Mehreen Karim a Brooklyn-based pop-up chef, recipe developer, and food writer. You may know her from seeing her compete on Gordon Ramsay’s Next Level Chef, but today she’s coming back on our show to talk about writing her first cookbook, Make It Plant-Based! Southern, and editing a larger plant-based cooking series. I always have so much fun catching up with our friend Mehreen, and this episode is no exception. Also on the show, TASTE contributor Vrinda Jagota stops by the studio to talk about two of her recent stories about the real-world effects of going viral: The Expansive, Absurdist Canvas of Tiramisu and Indian Pizza Is Extremely Online. Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you.

601: Plant-Based Around Every Corner with Mehreen Karim

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Sondre Lerche is a Los Angeles-based singer, songwriter and film score composer from Norway. His album Patience is out now. You can follow him on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/SondreLerche">here</a>.
(photo credit: Marius Hauge)

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Hailed as a “self-styled poetess, folk goddess, and country waif” by the BBC, Pieta Brown first came to international prominence with the release of her self-titled debut in 2002. Since then she has released multiple highly critically acclaimed albums, EPs and singles, with much attention being paid not only to her distinct sound and style, but also the power of her singing and songwriting, including fan favorite, Paradise Outlaw, which Bon Iver mastermind Justin Vernon has called his “favorite recording made at our studio.” 
Her latest record, Dreamin’ Of, co-produced with Bon Iver’s S. Carey and Mike Lewis, is out August 21, 2026 via Righteous Babe.

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Alison Star Locke earned a B.F.A. in Filmic Writing from USC, where she won the Jack Nicholson Screenwriting Award. She began her career as a reality TV Story Producer and writing, directing and producing numerous shorts. After staying home to advocate and care for her daughter, who has autism, she returned to work to write and direct The Apology, her first feature, a psychological thriller starring Anna Gunn, Linus Roache and Janeane Garofalo and is available on Shudder, AMC+, Blu-Ray and VOD. Her comedy horror short, Pick Up Time, was laureled up at fests, including Nightmares, Renegade, etc. She recently produced the zombie horror/relationship drama short, Until the End. She lives with her husband and daughter in the LA area. Her work focuses mainly on motherhood, gender disparity, disability and having fun getting your rage out. You can find her on socials at @alisonstarlocke.

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Ben McKenzie is an actor (The O.C., Southland, Gotham) who has become a prominent critic of cryptocurrency through his book Easy Money (2023), and his recent documentary Everyone Is Lying to You for Money (2026).

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Is Not Music was founded by Xander Duell as a way to create the artistic infrastructure he couldn’t find in the industry. Is Not Music cultivates projects at the intersection of music, performance, and design. Grounded in collaboration and process, we champion artistic autonomy and ownership.

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601: Plant-Based Around Every Corner with Mehreen Karim

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