This Is TASTE

Michael White, a James Beard and Michelin-starred chef who built NYC Italian dining (Marea, Ai Fiori, Alto), reflects on his Wisconsin roots, decades studying regional Italian technique, and reopening Santi. Eric Bedroussian, restaurateur behind LA izakaya Budonoki with Major Domo and Hillstone experience, discusses concept design, service, and building a sustainable neighborhood restaurant group.

Hafiz Mangalji, founder of Hyunah (Huna) Coffee Club and creator of a reservations-only specialty coffee clubhouse in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. He discusses the club’s gear-forward membership, its rotating global roaster marketplace, the rise of fourth-wave home brewing, the importance of water chemistry, and why a members-only model fits better than a café.

Erica Roby, a former criminal defense lawyer turned competition pitmaster and Level 2 sommelier, and Tucker Brown, a sixth-generation Texas cattle rancher, dive into brisket, Creole-inflected barbecue techniques, and what makes great beef. They discuss mastering long smokes, practical smoker tips, underrated cuts, wine pairings, and the realities of raising cattle today.

Amber Husain, a London-based writer and author of Tell Me How You Eat, explores recovery from anorexia alongside history and politics of eating. She talks about researching surprising histories, veganism as a political lightning rod, how food signals group identity, and the role of psychedelic-assisted therapy in recovery. The conversation also touches on fiction, writing habits, and favorite London restaurants.

Asha Loupy, Oakland-based food writer and recipe developer who coauthored The Diaspora Spice Co. Cookbook, chats about traveling across South Asia to document farm and home cooking. She recounts tasting single-origin spices, adapting farm techniques for U.S. kitchens, perfecting dosa and idli, and prepping a solo cookbook focused on weekly, vegetable-forward dinners.

Elly Truesdell, former Whole Foods leader turned food-and-beverage venture investor, and Jake Carls, cofounder of Midday Squares and refrigerated functional chocolate maker. They dig into where food investing is headed, snacking and format innovation, manufacturing and vertical integration, storytelling and retail strategy, and the realities of building scalable CPG businesses.

Mariam Daud, a Palestinian-American cookbook author and creator of I Sleep in My Kitchen, reflects on her family kitchen roots and online rise. She talks about turning TikTok recipes into a printed cookbook. Conversations explore Studio Ghibli–inspired food visuals, baking on river rocks, blending Palestinian traditions with everyday American cooking, and the challenges of translating sensory family methods into measured recipes.

Mariana Velásquez, food stylist and cookbook author known for Colombiana and Revel, shares styling tales from Vogue to the White House and her manifesto on why and how to host. Samantha Schnur, author of The Naughty Cookbook, talks indulgent recipes, pandemic-era cooking, and perfecting desserts. They trade practical party formulas, make-ahead tricks, restaurant obsessions, and rapid-fire food favorites.

Matthew Schneier, chief restaurant critic at New York Magazine, brings sharp cultural food criticism and NYC dining guides. He discusses favorite New York meals, the dynamics of tasting menus, the Babbo revival, and the craft of compiling a best-restaurants list. Short, lively takes on Mexican food momentum, pizza trends, and the realities of full-time restaurant reviewing.

Julia Moskin, longtime New York Times food reporter and investigative journalist, walks through her Noma investigation and how she persuaded dozens of former staff to speak. She recounts allegations of physical and psychological abuse, the culture of elite kitchens, and the fallout that reshaped a top restaurant. Short, intense reporting on power, silence, and change in fine dining.