Food with Mark Bittman

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...

Today, we revisit last year's episode with Michelle Horovitz, LaTasha Powell, and Princess Titus, the founders of Minneapolis-based Appetite for Change. The mighty team talks to Mark and Kate about how to use the psychology of a community to create a food system that works for all; passing the torch of food justice to the next generation; and teaching a community to cook.

To get the recipe for the Appetite for Change Coconut Cor...

The Executive Director of WhyHunger talks to Mark and Kate about how her grandmother’s values and being raised by Civil Rights-era elders shaped her beliefs; how she made the move from charity work to structural change—and why we need both; what it's like being a hopeless optimist; and the most inspirational things she's seen in 16 years of working with marginalized communities.

Subscribe to Food with Mark Bittman on A...

We revisit an episode from last year, in which the author and cook talks to Kate about what she remembers about fleeing her home in Cambodia at the age of nine, five years before the genocide; why, and how, she decided to reclaim her family's recipes; and what brings her true happiness now.

The recipe mentioned on today's show can be found on the Bittman Project, here: https://bittmanproject.com/recipe/chantha-nguons-sour-c...

The author and former commissioner of the US Food and Drug Administration talks to Mark about his new book, Diet, Drugs, and Dopamine: The New Science of Achieving a Healthy Weight; why self-control isn't enough when it comes to losing—and keeping off—weight; the problem with 'eat less, exercise more"; and his own personal weight loss journey.

Read an excerpt from DIET, DRUGS, AND DOPAMINE on the Bittman Project: https://bi...

The journalist talks to Mark and Kate about his book, DINING OUT, which is the first book dedicated to the history of gay restaurants and how they've shaped our culture; why he was reluctant to include his own personal stories—and what convinced him to do so; how the culture has changed over the years, and why; and Mark's gay restaurant tour of 1970s New York City.

Read an excerpt from DINING OUT on the Bittman Project:&nbs...

Journalist Ted Genoways talks to Mark about his book, Tequila Wars: José Cuervo and the Bloody Struggle for the Spirit of Mexico, which is the first biography of Cuervo; about how Cuervo was responsible for the first cartel—and what it was like when cartels were simply business collectives; about how Cuervo saw the future of Mexico; and about why tequila is at the nexus of food and power.

Read an excerpt from Tequila W...

The chef and author of How to Cook the Finest Things in the Sea talks to Mark and Kate about what to look for when you walk into a fish market—and what to avoid; the myth of "sushi grade" fish; the importance of fish farming; and how to get the crispiest, most delicious fish skin.

The Bittman Project is featuring three recipes from Ari Kolender's new book, How to Cook the Finest Things in the Sea: 

Po...

The prolific food writer and cook talks to Mark and Kate about having one foot in two cultures; the auntie whisperer network – or, how Indians in America learned to make do without some of their beloved staples, and how they learned to make do with what was readily available; and why and how the term "fusion" got a dirty rep.

Find the recipe for Khushbu's Masala Smashed Potatoes on the Bittman Project: https://bittmanprojec...

Daniela Oancea, Corporate Beverage Manager for Regent and Oceania, talks to Mark and Kate about how growing up in Transylvania prepared her for hospitality life; how trends have changed on cruise ships, from sobriety to liquor preferences; the rise of solo travelers; and where in the world some of her favorite bars are.

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