10 Food Podcasts To Sink Your Teeth Into
For better or for worse, I’ve never been of the “food is fuel” persuasion. The acts of cooking and eating are hugely intimate, intensely felt experiences for me. I can be brought to tears by the mere sight of my favourite dish. I unconsciously (and disruptively) hum with pleasure when preparing a meal for a loved one. I fall to my knees in agony whenever I encounter a recipe that replaces pasta with “zoodles.” All of this is to say that I am firmly rooted in the “food makes us feel” camp.
The events of this year have forced many of us to renegotiate our relationship with food. I’ve spent far more time than usual cooking in the kitchen, which has proven to be a lifeline these past nine months. It gives my days a sense of structure when I feel anchorless, keeps my mind and hands occupied when I’m in need of distraction and provides comfort in the moments that I crave connection (it’s also offered a convenient excuse to make and eat a chocolate cake at 10am on a Wednesday, you know, in the name of “comfort”).
For all of its restorative properties, food can also be a source of enormous tension, a reality that has been brought into even sharper focus in 2020. From panic stockpiling and broken supply chains to restaurant closures and increased food bank use, it’s been a tumultuous year, not only at the individual level but at broader political, economic and environmental scales as well. With that in mind, I’ve compiled a list of ten podcasts that capture the complex and varying dimensions of food. You’ll find an eclectic mix of shows that tackle a whole host of topics, whether that be deep dives into the history and science behind certain ingredients, explorations of the ways our food systems contribute to climate change, or simply the primal pleasure of sharing a meal with friends and family. Some of these podcasts strike a serious tone and others are downright silly, but choose any one of these shows and I have no doubt you’ll be reflecting, laughing, sometimes crying (sorry), definitely eating and perhaps joining me on team “food makes us feel”.
1. Home Cooking
This show is pure joy, plain and simple. Cook and writer Samin Nostrat (author of Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat) and the (suspiciously) prolific podcaster and composer Hrishikesh Hirway (from Song Exploder) team up for what is arguably one of the best podcasts to come out of this trying year. Listeners send in their quarantine cooking questions and dilemmas and Samin and Hrishi answer them with their signature wit and charm. The pair covers everything from the culinary basics (how long do you need to soak dried beans for?) to the obscure (what are alternative, non-crunchy breakfast ideas for someone who has recently had dental surgery and must avoid all food that “makes noise when you eat it”?). While past episodes have featured a handful of notable guests, the real star is Hrishi’s dad, who makes a few unforgettable appearances that will have you wishing you could join the Hirway family. Although chock-full of practical tips, this show really is the definition of easy listening. The duo’s endearing banter will make you feel like you’re right there with them, and Samin’s infectious laughter is truly the tonic of 2020. Each episode will leave you with a smile, and hopefully a little cooking inspiration, too.
Listen: Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify | Podchaser
2. Point of Origin
If you live in a country with year-round access to what feels like every ingredient under the sun, it’s easy to lose sight of seasonality, and indeed, not even know how the food on your plate got there. Enter Point of Origin, the extraordinarily informative and in-depth podcast about where our food and drink comes from. Hosted by Whetstone Magazine co-founder Stephen Satterfield, the show features food stories from across the globe and provides listeners with the historical, cultural and political context of various ingredients and dishes. The podcast rigorously and sensitively explores the source of various foods and drinks, from avocados in Mexico to arak in Palestine. What makes Point of Origin so unique is not only its dedication to prioritizing the voices of women and people of colour, but it’s ability to do so with nuance and empathy. Food media – like many other sectors – has come under intense scrutiny for its endemic racism and profound failure to meaningfully address it. Point of Origin is a refreshing and rare standout in this space as it centers stories that are so often silenced within food media. Feel free to jump in at any season, but I’d especially recommend the episodes “Spoiled Milk” and “Food Apartheid,” which I think should be required listening for all.
Listen: Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify | Podchaser
3. Spicy Eyes
Spicy Eyes is a podcast about the food scene in Las Vegas. Now, I’ll admit that this sounds niche (okay, really niche), but hear me out! Whatever assumptions you might have about Sin City, prepare to be delighted by these vignettes that zero in on some of the voices and communities that go largely unheard in the chaos of competing stereotypes about Las Vegas. Inquisitive co-hosts Kristy Totten and Sonja Swanson are committed to telling diverse, off-the-strip food stories, proving that there’s more to the city than shrimp cocktails and lobster buffets (although there is a great episode on buffets that raises critical questions about sustainability). From tracking where to find Halal meals in the city to exploring the popularity of Hawaiian food in town, Totten and Swanson consistently deliver factual and thoughtful stories. While there isn’t a large catalogue of episodes for you to dig into, the ones that are available are sweet, fun and well worth a listen. If we’re being honest with each other, Spicy Eyes is probably the closest many of us will come to traveling this year, unless you count the journey from the couch to the fridge (which in 2020, I do).
Listen: Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify | Podchaser
4. Radio Cherry Bombe
For anyone interested in the intersections of food and feminism, this is the show for you. Radio Cherry Bombe is a podcast dedicated to spotlighting women of the food world, from chefs and bakers to cookbook authors and food stylists. Hosted by Kerry Diamond, episode topics range widely, though the commitment to championing and celebrating women in the discussions never wavers. While past guests have included household names like Samin Nosrat and Nadiya Hussain, Radio Cherry Bombe also features the perhaps lesser known – though equally remarkable – makers and writers changing the food world in their own right. Select any episode and you’ll be sure to land on something interesting, whether that be candid conversations about the difficulties of juggling childcare with the demands of restaurant hours, the complicated relationship between climate change and food, or the bold steps being taken to transform toxic kitchen culture. You don’t have to work in the food space to gain something from Radio Cherry Bombe, the stories and sentiments are engaging, relatable and hugely inspiring.
Listen: Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify | Podchaser
5. Extra Spicy
Earlier this summer the San Francisco Chronicle released Extra Spicy, a new show co-hosted by food writers and columnists Soleil Ho and Justin Phillips. In each episode, Ho and Phillips chat with interesting folks from the Bay Area and across the country about the weird and wonderful world of food. That’s probably the best summary I can offer, as the breadth and diversity of topics they address defy simple categorization. You’ll never be able to predict what they will discuss next: one week might be about diet culture, another about the commonalities between the hospitality and sex work industries. Regardless of how unexpected the subjects might be, the show is always relevant to the current moment, particularly as it offers ongoing assessments of the restaurant industry and the various ways it has had to adapt during the pandemic. Extra Spicy might still be in its infancy, but Ho and Phillips have already hit a homerun with their ability to discuss both heavy and hilarious topics with extraordinary clarity and razor-sharp wit. Everything I’ve listened to so far has been stellar, but I really enjoyed the episodes “Can Vegan Soul Food Tackle Meat’s Masculinity Problem?” and “Drama at the Dinner Table,” which truly had me laughing out loud.
Listen: Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify | Podchaser
6. Take a Bao
Another exciting food podcast that has emerged in 2020 is Take a Bao. It’s hosted and produced by Loh Yi Jun, or Jun, who is a food writer and recipe developer from Malaysia. In Jun’s own words, Take a Bao is a show “exploring anything and everything around Asian food” that “aims to give voice to the intriguing food stories of Asia.” The series casts a wide net in terms of the communities and cultures it discusses, and includes a satisfying mix of on-the-ground reporting and narrative storytelling. In each episode, Jun takes on a new topic, whether that be unpacking the colonial history of kopitiams (a type of Malaysian coffee shop that is older than the country itself) or charting the origins and recent popularization of social media’s latest drink trend, Dalgona coffee. Given that Take a Bao is a one-person operation, the catalogue of available episodes is understandably small, but I’d say that “Tracing the Way of Kueh” and “The Disappearing Coffee Houses of Malaysia” are a couple of gems from the season.
Listen: Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify | Podchaser
7. The Racist Sandwich Podcast
If you enjoy your food with a side of critical thinking, then I’d like to formally introduce you to your new favorite show. The Racist Sandwich is an outstanding podcast about food, race, gender and class. It was originally co-hosted by Soleil Ho (yes, from Extra Spicy!) and Zahir Janmohamed, but has now changed hands with journalists and producers Stephanie Kuo and Juan Ramirez leading the charge. Since its launch in 2016, The Racist Sandwich has been committed to centering people of colour and zeroing in on the issues and stories that get little airtime in traditional food media. There are countless reasons why this show is powerful, but chief among them is that it refuses to strip food of its political context. Instead, it offers an unapologetically political perspective that is critical and compassionate in equal measure. There are over 70 episodes for you to explore, but if you’re in need of guidance on where to start I’d suggest the James Beard award-winning piece, “Erasing Black Barbecue”.
Listen: Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify | Podchaser
8. Gastropod
Gastropod is a well-loved and widely respected podcast that explores food through the prism of science and history. Helmed by writer Nicola Twilley and reporter-producer Cynthia Grabber, the quality of the show is obvious from the get-go. It’s thoroughly researched and features a variety of knowledgeable experts (and involves some entertaining field trips, too). The range of topics tackled is, in a word, vast. Twilley and Grabber cover everything from the origin story of mac and cheese to an in-depth exploration of the history and production process of olive oil. Each episode is jam-packed with surprising facts, and it’s safe to say that it will get you thinking a little bit more about the food you’re eating, where it came from, and the story behind it. With over 100 episodes available, there are plenty of subjects for you to choose from, but if you need something to get you started, I’d say “The United States of McDonald’s” is an absolute must listen.
Listen: Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify | Podchaser
9. Copper & Heat
If you’re on the hunt for a candid and uncensored take on the realities of the restaurant industry, then Copper & Heat is the perfect place to start. This is a James Beard award-winning podcast that interrogates the “unspoken rules and traditions of restaurant kitchens”. Speaking to colleagues and friends, host and former cook Katy Osuna unpacks the inequalities rife within the industry. The first season offers striking portraits of what it’s like to be a woman working in fine dining, while season two focuses on the economic struggles that the restaurant industry is up against. You’ll hear from cooks, chefs and restaurant owners about the financial challenges they’re faced with, and learn about the people who are daring to do things differently. The underlying problems with food delivery apps, chronic insecurity for undocumented workers and the widespread lack of health insurance and paid sick leave are just a few of the topics addressed this season. And while the majority of the episodes dropped months before the pandemic began to decimate the restaurant industry, the series remains hugely relevant given that many of the issues discussed have only been further exacerbated by Covid-19. Overall, Copper & Heat is an informative, engaging and undoubtedly timely show.
Listen: Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify | Podchaser
10. The Sporkful
The Sporkful is a long-running classic – a staple in any food podcast lover’s diet. As host Dan Pashman reminds listeners in every episode, The Sporkful is not for foodies, but for eaters. The crux of the show is to “obsess about food to learn more about people,” and it does just that. By using food as the entry point to discuss each and every topic – no matter how serious or hilarious it may be – it always feels heartfelt and accessible. Pashman’s ever-changing roster of guests has led to a number of surprising and delightful discussions, although my personal favourite is the two-part interview with chef Kwame Onwuachi, titled, “Notes From A Young Black Chef” Pt 1 and 2. While you’ll need a Stitcher Premium account to access the entirety of the podcast’s archives, the episodes that are freely available will certainly be enough to get you thinking about the obscure wonders of the food world, and the human stories that accompany them.
Listen: Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify | Podchaser
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So, there you have it, 10 food podcasts to sink your teeth into! If I’ve done my job well, these will satisfy your appetite and get you exploring possibilities beyond the “food is fuel” philosophy. As I’m sure you’ll soon learn from these shows, food isn’t just fuel. Food is nostalgia, politics, comfort, history, pleasure, pain and everything in between. I’m not saying that after listening to the podcasts on this list you’re going to start crying at the sight of freshly made pasta (though if you do: welcome to the club). But I do hope that they will encourage you to think a little bit more critically and thoughtfully when you go in for your next bite!
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