The Splendid Table

For almost 30 years, Jimi Yui has designed kitchens for chefs like Eric Ripert and Masaharu Morimoto. He tells Francis Lam about one of the most important tools to successful designing -- knowing how to listen. Writer and reporter Lisa Napoli has been obsessed with the lives of Ray and Joan Kroc, and how the couple created one of the world's most recognizable restaurant brands. Contributor Russ Parsons learns more about the famous power couple. Chef Marcus Samuelsson wants you to expand your pantry and palate beyond European-American food, and embrace a larger world of flavors. He has a few suggestions for the home chef. America's Test Kitchen puts stovetop tea kettles to the test. Lisa McManus joins us to talk about what to look for in a good kettle, and the winner of their equipment review. Olia Hercules shares her passion for cooking with the flavors of the Ukraine. Megan Krigbaum, senior wine editor at Food & Wine, talks about training your palate to taste for tannin, sweetness and oak in wine. And The Washington Post's Bonnie Benwick tracks down an authentic recipe for toum, the otherworldly garlic paste from Lebanon.
Broadcast dates for this episode:

• January 26, 2018

Host Francis Lam talks with Azalina Eusope, a fifth-generation street vendor from Malaysia setting the San Francisco food scene on fire. Vegetarian food writer and filmmaker Anna Thomas explains why colorful, nutrient-rich green soups are the perfect antidote for the wintertime blues. Bridget Lancaster, host of America’s Test Kitchen, has been investigating sourdough starters in her kitchen and provides us with a primer.  Contributor and New York Times columnist Melissa Clark talks to Elaine Khosrova about her fascinating book, Butter, A Rich History. Ann Taylor Pittman, food editor at Cooking Light magazine, makes the journey her mother's homeland of Korea. And we ask beer expert Greg Engert to break down the main flavor profiles of craft beer.



Broadcast dates for this episode:

• January 5, 2018

It's the end of an era here at The Splendid Table as we say goodbye to our marvelous host and wonderful friend Lynne Rossetto Kasper. Lynne is retiring after more than 22 years hosting our show, and this episode is an homage to her. Recorded during a live farewell event at The Fitzgerald Theater in her hometown of Saint Paul, Minnesota, "Lynne's Goodbye" features Lynne, Francis Lam and Managing Producer Sally Swift. The three take a look back at Lynne's fifty-plus years of curious eating, writing, teaching, traveling, and sharing her life's work and passion with millions of people around the world. You will hear a bit of a roast, some of Lynne's favorite stories from The Splendid Table, and a touching tribute to Lynne from our new host, Francis Lam. Share your favorite Lynne memories, stories, or just say "bon voyage" on social media using #LynneLove.
Broadcast dates for this episode:

• December 29, 2017

The Splendid Table partners with America's Test Kitchen for a holiday special to help with the menu, drink list, and conversation at your party.
Broadcast dates for this episode:

• December 19, 2016 (originally aired)
• December 22, 2017 (rebroadcast)

J. Kenji López-Alt (Serious Eats, The Food Lab) takes us around the world in search of unique breakfasts. Molly Birnbaum and Dan Souza from America's Test Kitchen look at the science and skill of using bitterness in your cooking. Food journalist and matriarch Betty Fussell shares insight from her illustrious career in Eat, Live, Love, Die. Field reporter Shaina Shealy looks at the tradition and turmoil that comes with olive harvest season in the West Bank. Dan Zigmond finds the middle way to health and happiness by following Buddha's Diet.
Broadcast dates for this episode:

• January 13, 2017 (originally aired)
• December 15, 2017 (rebroadcast)

This week, we meet Linnea Burnham, a woman who travels for cheese and records her adventures in her blog Journeys of a Cheese Girl. Madeline Puckette of Wine Folly introduces us to the wines of Verona, Italy, which are perfect for holiday sipping. Traditional rye bread is on the rise worldwide; we go deep into the topic with Stanley Ginsberg author of The Rye Baker. And America’s Test Kitchen hosts Bridget Lancaster and Julia Collin Davison bring us some fresh thoughts on what to roast in the oven.
Broadcast dates for this episode:

• December 16, 2016 (originally aired)
• December 1, 2017 (rebroadcast)

Spice master Lior Lev Sercarz introduces three exotic spices. Molly Birnbaum from America's Test Kitchen explains the secret behind perfect pineapple rolls. Dorie Greenspan promotes world peace through cookies. Fig biologist Mike Shanahan talks about the unique relationship between wasps and figs around the world. And SAVEUR's Leslie Pariseau takes us to Norway for a look at the importance of dried cod.
Broadcast dates for this episode:

• December 2, 2016 (originally aired)
• November 24, 2017 (rebroadcast)

Lynne Rossetto Kasper and Francis Lam cohost our Thanksgiving 2017 call-in show -- Lynne's last Turkey Confidential before retiring at the end of 2017. Lynne and Francis take calls and are joined by special guests -- chefs/restaurateurs Lidia Bastianich and Marcus Samuelsson, comedian/actor Amy Sedaris from At Home with Amy Sedaris, and Dan Souza of America's Test Kitchen.
Broadcast dates for this episode:

• November 23, 2017

Rockstar chef Anthony Bourdain talks about calming the chaos of a holiday kitchen. Lynne Rossetto Kasper talks with Vivian Howard about her family connection to sweet potatoes. Contributor Jennie Cecil Moore visits Minnesota for a wild rice harvest and look at efforts to preserve the native grain. Plus, Tucker Shaw from America's Test Kitchen and Cook's Country joins us with the recipe for an amazing Thanksgiving dessert - Pennsylvania Dutch Apple Pie.
Broadcast dates for this episode:

• November 11, 2016 (originally aired)
• November 10, 2017 (rebroadcast)

Marcus Samuelsson takes Melissa Clark on a personalized tour of Harlem, the neighborhood he has called home for over a decade. Charlotte Druckman gives Melanie Dunea the secret to cast-iron baking, Robert Simonson tells Joe Yonan the story behind the craft cocktail revival, and Beth Dooley shares what inspired her food-writing career with Lynne Rossetto Kasper. Plus, Sally Swift talks with Dan Souza from America's Test Kitchen about how to make perfect crisp-tender restaurant-style Brussels sprouts at home.
Broadcast dates for this episode:

• October 28, 2016 (originally aired)
• October 27, 2017 (rebroadcast)