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

This week, we spend an hour with one of Francis’ heroes, Chef Martin Yan. He talks about growing up in China, the time he spent working in the legendary wet markets, and how helping his mom in the kitchen gave him a lifelong lesson in seasonal cooking. From his journey to Hong Kong where he famously learned how to bone-out a chicken in 18 seconds, to his move to attend college in the US, to becoming a trailblazing culinary food show host of Yan Can Cook, his is a story full of determination, achievement, and his trademark humor. He is the author of over twenty cookbooks and is currently the host of Martin Yan, Quick and EasyBroadcast dates for this episode:August 27, 2021 (originally aired)September 2, 2022 (rebroadcast)June 7, 2024 (rebroadcast)Celebrate kitchen companionship with a gift to The Splendid Table today.

This week, we’re spending an hour with Culinary Historian Dr. Jessica B. Harris. We talk about her start in food writing, how she started making connections between what she ate in Africa and what she ate in America, learn about one of her greatest influences, her mother who she calls her “culinary secret weapon”, and hear the many different ways she studied food, from reading Columbus’ journal to her experiences as a travel editor. She is the author of twelve books including, Iron Pots and Wooden Spoon: Africa’s Gifts to New World Cooking, her memoir, My Soul Looks Back, and High on the Hog: A Culinary Journey from Africa to America.Broadcast dates for this episode:January 7, 2022 (originally aired)January 27, 2023 (rebroadcast)May 17, 2024 (rebroadcast)

This week, we're joined by two comedians to talk about their connection to food. First, Ivy Le, host of the podcast Fear of Going Outside. We quote, "Most nature shows are hosted by reckless white men, but avid indoors woman Ivy Le is an Asian mom with severe allergies. Last season, Ivy conquered camping. She's back, braving the outdoors to go hunting- or die trying!" Then, comedian Dan Ahdoot, the author of the new book Undercooked: How I Let Food Become My Life Navigator and How Maybe That's a Dumb Way to Live, talks to us about his connection to food and his family, his theories on relationships, and the journeys he's taken for a great meal.Broadcast dates for this episode:May 26, 2023 (originally aired)May 10, 2024 (rebroadcast)Your support is a special ingredient in helping to make The Splendid Table. Donate today.

Actress Jennifer Garner joins culinary icon Ina Garten to revamp recipes and cook pizzas while discussing Jennifer's childhood, moving to Manhattan, and her favorite foods. The episode captures their genuine camaraderie and shared passion for food.

This week, we are celebrating the spring cookbooks of 2023! First, we talk with Chef Lara Lee about her approach to flavorful meals using iconic Asian ingredients from her pantry, including recipes for her stellar Tom Yum Bloody Mary and Sambal Patatas Bravas - crispy potatoes topped with a sambal spiced tomato mixture and a bit of mayo! Addictive! Her latest book is A Splash of Soy. Then, we get deep into flavor combinations with Niki Segnit, author of The Flavor Thesaurus. She talks us through surprising flavor combinations that will inspire and expand your home cooking adventures. Then, we talk African home cooking with Lerato Umah-Shaylor, author of Africana, and her delicious recipes filled with traditional and modern flavors of African cuisine. From yassa butter to bejeweled aromatic fried rice and her delicious Akàrà; deep fried bean fritters with ginger & spring onions.Broadcast dates for this episode:May 12, 2023 (originally aired)April 26, 2024 (rebroadcast)Celebrate kitchen companionship with a gift to The Splendid Table today.

This week, we promise you will get your recommended dose of fruits and vegetables! Award-winning author Abra Berens takes us on a sweet and savory journey with fruit. From best cooking methods to subtle and exotic pickling methods- think Brined Cherries + Salty Snacks, to advice on picking the best fruit to throw on the grill. She’s the author of three books, Grist, A Practical Guide to Cooking Grains, Beans, Seeds, and Legumes, Ruffage: A Practical Guide to Vegetables, and her latest, Pulp: A Practical Guide to Cooking with Fruit. Then, we turn to vegetables with food editor and author Sheela Prakash. Her new book is Salad Seasons: Vegetable-Forward Dishes All Year. The book is chockfull of imaginative uses for fresh veggies, including an amazing recipe for Spring Carrots with Burnt Butter and Labneh.Broadcast dates for this episode:April 21, 2023 (originally aired)April 12, 2024 (rebroadcast)Donate to The Splendid Table today and we will show our appreciation with a special thank-you gift

We’re all about baking today, from New York to Mexico to London by way of India. First, Pastry Chef Natasha Pickowicz talks to us about her favorite recipes and her baking process. Then, she shares her baking techniques, from bringing egg whites back to life to saving overbaked cakes by soaking them in delicious liquid. She is the author of More Than Cake: 100 Baking Recipes for Pleasure and Community, and she left us with her Fennel, Chocolate, and Hazelnut Spears. Then, Chicano Eats Food Blogger Esteban Castillo gives us a rundown of his favorite Mexican pastries and all the goodness Mexican panaderias have to offer, from cakes to jellos and even savory treats. He is the author of Chicano Bakes: Recipes for Mexican Pan Dulce, Tamales, and My Favorite Desserts. He left us with his recipe for Pan de Elote. And you can find more recipes on his site, Chicano Eats. Then, one of the most beloved contestants on the Great British Baking Show, Chetna Makan, talks about her love of baking and the ways she incorporates Indian spices and flavors into her sweets. Her latest book is Chetna’s Easy Baking with a Twist of Spice, and she left us with her recipe for Chocolate and Coconut Spiced 
Self-Saucing Pudding.Broadcast dates for this episode:April 7, 2023 (originally aired)March 29, 2024 (rebroadcast)Celebrate kitchen companionship with a gift to The Splendid Table today

This week, Honolulu chef Robynne Maii teams up with Francis to answer your cooking questions! First, we catch up on her connection to cooking and dancing, what she grew up eating thanks to her mom's love of faithfully following a recipe, and what she loves to eat as a Honolulu local. Then she dives right in with our listener questions, from what to do with leftover roast duck to how to make chili crisp. She leaves us with a recipe for Simple Smoked Fish Dip. After answering that listener's question about chili crisps, we thought it would be perfect to talk to the master of food science, award-winning writer Nik Sharma, about his favorite crispy things. He left us with a great oven technique for crispy shallots and a Chicken Kanji recipe.Broadcast dates for this episode:March 17, 2023 (originally aired)March 15, 2024 (rebroadcast)Celebrate kitchen companionship with a gift to The Splendid Table today.

This week, we dive into the world of tea, its history, and traditions. First up, we visit the T Shop in New York City with East Asian tea expert Theresa Wong. Theresa leads Francis through a tea tasting, from black, thru oolong all the way to green. We learn a few brewing tips along the way as well. Then, food and culture writer Leena Trevedi-Grenier talks to us about the surprising story of Masala Chai's history and gives us an in-depth guide to spicing and techniques for making the perfect cup. You can find her recipe for Fresh Ginger Masala Tea here.Broadcast dates for this episode:March 3, 2023 (originally aired)March 1, 2024 (rebroadcast)Your support is a special ingredient in helping to make The Splendid Table. Donate today

This week, we’re bringing you a show we recorded with LAist in Orange County, CA, one of the richest food scenes in the US. We talk to award-winning journalist Gustavo Arellano about the evolution of OC’s culinary scene, the immigrant influences, and how its diverse foodways continue to be embraced by the different generations. Gustavo is the Los Angeles Times columnist and author of Taco USA: How Mexican Food Conquered America and his latest, A People’s Guide to Orange County; then, Chefs Brenda and Daniel Castillo of Heritage Barbecue join the stage to talk about making Texas barbecue in CA and making it their own and then, Kenneth Nguyen, host of The Vietnamese Podcast and Patricia Huang, former general manager of the famous Asian 626 Night Market, talk about Orange County's Asian street food culture. Broadcast dates for this episode:February 23, 2024 (originally aired)Donate to The Splendid Table today and we will show our appreciation with a special thank-you gift.