KQED's Forum

When he opened his popular and award-winning restaurant Rintaro, Sylvan Mishima Brackett wanted to serve “the kind of food you’d expect if the Bay Area were a region of Japan.” At Rintaro, you’ll find dishes like yakitori brushed with tare sauce and seared on a binchotan grill, chicken and cheese katsu atop snowy piles of cabbage, and toothsome udon noodles piled in a clear, umami-packed broth. Now you can try to recreate these dishes that have brought raves from customers and critics at home with the “Rintaro” cookbook, which the New York Times just named one of the best cookbooks of the year. Brackett and his co-author Jessica Battilana join us to talk about all things Rintaro.

Guests:

Sylvan Mishima Brackett, owner and chef of Rintaro; former creative director of Chez Panisse

Jessica Battilana, co-author, "Rintaro: Japanese Food from an Izakaya in California. Battilana is also the author of "Repertoire: All The Recipes You Need"

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What was your movie of the year? Maybe you were one of many who donned hot pink at the theaters. Maybe your movie of the year is one that just came out, or one you felt never got its due. 2023 was a weird year for movies: the SAG strike prevented actors from promoting their work; Marvel and Disney flicks underperformed; few expected “Barbie” to be the massive box office hit it was. We hear from critics about their favorite films of the year and the throughlines that connected them. From multifaceted, new and unexpected storylines about women, to examinations of evil and the everyday way it manifests, the best and worst of 2023’s movies have a lot in common. Join us to share the film that stood out to you this year, and to get ideas for movies to watch over the holidays.

Guests:

Alissa Wilkinson, movie critic, New York Times

Dave Schilling, contributing writer, LA Times Image

Kristen Meinzer, co-host, the podcast "Movie Therapy with Rafer and Kristen"

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Hate crimes against Jews and Muslims in the U.S. are reaching all time highs according to the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism. Since the start of the Israel-Hamas war, three college students wearing Palestinian scarves were shot in Vermont, synagogues have been targets of gunshots and vandalism, and reports of physical assaults against Jews and Muslims are rapidly rising. Fears of physical violence have many wondering if they should remove headscarves and yarmulkes. We’ll talk to experts about the rise in hate and how Muslims and Jews around the region are coping.

Guests:

Dov Waxman, political science professor, UCLA; director, UCLA Y&S Nazarian Center for Israel Studies; Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Foundation Chair, UCLA Israel Studies

Maha Elgenaidi, founder and executive director, Islamic Networks Group - a nonprofit focused on building understanding of Muslim and other marginalized groups

Ruth Ferguson, activist; co-writer, San Francisco Chronicle op-ed "As San Francisco Muslims and Jews, We've Always Felt Safe in Our City. Until Now."

Nadia Rahman, founder, Rahman Consulting. Rahman co-wrote the San Francisco Chronicle opinion essay, "As San Francisco Muslims and Jews, We've Always Felt Safe in Our City. Until Now."

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Health officials in Gaza report that at least 18,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since Israel began its bombardment of the region, in retaliation for Hamas’s October 7 attack that left 1200 Israelis dead and 240 more taken hostage. The war has created increasingly desperate conditions in Gaza as its health care system collapses, food and water shortages worsen and the vast majority of residents remain displaced. The humanitarian situation is leading to growing international calls for a ceasefire and demands from U.S. officials that Israel do more to protect civilians while the war continues. We’ll learn more about conditions on the ground in Gaza and whether and to what extent Israel and Hamas are violating international rules of armed conflict.

Guests:

David Scheffer, senior fellow, Council on Foreign Relations; former U.S. ambassador-at-large for war crimes, Clinton Administration; contributor, International Criminal Court; professor of practice, Arizona State University

Bel Trew, chief international correspondent, The Independent

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During the past year, Bay Area artists including Chicana songstress La Doña, homegrown rapper and producer Afterthought and Oakland indie singer-songwriter Madeline Kenney dropped new albums proving that our region remains a hotbed of musical talent. The genres and styles of music coming out of the Bay also reflect the diversity of thoughts and backgrounds of our region’s people. For this hour of Forum, we’re teaming up with KQED music writers to showcase their favorite albums of 2023 from Bay Area artists you need to have on your playlist. And, we’ll bring you a special live performance from one of the featured artists.

Guests:

Nastia Voynovskaya, associate editor, KQED Arts

Pendarvis "Pen" Harshaw, columnist, KQED Arts; host, KQED's "Rightnowish" podcast

Alan Chazaro, food reporter, KQED; poet; educator

Afterthought, San Francisco rapper and producer, the 2023 album "Communal Healing"

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Millions of Californians rely on CalFresh’s benefits to feed their families. But ever since emergency federal contributions to the program ended back in April, food banks across the state say they’re serving record numbers. One in five Californians is food insecure, according to a CalMatters report published in August, but getting accurate accounting presents its own challenges, as various ethnic and racial groups may be underreporting due to stigmas they associate with aid. We’ll find out what those challenges are and discuss what resources are available for all Californians.

Guests:

Jeanne Kuang, reporter, CalMatters

Amanda C McClain, assistant professor, San Diego State University

Betzabel Estudillo, director of engagement, Nourish CA

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Former U.S. housing secretary and presidential candidate Julian Castro joins us to talk about his new role as CEO of the San Francisco-based Latino Community Foundation. The foundation, which has raised more than $100 million in the last decade, is the largest statewide organization that supports Latino-centered programs. Castro has spent most of his career in Texas, including his tenure as mayor of San Antonio, but he and his twin brother, Joaquin, earned their undergraduate degrees at Stanford University. We’ll talk with Castro about what he will bring to his new job and his vision to expand the foundation outside of California.

Guests:

Julián Castro, newly appointed CEO, Latino Community Foundation; former U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary and former Democratic presidential candidate

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“Tumultuous” is how the New Yorker described the podcast industry this year. “Pretty rough” is how Vulture put it. Amid mass layoffs that forced many beloved shows to end, some have described 2023 as the year big money left podcasting. And yet, critics and fans seem to agree that the best podcasts of this year exemplify the medium — showcasing intimate storytelling that has something new to say about our world. Personal reckonings with grief, conversion therapy and body image. True crime shows that focus less on exploitative murder mysteries and more on community impacts. Our panel of voracious podcast listeners and makers join us to share their top podcasts of the year — and we’ll hear yours. What podcast did you love this year? Why?

Guests:

Wil Williams, CEO, Hughouse Productions

Skye Pillsbury, author, The Squeeze newsletter, which reports on the podcast industry

Ronald Young Jr., senior producer and owner, ohitsBigRon studios; host of the podcasts "Leaving the Theater" and "Weight for It" (which was named one of the best podcasts of 2023 by the New York Times)

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Legendary Arhoolie Records founder Chris Strachwitz transversed the United States and Mexico for decades recording traditional roots music and unknown artists. The El Cerrito-based producer, who died last year, was known for his ear for music, but he also had an eye for capturing images. More than 150 of those photos documenting his travels and recording sessions are collected in a new book, “Arhoolie Records Down Home Music: The Stories and Photographs of Chris Strachwitz.” Co-author and veteran music journalist Joel Selvin joins us to talk about Strachwitz’s art and legacy.

Guests:

Joel Selvin, San Francisco-based music journalist and author. His latest book is "Arhoolie Records: Down Home Music"

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Humanitarian conditions in Gaza have become increasingly desperate as Israeli forces intensified bombardments in the southern part of the region this week, now leaving most of Gaza’s 2.2 million residents displaced, thousands dead and electricity, food and water in short supply. Two months after Hamas’s deadly attack on Israel, we take stock of the war that’s ensued, its devastating impact on civilians and what a path toward a peaceful settlement could look like.

Guests:

Steve Coll, staff writer, The New Yorker; former dean, Graduate School of Journalism at Columbia University. His books include "Ghost Wars," which won a Pulitzer Prize.

Adam Goldman, reporter covering national security, New York Times

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