This Is TASTE

Sisters Danielle and Gabrielle Davenport are the cofounders of BEM, a bookstore and community space for Black food literature. After years of operating online and at pop-ups, they’re getting ready to open a permanent location in Bed-Stuy. It’s so fun to have Danielle and Gabrielle in the studio to nerd out on food literature, building a family business together, and more. Also on the show, it’s the return of Three Things, where Aliza and Matt talk about what is exciting them in the world of restaurants, cookbooks, and the food world as a whole. On this episode: Cake Zine x Seeyousoon hosted a pop-up, Breadivore is doing really great bread and viennoiserie in South Brooklyn, and some thoughts on Girl Scout cookie season. Also: A review of Graydon Carter’s memoir, When the Going Was Good, checking in at Wu’s Wonton King, The Studio is a great new show on Apple TV+. Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re pretty sure many of you have at least heard of Cava and have possibly ordered lunch or dinner from the wildly popular Mediterranean restaurant chain. In this episode, we have a really cool conversation with Cava’s cofounder, Ted Xenohristos. We talk about the company’s early days and how Ted’s Greek heritage and detail-minded approach have made Cava one of the biggest restaurant stories in years. We discuss the group’s broad expansion, how the company’s IPO changed everything (and nothing at all), and how Ted looks at developing culinary ideas that are accessible, a little exotic, and pretty darn delicious. Also on the show we have a great talk with actor Alexandra Metz. She plays Dr. Yolanda Garcia on one of our favorite shows of the year, the medical drama The Pitt. We talk about filming the intense emergency room scenes, and what it’s like to hit craft service after sawing off a patient’s limb (act sawing, of course). We also hear about all the food in her life growing up in a Jewish and Latina household. Follow her Instagram: @metzaballsoup.Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Eric Kim, a writer and columnist at the New York Times, joins Matt Rodbard to dive into the nuances of food writing. They discuss Kim's media diet and reminisce about his dream pitch to journalist Graydon Carter. The conversation touches on the role of humor in food journalism and the challenges posed by the digital age. They explore culinary innovations, personal anecdotes from dining experiences, and the influential legacy of iconic chefs like Julia Child, highlighting the evolving landscape of food narratives.

Shilpa Uskokovic, a senior test kitchen editor at Bon Appétit, and her husband Miro Uskokovic, a pastry chef with a rich background at Gramercy Tavern, share their culinary adventures. They discuss running Hani’s Bakery + Café in NYC, infusing nostalgic favorites with innovative twists like pistachio rice treats. Shilpa reflects on her journey from restaurants to food media, while Miro highlights the thrilling, chaotic world of restaurant service. The couple emphasizes the joy of baking and connecting with the community through delicious desserts.

Robert Sietsema is a longtime New York City restaurant critic and neighborhood wanderer who has written for the Village Voice and Eater and who, prior to that, ran the influential underground food zine Down the Hatch. He currently publishes a really great Substack, Robert Sietsema's New York. It’s dispatched in a purely Sietsema way - full of reporting, knowledge, and lots of undiscovered restaurant gems around New York City. You should really be reading Robert’s work and our conversation covers burgers, soups, pizza, and New York as a place that has everything - and not always good. Also on the show, Matt shares about his recent trip to Tucson, Arizona. What a great food city! Mentioned on the episode: Seis Kitchen at Mercado San Agustin, La Estrella Bakery, Presta, La Mesa Tortillas, Time Market, Casa Asada, Taqueria Juanitos, El Rustico. Check out the Tucson Google map and save for a future visit.Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you. Read more: 5 Wonderful Things I've Eaten Around NYC Lately [RSNY] This Is TASTE 51: Robert Sietsema [TASTE] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It was really fun having Molly Yeh back in the studio for an absolute riot of a conversation. Molly is legitimately one of the funniest writers (and guests) that we’ve encountered in a long time, and has amazing recipe writing chops to boot. We get into all sorts of topics on the show including her latest book about Midwest baking, Sweet Farm. We talk about Minnesota's deep cookie salad traditions, the genius of Furikake puppy chow, and what it’s like to live on a sugar beet farm.Also on the show it’s the return of Three Things where Aliza and Matt discuss what is exciting in the world of restaurants, cookbooks, and the food world as a whole. On this episode: Besha Rodell’s memoir Hunger Like a Thirst, Carolina Gelen with a hot (cold) coffee tip, Selva is an all-day cafe/wine bar doing special things. Also: Syme's Letter Writer will make you appreciate letter writing in a special way, Sing Sing didn’t get the attention it deserved, Brooklyn’s Dinner Party is a restaurant serving what we are looking for right now, Wonder Bread has its first product launch in a hundred years.      Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you. Read more: This Is TASTE 153: Molly Yeh [TASTE] 8 Reasons Why Molly Yeh Loves Yogurt More Than LIFE [BA] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We recently headed out of the studio to visit Victoria, British Columbia, to check out the food and drink scene and report back on my findings. Listeners, this is a really exciting place, and we’re excited to speak with Andrea Alridge, the chef at a terrific new restaurant, Janevca, and Lori Joyce, owner of truly unique ice cream shop, Better Acres Ice Cream. Victoria rests on the naturally stunning Vancouver Island and is located a short ferry ride from Vancouver and Seattle. We found amazing coffee, fine dining, a historic botanical garden, and fresh seafood around every corner. Throughout the episode, Aliza and Matt also catch up to talk about some of the highlights of the visit. We hope you enjoy our dive into Victoria.Save our Google Map of all the places mentioned in the episode. Visit Tourism Victoria for more information on places to eat and drink.Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today on the show we welcome Eric Adjepong to the studio, who, along with the writer Korsha Wilson, has released one of our favorite books this spring: Ghana to the World. It’s a wonderful collection of stories and recipes that captures Eric’s deep connection to Ghana and how the country’s cuisine has shaped his career. Eric has appeared on Top Chef and various Food Network programming, and he shares his amazing story and the deep reporting that went into this special book.Also on the show are sisters Alia and Radwa Elkaffas, who have been creating food videos together for over a decade. Known online as the Food Dolls, they’ve built a following with craveable recipes that blend their Egyptian heritage with their Midwestern upbringing. Now it’s all enshrined in their new debut cookbook: Pretty Delicious. It’s so fun chatting with Alia and Radwa about finding cooking inspiration, working together as sisters, and much more.Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Zaynab Issa is a cookbook author, recipe developer, and content creator based in Brooklyn, New York. Formerly a food editor at Bon Appétit, she contributes recipes to a variety of publications and just released a great debut cookbook, Third Culture Cooking: Classic Recipes for a New Generation. It’s so fun having Zaynab in the studio to talk about blending her East African and South Asian roots with Americana classics, building the perfect dinner party menu, and more.    Also on the show we have a really fun talk with Holly Brickley, author of the new novel Deep Cuts. We talk about the music scene in the early 2000s, and how the novel tackles a generation of musical vibe shifts. We also talk about the book’s exciting Hollywood future with A24.Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you. Read More: Third Culture Cooking: Classic Recipes for a New Generation [Abrams] Zaynab’s Substack [Substack] Saoirse Ronan And Austin Butler To Star In Feature Adaptation of ‘Deep Cuts’ [Deadline] New Denizen [official] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Camilla Marcus is a chef, restaurateur, and founder of west~bourne, a wildly progressive restaurant and products company based in Los Angeles. Camilla is one of my favorite big thinkers in food, and I so enjoyed having her in the studio to talk about some important topics of the day, including the pioneering west~bourne, her career in and out of the kitchen, and how the government can help restaurants survive during these challenging times.And before our conversation with Camilla, it’s the return of Three Things where Aliza and Matt discuss what is exciting in the world of restaurants, cookbooks, and the food world as a whole. On this episode: We love Spongies Cafe in Manhattan Chinatown, early thoughts on Keith McNally’s buzzy memoir I Regret Almost Everything. Also: Visits to Kru in Brooklyn, Paul’s Pel'meni in Madison, WI, and Smithereens in the East Village. And we’re really enjoying the debut cookbook from New York City’s Scarr’s Pizza. It’s called The Scarr's Pizza Cookbook and is out March 25.Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you. READ AND LISTEN TO MORE: This Is TASTE 444: Restaurants Are Broken with Akira Akuto [Apple] This Is TASTE 205: Rich Torrisi [TASTE] Buy Camilla's book: My Regenerative Kitchen             Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices