Arts

Expense Account

Hey, it’s J Lee, food critic at large for Emily Sundberg’s Feed Me. I write about $300 martinis, New York City’s secret chicken tenders, my favorite dim sum spots, and how I’ll never wait in line for froyo.

I’ve got one million opinions about food, but the thing is, everyone has their own opinions about food and I want to hear all of them. Every week on Expense Account we’ll have a guest, it could be a chef, a writer, a musician, an actor, and we’ll talk about food. The good, the bad, and the ugly. Best meals and worst meals. Food that is shockingly expensive. And favorite spots around the world. We might even take a peek inside of their fridge, to find out how they’re really eating. We’ll always start the conversation with food, but we’ll always wind up somewhere else, because food is culture, and everybody eats.

www.readfeedme.com

Latest Episodes:

Monica Padman Orders The Chili at Hillstone Oct 15, 2026

Show notes

Monica Padman was a Soul Cycle instructor during its heyday, she’s been a celebrity nanny, an actress, and now she is one half of the tremendously popular, Golden Globe nominated podcast Armchair Expert. We talked fast food, career changes, and Hillstone. Buckle up.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.readfeedme.com/subscribe

Luke Fortney is everything everywhere all at once. Oct 08, 2026

Show notes

Luke Fortney is a friend of mine, a friend of the pod, but he missed our podcast launch party. I’m sure he has some reasonable explanation. He was probably somewhere eating a quesadilla. Or some momos. A cinnamon bun. Maybe some frozen yogurt. And this is a valid excuse, because this is Luke’s job. Luke Writes the Where To Eat column/newsletter for The New York Times. Nearly everyday Luke runs around the city, eating every delicious food imaginable, in every borough. Luke is one of just a handful of people who I trust to give me a restaurant recommendation. And of those few people, he’s the only one with a nose ring. I could talk to Luke all day about restaurants. This guy knows his stuff. He’s charming, funny, and incredibly handsome. To be honest, he mogs me in more ways than one.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.readfeedme.com/subscribe

Pati Jinich Does It All Oct 01, 2026

Show notes

I love all of my guests. They’re all special. They’re all brilliant, but there’s just something about Patti Jinich. There’s a warmth that feels like a hug, or a Patagonia puffer vest. You can feel it through the TV. You can feel it through her words. She’s the host of Pati's Mexican table, Pati Jinich Explores PanAmericana, and La Frontera With Pati Jinich, all on PBS. She’s doing god’s work. If you’ve not watched her shows you really should. It’s some of the best travel and food TV since Bourdain, IMHO. She has a new cookbook called Foods of La Frontera, and two new seasons of her TV shows. We talked about life on the road, bordertown burritos, Kewpie mayo, and how she manages to do it all, all the time.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.readfeedme.com/subscribe

Tanya Sichynsky Sep 24, 2026

Show notes

Our guest today is none other than Tanya Sichynsky, writer of the fantastic New York Times newsletter The Veggie and now author of Veg Everything: Recipes for Weeknights, Parties, and the Bites in Between. Vegetables are beautiful and delicious, and Tanya will be the first to tell you that you don't need to be a vegetarian to cook vegetarian meals. We talk about Atlanta, where Tanya is from. We talk about sports and Magic City wings. We really go in on Trader Joe's. And we talk Shrimpmas, your new favorite holiday. Tanya, I promise I'll be there this year.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.readfeedme.com/subscribe

Molly Baz contains multitudes Sep 17, 2026

Show notes

Molly Baz is a ray of light. Molly Baz is building an empire. Molly Baz can not be stopped. She has two bestselling cookbooks, a wine label, an insanely popular newsletter, a video series, her very own mayo line, and she has a third cookbook, “Less Is More” slated to come out early next year. She just announced a new line of ice cream sandwiches. There’s a bit of Baz for everyone. Molly joins me today to teach me how to not cook like a coward. We talk about bad weed experiences, and mixing beer with milk. We talk babies and condiments. Molly Baz contains multitudes. We dug deep.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.readfeedme.com/subscribe

Carla Lalli on life after divorce, online dating and pepper jack cheese Sep 17, 2026

Show notes

Our first guest is carla lalli. FKA Carla Lalli Music. She’s lived many lives. From the first GM at the first Shake Shack, to a beloved chef in the Bon Appétit test kitchen. She’s been a YouTube star, recipe developer, Substacker, and James Beard Award winner. She is a legend. She recently published her new book, Food Is A Feeling. Half cookbook, half memoir, the book tells the story of her divorce, and the healing power of food. We talked about online dating, how she could have been rich, pepper jack cheese, the pesto pasta problem, and why you should never feel guilt about pleasure. Talking to Carla was a pleasure, and I feel no guilt about it.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.readfeedme.com/subscribe

Expense Account Season 2 Sep 10, 2026

Show notes

Food critic J Lee is back, turning food into a doorway to the bigger conversations that define how we live. Each week, J sits down with a guest to talk about food and everything around it - society, identity, culture, and the way we move through the world. Sometimes it's a chef. Sometimes it's a writer, a tastemaker, or the bartender at his favorite bar. Because everyone eats, and everyone has a story.

We always start with food. But we always wind up somewhere else - because food is culture, and everybody eats.

New season, same appetite. Season 2 drops September 17th

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.readfeedme.com/subscribe

Tom Colicchio Mar 23, 2026

Show notes

Expense Account is currently between seasons, but we had an opportunity to speak to culinary legend Tom Colicchio at his home in New York. We have more exciting announcements about the show later this spring, but in the meantime, enjoy this intermission episode.

This week, J Lee spoke to Tom Colicchio. The restaurateur and TV star just celebrated the 25th anniversary of his iconic restaurant Craft. You might also know him as a judge on all 21 seasons of “Top Chef,” and as a co-founder of Gramercy Tavern. This episode covers:

* What it was like to shop at Union Square Farmer’s Market in the ‘90s

* How the cost of opening a restaurant in New York City has changed over the last three decades

* Training in restaurants vs. training in culinary school

* How Tom almost ended up in “The Sopranos”

Expense Account is a food podcast for everyone. Insiders, outsiders, your mom, your dad, New Yorkers, Angelenos and also people from Florida (we love you). Anyone who enjoys eating food. It’s even for people who hate food. Feed Me’s resident food critic, J Lee will be joined each week by interesting and noteworthy guests from various fields who will make you laugh, they might even make you cry, who knows. You’ll find us here each week. Subscribe to stay relevant.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.readfeedme.com/subscribe

Keith McNally Jan 28, 2026

Show notes

It’s the season one finale of Expense Account!

This week, J Lee spoke Keith McNally, the legendary restaurateur behind Balthazar, The Odeon, Pastis, Minetta Tavern, Lucky Strike and more. He is also the author of “I Regret Almost Everything.” Topics discussed include:

* The ideal order for two people at Balthazar

* Keith’s love/hate relationship with social media

* Creating the perfect restaurant playlist

* and why restaurants are one of the last places you can achieve the American dream

If you’re interested in working with us on the next season of Expense Account, have an idea for a guest, or want to host us at your countryside farm in France, email emily@readfeedme.com

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.readfeedme.com/subscribe

Cami Téllez and Sasha Mutchnik Jan 21, 2026

Show notes

This week on Expense Account, J Lee spoke to Cami Téllez and Sasha Mutchnik. Topics discussed include:

* Colostrum

* The Armani Couture bring worn and Juuls being smoked at Casa Cipriani

* Sasha and Cami’s friendship origin story on the Columbia campus

* Dinner omelettes

* And the art collection at Kappo Masa

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.readfeedme.com/subscribe