July 23, 2010
Six Podcasts For Food Lovers
Whenever I walk, bike or metro my way somewhere, whenever I go for a run or sit down for a lengthy fava bean peeling session, I rely on podcasts to keep me entertained.
Although there are a few I listen to that are not food-oriented -- This American Life being my unrivaled favorite -- you won't be surprised to hear I lean toward those that discuss cooking, eating, and the cultural or political ramifications of both activities.
I can't be alone in this, and I'd like to share those podcasts I listen to regularly.
I wrote a similar post almost four years ago, but there are new kids on my podcast block, so I thought it was time to update that list.
Naturally, if you have favorites of your own to recommend, I'm always happy to add new ones to my rotation!
Good Food + The Splendid Table
I am still a faithful listener of KCRW's Good Food*, hosted by Evan Kleiman out of Los Angeles. I also enjoy The Splendid Table, another American public radio show "for people who love to eat" (that's us), hosted by Lynne Rossetto Kasper.
These two are somewhat similar in format, in that they address a variety of topics related to food in each hour-long show, and discuss them with regular contributors and special guests.
Edible Radio
If you're interested in sustainable eats and food politics, do not miss the Edible Radio podcast, hosted by Kate Manchester, who speaks with a different expert (a farmer, a chef, a writer...) in each episode.
Spilled Milk
My friend Molly and her friend Matthew started a podcast earlier this year called Spilled Milk, which they record out of their Seattle homes (except for the upcoming live taping -- attend if you can!). It's a humorous cooking podcast that adopts a refreshingly goofy tone, but still offers valuable tips.
Food Programme
I've only recently started listening to the Food Programme on BBC Radio 4, but the show has been around for over thirty years, and each episode is an in-depth exploration of a particular theme or place.
On va déguster!
And if you're looking to improve your French, you can subscribe to the podcast for the new On va déguster show hosted by French food writer François-Régis Gaudry on France Inter all summer long.
UPDATE Readers have added wonderful suggestions in the comments. For easy access, I'm listing them here, with the appropriate links:
~ NPR: Food
~ Crimes against food
~ The Sporkful
~ Bon Appétit (dormant, but past episodes available)
~ Nutrition Diva
~ Anne Bramley's Eat Feed
~ The Kojo Nnamdi Show (daily show; Wednesdays are about food)
~ Here on Earth (daily show; Fridays are about food)
~ The Kitchen Sisters' Hidden Kitchens
~ BBC's Farming Today
~ Indiana Public Media's Earth Eats
~ The Restaurant Guys
~ Gary Hirshberg's keynote speech at Slow Money at Shelburne Farms, VT (not a podcast, but inspiring and hopeful food talk)
BONUS A few not food-related but worthy podcasts:
~ WNYC's Radiolab
~ The New Yorker's Fiction Podcast
~ PRI's Selected Shorts
~ Stephen Fry's PODGRAMS
~~~
* I even got to be on the show a couple of times (once when my Paris book came out, and once to talk about edible idioms) and being in that studio with Evan was, without a doubt, one of my proudest, wait-till-I-tell-the-grandkids moments.
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 The Omnivore's Hundred |
 On Hotel Breakfasts, and How Not to Have Them |
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On va déguster tomorrow is with Sonia Ezgulian. I will try to listen to it! Although I desperatly lack time and silence in my home to listen to all these... ;-)
You know they make really efficient noise-canceling headphones now? :) Haven't yet listened to the episode with Sonia Ezgulian, but I'm looking forward to it!
I'm always looking for good (food-related) podcasts too, so thanks for the list.
Another excellent podcast similar to This American Life: RadioLab from WNYC. Enjoy!
I also like the NPR: Food Podcast. It's usually short (10-20 minute) episodes of compiled NPR food segments. Interesting to listen to!
I didn't know about these podcasts, they sound great. Thanks for sharing :)
I really love Crimes Against Food. It's not that regular, but the girls who present it are so adorable, real, funny and entertaining, and they're from Yorkshire so their accents remind me of home
Crimes Against Food is great. They really are adorable!
Thanks for this list! I had never even thought of listening to food-related podcasts before. I really love that idea!
You pretty much got all my podcasts (plus Radio Lab)...but a couple new ones here I'll have to listen to. I listen to food podcasts when I run. Is that weird??
I listen while I train on my bike. ;)
I do too! I used to listen to upbeat music when I ran, but now I've found food podcasts to be a lot more efficient in helping me "zone out" and run longer.
I really like The Sporkful, hosted by two (former?) NPR correspondents.
And the Bon Appetit podcast has been dormant for over a year, but the back episodes are worth a listen.
I must second The Sporkful: it's a ton of fun to listen to, and they specialize in refining techniques for foods you didn't think needed techniques. Dan Pashman's square egg sandwich is reason enough to listen to this.
Thanks for sharing, Clotilde!
I LOVE Splendid table!!! Thanks for sharing all of these. I will definitely try them out!
I just wrote a post about "On va déguster", too ! I'm looking forward to listening to the other ones you mention, though.
Ahh, this is nice Clotilde! Yes, I am an avid fan of Good Food, often makes me a bit homesick though! And I adore Lynn's voice on Splendid Table.
Besides podcasts I would love to know what you listen to when you are IN the kitchen? Or not listen to - ha. I always play some sort of music when I am in the kitchen or experime-cooking, so often foods or recipes have a soundtrack to them!
If I'm not listening to a podcast or enjoying the silence, I like to turn on the television (I have an open kitchen so the tv in the living room is not far) and listen (I'm too busy to watch) to various documentaries.
I love Splendid Table and This American Life. NPR really does an excellent job with all of their shows.
I appreciate these suggestions, as I've been needing some new food-related podcasts (The Splendid Table tends to run a lot of repeats, and you have to be in a certain mindset to enjoy Spilled Milk)...
I'm (another) Splendid Table fan, and also the radio 4 food programme. On a very slight tangent, I also love the short and snappy Nutrition Diva podcasts
What about updating your favorite restaurants to go to in Paris?
Thanks for the suggestions! I'm always looking for new ways to learn about others' food ventures :)
Thanks for the tips!
I love The Splendid Table! I love her enthusiasm and the way she turns words. I live in LA so listening to Good Food is like church for me.
I know you read a lot of fiction, so you might like my favorite literary podcasts: the New Yorker's monthly fiction podcast and Selected Shorts from PRI (Short fiction read by "stars of the stage.") It's produced in a very lovely way.
Thank you Clotilde! I've just recently gotten into podcasts and was looking for more food-orientated ones - I am already listening to the BBC Food Programme and love it!
Thank you so so so much for this! I'm so happy to discover more podcasts to listen to. I love Spilled Milk and I'm only too happy to make room in my mp3 player for more!
My favorite is Eat Feed by Anne Bramley, though she doesn't update it as much as she used to.
I have never listened to a food related podcast! Oh what have I been missing? Thank you for this post. My ears are about to have some delicious entertainment...
I recommend The Kojo Nnamdi Show's Wednesday editions. His food broadcasts just won a James Beard award. He covers everything from food politics to food trends. The show broadcasts from a DC NPR affiliate.
Don't overlook the brilliant Anne Bramley at eatfeed.com
I like listening to 'Here on Earth' by Jean Faraca. Every friday it's about food. Other topics are interesting too.
Love Good Food!
The market report is def appointment listening for me.
I recently started listening to Spilled Milk and I am completely addicted! (I actually have started rationing the episodes so I don't catch up too quickly.)
When Molly gets Matthew started laughing like a loon, I can't help but crack up. They really embody the lighter side of foodie-ness.
Ah! This is good! I'm downloading the lot (your commenter's recommendations too) as I write! I always need a bit of entertainment when I'm in the kitchen! Thanks for this! :) I hope all is well! t xx
Ah yes, you certainly do spend a lot of time in that kitchen of yours!
Thanks for the exciting recommendations, everyone! I'll be adding them to my subscription list, and I hope they'll become new favorites.
Great list! I love TAL and can't wait to start listening to the others...
Olive
Thank you for sharing these podcasts! I've always wanted to find the time to listen to them but never get the chance. I will have to make time now!
My absolute favourite in the Hidden Kitchens by the Kitchen Sisters on NPR. They are masterful storytellers...
Just subscribed to Spilled Milk! I listen to Splendid Table when I can, but I religiously listen to TAL and Radiolab. Thanks for the list!
Ohhhh nice! Have you listened to the "Hidden Kitchens" series on NPR? It's quite wonderful, too.
I am ashamed to say that I didn't even realize there were food-related podcasts!
I don't know if I could listen to them while I run, but I always need to have something on in the background while I cook. I can't pay enough attention to a television show, so this sounds like a perfect alternative.
Since I'm new to this whole podcast thing, what would your say are the characteristics of a great food podcast?
Also a fan of The Splendid Table and thanks for the other recommendations.
BTW, Happy Birthday!
Thank you! ^_^
I like the Farming podcast by BBC as well to learn about issues facing farming industry/food production. And the NPR Food podcast.
Oh yes, and Market Kitchen. You have to watch them, or can just listen...because they make the food. But I like them.
Happy Birthday Clotilde!! I am so grateful for your post! I already am addicted to both KCRW's Good Food (which, despite growing up in LA, I think I discovered through you) and Splendid Table, and am so happy to have others to listen to. I often listen when I am cleaning house or cooking, but thank you for the idea of listening while working out. I am going to get an ipod/mp3 player now!
P.S. I am listening to On va déguster now and I must confess that I find the french use of "barbeque" tres adorable!
Also, I didn't realize that the word picnic originated in French.
Thanks so much for the suggestions, Clothilde. A wonderful friend loaded my iPod with all sorts of podcasts when I had to go into hospital a while back - the Splendid Table and Stephen Fry (nothing to do with food this one) were my absolute favourites. I laughed out loud at Lynne Rossetto Kaspar's phrase 'you can reheat this MERCILESSLY - remember, a chicken thigh never dies!'. I'm absolutely addicted to the Radio 4 food programme, which is also accessible via their wonderful iPlayer, so you don't even need to download to iPod (though I do that too). I look at the Radio4 schedule online and then play programmes (all sorts of things) I have missed, when I am cooking.
Spilled Milk is THE BEST!! I am a huge fan. Thanks for the other tips too, I love food podcasts!
Eat Eats is a great food/cooking podcast from Indiana public radio with Annie Corriagan and Chef Daniel Orr. They talk about local food and cooking. It's a weekly podcast, only about 8-10 mins/week.
I love waking up to On va déguster now on my ipod! Merci Clothilde! Great for find tuning the French ear too
This is Gary Hirshberg giving keynote speech at Slow Money at Shelburne Farms VT. Really really inspiring. It's the economics of good food and sustainability.
Sorry it isn't a podcast but it is the most inspiring and hopeful food talk (and sustainability) I have ever heard. It's a good balance for the tough info in the book about factory farming.
I don't know if there is such an effort happening in France on the part of the people but it's really awesome in the USA, if you know where to find it.
Thanks for the link! I'll be sure to listen to it.
Good Food (definite favorite), Earth Eats from Indiana Public Radio, and The Restaurant Guys made my "top three food podcast" post. Earth Eats is a shorter format. Res. Guys has great interviews (Michael Ruhlman, Thomas Keller, Ben Hewitt) and discuss current food politics.
I may have to redo my list after checking out everyone's recommendations. I'm excited to discover new ones!
Got one more for you, The Dinner Party Download. http://www.publicradio.org/columns/dinnerpartydownload/
Thanks for putting this list together. I've listened to most of these, but I've also found some new ones to try out!
Great list. One more: Cooking Issues radio show.
Cooking Issues is Dave Arnold's blog from the French Culinary Institute (in NY), full of in depth food science information. Recently he's expanded to a weekly radio show.
My wife and I produce HotSauceWeekly, the world's first podcast devoted to Hot Sauce, BBQ, and spicy fiery foods.
We'd love to be added to your list.
Thanks! ~brian
Thanks, Brian, I'll give it a listen!
I have to agree that the Splendid Table is one of my FAVORITES! If anyone else is looking for food-related podcasts that aren't necessarily food-based, check out Mike and Tom Eat Snacks (title self-explanatory). It's hilarious! http://bit.ly/JFTCrp Another good one is called The Dinner Party, which follows a standard "dinner" format with really entertaining guests who discuss news/cultures/recipes http://bit.ly/KhkyJ1. Enjoy!
Check out Mystery Meet's Find Dining Podcast (which I host). It's for "foodies who love travel and travelers who love food."
Seth Resler
Founder, Mystery Meet