When Benyam Ethiopian Cuisine first opened in Harlem, people weren’t always sure whether they’d walked into a restaurant or an art gallery. And in some ways, that was exactly how owner Beniam Asfaw and his siblings wanted it.

In this episode, I sit down with owner Beniam Asfaw to talk about his journey to New York City, berbere basics, and how food, art, and atmosphere come together to create a place meant for lingering.

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EPISODE CREDITS

Produced & Edited by Diane Bezucha

Music

When Fares Zedeia left Palestine as a teenager, he believed he’d return. Instead, he had to watch from afar as his homeland was torn apart. For years, he searched for his place in the world — a search that eventually led him to a food cart on a New York City sidewalk.

In this episode, I sit down with Fares “Freddy” Zedeia, the King of Falafel and Shawarma himself. Over a platter of his signature falafel, juicy shawarma, and tender kebab, we talk about his journey from cab driver to king — and how food becomes identity and a way to survive when home is far away.

Read more about what we ate!

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EPISODE CREDITS

Produced & Edited by Diane Bezucha

Music

When friends John Nguyen and Chef Nhu Ton first jumped into the restaurant world, they were in over their heads. Way over. Today, they run one of the hottest Vietnamese spots in New York City.

In this episode, I sit down with John and Nhu, the team behind Manhattan’s Bánh Anh Em. Over bánh mì and bún chả, we talk about their journey from hole-in-the-wall beginnings to the Michelin Guide — and the craftsmanship that transforms simple ingredients into unforgettable dishes.

See what we ate!

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EPISODE CREDITS

Produced & Edited by Diane Bezucha

Additional editing by Christina Mitchell

Music

Patrick Lin calls Hu Tieu “the noodle soup of his ancestors.” So when Ly Nguyen made a version that was better than his mom’s, he knew she was the one.

In this episode, I sit down with Patrick and Ly — owners of Brooklyn's Em Vietnamese — to talk about how they fell in love with each other and with Vietnamese cooking. Over a feast of Ly’s best dishes, we explore the ingredients, stories, and traditions that give this cuisine its incredible freshness and depth.

Check out everything we ate!

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Hosted, Produced, and Edited by Diane Bezucha

Additional Editing by Christina Mitchell

Music

We're back with season 2 of Our New York Table, the podcast about food, the people who make it, and what brings all of us to the table.

In this season, we'll hear from chefs and restaurant owners about the experiences that shaped them, the dreams they brought to New York City, and the risks they took to make them happen.

New season coming December 2025.

We sit down for a Q&A with the League of Kitchens founder, Lisa Kyung Gross to learn how her grandmother's Doenjang-guk inspired her to start a unique cooking school where immigrant women teach family recipes from their own home kitchens.

Sign up for an in-person or online cooking class with the League of Kitchens.

Pick up your own copy of the League of Kitchens Cookbook.

Contact Lisa for a personalized astrology reading: [email protected]

In the second episode of a two-part story, we continue Shandra Woworuntu’s story, hearing about her escape from a horrific experience with human trafficking, and her work supporting other survivors around the world. Shandra also invites us to her home where she makes us Es Cendol for dessert and tells us how food has been her path to healing.

Try Shandra's Indonesian recipes and restaurant recommendations in NYC.

Learn how you can support survivors of human trafficking at Mentari USA.

Sign up for a cooking class with the League of Kitchens.

In the first episode of a two-part story, we have lunch with Shandra Woworuntu, an Indonesian chef and activist working to eradicate human trafficking. Over Gado-gado salad and Ayem Goreng Kremes at Awang Kitchen, Shandra tells us about growing up in Indonesia, living through the Asian Financial Crisis, and the promising overseas job that turned into a terrifying nightmare.

Try Shandra's Indonesian recipes and restaurant recommendations in NYC.

Eat some great Indonesian food at Awang Kitchen.

In this episode we head to Queens for an Argentinian dinner party and cooking class with Mirta Rinaldi, a cooking instructor, yerba mate sommelier, and owner of Mendulicina bakery. We make Argentinian specialties like grilled skirt steak with chimichurri sauce and pears poached in Malbec, as Mirta tells us about growing up in a family of amazing cooks, how she went from working in a coat check room to hosting parties for celebrities, and how food allows her to express her creativity.

Try Mirta's Argentinian recipes and restaurant recommendations in NYC.

Buy her delicious alfajores cookies from Mendulcina.

Sign up for a cooking class with the League of Kitchens.

Brooklyn-based cooking instructor Mukti Banerjee invites us into her home for an Indian cooking class. As we learn to make dishes like a spicy lamb vindaloo and creamy chana masala, Mukti tells us about developing a nose for spices and following her happiness from the biology lab to the kitchen.

Try Mukti's Indian recipes and restaurant recommendations in NYC.

Sign up for a cooking class with Mukti's Kitchen.