The Sporkful

Steve Alvarez, an English professor who created a 'Taco Literacy' course, reads tacos as cultural texts. He examines tortillas, meats, and spices to trace history and identity. The conversation covers a Queens taco crawl, regional tortilla politics, Lebanese and other global influences, and how menus signal authenticity and audience.

Carlos Rafael, a Portuguese-American who built Carlos Seafood into New Bedford's dominant fleet, tells his rise from Azores immigrant to powerful industry figure. He discusses his business growth, the boom and collapse of the fishing industry, secret ledgers and undercover buyers, and the IRS sting that brought his empire down.

Alice Fosner, Janie’s mother who grew up Jewish in postwar Czechoslovakia, shares vivid memories of kosher childhoods and family rituals. The conversation covers buying live chickens, a pig-slaughtering memory with bacon over a fire, and why preserving traditions mattered after the Holocaust. They also discuss negotiating modern household food rules and raising children with both tradition and flexibility.

Leah Koenig, cookbook author exploring Jewish cooking; Aymann Ismail, writer on Muslim life and identity. They debate pork taboos, cultural markers, and the stir around Impossible Pork. They discuss religious rules, community reactions, certification questions, and cook and taste the product together.

Matt Groening, creator of The Simpsons, reflects on how animation and tech changed the show’s food jokes. Matt Selman, writer/producer, shares how he invents outrageous fake foods and shapes foodie satire. Rob Lezebnik, longtime writer, recalls specific food scenes and writers’ lunch rituals. They discuss iconic gags, crafting satire of foodie culture, and how animation lets food comedy get bolder.

Two blind dates are arranged in different cities and the conversations revolve around food-first chemistry. Diners navigate shared plates, grilling rituals, and ordering strategies that shape their interactions. Awkward revelations and kitchen-adjacent moments shift the vibe. One pair parts politely while the other leaves room for a possible follow-up.

Gustavo Alvarez (Goose), former incarcerated man and author of Prison Ramen, shares vivid memoir-style scenes from prison life. He talks about how communal meals built trust, inventive commissary cooking like the Cadillac coffee, makeshift boiling tricks, and how a massive ramen spread turned hostility into humanity. Short, tense, and surprisingly tender stories about food as survival and connection.

Tom Cavanagh, actor and comedian known for Scrubs and The Flash, and Michael Ian Black, comedian and podcaster, trade snack-fueled banter. They debate tortilla chip shapes in a taste test, argue about saucing vs sauced wings, and dissect a failed stadium-shaped Super Bowl snack stunt. Short, funny, and full of spirited snack theory.

Shanti Yen, chef to the Prime Minister of Canada and Michelin-trained restaurateur. Jihae Kim, chef-owner of Miss Kim blending Korean tradition with Midwestern ingredients. Emily Pendergast, improvisational comedian who posed as a fake chef. They play a playful lie-detecting game, tease secret state-dinner limits, trade cooking techniques like ddeokbokki texture and vegan cheesecake, and spar over local knowledge and sports trivia.

Tom Papa, stand-up comic and avid bread baker, shares food stories from childhood to his sourdough obsession. He recounts nostalgic Italian sandwich memories and why family shaped his eating choices. They experiment with wine-and-chip pairings and compare baking to comedy. Expect playful food tales, tasting moments, and reflections on life as an empty nester.