Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street Radio
- Episodes
- 585
- Released
- weekly
- Latest episode
- Nov 13, 2026
About the podcast
Every week, Milk Street Radio travels the world to find the most fascinating stories about food—a detective who tracks down food thieves and a look inside the most famous (and often scandalous) restaurant kitchens—and interviews with culinary icons such as José Andrés, Padma Lakshmi, Jacques Pépin, and Marcus Samuelsson. And on Milk Street Radio you can always find the unexpected: the comedian who ranks apples using an elaborate 100-point system, the scientists who study if vegetables have souls, and the journalist who reveals the world’s 10 biggest food lies. We also answer our listeners’ cooking questions, find out how to make the perfect cup of coffee, and share how to eat your way through Italy.
Episodes 585
Madhur Jaffrey: Sucking Mangoes and Chewing Bones
Madhur Jaffrey joins us and shares memories from mountain picnics in the Himalayas, her favorite way to enjoy a mango and stories from her career as a film and food star. Plus, we make Turkish-Style Flaky …
Show notes
Madhur Jaffrey joins us and shares memories from mountain picnics in the Himalayas, her favorite way to enjoy a mango and stories from her career as a film and food star. Plus, we make Turkish-Style Flaky Flatbreads and journalist David Johns tries to find out—could ice cream actually be good for you? (Originally aired November 9, 2023.)
Get the recipe for Turkish-Style Flaky Flatbreads here.
Photo credit: Adrianna Newell
Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | SpotifyJacques Pépin: Teenage Chef, 100 Paris Kitchens, and Cooking for the President (Chapter 1)
Jacques Pépin grew up in Nazi-occupied France, became an apprentice cook at 13, and worked his way through dozens of Paris kitchens. In the first chapter of our special three-part documentary series, we tell …
Show notes
Jacques Pépin grew up in Nazi-occupied France, became an apprentice cook at 13, and worked his way through dozens of Paris kitchens. In the first chapter of our special three-part documentary series, we tell the story of how it all began.
Series written and produced by Otis Gray and Grace McNally.
Editing, fact-checking, and mixing by Milk Street Radio team.
Music by APM Music and Edith Piaf.
Photo credit: Jacques Pépin Foundation.
Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | SpotifyJacques Pépin's Untold Stories: The Mob, The President, and Fast Food
Today, Jacques Pépin shares some of his best untold stories. Before his 30 cookbooks and three decades on TV, he stood up to the mob, turned down JFK, and reinvented frozen meals for the American supermarket …
Show notes
Today, Jacques Pépin shares some of his best untold stories. Before his 30 cookbooks and three decades on TV, he stood up to the mob, turned down JFK, and reinvented frozen meals for the American supermarket. This week, we share the first part of our special series all about Jacques Pépin, reported by Otis Gray and Grace McNally. Plus, Chris and Sara answer your calls about handpies and the perfect breakfast; and A Way With Words teaches us the language of ending a meal.
Photo credit: Jacques Pépin Foundation
Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | SpotifyWok Eggs, Fried Rice and Hot Dry Noodles: Chinese Cooking Demystified
Today, we revisit the archives with our friends Stephanie Li and Chris Thomas from the YouTube channel Chinese Cooking Demystified. We learn the secrets to perfect fried rice, how to cook with chopsticks, and …
Show notes
Today, we revisit the archives with our friends Stephanie Li and Chris Thomas from the YouTube channel Chinese Cooking Demystified. We learn the secrets to perfect fried rice, how to cook with chopsticks, and why the best KFCs are in China. Plus, Abigail Koffler helps us navigate food in the metaverse; we make Mexican-Style Corn with Chili and Lime; and Adam Gopnik cries tears of joy. (Originally aired June 24, 2022.)
Get the recipe for Mexican-Style Corn with Chili and Lime here.
Read How Will We Eat In The Metaverse? and This Needs Hot Sauce by Abigail Koffler.
Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | SpotifyOur Haunted Podcast! Witches' Brew, the Candy Store Ghost and the Secret History of Jack-o'-Lanterns
We’re serving up an extra frightful hour of Milk Street Radio! Folklorist Lesley Bannatyne reveals the mischievous origins of the jack-o’-lantern, and Oaxacan tour guide Gabriel Sánchez shares memories from Day …
Show notes
We’re serving up an extra frightful hour of Milk Street Radio! Folklorist Lesley Bannatyne reveals the mischievous origins of the jack-o’-lantern, and Oaxacan tour guide Gabriel Sánchez shares memories from Day of the Dead celebrations. Candy historian Susan Benjamin recounts candy’s surprising history in America — and the ghostly encounters in her candy shop — and we uncover a modern recipe for the Witches’ Brew from Macbeth. And, to further satisfy our sweet teeth, Stella Parks hops on the phone with Chris to take on your autumn baking calls. (Originally aired on October 24, 2025.)
For more information the Witches’ Brew recipe from Macbeth, head here.
Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | SpotifyThe Perfect Cup: Great Homemade Coffee with James Hoffmann
Today, we look back at one of our favorite episodes with YouTube coffee expert James Hoffmann. He shares the best, worst and weirdest coffee in the world—from his tried-and-true recipe for the ultimate cup at …
Show notes
Today, we look back at one of our favorite episodes with YouTube coffee expert James Hoffmann. He shares the best, worst and weirdest coffee in the world—from his tried-and-true recipe for the ultimate cup at home to the time he tasted 70-year-old beans in Japan. Plus, Don and Petie Kladstrup tell us the story of the man who taught America to love Champagne; we make Beef Chili Colorado Tacos; and Adam Gopnik discusses the greatest food debates of our time. (Originally aired May 20, 2022.)
Get the recipe for Beef Chili Colorado Tacos here.
Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | SpotifyKiller Kitchen! Cartoonist Roz Chast Fears Her Undersink Cabinet of Doom (and More)
New Yorker cartoonist Roz Chast often illustrates the absurdities of everyday life. In her new book, The Two Saddest Kitchens, she finds humor in the anxiety of home kitchens—from the forgotten space above the …
Show notes
New Yorker cartoonist Roz Chast often illustrates the absurdities of everyday life. In her new book, The Two Saddest Kitchens, she finds humor in the anxiety of home kitchens—from the forgotten space above the refrigerator to the cast iron pan. Plus, Kristen Miglore tells us whether we should refrigerate our ketchup, mayo and other condiments; and Cindy Ott shares how the pumpkin became an American icon.
Photo credit: Roz Chast
Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | SpotifyThe Dog-Eat-Dog World of Ballpark Vendors
For this week's bonus, we're going back into the archives! In this episode from 2022, Nick Fountain from NPR’s “Planet Money” shares the skills and strategy it takes to sell food at the ballpark. Plus, chef …
Show notes
For this week's bonus, we're going back into the archives! In this episode from 2022, Nick Fountain from NPR’s “Planet Money” shares the skills and strategy it takes to sell food at the ballpark. Plus, chef Angela Dimayuga gives us a crash course in Filipino flavors and techniques; we learn about the language of eating outdoors with Grant Barrett and Martha Barnette; and we make Swedish Cardamom Buns.
Get the recipe for Swedish Cardamom Buns here.
Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | SpotifyAsk Yotam Ottolenghi
Yotam Ottolenghi is back and on the phone lines! He answers your questions and shares some of his best cooking secrets (and personal ones too!) He tells us about the potato chip omelet he makes for his …
Show notes
Yotam Ottolenghi is back and on the phone lines! He answers your questions and shares some of his best cooking secrets (and personal ones too!) He tells us about the potato chip omelet he makes for his once-picky kids, gives a crash course in leeks, provides his method for whipping up an egg-free mayo, and lets us in on what he really thinks about za'atar. Plus, we chat with Rosie Grant about gravestone recipes; and Tim Glazner tells the strange true story of the man who invented the tiki bar.
Photo credit: Jonathan Lovekin
Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | SpotifyWelcome to The Hong Kong Diner!: Extended Cut
In this special episode, we’re sharing an extended cut of our interview with chef Lucas Sin. He praises all that Hong Kong diners have to offer, including the customizable breakfast noodles, the friendly …
Show notes
In this special episode, we’re sharing an extended cut of our interview with chef Lucas Sin. He praises all that Hong Kong diners have to offer, including the customizable breakfast noodles, the friendly neighborhood environment, and the comforting milk tea that is driving his dream of opening a Hong Kong diner of his own. Plus, he reflects back on his time doing pop-ups in his dorm room at Yale.
Photo credit: Nicholas Wong and Mario Chui
Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | SpotifyWelcome to The Hong Kong Diner! Black Pepper Spaghetti and Deep-Fried French Toast
Chef Lucas Sin’s quickest dining experience clocked in at 6 minutes and 40 seconds. This expedient supper took place at a famous cha chaan teng, or Hong Kong diner, and he believes it’s one of the best …
Show notes
Chef Lucas Sin’s quickest dining experience clocked in at 6 minutes and 40 seconds. This expedient supper took place at a famous cha chaan teng, or Hong Kong diner, and he believes it’s one of the best restaurants in the world. From the extensive menu—french toast, black pepper spaghetti, milk tea, the list goes on—to the more abstract “human emotion flavor” that keeps diners coming back, Lucas explains what makes these neighborhood restaurants so special. Plus, reporter Jessica Sidman investigates the so-called "food truck mafia" around Washington, D.C.'s National Mall; and Ian Buxton gives us a lesson on Scotch whisky.
Photo credit: Nicholas Wong and Mario Chui
Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | SpotifyPink Margarine?! America’s Greatest Food Fight
99% Invisible’s Chris Berube shares margarine’s secret history—from Supreme Court battles to Eleanor Roosevelt’s advertising campaign—and why in some states you could only buy margarine that was dyed pink or …
Show notes
99% Invisible’s Chris Berube shares margarine’s secret history—from Supreme Court battles to Eleanor Roosevelt’s advertising campaign—and why in some states you could only buy margarine that was dyed pink or black. Plus, we learn about snacks from around the world with Unsnackable’s Folu Akinkuotu; Dan Pashman tells us what there is to love about canned foods; and we make Brazilian-Style Pizza.
Get the recipe for Brazilian-Style Pizza Carbonara here.
Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | SpotifySteakhouse Secrets: What Nobody Tells You About The Perfect Steak
Food writer Tim Hayward shares the juicy history of the steak. We take a peek inside the secret beefsteak societies of England and New York, learn a classic Argentinian salting method, and try a steak from a 25 …
Show notes
Food writer Tim Hayward shares the juicy history of the steak. We take a peek inside the secret beefsteak societies of England and New York, learn a classic Argentinian salting method, and try a steak from a 25 year-old-cow in Spain. Plus, Kenji López-Alt goes on a quest for the perfect teriyaki; Sara Moulton and Chris take your cooking calls; and we prepare a Sunflower Hummus from Georgia. (Originally aired October 10, 2025.)
Get this week’s recipe for Sunflower Hummus here.
Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | SpotifyAlexis Nikole Nelson Eats the Weeds: Extended Cut
In this special episode, we’re releasing an extended cut of our interview with Alexis Nikole Nelson. She tells us about the foraged ingredients you won’t find at your grocery store (like mugwort and magnolia …
Show notes
In this special episode, we’re releasing an extended cut of our interview with Alexis Nikole Nelson. She tells us about the foraged ingredients you won’t find at your grocery store (like mugwort and magnolia flowers!) and the dishes she creates with them. Plus, Alexis reveals her favorite spot in New York City for foraging maitake mushrooms.
Photo credit: JB Douglas
Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | SpotifyAlexis Nikole Nelson Eats the Weeds: Recipes from the Wild
Alexis Nikole Nelson, known on TikTok as the Black Forager, has been foraging wild ingredients as long as she can remember. In her new book, "Happy Snacking, Don’t Die!", she shares what she cooks with …
Show notes
Alexis Nikole Nelson, known on TikTok as the Black Forager, has been foraging wild ingredients as long as she can remember. In her new book, "Happy Snacking, Don’t Die!", she shares what she cooks with them—including pickled onion grass and mushroom sour candy—and reveals a run-of-the-mill weed that might help flavor Dr. Pepper. Plus, we visit Arianna Pasquini to find out what Romans actually cook for dinner; then we head to Oktoberfest to learn the sport of Steinholding.
Photo credit: JB Douglas
Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | SpotifyThe Secret History of Food Words
For this week's bonus, we're going back into the archives with our good friends Grant Barrett and Martha Barnette from the radio show A Way With Words. In our first-ever episode together from 2019, they discuss …
Show notes
For this week's bonus, we're going back into the archives with our good friends Grant Barrett and Martha Barnette from the radio show A Way With Words. In our first-ever episode together from 2019, they discuss why some restaurant servers ask “Will you be wanting anything else?" They also explain phrases that seemingly don’t make a lot of sense, such as “in a pickle.” Plus, master spice blender Lior Lev Sercarz teaches us how to transform a meal; we learn the step-by-step rules to perfect curry; and Adam Gopnik ponders climate change and the future of wine.
Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | SpotifyDining Dos, Dining Don’ts: The New Rules of Restaurant Etiquette
Bon Appétit columnist Maggie Hennessy helps us navigate the new rules of dining out. Is it ever OK to take out your phone? What’s the best way to grab your server’s attention? And how fussy is too fussy? Plus …
Show notes
Bon Appétit columnist Maggie Hennessy helps us navigate the new rules of dining out. Is it ever OK to take out your phone? What’s the best way to grab your server’s attention? And how fussy is too fussy? Plus, Irene Yoo throws a soju party, and Grant Barrett and Martha Barnette of A Way With Words share the stories behind your favorite pasta shapes. (Originally aired September 26, 2025.)
Photo credit: Bon Appétit / Getty
Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | SpotifyGreen Spaghetti and Cowboy Candy: Pati Jinich Celebrates the “New” Mexican Cuisine
For Pati Jinich, there was a right way and a wrong way to make authentic Mexican cuisine. That was until she journeyed across the U.S.-Mexico borderlands. From cowboy candy to green spaghetti, she joins us to …
Show notes
For Pati Jinich, there was a right way and a wrong way to make authentic Mexican cuisine. That was until she journeyed across the U.S.-Mexico borderlands. From cowboy candy to green spaghetti, she joins us to share the foods and lessons she learned from both sides of the border. Plus, Milk Street Radio producer Sarah Clapp visits the 2026 James Beard Chef and Restaurant Awards and meets the winners; and Mo Rocca prepares a funeral breakfast for accordionist Lawrence Welk.
Photo credit: Jennifer Chase
Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | SpotifyTwinkies Gone Wild: Claire Saffitz Decodes Cheetos, Hot Pockets, Gushers and Oreos
This week, we’re revisiting one of our all-time favorite episodes—our 2020 interview with Claire Saffitz, in which she describes the trials and tribulations of creating famous snack foods on the Bon Appétit …
Show notes
This week, we’re revisiting one of our all-time favorite episodes—our 2020 interview with Claire Saffitz, in which she describes the trials and tribulations of creating famous snack foods on the Bon Appétit YouTube series “Gourmet Makes.” Plus, we talk to Ed Currie, the creator of one of the world's hottest pepper: the Carolina Reaper; we make Greek-style braised chickpeas; and Alex Aïnouz brews beer at home using only ingredients found in a supermarket.
Get the recipe for Greek-Style Braised Chickpeas with Tomatoes and Orange here.
Photo credit: Alex Lau, Bon Appétit
Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | SpotifyI Catered Napoleon's Wedding: Carême, the First Celebrity Chef
He cooked for the czar of Russia and the Rothschilds, and even made Napoleon Bonaparte's wedding cake. He invented the chef’s hat and published the first recipes for soufflé and meringue, but you’ve probably …
Show notes
He cooked for the czar of Russia and the Rothschilds, and even made Napoleon Bonaparte's wedding cake. He invented the chef’s hat and published the first recipes for soufflé and meringue, but you’ve probably never heard his name. This week, it’s the story of the world’s first celebrity chef: Marie-Antoine Carême. Plus, we’re joined by one of today’s best chefs, Enrique Olvera; Kenji López-Alt returns with a brand-new way to fry an egg; we make Indonesian Beef and Sweet Soy Sate; and Chris and Sara take your calls and tell us how to organize handwritten recipes, why we season everything with pepper, and much more. (Originally aired August 8, 2025.)
Get this week’s recipe for Indonesian Beef and Sweet Soy Sate here.
Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | SpotifyBest-Of Calls: Wax Peppers, Carrot Tops, and Wild Leeks
For this week's bonus, we have an all-calls special! We look back on our favorite plant-based calls, including how to cook with carrot tops, how to master eggplant, and how to make kids—or anyone—fall in love …
Show notes
For this week's bonus, we have an all-calls special! We look back on our favorite plant-based calls, including how to cook with carrot tops, how to master eggplant, and how to make kids—or anyone—fall in love with vegetables.
Photo credit: Nina Luong
Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | SpotifyCrazy Love at 86: Bake-Off's Prue Leith Celebrates Being Old
Former "Great British Bake Off" judge Prue Leith talks about finding the love of her life at 70, a jazz musician’s review that put her restaurant on the map, and recounts one of her most viral moments: "Tell us …
Show notes
Former "Great British Bake Off" judge Prue Leith talks about finding the love of her life at 70, a jazz musician’s review that put her restaurant on the map, and recounts one of her most viral moments: "Tell us about your beaver." Plus, Kimmie Mcintosh honors Filipino history and flavors at her pop-up bakery, Milkfish Bakeshop; and Alex Aïnouz has a life-changing meal at his local bistro.
Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | SpotifyThe Lost Kitchen: Erin French Has 20,000 Restaurant Reservations in Freedom, Maine
This week, we're revisiting one of our all-time favorite episodes–it's our 2018 interview with Erin French. Following a tumultuous year, Erin French returned to her hometown of Freedom, Maine to open what is …
Show notes
This week, we're revisiting one of our all-time favorite episodes–it's our 2018 interview with Erin French. Following a tumultuous year, Erin French returned to her hometown of Freedom, Maine to open what is now one of the most exclusive restaurants in America, where the ingredients can be found in the garden, the waitlist is in the tens of thousands, and the menu is always a surprise. Plus, we explore the pumpkin spice lifestyle; we make dump and stir Spanish Almond Cake; and Dr. Aaron Carroll explains the truth about fish and mercury.
Get this week's recipe for Spanish Almond Cake here.
Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | SpotifyMagnolia Ice Cream? Yes! Plus Candied Acorns and Spruce Bark Cookies
When Justin Davies cuts into a piece of wood, he wonders what it tastes like. Today, he shares his adventures in crafting desserts out of trees, from the bark infusion that made his tongue go numb to the ice …
Show notes
When Justin Davies cuts into a piece of wood, he wonders what it tastes like. Today, he shares his adventures in crafting desserts out of trees, from the bark infusion that made his tongue go numb to the ice cream concocted from an infamously smelly tree. Plus, Lidia Bastianich returns to answer your questions on pasta and pesto; we eat through the backroads of Vietnam with chef Anaïs Ca Dao van Manen; and writer Jenny Linford meditates on cooking’s most elusive ingredient. (Originally aired September 5, 2025.)
Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify
The Shocking Truth About Food Safety: Extended Cut
In this special episode, we’re sharing an extended cut of our interview with food safety experts Ben Chapman and Don Schaffner. They give their best tips for avoiding foodborne illnesses, including the safest …
Show notes
In this special episode, we’re sharing an extended cut of our interview with food safety experts Ben Chapman and Don Schaffner. They give their best tips for avoiding foodborne illnesses, including the safest way to cool down food, the hidden dangers of potato salad, and the foods they refuse to order from restaurants.
Photo credit: Laura Ohlman
Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | SpotifyDeath in the Kitchen: The Shocking Truth About Food Safety
This week, we take a look at the hazards lurking in our kitchens. Food safety experts Ben Chapman and Don Schaffner give their best tips for avoiding foodborne illnesses, including their protocol for cooking …
Show notes
This week, we take a look at the hazards lurking in our kitchens. Food safety experts Ben Chapman and Don Schaffner give their best tips for avoiding foodborne illnesses, including their protocol for cooking raw meat, the diseases hiding in your salt, how to actually clean a sponge, and the foods they refuse to order from restaurants. Plus, we take a burger road trip with George Motz; Genevieve Taylor returns to the phone lines to take your grilling calls; and Kim Severson reflects on 250 years of American cooking.
Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | SpotifyBest-Of Calls: Roosters, Alligators, and Leaf Lard
For this week's bonus, we have an all-calls special! We look back on the ingredients that have stumped you most—rooster, alligator, squid ink, even sparrows.Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify
100 Years of Food Writing at the New Yorker: M.F.K. Fisher, Calvin Trillin and A.J. Lieblin
Adam Gopnik takes us on a tour of great food writing from the New Yorker in celebration of the magazine's centennial. We hear A.J. Liebling’s tip for finding a good restaurant in Paris, M.F.K. Fisher’s fantasy …
Show notes
Adam Gopnik takes us on a tour of great food writing from the New Yorker in celebration of the magazine's centennial. We hear A.J. Liebling’s tip for finding a good restaurant in Paris, M.F.K. Fisher’s fantasy about potato chips and Calvin Trillin’s obsession over constructing the perfect bagel. Plus, Matt Goulding shares why paella is a hotbed of controversy; we explain why a cold oven is the secret to the best creme brûlée; and Christopher Kimball and Sara Moulton answer your questions and share their favorite things to do with tomatoes. (Originally aired July 25, 2025.)
Get this week’s recipe for Cold-Oven Crème Brûlee here.
Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | SpotifyThe Secret History of Erewhon: Extended Cut
In this special episode, we’re sharing an extended cut of our interview with Kerry Howley about the surprising history of L.A.’s favorite food store, Erewhon.
Gonzo Food Trends: Sperm Gummies, Colostrum Soda and Spray-Can Beef Tallow
Andrea Hernández, founder of Snaxshot, is back to share her 2026 grocery store predictions—complete with holy water and sour pineapple sperm worms. Plus, reporter Kerry Howley reveals the surprising history of …
Show notes
Andrea Hernández, founder of Snaxshot, is back to share her 2026 grocery store predictions—complete with holy water and sour pineapple sperm worms. Plus, reporter Kerry Howley reveals the surprising history of Erewhon, L.A.’s favorite food store; A Way With Words gets metaphorical about food and our bodies; and Stella Parks returns to answer your baking questions.
Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify
These are the latest 40 of 585 episodes. You’ll find older episodes in the podcast’s feed.
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