelo Sosa
We’re thrilled to finally have Angelo Sosa on the show. Angelo is one of the most talented chefs we've gotten to know, and he’s currently the chef at two really great restaurants in Phoenix: Tia Carmen and Kembara. Angelo was also the runner up on Top Chef and has worked with some of the biggest names in the game, including Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Alain Ducasse, Stephen Starr, and Masaharu Morimoto. On this episode we talk about Angelo’s TV past and dig into his passion for Asian cuisine, including his deeply creative work with Thai, Vietnamese, and Chinese flavors and techniques at his latest opening, Kembara. We really loved catching up with Angelo and hope you enjoy this conversation.Also on the show, Matt gives his highlights from a recent trip to Phoenix. Stops include: Unos Tacos y Birria, Tacos Chiwas, the greatness of Monsoon Market, Wagyu beef rendang at Kembara, and Pizzeria Bianco.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 ANGELO SOSA:
Angelo Sosa’s Kembara Is a Love Letter to His Asian Travels [Forbes]
Must-Try Restaurants in Phoenix with Angelo Sosa [A Taste of AZ]
This Is TASTE 251: Dale Talde [TASTE]

Jan 29, 2024 • 55min
349: DeVonn Francis
DeVonn Francis is a chef, recipe developer, and events producer based in Brooklyn. His culinary events studio, Yardy World, has developed a cult following around vibrant, lush experiences rooted in Caribbean cuisine with some of the best vibes and playlists around, and now they’re joining the CPG boom. It’s a joy to have DeVonn in the studio to talk about his distinctive POV, starring in the second season of High on the Hog, his dream dinner party lineup, and more. Also on the show the return of three things, where Aliza and Matt go over some of the books, restaurants, and citrus fruits they are most excited about. This includes: Flan at Nenes Taqueria, al bap at AriAri, crispy shallots and fish roe from Ignacia Valdes pop-ups, Priya’s Kitchen Adventures, PSA: The pomelos are hitting in NYC right now, Pizza Night: Deliciously Doable Recipes for Pizza and Salad.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 DEVONN:
Welcome to the DeVonn Francis Dinner Party Multiverse [TASTE]
The 2021 Feel Good Food Plan [Bon Appetit]
Yardy World [official]

Jan 27, 2024 • 1h 4min
348: Jamie Oliver
Our friend Jamie Oliver returns to the show, this time live from Rizzoli Bookstore in Manhattan as part of our TASTE Live at Rizzoli reading series. It was so great catching up with the chef and healthy eating advocate to discuss so many topics, and to dig into his great new book: 5 Ingredients Mediterranean: Simple Incredible Food.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 JAMIE OLIVER:
Jamie Oliver Does Mediterranean [All Of It]
Jamie Oliver Shares 5-ingredient Meals [GMA]
How Long Gone: Jamie Oliver [Apple]

Jan 26, 2024 • 53min
347: Pizza Week with Daniel Holzman of Danny Boy’s Famous Original Pizza
Daniel Holzman, chef and owner of Danny Boy's Famous Original Pizza in LA, talks about bringing NY-style pizza to the West Coast, his expansion plans, and the excitement of pizzas worldwide.

Jan 25, 2024 • 40min
346: Pizza Week with Noam Grossman of Upside Pizza
Noam Grossman, founder of Upside Pizza, shares his journey to creating unique and delicious pizza. They discuss the unconventional methods and techniques used to make their flavorful dough. They explore the value of different price points for pizza in NYC and the importance of good quality ingredients, especially tomato sauce. The podcast also covers the challenges and success of opening the pizza shop, as well as their transition to selling soup. They share their plans to launch a shwarma concept called gal-gal.

Jan 24, 2024 • 32min
345: Pizza Week with Mya Anitai of Franny's
Pizza Week continues! Franny’s is a world-class pizzeria and restaurant located at the northern tip of the Jersey Shore in Highlands, New Jersey. When the shop’s chef and owner, Mya Anitai, left a successful restaurant career in Richmond, Virginia (Mamma Zu, Dinamo) to move to New Jersey, she didn’t know exactly what to expect. What she built over the past few years is pretty extraordinary. The best grandma slice in Jersey? Some would say. In this episode, Mya shares her journey and the pizza style that has earned her the attention of many in and around the New York metro area.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 MYA ANITAI:
A Conversation with Mya Anitai [Pizza Today]
Franny’s Off the Beach [TikTok]