The Sporkful

The founder of Milk Street hates celebrations and says pleasure is annoying. This week, Chris Kimball tells us why he thinks cooking is supposed to be hard, and how he got this way. Plus, he and Dan bond over their shared food obsessiveness and clash over their differences in the kitchen -- and in life.This episode originally aired on August 25, 2019, and was produced by Dan Pashman. The Sporkful team now includes Dan Pashman, Emma Morgenstern, Andres O'Hara, Nora Ritchie, Jared O'Connell, and Ella Barnes. Publishing by Shantel Holder and transcription by Emily Nguyen.Every other Friday, we reach into our deep freezer and reheat an episode to serve up to you. We're calling these our Reheats. If you have a show you want reheated, send us an email or voice memo at hello@sporkful.com, and include your name, your location, which episode, and why.Transcript available at www.sporkful.com.

Jameela Jamil may be best known for her role on the NBC show The Good Place. On the show, her character’s nonprofit work is a punchline, but in real life, Jameela’s activism on issues of fatphobia and sexism is no joke. She’s spoken in UK Parliament and successfully lobbied social media companies to change how they operate. Now, she hosts the podcast I Weigh where she talks with experts and celebrities about mental health, body image, and activism. This week on The Sporkful, Jameela talks with Dan about her struggles with disordered eating, and how a car accident helped her reframe her relationship with food. They also argue over whether to dunk or not to dunk, and Jameela reveals how she once knocked down a very famous actor to abscond with a stash of stolen steaks. Please note: This episode contains discussion of eating disorders. If you or someone you know are affected by an eating disorder, get more information from the National Eating Disorders Association online or by calling their helpline: 800-931-2237.The Sporkful production team includes Dan Pashman, Emma Morgenstern, Andres O'Hara, Nora Ritchie, Jared O'Connell, and Ella Barnes. Publishing by Shantel Holder and transcription by Emily Nguyen.Transcript available at www.sporkful.com.Right now, Sporkful listeners can get three months free of the SiriusXM app by going to siriusxm.com/sporkful. The SiriusXM app has all your favorite podcasts, and you can listen to over 200 ad-free music channels curated by genre and era. Plus, live sports coverage, interviews with A-list stars and more. It’s everything you want in a podcast app and music app all rolled into one. For three months free, go to siriusxm.com/sporkful.

Pretty much every restaurant has salads, and yet how often do you get really excited to eat one? In restaurants and at home, most salads seem to be there because the person making the meal felt obligated to offer them. And diners eat them for the same reason. This week we set out in search of salads that you’ll still be talking about weeks later. We hear from Chef Ayesha Nurdjaja of Shuka and Shukette in New York City, who makes Dan’s favorite salad. Then Emily Nunn, who writes the newsletter The Department of Salad, shares why she believes that “anything that you can eat can be a salad” — with one important exception -- and why she does “not by any means consider salad a ‘diet’ food, so get that out of your head this instant.”The Sporkful production team includes Dan Pashman, Emma Morgenstern, Andres O'Hara, Nora Ritchie, Jared O'Connell, and Ella Barnes. Transcription by Emily Nguyen.Transcript available at www.sporkful.com.Thank you to Subaru for sponsoring today's episode. Visit subaru.com/forester to learn more.

Is it unethical to sample an ice cream shop's flavors and not buy anything? A married couple calls in for advice, and Cooks Illustrated's Dan Souza reveals the artisanal ice cream industry's biggest secret. Plus, two listeners who run a French fry stand together call in to debate the definition of a condiment.This episode originally aired on February 26, 2018, and was produced by Dan Pashman and Anne Saini, with editing by Peter Clowney. The Sporkful team now includes Dan Pashman, Emma Morgenstern, Andres O'Hara, Nora Ritchie, Jared O'Connell, and Ella Barnes. Transcription by Emily Nguyen.Every other Friday, we reach into our deep freezer and reheat an episode to serve up to you. We're calling these our Reheats. If you have a show you want reheated, send us an email or voice memo at hello@sporkful.com, and include your name, your location, which episode, and why.Transcript available at www.sporkful.com.

Celery doesn't get a lot of love these days. But it was the avocado toast of the late 1800s and early 1900s. People thought it had magical powers, and the hottest chefs in New York City were making celery-fed duckling, mashed celery, fried celery, and celery tea. So why did celery fall from grace? And can this once vaunted vegetable make a comeback? Reporter Maya Kroth and our friends at the podcast Proof, from America’s Test Kitchen, investigate. This episode originally aired on January 7, 2019, and was reported by Maya Kroth and produced by Dan Pashman and Anne Saini. It was edited by Gianna Palmer and mixed by John DeLore. The Sporkful production team now includes Dan Pashman, Emma Morgenstern, Andres O'Hara, Nora Ritchie, Jared O'Connell, and Ella Barnes. Transcription by Emily Nguyen.Transcript available at www.sporkful.com.

Food writer Khushbu Shah and chef Edy Massih discuss their unique cookbooks that reflect their specific experiences, not traditional cuisines. They share insights on writing their books, the challenges of recipe development, and the importance of choosing the right ingredients. The conversation includes reflections on identity, family relationships, and the nuances of cookbook publishing.

Former Shea Stadium food vendor shares worst gig at the ballpark, North Carolina peanut man explains salt in shell, Mike Pesca discusses Cracker Jack advertising. Podcast explores peanuts, Cracker Jack history, nostalgia of ballpark vendors, and memories of ballpark food.

We’re back with our annual game show Two Chefs And A Lie! Here’s how it works. Dan talks with three “chefs.” Two of them are real chefs, one is an imposter. Dan can ask each of them just five questions, and then has to guess who the liar is. And you can play along too! Dan lost the first two games, but he won last year. Can he start a streak? Can he, and can you, spot the fake chef?The Sporkful production team includes Dan Pashman, Emma Morgenstern, Andres O'Hara, Nora Ritchie, Jared O'Connell, and Ella Barnes. Publishing by Shantel Holder and transcription by Emily Nguyen. Transcript available at www.sporkful.com.

Recently, a friend of restaurant critic Tim Hayward called him a glutton. This week, our friends at the Life and Art from FT Weekend podcast dig into that label with Tim — and he explains why he embraces the label. Then, Life and Art host Lilah Raptopoulos speaks with food and drink editor Harriet Fitch Little about dinner parties. What’s the perfect vibe — and the perfect soundtrack? How can you throw a dinner party that both guests and hosts will actually enjoy? And can you still host even if you’re a bad cook? They answer all these questions and more.Additional links:“As God is my witness, gluttony is not a sin” by Tim Hayward“Who’d invite their boss to dinner?” by Anjli Raval“‘No effort’ dinner parties are a delusion” by Tim HaywardHarriet Fitch Little’s dinner music recommendation is A Piano and A Microphone by PrinceThe Sporkful production team includes Dan Pashman, Emma Morgenstern, Andres O'Hara, Nora Ritchie, and Jared O'Connell. Publishing by Shantel Holder and transcription by Emily Nguyen.Transcript available at www.sporkful.com.

After months of searching, we finally meet Ted Ngoy, aka "the Donut King", and learn what happened to him. He's returned to the Cambodian community seeking redemption. But will he find it?(This is part two of a two-part series; scroll back in your feed for part one.)This episode originally aired on April 30, 2018, and was produced by Anne Saini and Dan Pashman, with editing by Peter Clowney. The Sporkful team now includes Emma Morgenstern, Andres O’Hara, Jared O’Connell, Nora Ritchie, and Ella Barnes. Publishing by Shantel Holder and transcription by Emily Nguyen.Transcript available at www.sporkful.com.