The Sporkful

Kenji López-Alt, chef, cookbook author and food scientist known for The Food Lab and The Wok, joins a live conversation. He talks about his switch from biology to kitchens and the science behind wok cooking. He reflects on stepping back from calling recipes "the best," the pressures of fame, and balancing family with food projects.

Judy Gold, a stand-up comic known for food-forward anecdotes, and Kenji López-Alt, chef and food-science author, spar over the state of the bagel. They debate toasting, novelty flavors, and regional differences. Conversation jumps to restaurant culture, abusive kitchens, and wild food news in a fast, playful roundtable.

Wyn Rosenfeld, a television producer and correspondent, shares personal takes on Passover and Easter food rituals. They debate whether matzoh can be rescued and swap ideas for making it fun. They describe the karpas salt-water trick and argue about spiral-cut ham and the chaos of jelly beans. Short, funny, and full of holiday food antics.

Jason Tang, a Beijing-based restaurant critic, Wei-Hung Lee, a food writer and podcaster, and Kurumi Mori, a Tokyo reporter, explore how seafood politics reshaped markets. They tour Toyosu and Tsukiji, examine tuna flows and tourism shifts, and show how Japanese handling techniques and local sourcing changed sushi scenes in China and Japan.

A spirited debate about ideal foam and how head size affects aroma and pour volume. A run-through of cans, bottles and eye-catching packaging gimmicks. A comparison of glassware—pint sturdiness versus tulip aroma—and why frosted mugs and novelty vessels can hurt the beer experience.

Yebu Ji, an audio producer who grew up in China and acted as a cultural guide. Wei Hong, a Beijing-based food writer and local restaurant expert. They tour Beijing dining from a 16-course Chef 1996 tasting to Haidilao’s theatrical hot pot. Conversations probe how 1980s–90s reforms created private restaurants, the rise of refined regional dining, tech and spectacle in chains, and the social shifts behind it all.

Padma Lakshmi, cookbook author and TV personality known for Top Chef, shares vivid food memories from her grandmother’s kitchen and mischievous ice cream runs. She talks about tamarind rice and street snacks like pani puri. The conversation also covers moving between India and the U.S., adapting global flavors, and navigating body image in the public eye.

Ifrah F. Ahmed, a Somali-American cookbook author preserving Somali culinary traditions. She talks about documenting recipes and memory, making sambusas and hawash spice for Ramadan, Somali breakfasts like anjero, and balancing preservation with culinary change. Stories include shooting photos in Somalia and using reclaimed artifacts to connect food to place.

Sahar Arafat Ray, a Palestinian-Texan cooking teacher and food writer, talks about reconnecting with her Muslim roots and learning to observe Ramadan. Short scenes include hummus technique and pita etiquette. Hear stories of first-time fasting in adulthood, family food traditions, and a wild iftar in a taxi lot racing to break the fast at sundown.

Asma Khan, London-based self-taught chef and restaurateur behind Darjeeling Express, champions women cooks and Indian home-cooking. She recalls growing up in Kolkata, launching secret supper clubs, and staffing her restaurant entirely with women. Conversations cover funding the restaurant, her food philosophy, why papadams do not belong in a tuna sandwich, and her insistence on an open kitchen.