

Proof
America's Test Kitchen
We take America's Test Kitchen's inquisitive and relentless approach to telling unexpected, funny, and thought-provoking narratives about food and drink. This is not a recipe show. And this is not a show about celebrity chefs or what they like to eat. Proof plunges into history, culture, science, and the psyche to uncover the hidden backstories that feed your food-obsessed brain. A production of America's Test Kitchen.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Dec 24, 2025 • 39min
The Hospital That Serves Wild Game
What if hospital food could actually help you heal? In this episode of Proof, Reporter Otis Gray travels from the waters of Southeast Alaska to the Alaska Native Medical Center, the only hospital in the U.S. that serves wild game like moose, caribou, salmon, and seal to patients. We'll explore how traditional Indigenous foods can function as medicine, offering not just nutrition, but comfort, connection, and a sense of home.
Connect with quality therapists and mental health experts who specialize in you at https://www.rula.com/proof Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

9 snips
Dec 11, 2025 • 37min
Creating A Copycat Levain Cookie Recipe
Andrea Geary, Deputy Food Editor at America's Test Kitchen and passionate baker, teams up with Angelica Quintanilla-McCall, an Associate Producer and reporter, to unveil the secrets behind crafting a perfect Levain-style cookie. They dive into the intricate process of testing dough formulas and fine-tuning flavors, from analyzing the cookie's texture to experimenting with chilling methods. After a series of trials and blind taste tests, their recipe triumphs, showcasing the balance between gooey interiors and crisp exteriors, captivating bakers everywhere.

Dec 4, 2025 • 39min
Why Dinner Parties Still Matter
Dinner parties are having a moment again; where homemade meals feel almost radical in our fast-paced world. But this isn’t the first time they’ve surged back into American life. Reporter Otis Gray visits three New York dinner parties where we learn it’s never just about the food.
Inspired to host your own dinner party? Check out our website for this list of dishes that are sure to wow.
Connect with quality therapists and mental health experts who specialize in you at https://www.rula.com/proof Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nov 27, 2025 • 38min
What Does a Shared Menu Look Like Across a Divide?
What happens when two chefs, Yia Vang and Colby Rasavong, inherit a fraught history and decide to cook their way through it? In this episode, reporter Ngoc Bui takes us inside a Hmong-Lao dinner where they use food to open conversations about a complex past and explore how a new culinary vernacular can bridge generations.
Check out our recipe for Hmong Grilled Hilltribe Chicken with Kua Txob, inspired by Yia Vang, and this classic Laotian recipe for Nam khao!
Connect with quality therapists and mental health experts who specialize in you at https://www.rula.com/proof Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nov 13, 2025 • 40min
Whose Borscht Is It Anyway?
What happens when food travels with a diaspora? Reporter Kat Chow thought her family’s corned beef stew was a Chinese take on an Irish dish...until she discovered its true origins. In this episode of Proof, Kat traces the unexpected route that luo song tong—Hong Kong-style Borscht—took across continents and generations.
Craving a hearty beef stew? Check out this recipe on our website.
Connect with quality therapists and mental health experts who specialize in you at https://www.rula.com/proof Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

11 snips
Nov 6, 2025 • 37min
The (Social) Mushroom Network
Join Sarah Vitek, an investigative reporter, as she dives deep into the wild mushroom trade, uncovering its hidden complexities. Olivier Maton, a commercial picker and filmmaker, shares insights from the foraging frontlines, revealing how pickers operate like a mycelium network. Linus Norgren, a veteran distributor, highlights the unpredictable supply chain and the precarities faced by workers. Together, they explore the elusive nature of mushrooms, the challenges of regulation, and the fascinating underground economy that connects foragers to your plate.

Oct 30, 2025 • 30min
The Hot Dog King: An Episode from The Sporkful Podcast
Today’s story, from Dan Pashman and The Sporkful, is about the people behind New York’s hot dog carts, and one man’s fight to keep his spot. From street corners to museum steps, street vending is a grind that is shaped by city politics, impossible permits, and everyday hustle. In this episode, we meet Dan Rossi, a Marine vet who’s spent nearly 20 years guarding his cart outside The Met, the most coveted location for selling a hot dog in New York City, and fighting for his right to stay.
Listen to and learn more from The Sporkful on their website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oct 23, 2025 • 3min
A New Season of Proof Starts November 6!
Is the mushroom foraging business as innocent as it seems? What does it take for two cultures at odds to come together to make the ultimate fusion cuisine? How does the development of a viral cookie recipe work here at America's Test Kitchen? We answer these questions and more on the new season of Proof. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oct 16, 2025 • 42min
The Legacy of America's Culinary Founding Father (Part 3: The James Hemings Story)
In this three-part series, reporter Otis Gray explores the extraordinary life of James Hemings; the enslaved chef who forever changed American cuisine.
Episode three investigates the mysterious final chapter of James Hemings' life, exploring the unanswered questions surrounding the death of one of America's first great chefs. We also examine his undeniable legacy and the widespread impact of his cooking on modern day American cuisine and traditions.
Connect with quality therapists and mental health experts who specialize in you at https://www.rula.com/proof
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Oct 9, 2025 • 33min
The Bargain for Freedom (Part 2: The James Hemings Story)
In this three-part series, reporter Otis Gray explores the extraordinary life of James Hemings; the enslaved chef who forever changed American cuisine.
Episode two meets Hemings back at Monticello where his cooking became the backdrop to some of the most pivotal moments of Jefferson's political career and our country's history; all the while training his brother Peter in exchange for his freedom.
Connect with quality therapists and mental health experts who specialize in you at https://www.rula.com/proof
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