347. Why You Shouldn’t Open a Restaurant

In the final episode of our whale series, we learn about fecal plumes, shipping noise, and why Moby-Dick is still worth reading. (Part 3 of "Everything You Never Knew About Whaling.") SOURCES:Michele Baggio, professor of economics at the University of Connecticut.Mary K. Bercaw-E ... Show More

For years, whale oil was used as lighting fuel, industrial lubricant, and the main ingredient in (yum!) margarine. Whale meat was also on a few menus. But today, demand for whale products is at a historic low. And yet some countries still have a whaling industry. We find out why. ... Show More

Whaling was, in the words of one scholar, “early capitalism unleashed on the high seas.” How did the U.S. come to dominate the whale market? Why did whale hunting die out here — and continue to grow elsewhere? And is that whale vomit in your perfume? (Part 1 of “Everything You Ne ... Show More

The Science of CookingBrian Cox and Robin Ince get their chef's hats on as they look at the science of cooking. They are joined by comedian Katy Brand, author and food critic Grace Dent, material scientist Mark Miodownik and science writer Harold McGee, whose seminal book on the ... Show More

Two award winning chefs talk to Kim Chakanetsa about how they've adapted to restrictions because of the Covid-19 pandemic. They discuss the pressures it's put on their business and the continuing importance of food and their restaurant staff in their lives. Ana Roš won two Michel ... Show More

Alex Guarnaschelli, Food Channel star and chef at Butter in midtown Manhattan, talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about what it's like to run a restaurant, the challenges of a career in cooking, her favorite dishes, her least favorite dishes, and what she cooked to beat Bobby ... Show More

Step into the sizzling world of culinary giant Gordon Ramsay, a titan of taste with 7 Michelin stars, 58 restaurants, a slew of TV shows, and a whopping 37 million TikTok followers. But he wasn't always the king of the kitchen. Back in 1988, he was just a protégé to Marco Pierre ... Show More

After an impressive career of cooking in some of the world's best restaurants, Marco Quelca decided to dedicate his life to bringing gourmet cooking to lower income communities in his native Bolivia, pioneering a new kind of performance art: high-end street cooking. A transcript ... Show More

Restaurateurs Asma Khan and Judy Joo share how food can bridge cultures and bring people together.   Background: Food may be a universal experience, but the culinary world has a long patriarchal history. Throughout their own tenures in the industry, chef and philanthropist Asma K ... Show More

As the genius chef behind New York’s Eleven Madison Park, Daniel Humm is at the forefront of fine dining culture. And in 2021, he shocked the food world when he turned the Michelin three-starred restaurant completely plant-based. On this episode, Dan and Daniel chat about his new ... Show More

Mary Beth Albright discusses the new field of psychology that examines how food and eating are linked to mood. After sitting on a panel with five billionaires, Douglas Rushkoff began exploring how the megarich are preparing for the end of the world. Benjamin Aldes Wurgaft returns ... Show More

For as much as people talk about food, a good case can be made that we don’t give it the attention or respect it actually deserves. Food is central to human life, and how we go about the process of creating and consuming it — from agriculture to distribution to cooking to dining ... Show More

Angela Hartnett is a Michelin starred chef, restaurateur and podcast host. After studying for a history degree, she began working in a local pub before joining Gordon Ramsay at his first restaurant, Aubergine. She worked with Gordon for 17 years before deciding to go it alone. Sh ... Show More