Your Mama’s Kitchen
Higher Ground
“Tell me about your mama's kitchen.” That’s the simple request which begins each episode of this Audible Original podcast from acclaimed journalist Michele Norris (NPR’s All Things Considered, The Washington Post) and Higher Ground, Barack and Michelle Obama's media company. Every week, hear guests like Michelle Obama, Conan O'Brien, Ina Garten, José Andrés, John Legend, and more explore the complexities of family life and how their earliest culinary experiences helped shape their personal and professional lives—and of course, each guest brings a recipe for a favorite dish from their youth so you can taste a bit of their story.With a delicious buffet of actors, authors, chefs, musicians, and more, the rich conversations that flow from that simple, initial prompt reveal the histories, memories, and cultures that emerge from the kitchen—the heart of the home—where we are nourished physically and spiritually. Your Mama’s Kitchen is a podcast about cuisine and culture, ingredients and identities, and the meals and memories that make us who we are.Your Mama’s Kitchen is a production of Higher Ground.Produced by Sonia Htoon.Associate Producers are Jenna Levin, Stella Hartman, Itxy Quintinilla and Camila Thur de Koos.Sound design and engineering from Andrew Eapen, Ryan Kozlowski and Roy Baum.Executive producers for Higher Ground are Mukta Mohan, Dan Fierman and Michele Norris.The show’s closing song is 504 by The Soul Rebels.Editorial and web support from Melissa Bear and Say What Media. Our talent booker is Angela Peluso.Copyright 2024 by Higher Ground Audio, LLC / Sound Recording copyright 2024 by Higher Ground Audio, LLC.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Jul 22, 2025 • 52min
Sam Sanders on the Healing Powers of Smothered Chicken
Journalist, podcast host and radio star Sam Sanders takes us back to his roots in Texas, where everyone one in his house was a cook and there was a local "rabbit" man who sold all kinds of meat from his truck; including possum. Sam opens up about a special moment he shared with his mom as she was recovering from stroke, while cooking her special Smothered Chicken Recipe.Check out Sam's podcast The Sam Sanders Show and Vibe Check.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Jul 15, 2025 • 49min
Molly Jong-Fast on Alcoholism, Dementia and a Mom Addicted to Fame
Michele chats with author, journalist, and political commentator Molly Jong-Fast. Molly's new book, How to Lose Your Mother: A Daughter's Memoir depicts the emotionally complex relationship she had with her mother, feminist icon Erica Jong. Through sobriety at 19, to stepping out of her mother's overbearing shadow, and finally parenting her mother through dementia, Molly bares it all. Plus she shares her recipe for a decadently sweet Baked Alaska!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Jul 8, 2025 • 57min
How Pyet DeSpain Won Next Level Chef By Embracing Her Roots
Chef, cookbook author, and winner of Next Level Chef, Pyet DeSpain, shares how her Mexican and Native American roots shaped her extraordinary culinary career. Pyet talks about growing up on the Osage Reservation in Oklahoma, debunks misconceptions about Native culture and cuisine, and pulls back the curtain on what it’s really like behind the scenes of a cooking competition show. Plus, she shares her recipe for Blue Corn Strawberry Tamales with Coconut Horchata Sauce!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Jul 1, 2025 • 1h 10min
Kevin Kwan's Crazy Rich History
Bestselling author of Crazy Rich Asians, Kevin Kwan, reflects on his “Huck Finn-style” childhood in Singapore. He shares the real-life inspirations behind Crazy Rich Asians (including a memory from director Jon Chu’s own life that made it into the film) and regales Michele with some truly extraordinary family stories. Plus, he shares a delicious cross-cultural recipe for curry puffs! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Jun 24, 2025 • 55min
The Borinquen Family that Keeps Lala Anthony Grounded
Actress, producer, best selling author, and previous MTV VJ, Lala Anthony talks about her Brooklyn upbringing. She shares how boricua food was a constant in her household, the power of her lively Puerto Rican family, and how a cross country leap landed her right into the world of tv and radio. Plus, she shares her family’s Arroz con Pollo recipe! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Jun 17, 2025 • 1h 4min
Priya Krishna: Food Writer in Disguise
Journalist, author and New York Times critic Priya Krishna joins to dive deeper into the kitchen that inspired her cookbook Indian-ish. She talks through her mom's weeknight dinner routine (all done in a pristine white linen shirt), traveling to new cities and countries for free, and the lengths she goes to avoid being recognized at restaurants. Plus she shares her mom's quick and simple Dal recipe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Jun 10, 2025 • 43min
Karen Pittman on Acting Against the Odds
In this special, live-taped episode actress Karen Pittman join Michele on stage to talk about her journey from Nashville to her career in Hollywood. She revisits the childhood kitchen where she watched her parents' fraught dynamics play out and where she learned to build worlds of her own imagination. Plus, we learn how to make her mama's buttery cinnamon rolls. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Jun 3, 2025 • 1h 1min
Malika Andrews Found her Sportscasting Voice in the Kitchen
Malika Andrews, an ESPN sports journalist known for hosting WNBA and NBA Countdown, reflects on her childhood in a multicultural household. She shares heartwarming stories from her mother's kitchen in Oakland, revealing how those experiences helped her find her voice and confidence. Malika emphasizes the importance of representation in sports for young women and the challenges of navigating identity in predominantly white spaces. Plus, she talks about the joy of cooking and shares secrets to her family's beloved carrot cake.
May 27, 2025 • 58min
The Restaurant That Made Antoni Porowski Proud to Be Polish
Antoni Porowski, food expert on Netflix's Queer Eye and host of the new show No Taste Like Home, joins Michele to talk about being Polish-Canadian and why he was never allowed in his kitchen growing up. He opens up about why he hasn't spoken to his mother in several years, and how cooking and a shared passion for food connects them to each other. We also learn about the iconic restaurant that helped him settle into his Polish identity and the secret behind a classic Polish recipe: Stuffed Cabbage Rolls!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
May 23, 2025 • 47min
Tom Colicchio on Hunger, Food Deserts, and a Broken System, from Assembly Required
Tom Colicchio, renowned chef and Top Chef judge, has dedicated over a decade to advocating for better food policies. He passionately discusses the irony of food insecurity in a wealthy nation and explores the impact of government policies on hunger. Colicchio shares insights from his work on school lunch reforms and tackling food deserts, emphasizing the importance of community action. He also reflects on the evolution of culinary culture and urges listeners to get involved in local initiatives to combat hunger, especially for children.
