We honor chef, writer, and activist Edna Lewis, who was born in a village of freed slaves and helped change the course of American cuisine.

668: Edna Lewis, an American Original

The Splendid Table has always connected people through the common language of food and eating. Now with award-winning food journalist Francis Lam at the helm, we’re bringing forward even more fresh voices and surprising conversations at the intersection of food, people and culture – covering everything from the global appeal of sesame to the impact of Instagram on everyday eating. It’s a food show where everyone is welcome. Produced by American Public Media.

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We are looking at food stories from different cultures this week. First, documentarian and journalist Von Diaz joins us to talk about her latest book, Islas: A Celebration of Tropical Cooking.  She writes about island cuisine from all over the world and talks about her academic field research, the connections she feels when she is on an island, and the unique dishes she cooked and tasted for her book research. She found commonality among the islands in their cooking techniques, from grilling to smoking and marinating, and shares a delicious, iconic island recipe for CHamoru Barbecue Chicken with Juanita’s Fina’denne’. Then, best-selling author and  Jewish food authority Joan Nathan joins us to talk about her latest book, a memoir My Life in Recipes, Food, Family and Memories. Joan chronicles her start in food, the people she met along the way, her passion for elevating the home cook and her devotion to the regular ritual of sitting down together for a meal.  
Broadcast dates for this episode:

April 5, 2024 (originally aired)




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801: Islas: A Celebration of Tropical Cooking with Von Diaz and My Life in Recipes, Food, Family and Memories with Joan Nathan

This week, we spend the hour with cooking columnist and internet sensation, Sohla El-Waylly. We talk about her connection to food and how she got her start as a pastry chef, writer, and recipe developer. She talks about her work in restaurants and her passion for teaching people how to cook. And she answers your cooking questions, from the best way to cook rabbit to her favorite ice cream flavor. Her latest book is Start Here, filled with recipes that teach techniques, as shown in her Bisteeya Inspired Phyllo Chicken Pie recipe.
Broadcast dates for this episode:

March 22, 2024 (originally aired)




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800: Start Here with Sohla El-Waylly

This week, we're all about the world of restaurants and flavor. First, we talked with Andrew Friedman about his career, writing about American food culture, chefs, and the restaurant scene. He talks to us about his latest project, spending time behind the swinging doors of a restaurant and how all the kitchen roles—from the butcher to the delivery drivers to the dishwasher make the dish you sit down to enjoy.  His latest book is The Dish: The Lives and Labor Behind One Plate of Food. Then we sit down with Flavor Scientist Arielle Johnson, who talks about the science behind flavor, from flavor perceptions to aroma and the laws of flavor. Arielle's latest book is Flavorama: A Guide to Unlocking the Art and Science of Flavor, and she leaves us with her recipes for Smoke Oil & Smoke Oil Infused Fish.

Broadcast dates for this episode:

March 8, 2024 (originally aired)




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799: The Dish with Andrew Friedman and Flavorama with Arielle Johnson

This week, we’re bringing you a show we recorded with LAist in Orange County, CA, one of the richest food scenes in the US. We talk to award-winning journalist Gustavo Arellano about the evolution of OC’s culinary scene, the immigrant influences, and how its diverse foodways  continue to  be  embraced by the different generations. Gustavo is the Los Angeles Times columnist and author of Taco USA: How Mexican Food Conquered America and his latest, A People’s Guide to Orange County; then, Chefs Brenda and Daniel Castillo of Heritage Barbecue join the stage to talk about making Texas barbecue in CA and making it their own and then, Kenneth Nguyen, host of The Vietnamese Podcast and Patricia Huang, former general manager of the famous Asian 626 Night Market, talk about Orange County's Asian street food culture. 

Broadcast dates for this episode:

February 23, 2024 (originally aired)




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798: On the Road – Orange County, CA with Gustavo Arellano, Daniel & Brenda Castillo, Kenneth Nguyen & Patricia Huang

This week, we talk to two award-winning authors about their latest work. First, The New York Times cooking columnist Melissa Clark talks to us about her deep dive into the world of salt. From exploring salt harvesting in France to the history and revival of artisanal salts, she walks us through different types of salt and their uses in cooking. She sticks around to answer your cooking questions. Melissa Clark's latest book is Dinner in One, and for a taste of her style, check out her recipe for Roasted Cauliflower & Potatoes with Harissa, Yogurt & Toasted Almonds. Then, award-winning author Crystal Wilkinson talks to us about her new memoir, honoring her maternal ancestors, her kitchen ghosts. She talks about feeling them deeply while cooking and realizing their presence in her life. Crystal's memoir is Praisesong for the Kitchen Ghosts: Stories and Recipes from Five Generations of Black Country Cooks, and she leaves us with her recipe for Indian Creek Skillet Cornbread. 
Broadcast dates for this episode:

February 9, 2024 (originally aired)




Your support is a special ingredient in helping to make The Splendid Table. Donate today.

668: Edna Lewis, an American Original

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