Juneteenth, celebrated on the 19th of June, may be our newest national holiday, but Black Americans — particularly Texans — have been celebrating it for years. Bon Appetit and Epicurious Editor-in-Chief Jamila Robinson sat down with chef, TV host, and entrepreneur Carla Hall to dig into how they mark Juneteenth, who's allowed to join the celebrations, and what they're cooking this year. This conversation previously appeared on Bon Appetite’s Dinner SOS podcast. 

Recipes Mentioned:
Hibiscus, Orange, and Vanilla Agua Fresca
Ruth's Lima Beans with Smoked Turkey Tail
Brown Butter Peach Cobbler
Lemon-Pepper Catfish Nuggets with Pepperoncini Dip
Glazed Funnel Cake with Fruit Confetti

Chef EJ Lagasse spent his childhood in TV studios watching his dad Emeril teach the nation how to cook. Now at 22 years-old, EJ is taking over his father’s flagship restaurant in New Orleans and adding his own twist. EJ joins Bon Appétit’s Editor-in-Chief Jamila Robinson to reflect on the many lessons he has learned from Lagasse Sr. and his other mentors in the kitchen including Chef Eric Ripert. And we find out his tactic for dealing with people on the street asking him to yell his father’s catchphrase: ‘Bam!’.

Chef Alice Waters started the Edible Schoolyard 30 years ago to bridge the gap between education and the garden. Little did she know it would expand to a network of over 7,000 schools and would inspire and feed generations of school children. Host Jamila Robinson sits down with Alice to reflect on the journey from her days as a student activist in Berkeley in the 1960s to the legacy she’s created. Plus, Alice also talks about the Bear and whether she sees any parallels with her kitchen in Chez Panisse. 

Chef Gregory Gourdet’s love of fashion is front and center in his new collaboration with Printemps, a Parisian department store that’s arrived in New York City. Gregory joins host Jamila Robinson in the Bon Appetite Studios to talk about Printemps' five different dining options inspired by the colonial history of French food and what it’s like to go from the kitchen to the pages of Vogue.

On her podcast ‘Your Mama’s Kitchen’, journalist Michele Norris asks her guests about the kitchens they grew up in. So, in this episode we’re turning the tables. Host Jamila Robinson will be asking Michele about her own mother’s kitchen. We learn how a simple warm-up question that came from a soundcheck on NPR’s All Things Considered turned into a series of powerful conversations with celebrities opening up about how they see the world. Jamila and Michele also talk about the Duchess of Sussex’s new Netflix show ‘With Love, Megan’.

Host Jamila Robinson sits down with the masterminds behind New York City restaurant Frevo, Bernardo Silva and Chef Franco Sampogna. Frevo is part art gallery, part restaurant but entirely delicious. (And they have the Michelin star to prove it.) Bernardo and Franco met when they were teenagers in France and have been partners in the hospitality industry ever since. Since opening Frevo in 2019, they have sought to marry art and food while maintaining a small 24 seat restaurant. The duo are hyperfocused on the small details and reveal how the little things make a big impact in the New York City food scene. 

Comedian Matteo Lane has very strong opinions on pasta. This week he joins guest host Joseph Hernandez to talk about his new book "Your Pasta Sucks." Matteo breaks down what American cooks are getting wrong in the kitchen and how to fix it. He also talks about his love affair with Italy and reveals what was going on behind the scenes in his viral video at Olive Garden. Matteo has strong opinions on Olive Garden.

Chef Marcus Samuelsson visits Bon Appétit HQ to talk about reconnecting with his Ethiopian heritage through his restaurant, Marcus Addis. Located in Addis Ababa, the restaurant is a part of Ethiopia’s new wave of fine dining and provides training and mentorship opportunities to young people. Jamila and Marcus also discuss the ups and downs of his career, the women who shaped it and why elevating women into leadership roles is a critical part of his culture as a restauranteur. Plus, Marcus shares the musical inspiration that first brought him to New York.

Jamila talks to restaurant mogul Chef Laurent Tourondel of the BLT Restaurant Group. Laurent has opened 54 restaurants and isn’t afraid to take risks in the kitchen. (He has the Michelin stars to prove it.) Laurent reflects on his journey from working in small kitchens in his hometown of Auvergne, France to becoming a celebrated chef in the New York food scene.

Special guest host Joseph Hernandez catches up with Saturday Night Live cast members Ego Nwodim, Sarah Sherman and alum Ana Gasteyer as they celebrate the 50th anniversary of the comedy show. They discuss the role food has had in some of their most iconic sketches and the catering at 30 Rock. Ego, Sarah and Ana also talk about the places they want to eat at and what foods soothe their pre-show anxiety. Hold on to your Schweddy Balls!