Serious Eats' podcast Special Sauce enables food lovers everywhere to eavesdrop on an intimate conversation about food and life between host and Serious Eats founder Ed Levine and his well-known/famous friends and acquaintances both in and out of the food culture.
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The Special Sauce with Ed Levine is a truly fascinating and enjoyable podcast that delves into the personal histories and journeys of chefs and cooks. The host, Ed Levine, shows a great deal of respect for his guests and allows them to tell their stories in a relatable way. Even for those who may not be avid cooks or food enthusiasts, this podcast is still highly engaging and informative. Levine does a commendable job of connecting cuisine with culture, showcasing his sincerity in every word he says. The guests he brings on are clearly individuals that he is genuinely excited to share with his listeners. Overall, it's a fantastic podcast that will make you feel like you're sitting at the table with these incredible people.
One of the best aspects of The Special Sauce is its focus on the people behind the food rather than just the food itself. While there may be thousands of podcasts solely dedicated to cooking, this podcast stands out by allowing listeners to connect with the individuals who have dedicated their lives to creating culinary masterpieces. Through insightful interviews, Levine successfully pulls out interesting stories and provides valuable tips on techniques and recipes. Additionally, his thorough research comes across in his well-crafted questions, making each episode highly informative.
Despite its many strengths, one potential drawback of The Special Sauce is its tendency to delve into politics alongside discussions about food. Some listeners have expressed frustration with this aspect, hoping for a more focused conversation solely about food. However, it's important to recognize that food and politics are inherently intertwined, as our entire food system is shaped by political decisions regarding access, marketing, farming practices, and more.
In conclusion, The Special Sauce with Ed Levine is an exceptional podcast that offers an intimate look into the lives of chefs and cooks while exploring the cultural significance of food. With its engaging conversations and genuine enthusiasm from both Levine and his guests, it's truly a standout show within the culinary genre. While some may prefer a more strictly food-focused discussion, the incorporation of politics provides a deeper understanding of the complex issues surrounding our food system. Overall, it's a must-listen for anyone interested in the stories behind the food we all love.
Donald Trump's ICE raids have had a devastating effect on the Los Angeles taco community. On this episode of Special Sauce we talk to the great website LAtaco.com's editor in chief Javier Cabrales about his site's comprehensive coverage of this still unfolding tragedy. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
Serious eaters have watched with horror and dismay as President Trump has tasked ICE agents with carrying out his grand mass deportation scheme. Why are we so upset? Because this cruel scheme has impacted the lives of millions of farm workers all over the country. Here to offer his invaluable perspective on all these genuinely existential issues facing immigrants, both documented and undocumented, is Antonio De Loera-Brust, Communications Director for UFW. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
On this episode of Special Sauce we talk to avocado farmer Norm Kachuck and Los Angeles Times reporter Daniel Miller about the crisis facing California avocado growers as they try to compete with Mexican avocados. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
The late, truly great Marcella Hazan taught many of us what real Italian food is and how to cook it. And yet many people, including me, didn't know much about this remarkable woman. But now there's a terrific documentary about her life and work, 'Marcella'. We talk to Pete Wells of The New York Times and the director of 'Marcella', Peter Miller, about the many aspects of her life that have gone unnoticed until now. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
The The New York Times's national food correspondent Kim Severson gives us the 411 on meat's improbable comeback. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
It's only 450 Square Feet, but L.A.'s Now Serving Cookbook Store is so much more than a place to buy food books. Its co-founder Ken Concepcion explains how his tiny bookstore became home base for Serious Eaters in LA. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
Is being an international pizza consultant the world's best job? Anthony Falco explains all. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
On this episode of Special Sauce we talk to Meghan McCarron and Adam Chandler about the surprisingly important role casual sit-down dining chains like Chili's and Olive Garden play in Americans' lives. I know, I know, I was skeptical, too. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
On this episode of Special Sauce, we revisit our extraordinary conversation with the great Mexico City-based chef Lalo Garcia and the journalist Laura Tillman, who chronicled his extraordinary journey from undocumented migrant farm worker to world-famous chef. Given everything that's happening right now in the world of immigration, we thought this episode might resonate anew. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
On this episode of Special Sauce we revisit our provocative conversation with the food activist, farmer, and force of nature Karen Washington, one of the stars of the terrific documentary 'Food and Country'. In times like these, when many of our cherished institutions are coming under attack, we need more voices like hers. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
On this episode of Special Sauce we talk to White Oak Pastures' Will Harris about nothing less than the future of farming. Harris has become one of the leading voices of the regenerative farming movement. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
Last September Asheville, North Carolina was devastated by Hurricane Helene. The damage is estimated to be $60 billion. Especially hard hit was the close-knit food community that has attracted millions of visitors to Asheville every year. The New York Times's Pete Wells did some stellar reporting last fall when he spent a few days interviewing chefs and farmers in the picturesque western Carolina city. Now, six months down the road, Special Sauce checked in with Pete and James Beard Award-winning chef-restaurateur Meherwan Irani to update us on the state of Asheville's recovery. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
When the documentary Food and Country came out last year, we had Ruth Reichl on Special Sauce to talk about the film as a whole and the farmers that are actually the stars and heroes of the movie. One of those farmers is Bob Jones, CEO of The Chef's Garden in Ohio. Given the various extraordinary challenges farmers are set to face in the coming years, we thought it would be great to have Bob on the podcast to tell us his story and to tell us what the future might hold for all farmers. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
The great street photographer, red beans and rice cook, and New Orleans food community organizer Pableaux Johnson died recently while doing what he was put on this earth to do: taking pictures of a second line parade. Here to talk about Pableaux Johnson and what he meant to the hundreds of people who called him a friend and the thousands of people who admired his work are my old friend New York Times food writer, Brett Anderson, and television and food writer, my good pal, Lolis Eric Elie. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
Is the L.A. Smorgasburg the best street food festival in America? We talk to the two people most responsible for it, Zach Brooks and Fernando Lopez. Zach has the dream job of tasting all the food and choosing the vendors; and Fernando runs the beer garden at Smorgasburg in Los Angeles and also helps run his family's famous James Beard Award-winning Oaxacan restaurant Gualaguetza. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
Today on Special Sauce we welcome back writer and former assistant to both Mario Batali and Anthony Bourdain, Laurie Woolever. Laurie has just published 'Care and Feeding', a candid, funny, and often devastating memoir about her adventures and misadventures making her way through the food world while navigating addiction, motherhood, a cultural reckoning, and an unexpected tragedy. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
With the passing of legendary pizzaiolo Patsy Grimaldi, the pizza world has lost one of its true giants. I discuss his legacy with Scott's Pizza Tours founder and pizza scholar Scott Wiener, and another great pizzaiolo, Una Pizza Napoletana's Anthony Mangieri on this episode of Special Sauce. For more on the show, visit thespecialsaucepodcast.com. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
On this episode of Special Sauce we talk to the Los Angeles Times' Bill Adddison and Jenn Harris about the calamitous effect of the recent devastating fires on the L.A. food community. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
On this episode of Special Sauce, Adam Chandler talks about his new book '99% Perspiration' which explores the history of work in America. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
On this episode of Special Sauce we revisit our chocolate-centric conversation with Mr. Chocolate himself Jacques Torres just in time for Valentine's Day. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
The Super Bowl is coming up, so for Super Bowl party food advice who better to turn to than Kenji. The man loves chicken wings and pizza and he gives us some sage advice about making them at home. But he does not love football. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
After falling in love with Italy, my good friend engineer and serial entrepreneur Bob Lang and his wife, environmental writer Alice Outwater, decided to buy a three acre vineyard called La Collina Delle Amici (The Hill of Friends) in Piedmont in 2021. How's it going for them so far? Well, we're going to find out in this week's episode of Special Sauce. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
On this episode of Special Sauce, grassroots food activist and farmer Karen Washington joins us to spread her message of food justice, the concept that healthy, nutritious food is a human right.
On this episode of Special Sauce we go deep into the definition, history, and evolution of the New York pizza slice with Scott's Pizza Tours founder Scott Wiener.
On this episode of Special Sauce we pay tribute to the great author, chef and cooking teacher Raghavan Iyer. He introduced much of America to the joys of cooking and eating Indian food. We talked to Raghavan last in March of 2023 about his life, his work, and the last book he ever wrote, "On The Curry Trail". Raghavan talked openly and movingly about his terminal Stage 4 cancer diagnosis and the work he was doing on healing comfort food. His voice occasionally wavered -- you could hear the pain in it -- but he was clear-headed and just as articulate as ever. Raghavan had so much to say, we devoted two episodes to his story, which we have condensed into one. Tragically, he died just as the two episodes dropped. So give a listen to the wit and wisdom of Raghavan Iyer.
With the new year fast approaching we thought we would help bring it in by re-releasing -- or should I say reheating -- one of our favorite 'Special Sauce' episodes of all time. It features both my extraordinary conversation with Michelle Zauner and a great talk about the relationship between food and music with Kenji. Michelle is the founder and lead singer of the great indie rock band Japanese Breakfast. And her NYT best-selling memoirist is titled 'Crying in H Mart'.
On this episode of Special Sauce serious eaters will meet Roy Shvartzapel, who makes transcendent panettone at his LA online bakery From Roy.
With the holiday season in full swing, this serious eater's attention turns to eating and baking cookies. And who better to shoot the breeze with on this rich topic than author and baker Erin Jeanne McDowell, who has been called the fairy godmother of baking. She's got some tricks for us.
As we go about planning our upcoming holiday feasts, it's a pretty good bet that at some point we're going to pick up a bottle of wine or two to share with family and friends. That's why I'm returning to my conversation with someone who's been a guiding light for wine connoisseurs and beginners alike, Eric Asimov, the wine critic for The New York Times.
Thanksgiving leftovers can sometimes be a freighted topic for serious eaters. Last year, trying to quell my own Thanksgiving leftovers anxiety and confusion, I had Deb Perelman and J. Kenji Lopez Alt, longtime friends and co-hosts of their own podcast The Recipe, on Special Sauce. We covered a lot of ground in our discussion, everything from the joys of eating leftover cold pie for breakfast to the wisdom of waffling your leftover stuffing. We had so much fun that I decided it was worth reheating and serving to serious eaters again this year. Enjoy!
Thanksgiving and the holiday season are upon us and that means this serious eater's thoughts turn to pie! And so I thought I would perform a public service by inviting perhaps our greatest pie baking teacher, Erin Jeanne McDowell from the YouTube series 'Happy Baking', to come on Special Sauce and talk about all things pie.
If you're like me, you're probably already worrying about holiday dinners and parties that you might have to bring stuff to. And at least some of us might be a little punchy at the thought of cooking or baking for friends. So to the rescue comes friend of Special Sauce, Smitten Kitchen's Deb Perelman.
On this episode of Special Sauce The New York Times's wine writer Eric Asimov shares his democratic and unsnobby approach to both food and wine, which invites newcomers and longtime enthusiasts to explore their own wine experiences.
On this episode of Special Sauce I talk to author and fellow pie lover Stacey Mei Yan Fong about her new book '50 Pies, 50 States, An Immigrant's Love Letter to the U.S. Through Pie'.
In part two of our discussion, Ruth Reichl and I get into how the American government has played a major role in corrupting our food system.
On this episode of Special Sauce legendary food critic Ruth Reichl talks about the documentary film "Food & Country" which she stars in and co-produced.
On this episode of Special Sauce we talk to Sullivan Street Bakery founder Jim Lahey about his revolutionary no-knead bread making technique.
On this episode of Special Sauce, Kenji and I dig deep into his (almost) foolproof pan pizza recipe.
On this episode of Special Sauce we meet Rollen Chalmers, a third-generation African-American rice farmer based in South Carolina, who is reclaiming his roots one grain of Carolina Gold rice at a time.
What happens when food writers take Ozempic? New York Magazine's Adam Platt and I discuss our experiences with the weight loss drug on this episode of Special Sauce.
Ah potatoes! How do we love them? Let me count the ways. Perfectly crispy, salty french fries, golden brown herb coated roasted potatoes, creamy smooth mashed potatoes. The not so lowly spud has been an intense field of inquiry for our friend Kenji Lopez Alt for years now. For this week's re-heated episode, he and I take a deep dive into some of the now famous posts he wrote for Serious Eats back in the day. In one, he delves into the mystery of McDonald's French fries and in another he unlocks the secrets of oven roasted potatoes.
For this episode of Special Sauce Sasha Marx and Katie Leaird return for more pasta wisdom and pleasure.
For this episode of Special Sauce we're re-heating our conversation with Kenji Lopez-Alt from last summer about veggie grilling tips. And we'll be back this fall with fresh episodes featuring Alice Waters, Kenji, and the latest trends in pizza.
On this episode of Special Sauce we're talking all things pasta with Chefsteps.com's editorial director Sasha Marx and Martha's Vineyard Pasta's Katie Leaird, who makes the best fresh bucatini I have ever tasted.
The Spice Whisperer Lior Lev Sercarz is back on Special Sauce this week to school serious eaters on how to spice up our food in our own kitchens. You can find all our episodes at thespecialsaucepodcast.com.
This week on Special Sauce the NYT's Kim Severson gives us the lowdown on Kamala Harris' passion for cooking. Plus we discuss the history of presidential cooking in the White House.
This week we're re-sharing our episode with Justin Pichetrungsi, chef-owner of the award-winning Anajak Thai in Sherman Oaks, California. There was a technical glitch the first time we published it, so here's another chance to listen to it. Enjoy!
This week on Special Sauce we talk to the Spice Whisperer, chef and owner of the online spice store La Boite NY, Lior Lev Sercarz. Lior is on a mission to inform people about where spices come from, how they grow, what they look like in their natural environment, and ultimately, how to be inspired by them in the kitchen.
This week on Special Sauce you'll meet 13 time world pizza champion Tony Gemignani, who is determined to spread his good pizza gospel to every corner of the U.S.
This week on Special Sauce violin virtuoso Jame Ehnes dishes on his live cooking and musical collaboration with Kenji that's coming up in Seattle on July 19th.
This episode of Special Sauce is particularly special. You'll hear the remarkable life story of celebrated Mexican chef Lalo Garcia as told by Lalo himself and his biographer Laura Tillman.
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