This Is TASTE

Stay calm and…just act like Eric Ripert. Young cooks, are you listening? Ripert, a celebrated chef and TV personality, is a balancing force. We talk about how he keeps the exquisite (and massive) Le Bernardin empire running, day after day. We talk about recruiting talent, and he’s also just a really good interview, as we find out in his return to the show. And we also discuss his meals at Noma, and his love of Korean food and culture—from the late-night partying to the vegetarian temple style of cooking that aligns with the Buddhist religion that’s so important to the chef. He loves it all, and we remember a trip we took together to Seoul a couple years ago.Buy: Vegetable SimpleMORE FROM ERIC RIPERT: Eric Ripert Is Cooking Through It [TASTE] Le Bernardin Holds On to Its Craft (and Its Four Stars) [NYT] L’ Ami Pierre [official] FOLLOW, FOLLOW, FOLLOW: instagram.com/ericripert instagram.com/mattrodbard instagram.com/taste

Yes, it’s James Hoffmann day on TASTE, and we couldn’t be more thrilled. James is one of the coolest dudes on the Coffee internet, and we wanted to have him on the show to talk about all things coffee at home. On this episode, we talk about what actually makes great coffee at home (the topic of a new book), his big thoughts on espresso, how he rated the best grocery store coffee brands, and what it’s like running his crazy popular YouTube channel—a space that is educating millions of coffee drinkers around the world to drink better coffee. It was a real treat to catch up with James, and I hope you enjoy it.MORE FROM JAMES HOFFMANN: Meet the CEO of Coffee YouTube [TASTE] The Coffee Issue [TASTE] The Best USA Grocery Store Coffee [YouTube] TASTE Podcast 144: Jimmy Butler and Ashley Rodriguez [TASTE] FOLLOW FOLLOW FOLLOW: instagram.com/jimseven instagram.com/mattrodbard instagram.com/taste

We wanted to have journalist Anne Helen Petersen on the show not only to talk about modern office lunch culture...we wanted to have journalist Anne Helen Peterson on the show to talk about soup! Peterson is the author of the amazing newsletter Culture Study, and she has much to say about the intersection of food and pop culture. She also name checks some of her favorite cookbooks from Ali Slagle, Alison Roman, and Jenny Rosenstrach to name a few. This is such a rich and textured conversation from one of the sharpest observers around. We hope you enjoy it.More from Anne Helen Petersen: There Is No Such Thing as “Junk” Food [BA] When Did Fitness Become a Luxury Item? [Culture Study] New Year, New Job, New Me [Work Appropriate] CrispyEgg420 [Instagram]

Himanshu Suri is best known by his rap name Heems, and he is our guest on this entertaining episode of the show. We wanted to have Heems on not just because we are a fan of his former group Das Racist (you may remember their song “Combination Pizza Hut and Taco Bell”) but because we wanted to talk to him about Punjabi food. About growing up in Queens. About his new passion for gardening. We really enjoyed catching up with Heems.More from Heems: Dosa Hunt! [Official] Swet Shop Boys - "T5" [YouTube] Heems on Rap, Race and Identity [NPR] Das Racist - Rapping 2 U Live in Sydney [YouTube]

If you’ve ever clicked onto the NYT Cooking or Bon Appétit websites looking for something to make for dinner, you’ve probably seen Hetty McKinnon’s name. The prolific plant-based recipe developer and cookbook author is one of the busiest people in food media, contributing reliable and highly craveable recipes across the internet while releasing cult books like Neighborhood and Family. On this episode, Aliza talks with Hetty about how she keeps up the seemingly endless stream of ideas and stays excited about cooking with vegetables, even in the middle of the deep winter freeze. (Hint: Sometimes you just need to let go of seasonality.) Plus a bit about her upcoming spring release, Tenderheart.Also on the show, Matt has a cool conversation with Gotham chef Ron Paprocki. Gotham is a legendary NYC restaurant and Ron has much to say about the life of a working chef.More from Hetty McKinnon: Lunar New Year Delight [To Vegetables, With Love] Tofu Larb [NYT Cooking] Kale Kimchi [official site]

You’ve spotted their iconic squeeze bottle on the shelves of Whole Foods and seen it used by your favorite food influencers and chefs on Instagram. But do you know the story behind Spanish olive oil company Graza, one of our favorite upstart food brands around? On this episode, we speak with Graza’s charismatic cofounder Andrew Benin to talk about the ups and downs of running a quickly growing food company. We find out about how the company landed on their logo and look, and Andrew answers the question: But isn't there already too much olive oil in the market?More from Graza: If the Olive Oil Aisle Gives You Anxiety, Graza Is for You [BA] Olive Oil Has Never Been Cooler [Eater] Customers Reward CEO’s Honest Emailed Apology [Pymnts] Graza oil oil review [The Strategist]

Christina Tosi is a chef and TV personality as well as Milk Bar’s CEO and CCCO (Chief Compost Cookie Officer) and the author of a new cookbook, All About Cookies (among many others). On this lively episode, we talk to her about all things cookies and cake, moving upstate, grocery shopping at dawn, baking David Chang birthday cakes every year, and Milk Bar life (as a mother). We always enjoy having Christina on the show. Also on the show, Aliza and Matt talk about travel. We just launched our first TASTE Travels trip to Puglia with author Suzy Karadsheh and talk about some other places we will be visiting this spring including Mexico City, Israel, Los Angeles, and rural Italy.More from Christina Tosi: Christina Tosi’s World Spins Around Cakes and Cereal Milk [TASTE] How Christina Tosi Gets It Done [The Cut] TASTE Podcast 20: Christina Tosi [TASTE] TASTE Travels Italy: Cooking and Eating Through Puglia with Suzy Karadsheh [TASTE]

Odette Williams is the author of Simple Cake and Simple Pasta, and she was really fun to have back in the studio. We talk about her journey from novice pasta maker to authoring a cookbook on the subject. We also discuss the art of simplification, and how her Australian upbringing has shaped the way she eats and cooks.Also on the show, Aliza and Matt talk about three things that are on their minds, including Masalawala & Sons, Reyes Deli, the new J Ryan Stradal novel, Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club, citrus salads, and stick around for a poem at the end.    More from Odette Williams: How to Host a Lasagna Making Party [NY Mag] Winter Chicories With Date and Anchovy Dressing [Epicurious] Odette Williams x Carla Lalli Music at Books Are Magic [YouTube] TASTE Podcast 66: Odette Williams [TASTE]

The social media meme can be funny, biting, poignant, and oftentimes ubiquitous. Eli Sussman, a talented chef and cookbook author, has mastered the art of the culinary meme, and we talk about it on this very special episode. Eli has been a friend of ours for years, and we had fun catching up about his journey from Michigan short-order cook to LA music marketer to NYC restaurateur, provocateur, and meme maker. Eli is truly one of one in the food world, and we hope you dig this conversation.More from Eli Sussman: @TheSussmans [IG] The Sussmans Are Way More Than Just Meme Kings [Food and Wine] Max and Eli Sussman Strike Out on Their Own [Food Republic]

Jamie Oliver returns to the show, and we could not be happier to talk with him about so many things. For those who didn’t grow up watching food TV, here’s the deal. Jamie pioneered a form of food television that brought cameras into the home in a way not previously seen. When The Naked Chef debuted on BBC Two in the UK and the Food Network in the United States in 1999, home cooking on TV was a stand-and-stir affair. Here, a young and floppy Oliver was cooking real food from a cool East London flat, talking viewers through the relative simplicity of making dinner. Oliver has gone on to write numerous cookbooks (selling 50 million in the UK alone) and create food TV that expanded beyond cooking, producing documentaries about the sugar industry and school lunches that transitioned his work from dude food evangelist to heartier activism. His latest book, One: Simple One-Pan Wonders, is out now.Oliver was a joy to have on the program, and we talked about spice blends, Cool Britannia, the sugar tax, Jamie’s future in UK politics, and what sparks creativity for a guy who is always working on three projects at once. This was such a great talk, and we hope you enjoy it.Also on the show, Aliza and Matt catch up to talk about what’s underrated and overrated (protein bars, savory granola), before diving into a discussion about starlight mints, the Werther’s children, and the Holiday Inn Holidome.More from Jamie Oliver: Jamie Oliver’s Sneaker Game Needs No Seasoning [High Snobbery] Jamie Oliver Dishes Up Easy & Affordable One-Pot Recipes [The View] Miso Roasted Chicken [GMA] Superiority Burger [IG]