Food with Mark Bittman

In this episode from late 2022, the beloved restaurateurs behind New York's Via Carota and I Sodi talk to Kate and to guest host Melissa McCart about being a purist vs a regionalist, the supreme reign of artichokes, and how to buy good olive oil.

Get Via Carota's recipes for Roasted Carrots, Spiced Yogurt, and Pistachios: https://bittmanproject.com/recipe/carote-roasted-carrots-spiced-yogurt-and-pistachios/

...and Salmorigli...

The director—and the first Indonesian-American filmmaker to qualify for an Oscar!—chats with Kate and Mark about his new autobiographical short film, Daly City. Nick talks about what his parents thought about the film, why the biggest challenge of making the film was finding the actors, and the themes within—notably the internal conflict of the model minority and the bittersweet nature of the American dream.

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Bestselling—and much beloved—food writer Dorie Greenspan (new book: Dorie's Anytime Cakes) talks to Kate and her old pal Mark. Get ready for lots of reminiscing about the "old days" of food writing—when there was no internet! The three also talk about finding the ultimate end-of-day joy in cooking and baking, trying unexpected ingredients in baking, and the creativity that can be found in a single subject (like cakes). 

In this unreleased episode from 2023, Mark visits Diane Kochilas at her home in Greece; the two talk about Ikaria eating, how Greek cooking and cuisine has changed over the last couple decades—and where it seems to be heading, and why chefs in Greece have less emotional baggage (which could be a good or a bad thing, depending on which way you look at it).

Read an excerpt from Diane Kochilas's Athens: Food, Stories, Love on&...

The chef and activist talks to Kate and Mark about how school lunches have changed over the years—and how they haven't, why (and how) there shouldn't be a "middle man" when schools purchase food for lunches; the "most important people in this country"—teachers and farmers; and how we can realistically make her longstanding vision for kids' relationship with food a reality.

Subscribe to Food with Mark Bittman on Apple Podcasts, S...

In this revisiting of a 2024 episode, chef and author Fadi Kattan talks to Mark and Kate about the dangers of simplifying reality; why we should recognize and champion origin, and how doing so is a lesson in humility; the effect the Israeli conflict has had on agriculture; and his cookbook, Bethlehem. 

We're sharing two recipes from Bethlehem on the Bittman Project – Fig Salad, and Mujadara – and you can find...

Paul Schiefer, President of Amy’s Kitchen, and Ken Cook, President and Co-Founder of Environmental Working Group, talk to Kate and Mark about scaled organic as a sustainability solution; what, specifically, makes Amy’s cooking stand out; how conventional agriculture weakens prices; and making organic easier and more accessible to all.

Subscribe to Food with Mark Bittman on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you like to listen,...

The writer and food historian talks to Kate and Mark about the "secret" language that belongs to Southern people, the problem with fantasizing about your Bubby's recipes, the two-sidedness of Southern cooking, and where to find the best food in the South. 

Read an excerpt from Michael Twitty's Recipes from the American South on The Bittman Project: https://bittmanproject.com/bread-so-good-you-have-to-gua...

Journalist Julia Belluz and scientist Kevin Hall talk to Mark about their new book, Food Intelligence: why there's such a big gap between food science and diet fads, how the effects of our 'food environments' determine how much we eat and how much it changes our biology, and how our public outcry over the unjustness of our food system is apolitical—but is made political.

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In recent years, the state of Iowa has had the second-highest rate of cancer in the US; it's also one of only two states where cancer rates are increasing. This alarming rise in disease is the crux of a new initiative that is pinpointing agricultural chemicals as a key suspect in this uptick. Today, Mark talks to Adam Shriver, Director of Wellness and Nutrition at the Harkin Institute (and head of the initiative); Richard Deming, w...

Mavis-Jay Sanders, Culinary Director of the new nonprofit restaurant Community Kitchen (launching September 19!) and Mark Bittman, Founder of Community Kitchen (and, of course, co-host of this podcast) talk to Kate about how they're bringing awe and joy to their dining room; the specifics around how the team collaborates; the supreme importance of ingredients; and Community Kitchen's potential to showcase what part of a rational fo...

Rae Gomes, Executive Director of the new nonprofit restaurant Community Kitchen (launching September 19!) and Mark Bittman, Founder of Community Kitchen (and, of course, co-host of this podcast) talk to Kate about the revolutionary restaurant's launch: exactly how they're making top tier chef prepared meals accessible, what success in the self described "money losing" venture would look like, how they managed to hire such a talente...

Andrea Nguyen and her mom, Clara, talk to Mark and Kerri about what it was like coming from Vietnam to the US in 1975, rediscovering how people ate in the past—but doing so with a modern twist, why the Mediterranean diet is problematic, and rice paper gamechangers.

Get Andrea's recipe for Char Siu Roasted Cauliflower on the Bittman Project: https://bittmanproject.com/recipe/andrea-nguyens-char-siu-roasted-cauliflower-b...

Founder and President of Community Grains Bob Klein and biochemist David Killilea—both self-professed "wheat nerds"—talk to Mark about a pioneering study conducted by David that examines whether food labeled as "whole grain" is, actually, whole grain (and which company is actually doing it right); why you're probably not eating actual whole wheat when you think you are; the meaning of "dead wheat"; and why it all matters. 

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The founder of Fair Trade USA talks to Mark about why he consciously chose the world of commerce as his vehicle for change—and why it's relatively easy to move companies in the right direction; why the glimpses of future behavior being showcased by Millennials and Gen Zers should be viewed positively; how to dissect conscious capitalism; and how, without being too Pollyanna-ish, we should be taking the long view when it comes to co...

In this revisited episode, from last year, the thoughtful and talented chef Lelani Lewis talks to Mark and Kate about why she named her dinner series and cookbook Code Noir, after a monstrous set of French regulations put into effect by Louis XIV; why some island cultures gradually veer towards the cultural homogeneity of the US; why pulling on heartstrings is sometimes the best way; and her showboat recipe.

Get Lelani Lewis’s r...

The up and coming queen of ice cream talks to Mark and Kate about how her ice cream brand, Malai, mimics her childhood; what it means to build your own culture; sourcing intentionally with no shortcuts—and why having a values-driven business is so important to her; and why her parents are the best people ever (and her #1 fans). 

The Bittman Project is featuring three recipes from Pooja Bavishi's book, Malai:

Cold Coffee ...

The CEO of Whole Foods Market and VP Amazon Worldwide Grocery Stores talks to Mark and Kate about growing up as a 4H kid and how that's influenced him; how he's trying to change grocery shopping; how Gen Z is going to shift demand and interest in more sustainable practices; and Whole Foods and MAD Agriculture's new initiative—one that aims to change biodiversity at a macro level and strengthen the long term resilience of the f...