Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street Radio

Drew Nieporent has opened more than 40 restaurants, including iconic New York institutions like Nobu and Tribeca Grill. Today, he shares the secrets behind a restaurant’s longevity, the pros and cons of partnering with Robert De Niro and why he’d love to open a Jewish deli. Plus, Kevin West reveals how to grow a garden you’ll actually eat, we learn about Italy’s greatest unknown cookbook, Cheryl Day returns to answer baking questions, and we bake up Mexican-style biscuits.

Today, we look back at one of our favorite episodes with cooking legend Diane Kochilas. She talks the real Greek yogurt, how to make great dishes with stale bread and the magical Greek island of Ikaria. Plus, we explore the art and nostalgia of Jell-O molds; Dan Pashman untangles the legal definition of a sandwich; and we present a fresh new take on Spaghetti Puttanesca. (Originally aired May 10, 2019.) Get the recipe for Spaghetti Puttanesca here. Want more recipes inspired by the Greek isles?

Josh Niland is a master of his craft: whole fish cooking, bones and all. He joins us to talk about transforming fish into ice cream and chips, and the tricks he’s played on customers at his Sydney restaurant, Saint Peter. Plus, reporter Sean Cole meets the prison inmate preparing chili and dragon rolls; and Matt Goulding shares the best restaurants you’ve never heard of.

We explore the whimsical world of Irish baking with Cherie Denham. Plus, Madison Avenue veteran Jeff Swystun shares the little-known history of food advertising; Alex Aïnouz is on a journey to make the world’s best roasted chicken; and we cook up Spinach and Ricotta Dumplings in Tomato Sauce.

Today, we’re sharing an extended cut of our interview with Padma Lakshmi. We discuss everything from her early years in India to her love for standup comedy. She reminisces about her time on an Italian variety show, which laid the foundation for a long and successful career as a cooking competition host. Plus, she reveals the secret to being a great judge on Top Chef.

After 17 years hosting Top Chef, Padma Lakshmi was ready for something new. This week, she fills us in on her recent endeavors: a new book, an original culinary competition show and standup comedy. Plus, Elyse Inamine celebrates a cult-favorite mayonnaise, Kewpie; and Mariena Mercer Boarini, Master Mixologist for Wynn Resorts North America, shares why martinis are the cocktail of the year.

Reporter Rebecca Rosman takes us to one of France’s favorite grocery stores—Picard—where everything is frozen. Every spring they celebrate “America Week” with concoctions such as popcorn ice cream, doughnuts made of ground-up potatoes and marshmallows in places they don’t belong. Is this really what American cuisine looks like in the eyes of the French? Plus, Adam Savage of “MythBusters” fame joins us to break down his favorite food experiments, including the time he dropped an Olympic swimmer into a giant vat of syrup; J. Kenji López-Alt cracks the code on Chicago thin-crust pizza; and we travel to Rome for Cloud Bread. (Originally aired July 7, 2023.) Photo credit David Lebovitz Get the recipe for Roman Cloud Bread here.

In this special episode, we’re sharing an extended cut of our interview with Ella Quittner, author of Obsessed With the Best. We cover everything: her tests for the best chocolate chip cookies, what food science gets right (and wrong), the trendiest food of 2026, and the problem with meat that’s more like “baby food." Plus, Ella shares her tests for the flakiest biscuits, crispiest bacon, most tender yellow cake, and more.

Ella Quittner has spent years meticulously testing recipes for the flakiest biscuits, crispiest bacon, perfectly poached eggs, most tender yellow cake, and more. This week, she joins us to share her findings and her new book, Obsessed with the Best. Plus Milk Street Radio Producer Mari Orozco brings us to Cake Picnic; Stella Parks is back to answer your baking questions; and we learn the language of butter from our friends at A Way with Words.

Today, we’re sharing a special episode from The Big Dig podcast from GBH News, Catching the Codfather. Carlos “The Codfather” Rafael dominates the most valuable fishing port in the United States, and no one is quite sure how he did it. But in 2015, when undercover federal agents offer to buy his business, Carlos opens his books.

This week, we’re looking at the pioneers of food television. Emeril Lagasse reflects on his unlikely start at the Food Network, how he’s different from his on-screen persona and why he just opened his first Portuguese restaurant. Plus, Michelle T. King tells the story of Fu Pei-mei, Taiwan’s first cooking TV star, our very own Sara Moulton (of Cooking Live fame) answers caller cooking questions, and Adam Gopnik weighs in on the spectacle of Iron Chef.

Carlos Rafael ran one of the biggest fishing operations in New England. He was successful. Almost too successful. Probably because his seafood empire was built through fraud. This week, reporter Ian Coss brings us to the story of The Codfather. Plus, Natasha Pickowicz invites everyone to hot pot, and Christopher Kimball and Sara Moulton answer your questions on Norwegian pancakes, Julia Child’s Gâteau de Crêpes, and more. Want to hot pot at home?

Something surprising happened earlier this month: Five intrepid journalists brought Gourmet magazine back from the dead after they discovered Condé Nast let its trademark lapse. This week, we revisit our episode from 2019 with Gourmet’s final editor-in-chief, Ruth Reichl. She shares stories about the magazine’s glory days, its final days, and the perks of being an editor in the golden age of publishing. Plus, Vicky Bennison takes us behind the scenes of Pasta Grannies, her YouTube channel that documents Italian grandmothers making pasta the old-fashioned way; we get lessons in hotel room cooking from Alex Aïnouz; and we make Mini Almond Cakes with Spiced Chocolate. (Originally aired May 17, 2019.) Get the recipe for Mini Almond Cakes with Spiced Chocolate here.

For a throwback, we’re looking back at one of our all-time favorite episodes—our science episode from 2020. We chat with flavor chemist Dr. Arielle Johnson about how to eat a tree, how insects use flavor molecules to communicate and the science of taste and smell. Plus, Meathead teaches us how to grill perfect steaks; J. Kenji López-Alt investigates food expiration dates; and we make a no-fuss, all-flavor Spanish Almond Cake.

Photographer Riley Arthur reports on a New York City icon: the old-fashioned diner. She goes beyond the club sandwiches and coffee to reveal the mob meetings, FBI stings and dramatic family moments that happen within a diner’s walls. Then, author Julia O’Malley provides a true taste of Alaskan cuisine, where stolen peaches, fresh caught salmon and boxed chocolate cake all are served at the same table. Plus, Adam Gopnik travels back in time to visit the New York restaurant scene of the 1980s.

Are humans the only species that loves sour? Does everyone taste bitter the same way? And could there be flavors we can’t even comprehend yet? Emily Kwong and Aaron Scott from NPR’s “Short Wave” join us to explore the amazing science of taste, from the mysteries of salt to why dolphins can’t taste sweet. Plus, chef Khánh-Ly Huynh shares Vietnamese street food from Paris; Adam Gopnik investigates what it takes to become a culinary maestro; and we go to Bangkok for Thai Cashew Chicken. (Originally aired March 23rd, 2023.) Get the recipe for Thai Cashew Chicken here.

This week we ask: What will be the hottest food trend of 2026? Kim Severson returns with her predictions for the year ahead, where grandmothers, vinegar, and ASMR will reign supreme. We also get caught up on the latest in food lingo — "swangy" is the new flavor to watch out for. Plus, author Sho Spaeth gives us a lesson in homemade ramen and John T. Edge reckons with life, legacy and food in the American South.

Author Kate Lebo introduces us to the world of rare fruits that are hard to find, harvest, prepare or just plain love. Plus, we study the staples of Gabonese cooking with chef Anto Cocagne, we get a lesson in the language of bread from Grant Barrett and Martha Barnette, and we learn about the history of Hungarian Chicken Paprikash.

It’s time to look back at some of our favorite moments from 2025. There are the interviews that shocked us — from brand new theories of stomach intelligence to Pete Well’s harshest restaurant review — as well as expert cooking tips shared by the likes of Samin Nosrat and Lidia Bastianich. Plus, we revisit a few unforgettable listener calls and Christopher Kimball and Adam Gopnik present their favorite books of the year.

Today, we’re sharing a special episode from our friends at “The Recipe with Kenji and Deb.” Chris joined Kenji López-Alt and Deb Perelman to talk about their ideal recipe for French Toast. They banter about bread for longer than any podcast ever has (not fact checked) – and how each of them perfects this classic breakfast dish. Get the recipe for French Toasted, Perfected here.