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

Latest Episodes:

732: Real world seafood cooking with Genevieve Ko and Jennifer Bushman May 23, 2025

Show notes

When it comes to seafood, frozen is the new fresh. We talk to seafood industry expert, Jennifer Bushman about how technology has improved the quality of frozen fish and how to make the most of canned seafood from your local grocery store. Her latest project is Sea Pantry, how to keep your pantry stocked up with ingredients from the sea. Then, Senior Editor of New York Times Cooking, Genevieve Ko brings us her best at-home seafood cooking tips and recipes.

Broadcast dates for this episode:

April 9, 2021 (originally aired)
April 8, 2022 (rebroadcast)
May 31, 2024 (rebroadcast)
May 23, 2025 (rebroadcast)

Generous listeners like you make The Splendid Table possible. Donate today to support the show

730: Vegetarian Cooking with Deborah Madison May 16, 2025

Show notes

This week, we spend the hour with Deborah Madison, one of the trailblazers in popularizing vegetarian cooking in America — even though she’s not a full-time vegetarian herself. We chat with her about how she came to be the founding chef of Greens, likely America's first high-end vegetarian restaurant, at a time when fine dining meant meat at the center of the plate, and her study of Buddhism and the food path it opened up for her. Then she helps us answer your cooking questions. Deborah is the author of the classic Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone, The Greens Cookbook, The Savory Way, and her latest, memoir — An Onion in My Pocket: My Life with Vegetables.

Broadcast dates for this episode:

March 5, 2021 (originally aired)
March 11, 2022 (rebroadcast)
May 16, 2025 (rebroadcast)

803: Priya Krishna’s Kitchen Adventures and Snacking Bakes with Yossy Arefi Apr 25, 2025

Show notes

This week, we’re bringing you two guests that will get you excited about cooking and baking. First, New York Times food desk reporter Priya Krishna tells us about her food writing career, building connections through her stories and travels and her most recent book, Priya’s Kitchen Adventures: A Cookbook for Kids. In her book, she draws recipes from different cuisines worldwide and tells us what working with kids as recipe testers was like. She leaves us with a recipe for Life Changing Udon. Then, Baker Yossy Arefi talks us through what it takes to make delicious and simple baking recipes. She talks about making desserts without occasion and finding freedom in combining flavors in her recipes, like her delicious Pink Cookie Bars with cardamom and almond cream cheese frosting. Plus, she sticks around to answer your baking questions. Yossy Arefi’s latest book is Snacking Bakes, Simple Recipes for Cookies, Bars, Brownies, Cakes, and More.

Broadcast dates for this episode:

May 3, 2024 (originally aired)
April 25, 2025 (rebroadcast)

Donate to The Splendid Table today and we will show our appreciation with a special thank-you gift.

753: An Homage to the Refrigerator Apr 18, 2025

Show notes

This week, we’re shining a light on the absolutely magical, life-changing, the world-changing thing that you already have in your kitchen. The refrigerator. Maybe nothing in your home has changed the world more. Historian Jonathan Rees author of Refrigeration Nation: A History of Ice, Appliances, and Enterprise in America talks about its origins and influence on cultures worldwide. Then, Editor in Chief of Cooks Illustrated, Dan Souza, teaches us how to get the most out of the fridge we already have - from what to keep in your fridge door to why you might reconsider where you are storing your milk, and then Philadelphia Chef Shola Olunloyo of Studio Kitchen tells us how to think of the fridge as a tool to becoming a better cook. Think crispier chicken and root vegetables so delicious you will have no problem moving them to the center of your plate.

Broadcast dates for this episode:

March 18 2022 (originally aired)
March 24, 2023 (rebroadcast)
April 18, 2025 (rebroadcast)

Donate to The Splendid Table today and we will show our appreciation with a special thank-you gift

802: Chasing Flavor with Carla Hall and Roots, Heart, Soul with Todd Richards Apr 04, 2025

Show notes

This week, it’s the food journeys of two chefs. First, TV Star and author Carla Hall joins us to talk about her latest show, Chasing Flavor. She brings us stories about her filming and travels and the connection between people and their food. She sticks around to answer some of your cooking questions. Carla Hall hosts the MAX series, Chasing Flavor, and is the author of Carla's Soul Food: Every Day and Celebration. Then, we sat down with Atlanta chef Todd Richards to talk about the interesting and varied influences on soul food. He talks about the foods from West Africa, how they traveled across the Caribbean, and how the dishes have evolved. He left us with his recipe for Haitian Oxtail in Beef Broth with Pikliz. Todd's new book is Roots, Heart and Soul: The Story, Celebration and Recipes of Afro Cuisine in America.

Broadcast dates for this episode:

April 19, 2024 (originally aired)
April 4, 2025 (rebroadcast)

When you shop using our links, we earn a small commission. It’s a great way to support public media at no extra cost to you!

Generous listeners like you make The Splendid Table possible. Donate today to support the show.

801: Islas: A Celebration of Tropical Cooking with Von Diaz and My Life in Recipes, Food, Family and Memories with Joan Nathan Mar 28, 2025

Show notes

We are looking at food stories from different cultures this week. First, documentarian and journalist Von Diaz joins us to talk about her latest book, Islas: A Celebration of Tropical Cooking. She writes about island cuisine from all over the world and talks about her academic field research, the connections she feels when she is on an island, and the unique dishes she cooked and tasted for her book research. She found commonality among the islands in their cooking techniques, from grilling to smoking and marinating, and shares a delicious, iconic island recipe for CHamoru Barbecue Chicken with Juanita’s Fina’denne’. Then, best-selling author and Jewish food authority Joan Nathan joins us to talk about her latest book, a memoir My Life in Recipes, Food, Family and Memories. Joan chronicles her start in food, the people she met along the way, her passion for elevating the home cook and her devotion to the regular ritual of sitting down together for a meal.

Broadcast dates for this episode:

April 5, 2024 (originally aired)
March 28, 2025 (rebroadcast)

Your support is a special ingredient in helping to make The Splendid Table. Donate today

800: Start Here with Sohla El-Waylly Mar 14, 2025

Show notes

This week, we spend the hour with cooking columnist and internet sensation, Sohla El-Waylly. We talk about her connection to food and how she got her start as a pastry chef, writer, and recipe developer. She talks about her work in restaurants and her passion for teaching people how to cook. And she answers your cooking questions, from the best way to cook rabbit to her favorite ice cream flavor. Her latest book is Start Here, filled with recipes that teach techniques, as shown in her Bisteeya Inspired Phyllo Chicken Pie recipe.

Broadcast dates for this episode:

March 22, 2024 (originally aired)
March 14, 2025 (rebroadcast)

Donate to The Splendid Table today and we will show our appreciation with a special thank-you gift.

799: The Dish with Andrew Friedman and Flavorama with Arielle Johnson Feb 28, 2025

Show notes

This week, we're all about the world of restaurants and flavor. First, we talked with Andrew Friedman about his career, writing about American food culture, chefs, and the restaurant scene. He talks to us about his latest project, spending time behind the swinging doors of a restaurant and how all the kitchen roles—from the butcher to the delivery drivers to the dishwasher make the dish you sit down to enjoy. His latest book is The Dish: The Lives and Labor Behind One Plate of Food. Then we sit down with Flavor Scientist Arielle Johnson, who talks about the science behind flavor, from flavor perceptions to aroma and the laws of flavor. Arielle's latest book is Flavorama: A Guide to Unlocking the Art and Science of Flavor, and she leaves us with her recipes for Smoke Oil & Smoke Oil Infused Fish.

Broadcast dates for this episode:

March 8, 2024 (originally aired)
February 28, 2025 (rebroadcast)

Generous listeners like you make The Splendid Table possible. Donate today to support the show

797: Melissa Clark’s Deep Dive into Salt & Crystal Wilkinson on her Kitchen Ghosts Feb 14, 2025

Show notes

This week, we talk to two award-winning authors about their latest work. First, The New York Times cooking columnist Melissa Clark talks to us about her deep dive into the world of salt. From exploring salt harvesting in France to the history and revival of artisanal salts, she walks us through different types of salt and their uses in cooking. She sticks around to answer your cooking questions. Melissa Clark's latest book is Dinner in One, and for a taste of her style, check out her recipe for Roasted Cauliflower & Potatoes with Harissa, Yogurt & Toasted Almonds. Then, award-winning author Crystal Wilkinson talks to us about her new memoir, honoring her maternal ancestors, her kitchen ghosts. She talks about feeling them deeply while cooking and realizing their presence in her life. Crystal's memoir is Praisesong for the Kitchen Ghosts: Stories and Recipes from Five Generations of Black Country Cooks, and she leaves us with her recipe for Indian Creek Skillet Cornbread.

Broadcast dates for this episode:

February 9, 2024 (originally aired)
February 14, 2025 (rebroadcast)

Your support is a special ingredient in helping to make The Splendid Table. Donate today.

773: Happy Lunar New Year! Jan 31, 2025

Show notes

This week it’s a look at the different Lunar New Year celebrations in China, Vietnam, and Korea. First, Sarah and Kaitlin Leung talk about their Chinese New Year traditions and the symbolism behind the dishes they serve at their new year table. Sarah and Kaitlin, along with their parents, Judy and Bill, are the family behind The Woks of Life blog and cookbook, and they shared their family recipe for Poached “White Cut” Chicken. Then, Andrea Nguyen, author of Vietnamese Food Any Day, talks about celebrating Tet, the Vietnamese new year tradition that focuses on simple foods like rice, meat, beans, and vegetables. Her forthcoming book is, Ever Green Vietnamese, and she left us with her Braised Pork Ribs in Caramel Sauce (SUON KHO) recipe. Then Chef Hooni Kim, author of My Korea; Traditional Flavors, Modern Recipes remembers Lunar New Year celebrations spent with his family and leaves us a recipe for a classic accompaniment, Simple Zucchini Jeon, a delicious pan-fried fritter with your choice of meats or vegetables.

Broadcast dates for this episode:

January 20, 2023 (originally aired)
January 19, 2024 (rebroadcast)
January 31, 2025 (rebroadcast)

When you shop using our links, we earn a small commission. It’s a great way to support public media at no extra cost to you!

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

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

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected