The Splendid Table: Conversations & Recipes For Curious Cooks & Eaters

This week, we sit down with Evie McGee Colbert to talk about her latest book, co-authored with her husband, Stephen Colbert. She tells us about the dynamics in her family’s kitchen, the joys and challenges of cooking together during the pandemic, Charleston food traditions, and we take a listener question from one special caller! Evie’s latest book with her husband, Stephen Colbert, is Does This Taste Funny?: Recipes our Family Loves. She leaves us with her recipe for Salt and Pepper Wings. Then, we hit the road with musicians Alex Bleeker and Luke Pyenson to talk about their latest book, a collection of essays and interviews with musicians about life and eating on the road. They talk about their most memorable meals while on tour and the deep connection between musicians and food. Alex and Luke are the authors of Taste in Music: Eating on Tour with Indie Musicians. Broadcast dates for this episode:September 27, 2024 (originally aired)September 26, 2025 (rebroadcast)Generous listeners like you make The Splendid Table possible. Donate today to support the show

This week, we’re diving into fall cooking and the beauty of bitter flavors. First, Genevieve Ko, deputy editor at New York Times Cooking, joins Francis to take your fall cooking questions. From freezing smart to cabbage makeovers, Genevieve shares practical advice for making the most of fresh produce and tackling leftovers. She also shares the NYT Cooking piece 15 Ways to Make a Head of Cabbage Dinner and her Pumpkin Meringue Pie recipe. And check out her Cinnamon-Toast Graham Crackers from the last time she joined us to talk about Better Baking. Then, London-based cookbook author Alexina Anatole shares the inspiration behind her debut book, Bitter. She makes the case for bitterness as an essential flavor, one that brings depth, intrigue, and balance to our cooking. Alexina reminds us how bitterness touches so many of our favorite foods and she leaves us with her recipe for Stout Sticky Toffee Pudding, a perfect example of sweet meeting bitter in harmony.Broadcast dates for this episode:September 19, 2025 (originally aired)Your support is a special ingredient in helping to make The Splendid Table. Donate today.

This week, we talk with two incredible chefs about their culinary connections to their homes. First, chef Nini Nguyen talks about growing up in New Orleans and her connection to her tight-knit Vietnamese community. She shares the delicious Vietnamese foods she grew up eating and talks about how that upbringing shapes her cooking today, Nini is the author of Đặc Biệt: An Extra-Special Vietnamese Cookbook, and she leaves with her recipe for Grilled Rice Paper. Then, we head to Ukraine with chef Yevhen Klopotenko to talk about his work rediscovering traditional Ukrainian dishes that were once suppressed under Soviet rule. He tells us about his work, providing recipes online that have reached thousands of schools and getting traditional recipes like Borsch, finally recognized as Ukrainian. Yevhen is the author of The Authentic Ukrainian Kitchen, and he left us with his recipe for Syrnyky, delicious Farmer cheese pancakes.Broadcast dates for this episode:September 13, 2024 (originally aired)September 12, 2025 (rebroadcast) Donate to The Splendid Table today and we will show our appreciation with a special thank-you gift.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Google Podcasts | Spotify | PandoraThis week, we’re turning peak-season produce into bold, flavorful dishes. First, we talk with Rick Martínez, author of Salsa Daddy: Dip Your Way into Mexican Cooking, about transforming simple ingredients – think tomatoes, onions, garlic, and chilis – into salsas that sing. Rick explains why salsa is its own food group and leaves us with his family-inspired peach-and-pecan Salsa Tejana recipe. Then, we visit New York chef Sunny Lee of Sunn’s, a restaurant devoted to banchan, Korea’s iconic side dishes. Sunny teaches Francis how to elevate fresh vegetables into inventive, season-forward sides, including her recipe for Tahini Pickled Mushroom banchan. Broadcast dates for this episode: September 5, 2025 (originally aired)Celebrate kitchen companionship with a gift to The Splendid Table today.When you shop using our links, we earn a small commission. It’s a great way to support public media at no extra cost to you.

This week, we're talking about summer cooking and how to stay cool in the heat. Carla Lalli Music joins us to talk about her favorite indoor cooking tips for ribs and takes your cooking questions. Carla is the host of Carla's Cooking Show on Patreon, and her most recent book is Where Cooking Begins. Then, we check in with Khushbu Shah, Food & Wine's restaurant editor, about the refreshers you need this summer, cold dessert drinks from all over Asia. From basil seeds and colorful tapioca to adding a savory element to your shaved ice, there's something here for everyone.Broadcast dates for this episode:June 25, 2021 (originally aired)June 24, 2022 (rebroadcast)June 23, 2023 (rebroadcast)August 29, 2025 (rebroadcast)Donate to The Splendid Table today and we will show our appreciation with a special thank-you gift.

This week, we’re taking the stress out of back-to-school cooking with food that’s fast, fun, and full of flavor. First, we talk with Peter J. Kim, author of Instant Ramen Kitchen, about transforming those humble packets you associate with college kids into surprisingly elegant meals. Peter shares why instant ramen deserves a spot in your pantry and leaves us with his recipe for Aglio e Olio. Then, we catch up with chef David Nayfeld and his approach to quick, comforting meals. Known for his acclaimed restaurant Che Fico in San Francisco, David opens up about learning to cook for (and with) his daughter as a single dad. His new book, Dad, What’s for Dinner?, features kid-friendly recipes like the one he shared with us: Zucchini Parmigiana. Broadcast dates for this episode: August 22, 2025 (originally aired)Generous listeners like you make The Splendid Table possible. Donate today to support the show. 

This week, we talk about cuisines from opposite ends of the world. We start by diving into the first, traditionally-published cookbook about Salvadorian cuisine with Karla T. Vasquez. She collected traditional recipes and techniques while documenting stories from the hands that made the dishes. Karla is the author of The SalviSoul Cookbook: Salvadoran Recipes and the Women Who Preserve Them. She left us with her recipe for a delicious Salvadoran Quesadilla. Then, we explore Southern Thai regional cuisine with author Austin Bush. Austin researched the diverse and unique cuisine of Southern Thailand through travel and cooking alongside local cooks He’s the author of The Food of Southern Thailand and he leaves us with a recipe for Simple Thai-Style Rice Salad - Khaao Yam.Broadcast dates for this episode:August 30, 2024 (originally aired)August 15, 2025 (rebroadcast)Donate to The Splendid Table today and we will show our appreciation with a special thank-you gift.

This week, we turn up the ovens and test our baking skills with two incredible bakers. First, we talk to LA-based cookbook author and star baker, Nicole Rucker, on why summer is peak pie season, the fruit and flavor combinations that elevate her pies (imagine toasted fig leaves!) and making the best out of her leftover cookies for pie crusts. Nicole's latest book is Fat and Flour: The Art of the Simple Bake, and she left us with her Strawberry White Chocolate Cream Pie recipe. Then, Iowa's champion baker Eileen Gannon, talks to us about her surprising baking techniques for cakes, from making moister cakes, fillings vs frostings, and her buttercream preferences. Eileen is the winner of over 600 state and national baking awards and the founder of Sunday Night Foods Sauces.Broadcast dates for this episode: August 8, 2025 (originally aired)Generous listeners like you make The Splendid Table possible. Donate today to support the show.

Join Jess Damuck, author of 'Health Nut' and 'Salad Freak', as she reinvents 1970s health-food classics with modern flair, sharing her savory Lentil Loaf recipe. Then, discover the culinary genius of Ashley Christensen, chef at Poole’s Diner, who answers listener questions and introduces a mind-blowing corn cob stock. The conversation dives into the beauty of seasonal produce and encourages creative uses for vegetable scraps. Get inspired with delicious recipes like charred summer squash and innovative tips for summer cooking.

Join Kenneth Mendez, President and CEO of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, as he shares effective strategies to improve indoor air quality, including tips on air purifier placement and humidity control. Francis Lam reflects on the nostalgic memories tied to his childhood home, revealing how homes shape our identities. General contractor Zach Detmore tackles listener DIY questions, offering innovative solutions for common home improvement challenges. Discover practical advice, charming affordable homes, and the emotional connections we all have with our spaces.