Your Last Meal With Rachel Belle

In this spirited interview with host Rachel Belle, comedian Hannah Berner realizes her true calling: talking excitedly about how much she loves to eat! And she has what many of us dream of, a spunky Italian grandmother who cooks up a big pot of sauce every Sunday, has a pantry full of pasta, and feeds her family plate after plate of Italian-American food until they're unbuttoning their pants at the table. Nana Vera joins the show to tell us how she makes her famous eggplant parmesan, and shares an old Italian wives' tale about why it's always important to salt your eggplant before cooking. Hannah went to college in Wisconsin, where it's perfectly normal for a Bloody Mary to hit the table garnished with a fragrant bouquet of hamburgers, corn dogs and egg rolls. Rachel chats with the owner of Milwaukee's Sobelman's Pub and Grill, who believes he was the one who started this deliciously gimmicky national trend. Follow along on Instagram! This episode is sponsored by Ooni Pizza Ovens, the world's first portable p

When John Rzeznik is on tour, he only requests one thing: a plain, grilled chicken breast. But, to his frustration and amusement, chefs can't resist zhuzhing up the bird with their own brand of pizzazz. He shares his long, arduous chicken-y journey with host Rachel Belle, including the story of a celebrity chef who tried to come to his rescue. John wants to cap off his last meal with a deep dish apple pie from Sweet Lady Jane, a Los Angeles institution frequented by folks like Barbra Streisand and the Kardashians, so Rachel calls them up to find out what makes the pie so special. And while we're on the subject of pie, John has plenty to say about pizza -- his favorite pizzerias just so happen to be two of the oldest in the United States. Host Rachel Belle chats with the owner of NYC's Lombardi's, America's first pizzeria. Follow along on Instagram! This episode is sponsored by Ooni Pizza Ovens, the world's first portable pizza oven company! Rachel Belle has been making incredible, chewy, bubbly, mel

Lola Kirke isn't particularly interested in modern day restraint and Instagram wellness trends. She stays up late, likes to drink, eats whatever she wants and just released a Jane Fonda era workout video as a companion to her new album, Lady For Sale. Lola loves Phish Food, a Ben & Jerry's collab with the jam band Phish, that just-so-happens to be celebrating its 25th anniversary! Host Rachel Belle chats with the iconic ice cream company, and Phish's long-time manager, about the history of the flavor and why it's the only product Phish has ever put its name on. Do you drink Fernet? If so, you're either a bartender or you impressed your bartender by ordering it. Rachel interviews a San Francisco bartender, whose bar sells more Fernet than anywhere else in the country, to learn more about the history of the drink they call the "bartender's handshake." Follow along on Instagram! This episode is sponsored by Ooni Pizza Ovens, the world's first portable pizza oven company! Rachel Belle has been makin

Taylor Hanson is the middle brother in Hanson, the band he's been performing in with his brothers Isaac and Zac since he was nine years old. So it's not surprising that this Oklahoma boy had a palate changing culinary epiphany while touring in Europe when he was 15. That epiphany revolved around a perfectly ripe, locally grown tomato, and anyone who's ever picked a pink, mealy tomato slice off their burger knows that commercially grown tomatoes leave much to be desired. Host Rachel Belle chats with Dr. Harry Klee, a horticulture professor who has worked for nearly three decades to develop a flavorful, affordable grocery store tomato. And he answers the question: why are supermarket tomatoes so bad?? And the Oklahoma Historical Society joins the show to share the story behind Oklahoma's official state meal. Follow Rachel Belle on Instagram! This episode is sponsored by Ooni Pizza Ovens, the world's first portable pizza oven company! Rachel Belle has been making incredible, chewy, bubbly, melty pizzas

Dan Harris is Type A, self-help skeptical and looks the part of a TV anchorman. But he recently quit his 20 year career at ABC News to fully embrace his side hustle: convincing Americans to meditate. Dan wrote a memoir, 10% Happier, about his unlikely journey to mindfulness, that has since expanded into a podcast and meditation app. Dan loves sweets, specifically cookies, and even more specifically, warm cookies delivered by Insomnia Cookies. Host Rachel Belle speaks with Insomnia's founder and CEO, who started the company nearly 20 years ago when he was a 20 year old living in a college dorm room. And we'll do some cookie detective work: what's going on when a batch of cookies spread in the oven or come out dry and cakey? Cookbook author and host of Zoe Bakes, Zoë François, joins the show to troubleshoot the most common cookie baking mistakes and shares how she became a professional baker after growing up in communes and cults that forbade sugar.Follow along on Instagram!

When soul/funk/pop artist Remi Wolf hopped on Zoom to chat with host Rachel Belle, she was getting ready to leave for a tour that would take her away from her LA home through October. So she was trying to eat every last remaining scrap of food in her fridge and pantry. Stars, they're just like us! Remi talks about her love of concocting meals from the wee bits and bobs hanging around her refrigerator and her disregard for planning or using recipes. Before she was a professional singer, Remi was a junior Olympics skier and she developed some...interesting eating habits on the slopes. One snack was strange enough that Rachel reached out to the FDA to confirm/deny its safety. And Irene Yoo, the Korean American chef and creator of Yooeating, joins the show to talk about banchan, arguably the best part of a Korean BBQ meal! Follow along on Instagram! This episode is sponsored by Ooni Pizza Ovens, the world's first portable pizza oven company! Rachel Belle has been making incredible, chewy, bubbly, melty

When Kenji makes a late-night grilled cheese sandwich in his kitchen, with a Go-Pro camera strapped to his head, more than 10 million YouTubers tune in to watch. His recipe for scrambled eggs was the New York Times' most clicked on recipe in 2021 and every book he writes goes straight to the bestseller list, including his newest, The Wok: Recipes and Techniques. But his last meal goes back to his childhood, when he was more focused on being a scientist than a sous chef. The defining ingredient of Kenji's last meal is Sichuan peppercorn, a spice that numbs and tingles the tongue and is, frankly, not a peppercorn at all. Dr Stuart Farrimond joins the show to explain the science behind the Sichuan peppercorn and answers host Rachel Belle's questions about spice, such as: can you learn to like spicy foods or is a tolerance for heat genetic? But if there's one reason to listen, it's to learn Kenji's well-researched method of how to boil eggs with guaranteed easy-to-peel shells. Follow along on Instagram and p

By the end of this episode, you'll feel like the charming, hilarious and down-to-earth Julia Sweeney is your best friend! Julia and host Rachel Belle discuss everything from her true love of eating alone (and how that makes her husband feel) to the 60th birthday gift she gave herself: never dieting again. Julia wants to cap off her last meal with Canada's favorite, no-bake, layered dessert: the Nanaimo bar! Rachel chats with Joyce Hardcastle, the contest winner who created the city's official recipe back in 1986, and the current mayor of Nanaimo, about the history of the bar and how ubiquitous it is in the Vancouver Island city it was named after. Follow along on Instagram! Get tickets to Julia Sweeney's Spokane, WA live shows on March 26th, 2022!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Camila Alves McConaughey co-wrote a new children's book called Just Try One Bite, about a couple of kids who try and get their picky parents to eat healthier foods. In the McConaughey household, there's one thing that everybody loves: the secret family spice rub created by Camila's actor husband, Matthew. But not all family recipes are so pure! Listeners call in to share stories about the day they learned that their family's beloved, homemade lasagna/baked beans/peach pie actually, secretly came from a can, a recipe on the back of a box or...a chain restaurant. Camila grew up in Brazil, so host Rachel Belle chats with Brazilian food writer Jaíne Mackievicz about the history of Brazilian food and one of Camila's favorite dishes, Brazilian lasagna! Follow along on Instagram!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jessica Seinfeld's latest cookbook, Vegan, At Times, is an ode to her current lifestyle of eating mostly vegan, but she still enjoys the occasional bowl of warming chicken soup or nostalgic spaghetti and meatballs. She calls it a "gentler approach" to veganism and doesn't believe in creating rules around eating or doing any plant-based proselytizing. Jessica's last meal took us down a path we never thought we'd go: organized crime! Host Rachel Belle chats with Anna Van Valin, co-host of the podcast Every Day Is A Food Day, about how Italian-American restaurants became the clubhouse of choice for the mafia. And Rachel consults with the folks at Ragu, the jarred spaghetti sauce of her youth, about an Al Capone rumor splattered all over the Internet. Jessica says her vegan mac & cheese is indistinguishable from the real thing, which got Rachel thinking: what allows cheese to melt and how do you get vegan cheese to do it? She spoke to the CEO of New Culture, a group of cheese loving scientists who've dis

Paul Janeway is a southern boy from a small Alabama town who's had his world blown wide open thanks to music. Touring the world with his band, St Paul & the Broken Bones, has drastically expanded his palate -- he's eaten everything from pigeon heart to fancy Michelin star meals. But only one dish truly has his heart: Kraft Macaroni & Cheese! Paul and host Rachel Belle go deep into their Blue Box memories and idiosyncratic preferences, and then we learn the history of this iconic product with food historian Sarah Wassberg Johnson. Paul lives in Birmingham, Alabama, which is also home to a very niche, regional cuisine that we were completely unaware of! Rachel Belle chats with Birmingham filmmaker Jessica Chriesman and the owner of Alabama's longest running family restaurant, The Bright Star, about Greek soul food. Follow along on Instagram and learn more about the show at www.yourlastmealpodcast.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bob's Burgers star (he voices Gene!) Eugene Mirman took an unorthodox route to becoming a professional comedian: he actually earned a bachelor's degree in comedy! And a quick scroll through his Instagram page reveals a man who loves home cooking; he's whipped up everything from pad Thai to homemade pasta while spending lots of time at home during the pandemic. So this episode is all about the intersection of food and comedy. Gastro Obscura's senior associate editor, Anne Ewbank, takes us on a historical journey, from the ancient Greeks and their genital-heavy seafood jokes to the vaudeville and silent film days, when slipping on a banana peel or smashing a pie into somebody's face was the height of hilarious high jinx. Follow Your Last Meal host Rachel Belle on Instagram!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At 90 years old, William Shatner is an exuberant, curious, ridiculous flavor of hilarious and his chat with host Rachel Belle feels like a live improv performance with plenty of unexpected twists and turns. Shatner is best known for his role as Captain Kirk on Star Trek and "singing" popular songs in his signature spoken word style, but he also has strong opinions about avocado toast, considers himself a sushi connoisseur and loves beautifully made Mexican food. So Rachel took a trip to Sushinola, one of the country's few Sinaloa style Mexican sushi restaurants, in Kent, Washington. Rolls are stuffed with carne asada, topped with pico de gallo, drizzled with housemade chipotle sauce and deep fried because co-owner Anayancy Reyes says most Mexicans are decidedly not fans of raw fish. And psychology professor Dr Julia Hormes joins the show to share her fascinating research on cravings. Turns out, food cravings are cultural and psychological, not a universal human experience -- the word "craving" doesn't ev

Award winning ukulele player Jake Shimabukuro is a lifelong Hawaii resident, where catching a big fish in the morning means feasting with friends and family that evening. One of his favorite catches is kumu, a fish that exists nowhere else in the world except Hawaii. Host Rachel Belle chats with Mark Healey, a Hawaiian professional surfer who has been sustainably spearfishing for his dinner since he was a toddler. Mark shares his secrets to charming and successfully hunting a kumu while also holding his breath (under water, not during our conversation!). Jake also loves poi, one of Hawaii's most sacred and traditional foods. Don't know what poi is? We got you! Learn its history and cultural significance with the owner of Oahu's Waiahole Poi Factory. Plus Jake shares his secret to making fried rice pop and you'll hear a song from his brand new album, Jake & Friends!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Vanessa Lachey's new book, Life from Scratch: Family Traditions That Start with You, features recipes and entertaining ideas, but the book is rooted in a deep and vulnerable place. Vanessa's mom left when she was a little girl, depriving her of motherly advice, care and the Filipino food she craved. It took decades, but the actor and TV host finally felt empowered to stop mourning what she lost, and start creating her own special traditions for her young family -- including a chicken adobo recipe her husband, 98 Degrees' Nick Lachey, loves. Vanessa and host Rachel Belle discuss how she secured a place in the Guinness Book of World Records (it's food related!) and why her family celebrates the holidays with a dish called Wiener-Bun Surprise. Vanessa loves lasagna, so obviously Rachel had to talk about America's favorite, curmudgeonly, lasagna loving cartoon cat and she digs into the etymology of the comforting Italian casserole. We'll also learn about Lasagna Love, a non-profit started during the pandemic. Rac

Winning Season 6 of The Great British Bake-Off completely changed Nadiya Hussain's life. The fan favorite went from a stay-at-home mom to the author of more than a dozen books, she's hosted nearly as many television programs and was commissioned by Buckingham Palace to bake Queen Elizabeth II's 90th birthday cake (orange drizzle cake with orange curd and orange butter cream, in case you're cake curious). Nadiya grew up in a British Bangladeshi family, with a dad who owned and cooked in Indian restaurants. As a kid, she was frustrated that he served watered down, westernized versions of her family's favorite foods. That is not the case at Seattle's Spice Waala. Host Rachel Belle chats with Dr Aakanksha Sinha and Uttam Mukherjee, Indian immigrants who had grown so frustrated with the lack of regional Indian food in America, they quit their corporate jobs to open an Indian street food restaurant showcasing kathi rolls and chaat. They've also translated their social justice morals and values into caring for

Milk Bar founder, chef and CEO Christina Tosi loves dessert so much, she would happily give up savory foods for three square meals a day of cookies and milk and ice cream. We talk about the special cake her husband designed for their wedding (that he made her promise to never make for anyone else), the career she almost chose instead of baking and the wacky flavor creations her colleagues won't let her put on the menu. Christina is known for flipping childhood classics and suburban grocery store staples on their heads, and spinning them into fantastical, crave-worthy cakes and cookies. Her three-tiered, rainbow sprinkle flecked, naked birthday cakes are one of Milk Bar's signature desserts. So we investigate the history of the birthday cake (why is it ubiquitous to celebrate with cake?) and birthday candles with Alysa Levene, author of Cake: A Slice of History and Anne Byrn, author of 15 books including her newest, A New Take On Cake. Christina has a new children's book out called Every Cake Ha

Carla Lalli Music has found success in so many culinary corners of the food world; from her job as Shake Shake's very first manager to Bon Appétit magazine's food director to bestselling cookbook author. Her new, cheery, bright yellow cookbook is called That Sounds So Good -- a phrase we've certainly all moaned after reading about a particularly droolworthy dish. Carla's last meal doesn't contain a drop of religious significance, but the combination of foods she craves are unavoidably biblical. So host Rachel Belle talks with Italian archaeologist and researcher Generoso Urciuoli about what Jesus and his 12 apostles would have actually eaten at The Last Supper.Carla shares the condiment her family loves so much, they go through a jar nearly every day and the gimmicky TikTok food trends they've tried over the pandemic. Follow Rachel Belle on Instagram! This episode is sponsored by Ooni Pizza Ovens, the world's first portable pizza oven company! Rachel Belle has been making incredible, che

To celebrate Ken Jennings' return to the Jeopardy stage, we're re-airing his episode, which happens to be one of our favorites! In 2004, Jeopardy champion Ken Jennings won 74 games in a row, making him the record holder for longest winning streak. In 2020 he slayed Jeopardy's Greatest of All Time tournament and he will be sharing Jeopardy hosting duties through the end of the year, alternating with past YLM guest Mayim Bialik. In this episode, Ken shares how he became obsessed with trivia, Alex Trebek's shockingly sugary breakfast choice and, a huge barbecue lover, tells us why he doesn't want to be known as a "Barbecue guy." He also clues us in to the regional food of Utah: Jell-O! We learn the history of Jell-O with Lynne Belluscio, executive director of the Jell-O Gallery in LeRoy, New York. Follow Rachel Belle on Instagram! This episode is sponsored by Ooni Pizza Ovens, the world's first portable pizza oven company! Rachel Belle has had an Ooni for more than three years and has never m

Phoebe Robinson is all grown up. The standup comedian, New York Times best-selling author, and co-host of the 2 Dope Queens podcast and HBO show recently started her own imprint with Penguin Random House to focus on publishing women, POC and queer authors; including her own new book, Please Don't Sit On My Bed In Your Outside Clothes. And even MORE adult: she says she finally has matching dishes and an Instant Pot! Phoebe's favorite tacos in the whole wide world are from a taqueria in...Copenhagen! Hija de Sanchez's Mexican American chef/owner, Rosio Sanchez, joins host Rachel Belle to share the challenges of cooking fantastic, traditional Mexican food Denmark, where many people still attempt to eat tacos with a knife and fork. Follow Rachel Belle on Instagram! This episode is sponsored by Ooni Pizza Ovens, the world's first portable pizza oven company! Rachel Belle has been in love with her Ooni for 3+ years & if you want to make the best homemade pizza of your life visit www.oon