Podcast

We had to break in on a Saturday with this very cool conversation with Melissa Clark. Melissa is a prolific cookbook author who wears several hats at the New York Times, where she’s currently a food reporter, recipe columnist, and the interim restaurant critic, serving alongside Priya Krishna. We’ve really enjoyed Melissa’s recent string of reviews, most of all her latest report from New York City and Napa, where she gave Thomas Keller’s pioneering restaurants, Per Se and the French Laundry, a fresh set of eyes. The review is a wild ride, and the internet was all over it. How did Melissa find her meals, and what does the current state of the Keller empire say about the modern age of fine dining? We go over it all in this great talk. Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you.  MORE FROM MELISSA CLARK:Are the French Laundry and Per Se Still Worth a Splurge? [NYT]Iced Peppermint Cookies [NYT]This Is TASTE 454: Dining in Disguise with Priya Kirshna, Interim New York Times Restaurant Critic [Apple]This Is TASTE 216: Pete Wells [Apple]

Yemi Amu is the founder and director of Oko Farms, a beloved community-based aquaponics farm cultivating fish alongside produce in New York City. After a decade of growing food in several locations across Brooklyn, including three years in Williamsburg, Oko Farms unexpectedly had their lease terminated this November. They’re forced to pack up the farm and find a new location, and today on the show, Yemi is sharing more about their search and the power of aquaponics. Also on the show Matt has a great conversation with writer Joshua David Stein about Esquire’s Best New Restaurants in America package, which was released this week. We go over some of his favorite restaurants around the country. Cincinnati represent! We also talk about his recent cookbook work, and what it’s like to collaborate with Tom Colicchio.   Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you.  MORE FROM YEMI AMU:A New Way of Raising Fish—and Vegetables—in New York [The Guardian]A Farm Grows in Bushwick Thanks to One Woman’s Vision [Vogue]

Singer-songwriter Kathleen Edwards returned with her first album in eight years in 2020 called Total Freedom, only to have her comeback thwarted by the pandemic. Earlier this year in Austin, Texas, Kathleen sat down with Carmel Holt to talk about that experience, as well as her then-upcoming series of cover songs she was recording. With a whole lot planned for 2025, including her sixth studio album, produced by Jason Isbell, we get a sneak peek at the newest addition to that series coming on December 11th, and hear why, when she quit music, she wanted to talk to Joni Mitchell.

I said to Bowie “That’s a pretty good song, but you’ve gotta take out that part about Major Tom.”

Nate, Dave, and DEM break down the year in rap

Jon Bonné is an erudite observer of food and culture trends and the author of many books, including the monumental, two-volume The New French Wine. In this episode, we talk about what Jon’s been eating, drinking, and writing about in the world of restaurants, wine, and food culture. We discuss the many perceptions of the “wine bar,” and we dive into some of Jon’s restaurant reporting at Resy, where he serves as managing editor.  Also on the show we hear from Leila Heller talking about her new book, Persian Feasts: Recipes & Stories from a Family Table. Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you.  More From Jon Bonné:This Is TASTE 213: Jon Bonné [TASTE]10 Changes That Defined the Last Decade of Dining in America [Resy]Is Oregon Wine’s True Soulmate the Loire Valley? [PUNCH]A Good NA Martini Is Possible [TASTE]