Podcasts are pretty much some of the hottest forms of media nowadays. They allow people to explore their interests more keenly as they’re very easy to consume. It also helps that the people who run the shows are often very knowledgeable about the topics they tackle. There’s also a podcast for just about any topic, so no matter what your interests are, there’s a very good chance that you’ll find something that will get you hooked.
If you’re a foodie who wants to expand your horizons or just lay off a bit from the food shows you love to watch, you might want to check out some of the best food-themed podcasts airing right now. Here are some of the most popular and highly recommended shows that might become your latest obsession:
The Splendid Table
This show is probably what most people expect a food podcast to be. It covers various areas related to food, so it’s also a very good place to start if you’re just giving culinary audio shows a try. It pretty much ticks all the boxes and discusses the food industry as a whole, food myths, opinions, cooking tips, recipes, history lessons, and expert Q&As among many others.
Hosted by the celebrated, award-winning, and highly relatable food personality Francis Lam, this show is often likened to a good newspaper’s food section. It’s a celebration of food at its core so it will surely appeal to listeners who truly love all aspects of the culinary world.
Updated every Friday.
Gastropod
If you’re after something that can be described as intellectually stimulating, Gastropod would be a great listen for you. Its heady description alone will tell you this as it ‘looks at food through the lens of science and history.’
Gastropod is also sure to teach you a thing or two and give you new things to talk about with friends at dinner parties. Why? Hosts Cynthia Graber and Nicola Twilley don’t just talk about the science of history behind certain food items. Instead, they look at how food played a part in various historical events – many of which will surprise you.
Updated every other Tuesday.
Spilled Milk
Simply described as a comedy podcast about food, Spilled Milk is a show helmed by comedians Molly Wizenburg and Matthew Amster-Burton. They don’t claim to be food experts or hold a lot of knowledge about food. They’re more about making people laugh while discussing different kinds of food.
In a way, it’s a fun podcast that talks about food but it’s not so serious or even a solid source of foodie information. It’s highly entertaining, though, and has made many best food-related podcasts lists.
Updated every Thursday.
The Sporkful
If you often come up with food-related shower thoughts, The Sporkful will be a great listen to you. This show discusses ‘quasi-academic’, ‘ridiculous food-ish minutiae’, parsing very specific topics that you never knew you needed to look closely into. With topics that ask whether take out burgers are lesser burgers or whether cereals can be considered as soup, it’s definitely thought-provoking and entertaining.
You can also expect more serious topics, of course. It also tackles food-related science, history, politics, and culture subjects, so there’s really a lot to enjoy and pick up from these series. Hosted by Dan Pashman, this show is obsessive, dissecting, and passionate.
Updates every Monday.
Gravy
It might be easy to dismiss Southern cuisine as comfort foods but there’s really so much to it. If you ever find yourself getting curious about the history of food in the region, Gravy is the podcast for you. They take a very close look at the nuances that made Southern food culture the way it is today. It’s very rich in history and a lot of surprising elements, guaranteeing that you’ll find yourself hooked with their narratives.
Updates every Thursday.
The Kitchen Sisters Present
Made by the same people behind the NPR series Hidden Kitchens, an amazing documentary that is partially historical, part anthropological, and all out celebration of communities through food, Kitchen Sisters Present is sort of like a further exploration of what the makers started.
Billed as a show that features the ‘stories from the b-side of history’, they discuss the usually overlooked spaces that communities use to celebrate food. Every installment is filled with great information and interviews so you’re sure to learn a lot of insider information from the show.
Updates every two weeks or so.
Why try food podcasts, you ask, when there are lots of appetizing TV shows that will leave your mouth watering? As The Sporkful’s Dan Pashman puts it, audio is more interactive. It will let you bring back memories of your own food experiences when listening to podcasts instead of presenting you with a stylized version of the dish being discussed in the show. A ‘sense of visceral ownership’ is provided in audio shows, making it more unique and enjoyable. Order in some Shakey’s Pizza then tune into these shows and you’re sure to find out just how much you enjoyed your previous meals.