Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street Radio

Yotam Ottolenghi is back and on the phone lines! He answers your questions and shares some of his best cooking secrets (and personal ones too!) He tells us about the potato chip omelet he makes for his once-picky kids, gives a crash course in leeks, provides his method for whipping up an egg-free mayo, and lets us in on what he really thinks about za'atar. Plus, we chat with Rosie Grant about gravestone recipes; and Tim Glazner tells the strange true story of the man who invented the tiki bar.

Photo credit: Jonathan Lovekin

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In this special episode, we’re sharing an extended cut of our interview with chef Lucas Sin. He praises all that Hong Kong diners have to offer, including the customizable breakfast noodles, the friendly neighborhood environment, and the comforting milk tea that is driving his dream of opening a Hong Kong diner of his own. Plus, he reflects back on his time doing pop-ups in his dorm room at Yale.

Photo credit: Nicholas Wong and Mario Chui

Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

Chef Lucas Sin’s quickest dining experience clocked in at 6 minutes and 40 seconds. This expedient supper took place at a famous cha chaan teng, or Hong Kong diner, and he believes it’s one of the best restaurants in the world. From the extensive menu—french toast, black pepper spaghetti, milk tea, the list goes on—to the more abstract “human emotion flavor” that keeps diners coming back, Lucas explains what makes these neighborhood restaurants so special. Plus, reporter Jessica Sidman investigates the so-called "food truck mafia" around Washington, D.C.'s National Mall; and Ian Buxton gives us a lesson on Scotch whisky.

Photo credit: Nicholas Wong and Mario Chui

Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

99% Invisible’s Chris Berube shares margarine’s secret history—from Supreme Court battles to Eleanor Roosevelt’s advertising campaign—and why in some states you could only buy margarine that was dyed pink or black. Plus, we learn about snacks from around the world with Unsnackable’s Folu Akinkuotu; Dan Pashman tells us what there is to love about canned foods; and we make Brazilian-Style Pizza.

Get the recipe for Brazilian-Style Pizza Carbonara here.

Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

Food writer Tim Hayward shares the juicy history of the steak. We take a peek inside the secret beefsteak societies of England and New York, learn a classic Argentinian salting method, and try a steak from a 25 year-old-cow in Spain. Plus, Kenji López-Alt goes on a quest for the perfect teriyaki; Sara Moulton and Chris take your cooking calls; and we prepare a Sunflower Hummus from Georgia. (Originally aired October 10, 2025.)

Get this week’s recipe for Sunflower Hummus here.

Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify