Like so many other business owners, chef Tom Colicchio had to lay off the vast majority of his employees in the wake of COVID-19. He immediately turned his attention to the government—he's no stranger to its complicated mechanics after years of advocacy work—and began working tirelessly to get the restaurant industry recognized in the $2 trillion stimulus package approved by Congress and just signed by the president. Today, we talk to him about what that means exactly for restaurants and what he thinks needs to happen going forward.

We're airing a special episode today as we're staying updated on the ever-evolving struggles of the restaurant industry during this time. We talk to Edward Lee, chef and owner of 610 Magnolia, Milkwood, and Whiskey Dry in Louisville, Kentucky, as well as Succotash in Washington. D.C. Through the Lee Initiative, Ed has been addressing some of the devastation that has hit his community and inspiring others across the country to do the same. You can read our daily-updated restaurant coverage here.

This week, we're checking in with contributing writer Priya Krishna, who is working remotely from her parents' home in Dallas. She tells us what they've been cooking (lentils are on heavy rotation!). After that, we're airing a conversation we recorded back when we were in the studio. It's with Andy Baraghani, and he goes deep on the recipes he developed for our March issue that are all about cooking with more acid—from buttermilk to lemons to vinegar to sumac.

For us at BA, we're all working from home for the foreseeable future, due the current COVID-19 situation. So this week, Adam and Carla check in with each other remotely and chat about how they're stocking their kitchens and what they're cooking. (We'll be doing this with a different editor each week as the news evolves.) After that, Carla is in the studio for a segment we recorded a few weeks back with Pamela Adlon, the creator, director, and star of "Better Things." Now would be a very good time to watch her TV show.

Basically editor Sarah Jampel is in the studio talking about the ten-week baking challenge rolling out right now on eatbasically.com. We’re halfway through, and she shares how it’s going so far. After that, Carla Lalli Music and Sohla El-Waylly explain how stocking up on food and cooking in light of coronavirus.

Editorial assistant Jesse Sparks sits down with writer and cookbook author Klancy Miller who just launched For the Culture, a biannual magazine by and celebrating Black women in food and wine. They chat about what inspired her to start this endeavor, the challenges of raising money (you can donate here!), and how she hopes to build a real community with the contributors and readers of the magazine. After that, Alex Beggs talks about her latest piece, a deep-dive investigation into why we're so obsessed with crispy foods.

Healthyish editor Amanda Shapiro chats with Basically editor Sarah Jampel about the latest recipe for her column, The Not Depressing Vegetarian. It's a creamy vegan pasta made with canned beans—and it's delicious. This got us thinking: How else does Sarah employ the weeknight, protein-packed, shelf-stable staple? After that, Alex Delany is on for a round of what we’re calling Over/Under, a rapid-fire round of hot takes on food, TV shows, and more.

Get the recipes from this episode:

Pantry Pasta with Vegan Cream Sauce

Aloo Chat

Sheet Pan Chicken Meatballs with Tomatoes and Chickpeas

Marinated Mixed Beans

Smashed Chickpeas on Toast with Harissa Yogurt

We've got five new weeknight recipes that are exactly what you want to be eating right now: hearty, delicious, and built in a big Dutch oven. Molly Baz and Chris Morocco talk us through their latest creations. After that, we're airing two of the essays that were read during our live show a few weeks ago. Up first is Soups, Ranked, by Alex Beggs and then Three Queens and a Snowstorm, by Priya Krishna.

Get the recipes from this episode:

One-Pot Gingery Chicken and Rice With Peanut Sauce

Clams Arrabbiata

Coconut Cod Chowder With Seasoned Oyster Crackers

Squash au Vin

Lentil Kielbassoulet

This week's episode is dedicated to our March cover story: Taco Nation, with recipes, essays, timelines, and more. Up first, contributor Rick Martinez breaks down his recipes in the magazine: duck carnitas tacos, pork volcánes al pastor, and a no-fail formula for amazing salsas. Then, associate editor Hilary Cadigan chats with Dr. Steven Alvarez, who teaches a course about "taco literacy" at St. John's University in New York. Finally, writer Manuel Gonzales reads his essay, Tacos Are My Resistance. The full package will be on bonappetit.com tomorrow.

Get the recipes from this episode:

Duck Carnitas Tacos With Radish Escabeche

Pork Volcanes al Pastor

Test kitchen manager Gaby Melian has developed not one but three (!) empanada recipes for BA, and today we're talking through them. After that, it's time for another installment of the Feedbag, where we respond to letters, comments, and DMs from readers. Last but certainly not least, Alex Beggs is back with Cook, Marry, Kill.