This Is TASTE

Nasim Lahbichi is a recipe developer based in Brooklyn, where he’s built a big following creating videos that blend craveable recipes drawing from his Moroccan and Puerto Rican heritage with highly relatable dating escapades. His roots in interior design and New York City inform his work in exciting ways, and we’re excited to have him on the show today to talk about the future of food content creation. Also on the show Matt catches up with Kyle Newman, the co-author of a very cool and unique new cookbook, Heroes' Feast Flavors of the Multiverse: An Official D&D Cookbook. They talk about translating themes from the iconic game to real recipes, and how Kyle’s career in film has led to this path. We also talk about him directing several Taylor Swift videos, and what food was like on set. MORE FROM NASIM LAHBICHI: I’m a Food TikTok Star. Here’s What I Wish My Followers Knew. [Eater] Orange Blossom Snickerdoodles [Washington Post] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Erudite observer of food and culture trends, Jon Bonné, and celebrated wine writer, Alice Feiring, discuss the evolution of French wine, the mythic quality of Provence, and the future of wine. They also touch on the role of a managing editor at Rezi and the resurgence of salads as a popular dining option. The podcast covers various topics including writing motivations, childhood memories, and generational differences in the wine industry. They explore the chilling experience of visiting Auschwitz and Birkenau and delve into the joys and complexity of wine. The perception and popularity of natural wine, developing individual taste, and recent restaurant experiences in New York City are also discussed. Finally, the versatility of rabbit meat, the rise of home cocktail culture, and the mission of the publication 'Punch' are highlighted.

Kat Craddock, Editor and CEO of Saveur magazine, shares her plans for the future of the publication and her favorite stories. They discuss acquiring the legendary publication and the qualities of a good croissant. They also talk about the transition from being a restaurant chef to working in food editorial, the debate between grams vs spoons in pastry recipes, favorite desserts and breads, and their favorite stories and food media outlets.

Colman Andrews, founding editor and former editor in chief of Saveur, discusses the founding principles of the magazine, technological advancements, encounters with Steven Spielberg, exploring food destinations, changes at Saveur and the closure of Gourmet magazine, the importance of reading material for journalists, and the need for more diverse voices in food writing.

We kick off a weeklong tribute to Saveur magazine, past and present, with a colorful interview with the one and only Dorothy Kalins, Saveur’s founding editor. Dorothy’s career in magazines and cookbooks is hall-of-fame-worthy—and in fact, she was inducted into the American Society of Magazine Editors’ Hall of Fame in 2018. She was founding editor in chief of Metropolitan Home, a leading baby boom design publication that inspired many magazines to follow. She launched Saveur in 1994, and the publication went on to receive 17 nominations and three National Magazine Awards while inspiring a generation of food editors and writers, as well as the founding of food magazines like TASTE. In this conversation we speak with Dorothy about her career and what led her out of the photo studio and into real life with the documentary-style journalism that made Saveur so important. We talk about creating the Saveur 100 and hear many stories from her decades in food media. We hope you enjoy following along this week as we pay tribute to Saveur. 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 DOROTHY KALINS: A Founding Editor of Saveur Shares What She Learned [NYT] Dorothy Kalins Elected to ASME Hall of Fame [ASME] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today on the show we have a really, really, really great conversation with two of the most respected people in food: Ruth Reichl and Nancy Silverton. We came together earlier this week at Rizzoli Bookstore in Manhattan to talk about Nancy’s great new cookbook, The Cookie That Changed My Life. Ruth and Nancy have been friends for decades, and we cover a wide variety of topics including what is in fact the best cookie ever, as well as favorite restaurants in New York, Los Angeles, and Italy.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 RUTH REICHL AND NANCY SILVERTON: What’s Cooking With Nancy Silverton [Beverly Press] Who Decides Style? [La Briffe] The Sushi Effect [La Briffe] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alice Luo and Elaine Mao from Send Chinatown Love discuss their involvement with the nonprofit and the creation of their cookbook celebrating NYC's Asian communities. They explore their favorite restaurants in Chinatown and Flushing, share personal stories about Quay Cafe, and highlight the importance of food in connecting communities and preserving cultural traditions.

Melissa King is a Top Chef icon—but she’s also much more. The champion turned judge is also the host of Tasting Wild, a far-out outdoor cooking show, and she still finds time to be in the kitchen with pop-ups. It’s so fun to have her on the show to talk about cooking with her Top Chef crew, plus career-defining gigs like appearing on Sesame Street and cooking for the Met Gala.Also on the show Matt has a live interview with British author and TikTok chef Julius Roberts. He’s releasing his debut cookbook, The Farm Table, in February and we were lucky to get a preview at a recent live conversation in New York City. Julius will be back in our studio next year, so let this serve as just the beginning of our interest in this extremely talented and cool star in 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 MELISSA KING AND JULIUS ROBERTS: Hong Kong Milk Tea Tiramisu [Food & Wine] Tasting Wild [YouTube] Leek, Potato and Chorizo Stew [TikTok] A Lunch With: Julius Roberts [Inigo] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re big fans of Marissa Mullen and super excited to have her back in the studio to talk about the keys to winning the holiday entertaining game (mostly through cheese), and also reveal some details about an exciting trip to France we are planning for next summer. Our latest TASTE Travels has Marissa joining TASTE editor Matt Rodbard for a week of cheese, wine, and castles in Normandy. Limited spots are filling up quickly. Marissa is the author of two books revolving around modern entertaining and the art of the cheese plate. Her latest, That Cheese Plate Wants to Party, is a sharp and highly enjoyable guide to buying cheese for all sorts of occasions, including a solo evening at home. We hope you enjoy this talk.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 MARISSA MULLEN: TASTE Travels France: Exploring Camembert, Calvados, and The French Countryside [TASTE] That Cheese Plate Turns 10! [Ticket link] How to Cut Every Type of Cheese [Salon] Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Cheddar [F52] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Shelly Fireman is the owner of several New York City restaurants of acclaim and heritage, including Redeye Grill, Bond 45, and Cafe Fiorello. He’s also a very accomplished sculptor with a studio in Tuscany. On this truly amazing episode, we hear some great stories from an industry legend, like about opening the first stand-alone bagel shop in New York in the early 1960s, the Hip Bagel, as well as many more from over 50 years in the business. Get to know Shelly Fireman in this great episode.Also on the show we have a fun interview with Lorenzo Espada, a 25 year old self-taught chef who has blown up on TikTok and has a cool debut cookbook, Somethin' Outta Nothin': 100 Creative Comfort Food Recipes for Everyone.MORE FROM SHELLY FIREMAN AND LORENZO ESPADA: Why Shelly Fireman Is the King of Pre Theater Dining [Town and Country] The Hip Bagel Menu Is AMAZING [Vintage Menu Art] Local Chef Turned His Cooking Into a Viral Sensation [Spectrum] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices