The Cook Who Tested Everything: Ella Quittner is Obsessed with the Best

Drew Nieporent has opened more than 40 restaurants, including iconic New York institutions like Nobu and Tribeca Grill. Today, he shares the secrets behind a restaurant’s longevity, the pros and cons of partnering with Robert De Niro and why he’d love to open a Jewish deli. Plus, Kevin West reveals how to grow a garden you’ll actually eat, we learn about Italy’s greatest unknown cookbook, Cheryl Day returns to answer baking questions, and we bake up Mexican-style biscuits.Get our adaptation of Kevin West’s recipe for Skillet-Roasted Chicken with Burnt Shallot Jus here.Get the recipe for Maque-Style Mexican Bisquetes here.Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

Today, we look back at one of our favorite episodes with cooking legend Diane Kochilas. She talks the real Greek yogurt, how to make great dishes with stale bread and the magical Greek island of Ikaria. Plus, we explore the art and nostalgia of Jell-O molds; Dan Pashman untangles the legal definition of a sandwich; and we present a fresh new take on Spaghetti Puttanesca. (Originally aired May 10, 2019.) Get the recipe for Spaghetti Puttanesca here.Want more recipes inspired by the Greek isles? Check out our takes on Diane Kochilas' recipes for Tomato Rice with Oregano and Feta and Ikarian Braised Pork with Honey, Orange and Rosemary.See the photos from the Jell-O exhibit, O Moldy Night, here.Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

Josh Niland is a master of his craft: whole fish cooking, bones and all. He joins us to talk about transforming fish into ice cream and chips, and the tricks he’s played on customers at his Sydney restaurant, Saint Peter. Plus, reporter Sean Cole meets the prison inmate preparing chili and dragon rolls; and Matt Goulding shares the best restaurants you’ve never heard of. Get this week’s recipe for Skillet-Roasted Chicken with Burnt Shallot Jus here.Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

We explore the whimsical world of Irish baking with Cherie Denham. Plus, Madison Avenue veteran Jeff Swystun shares the little-known history of food advertising; Alex Aïnouz is on a journey to make the world’s best roasted chicken; and we cook up Spinach and Ricotta Dumplings in Tomato Sauce.Get this week’s recipe for Spinach and Ricotta Dumplings in Tomato Sauce here.Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

Today, we’re sharing an extended cut of our interview with Padma Lakshmi. We discuss everything from her early years in India to her love for standup comedy. She reminisces about her time on an Italian variety show, which laid the foundation for a long and successful career as a cooking competition host. Plus, she reveals the secret to being a great judge on Top Chef.

After 17 years hosting Top Chef, Padma Lakshmi was ready for something new. This week, she fills us in on her recent endeavors: a new book, an original culinary competition show and standup comedy. Plus, Elyse Inamine celebrates a cult-favorite mayonnaise, Kewpie; and Mariena Mercer Boarini, Master Mixologist for Wynn Resorts North America, shares why martinis are the cocktail of the year.Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

Reporter Rebecca Rosman takes us to one of France’s favorite grocery stores—Picard—where everything is frozen. Every spring they celebrate “America Week” with concoctions such as popcorn ice cream, doughnuts made of ground-up potatoes and marshmallows in places they don’t belong. Is this really what American cuisine looks like in the eyes of the French? Plus, Adam Savage of “MythBusters” fame joins us to break down his favorite food experiments, including the time he dropped an Olympic swimmer into a giant vat of syrup; J. Kenji López-Alt cracks the code on Chicago thin-crust pizza; and we travel to Rome for Cloud Bread. (Originally aired July 7, 2023.)Photo credit David Lebovitz Get the recipe for Roman Cloud Bread here.Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

In this special episode, we’re sharing an extended cut of our interview with Ella Quittner, author of Obsessed With the Best. We cover everything: her tests for the best chocolate chip cookies, what food science gets right (and wrong), the trendiest food of 2026, and the problem with meat that’s more like “baby food." Plus, Ella shares her tests for the flakiest biscuits, crispiest bacon, most tender yellow cake, and more. Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

Ella Quittner has spent years meticulously testing recipes for the flakiest biscuits, crispiest bacon, perfectly poached eggs, most tender yellow cake, and more. This week, she joins us to share her findings and her new book, Obsessed with the Best. Plus Milk Street Radio Producer Mari Orozco brings us to Cake Picnic; Stella Parks is back to answer your baking questions; and we learn the language of butter from our friends at A Way with Words.Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

Today, we’re sharing a special episode from The Big Dig podcast from GBH News, Catching the Codfather. Carlos “The Codfather” Rafael dominates the most valuable fishing port in the United States, and no one is quite sure how he did it. But in 2015, when undercover federal agents offer to buy his business, Carlos opens his books.Listen to the series host Ian Coss talk with Christopher Kimball on Milk Street Radio about the full story here. Subscribe to The Big Dig Presents: Catching the Codfather here. Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify