I remember like it was yesterday the first time I tried to make steak on my own — well, like it was almost two years ago, actually.
I was working at an internship in Wyoming during summer 2016, and I was determined to learn how to cook something other than microwave potatoes. I had the skillet. I had the strips of steak. I had courage. What I didn’t have was common sense, of course.
I put the oil in the skillet to grease it up, but it was way too much. Within a minute of putting the steak on the skillet, oil started to jump and pop everywhere across the stovetop. There are two quintessential painful experiences in life that have stood the test of time throughout human history: the pain of childbirth and the pain of scorching oil hitting one’s exposed forearms.
Please, don’t be like me. There are a lot of podcasts out there to help one not be like me. So, here are a few podcasts that are all about food and how to cook it like the pros.
‘Food Is The New Rock’
The concept of this podcast is charming, and the execution of it is even more charming. It’s as simple as this: The hosts, Zach Brooks and his friends, interview professional chefs about music and professional musicians about food. And surprisingly, both chefs and musicians have a lot of thoughts about each.
If Brooks is interviewing a country musician from Nashville, then they’ll talk a lot about the city’s famous hot chicken. If he’s talking with a renowned sushi chef from Tokyo, they’ll talk about how the music of Japan has influenced cooking in the country.
Brooks is an insightful interviewer, and he really delves deep into the subjects that matter to his guests. Basically, one can tell he has done his research before the interview. I don’t have many complaints with the show, despite the fact that the intro can sound a little bit like a cliche commercial radio talk show. It’s still definitely worth the listen.
Rating: 4 out of 5 earbuds
‘Go Fork Yourself’
This podcast hasn’t come out with a new episode since 2015, and it really is a shame. It’s hosted by Andrew Zimmern (also host of the show Bizarre Foods) and food writer Molly Mogren, and it’s a guaranteed blast to listen to.
The two have fantastic personalities that bounce off each other really well, and they also talk about topics other than food, from stories of when they were trapped in a Canadian airport to contentious political movements that were happening at the time. Plus, the two skilled foodies and chefs share their cooking know-how along the way, too.
The hosts have gone their separate ways ever since the two lost their main producer for the podcast, but one can still listen to countless episodes in their archives.
Rating: 5 out of 5 earbuds
‘Burnt Toast’
Try to imagine what would result as the love child between the radio show This American Life and food, and you might come up with this podcast.
The host, Kenzi Wilbur, talks about the unique stories that come out of food, with things as simple as how the banana peel gag came about in cartoons. Plus, the episodes are easy to listen to, with most being only about 20 minutes long.
The production quality is top-notch with well-timed music throughout each narrative, and the interviews provide in-depth details into the subject matter. My only critiques are that many of the episodes are rebroadcasts of old episodes and that the podcast doesn’t produce much new content anymore.
Otherwise, it’s a fantastic show.
Rating: 4 out of 5 earbuds
Liam Niemeyer is a senior studying journalism in Ohio University’s Honors Tutorial College. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post. Do you enjoy food podcasts? Let Liam know by tweeting him @liamniemeyer.
