Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street Radio
Milk Street Radio
Every week, Milk Street Radio travels the world to find the most fascinating stories about food—a detective who tracks down food thieves and a look inside the most famous (and often scandalous) restaurant kitchens—and interviews with culinary icons such as José Andrés, Padma Lakshmi, Jacques Pépin, and Marcus Samuelsson. And on Milk Street Radio you can always find the unexpected: the comedian who ranks apples using an elaborate 100-point system, the scientists who study if vegetables have souls, and the journalist who reveals the world’s 10 biggest food lies. We also answer our listeners’ cooking questions, find out how to make the perfect cup of coffee, and share how to eat your way through Italy.
Episodes
Mentioned books
13 snips
May 13, 2026 • 51min
I Need the Kimchi! Meet Maangchi, YouTube Kitchen Queen
Maangchi (Meng Chi), Korean-American home cook and YouTube star who taught millions Korean cooking, shares stories of kimchi, sea squirt, and her YouTube start. She describes picnic foods, cleaning octopus, and keeping challenging authentic ingredients in her recipes. The conversation also touches on sea cucumber traditions and why Korean flavors resonate worldwide.
May 8, 2026 • 51min
Chowder, Frittata & Marriage: A Love Story
Sarit Packer, co-founder of Honey & Co., chef and cookbook author, and Itamar Srulovich, restaurateur and cookbook author, share kitchen wisdom. They debate water versus stock, perfect frittata techniques, and quick soup fixes like jarred beans. They swap chowder and dessert ideas, trade steak tips, and tease their quirky married cooking life.
May 5, 2026 • 33min
Quirky Food Hour! Vegetable Orchestra, Jell-O Art, Adult Baby Food [Corrected]
Emily Wallace & Kate Medley, creators of the O Moldy Night Jell-O mold exhibit in Durham, NC, share gelatin history and outrageous molded entries. Dr. Samuel West, psychologist and Museum of Failure curator, recounts famous food and product flops. Susanna Gartmeier & Jürgen Berlakovich of the Vienna Vegetable Orchestra explain building and playing instruments made from vegetables and how rot, texture, and tuning shape the sound.
May 1, 2026 • 51min
Behind the Scenes of “Top Chef” with Kristen Kish
Kristen Kish, chef and Top Chef winner turned host, shares kitchen memories and TV life. Rhea Hart, writer and daughter of drummer Mickey Hart, talks about touring and food on the road. They dig into mentorship, on-set logistics, restaurant pet peeves, touring meals, and culinary shortcuts.
Apr 24, 2026 • 51min
Stop Hating Processed Foods? The Case for Big Ag
Lindsay C. Green, Detroit dining critic who highlights local culinary diversity. Eleazar Sontag, Washington Post critic who explores criticism and anonymity. Domenica Marchetti, Italian baking author who traces cookie histories. They debate the role of big industrial food, tour secret Italian cookies, and rethink how critics and dining culture shape what we eat.
Apr 17, 2026 • 50min
Smuggling Baby Eels: The New Black Market
J.M. Hirsch, food writer and recipe developer, shares a home-friendly take on Jordanian baked kefta with tahini. Otis Gray, radio reporter and producer, explores America’s eel boom, the rise of an international elver black market, smuggling tactics and federal stings. They also touch on cultural eel traditions and adapting restaurant methods for home cooks.
Apr 14, 2026 • 32min
Picky Eaters: Extended Cut
Helen Zoe Veit, historian and author of Picky who studies food and childhood, explores how American children became so fussy. She traces 19th-century diets, shifting ideas about childhood, the rise of bland “kid” foods and marketing. She also discusses changing parental norms, nutrition science, and why pickiness might not be permanent.
17 snips
Apr 10, 2026 • 51min
Picky Eaters: Why America's Kids Stopped Loving New Foods
Helen Zoe Veit, historian and author of Picky, explores how 19th-century kids ate bold, preserved flavors and how cultural shifts made children more selective. Marina Marchese, certified honey sommelier, leads a blind honey tasting and explains honey varieties, chemistry, and adulteration risks. The conversation jumps between food history and intense honey flavors.
9 snips
Apr 3, 2026 • 51min
Insider's Italy: Hidden Rome, Best Desserts and Lidia Bastianich Hotline
J.M. Hirsch, food writer who explores Italy’s backroads. Giuseppe Dell'Anno, baker and Bake Off winner known for Italian pastries. Arianna Pasquini, Roman culinary guide with local food secrets. Lidia Bastianich, restaurateur and cookbook author who answers cooking questions. They tour hidden Roman snacks, regional baking and desserts, rustic Roman dishes, ravioli and lasagna tips, and secrets from small trattorie.
Mar 27, 2026 • 50min
So, You Want to Open A Restaurant? Drew Nieporent Tells All
Drew Nieporent, legendary restaurateur behind Nobu and Tribeca Grill, shares stories about building lasting restaurants and memorable partnerships. Kevin West, food writer and gardener, talks simple starter gardens and a skillet-roast chicken trick. Cheryl Day, baker and author, offers quick baking troubleshooting and tips for softer sourdough and custardy cornbread.
