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Artwork for Cooking the Books with Gilly Smith

Cooking the Books with Gilly Smith

Gilly Smith
Food Writing
Food Culture
Roman Cuisine
Testaccio
Community
Mediterranean Diet
Food Identity
Gelato
Cucina Romana
Italian Language
Italian Cooking
Guardian Feast
Culinary Traditions
Fried Foods
Pasta
Mental Health
Healthy Eating
Blue Zones
Korea
Amuse Bouche

Cooking the Books is about all of life through the prism of food, from climate change to culture and politics to people. It's for foodie book lovers who want to hear something more profound about the way we live, making the link between delicious food and the impact of food production on the land, all through four food moments from the books of our favourite food writers.

Cooking the Books with Gi... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes318Founded6 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Society & CultureArts

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Artwork for Cooking the Books with Gilly Smith

Latest Episodes

This week, we’re off to Malaysia with The Malay Cook, Ranie Saidi.

The Malay Cook is the debut cookbook from this lawyer turned supper club host at Soho House and Curry Club London and now author.

It's an homage to the memory of his grandmother, a ... more

This week, we’re back with farming champion, Abby Allen and her latest book, The Farm Kitchen.

Abby was, until recently, the face of Piper’s Farm, the online farm shop which brought together the best farmers and producers in the South West. Her pass... more

This week, we’re with the queen of modern Caribbean cooking, Shivi Ramoutar.

It’s 10 years since her debut cookbook, Caribbean Modern: Recipes from the Rum Islands launched this Trinidadian lawyer and supper club host from Leicester to become the Ca... more

This week we’re exploring the cuisine of Saudi Arabia in Madeeha Qureshi's debut cookbook, The Red Sea.

Madeeha who spent her first 18 years in Saudi, came to our attention on Masterchef when she reached the finals in 2021, impressing judges John To... more

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Recent Guests

Shivi Ramoutar
Caribbean cookbook author and TV presenter
Shivi Ramoutar
Episode: Shivi Ramoutar: Recipes from the Rum Islands
Madeeha Qureshi
Author and chef, debut cookbook The Red Sea
Author, The Red Sea
Episode: Madeeha Qureshi : The Red Sea
Ali Honour
Chef and food systems agitator, author of Beans and other works
Author, chef, campaigner for beans and sustainable food systems
Episode: Cooking the Books Live: Ali Honour
Nicola Lando
Founder of Sous Chef, judge
Sous Chef
Episode: The Jane Grigson Trust Sous Chef Awards Shortlist
Jeremy Lee
Chef and judge
Restaurant Chef
Episode: The Jane Grigson Trust Sous Chef Awards Shortlist
Ilhan Abdi
Somali-Egyptian/Somali-British food writer and Ramadan cook
Ramadan Kitchen / author
Episode: Ilhan Abdi: The Ramadan Kitchen
Pary Baban
Author of Nanden, Kurdistan-born 고od researcher and chef
Nanden restaurant (London)
Episode: Pary Baban: Nandên
Tamar Adler
James Beard award-winning New York food writer
Episode: Tamar Adler: Feast on Your Life
Clare Coghill
Author of Cafe Cuil
Episode: Clare Coghill: Cafe Cuil

Host

Gilly Smith
Host of Cooking the Books, guiding interviews and exploring four food moments from guests' books

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 113 ratings
  • Am

    I love this podcast. Amazing guests and informative. I have one criticism which is the host falls into a whisper. Need to stop that.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    bananas for muffins
    United States4 months ago
  • A favorite

    One of my favorite podcasts! Gilly does a fantastic job of getting to the heart of inspiration with the world’s latest cookbook authors.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Cami2224
    United States2 years ago
  • Wonderful podcast

    Gilly is so knowledgeable and engaging and brings out really warm intimate stories from her guests.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Wenamaroo
    United Kingdom3 years ago
  • Love this podcast

    I have learned so much from Gilly’s podcast, which is simultaneously entertaining and insightful. Highly recommend!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    ceeceebee31
    United Kingdom3 years ago
  • Great listening

    Such a great podcast for foodies and non-foodies alike. I learn something new every time. Gilly has a wonderful open approach and the conversations flow really well. I love it!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    JennyAtherton
    United Kingdom3 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Warm, insightful host with a knack for drawing out intimate stories from guests.
Guests are consistently well-chosen, with rich, book-centered discussions.
High-quality conversations that weave food, culture, and memory into compelling narratives.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#202
Ireland/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#231
New Zealand/Arts

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Madeeha Qureshi : The Red Sea
Q: Tell us about the Mutabak moment and why it mattered.
Mutabak served as a deeply personal start to the book's food moments, rooted in childhood and the loss of the author's father; the dish became a vehicle to share grief, memory, and the broader story of Saudi food's evolution on national television.
Cooking the Books Live: Ali Honour
Q: What role does a cookbook play in changing conversations about food?
Honour describes cookbooks as a personal, persuasive tool that can back up activism with delicious recipes and a clear manifesto, sparking conversations and inspiring listeners to adopt plant-based practices and support systemic change.
Ilhan Abdi: The Ramadan Kitchen
Q: What inspired you to pitch a Ramadan cookbook as your book concept, and how did publishers react to that idea?
The idea grew from my earlier Ramadan Instagram lives; publishers reached out because they saw a real need for Muslim-focused cookbooks, and I emphasized there are many Muslims and not enough Ramadan-centered cookbooks, which helped secure an offer.
Clare Coghill: Cafe Cuil
Q: How did the lockdown impact your connection to Skye and its resources?
Clare felt a deep reconnection with her childhood and the local ingredients due to the lockdown.
Clare Coghill: Cafe Cuil
Q: What was on the breakfast menu at Cafe Cuil today?
The cafe was closed for the season, but Clare discusses the seasonal nature of living on Skye.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
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Frequently Asked Questions About Cooking the Books with Gilly Smith

What is Cooking the Books with Gilly Smith about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A thoughtful conversations-focused show where host Gilly Smith guides conversations with prominent cookbook authors, food writers, and culinary historians through four “food moments” from each guest's latest work. Episodes explore how food intersects with culture, identity, memory, sustainability, and everyday life, often weaving in travel, migration, and regional cuisines. The tone is warm and collaborative, with guests ranging from memoirists to scholars, and the host frequently draws on storytelling to connect recipes to broader social and environmental themes. A standout aspect is the way book-focused discussions are anchored in personal narratives and cultural context, helping listeners see food writing as a lens on life, identity, and... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Cooking the Books with Gilly Smith?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Cooking the Books with Gilly Smith:

1. Good Food
2. The Food Programme
3. The Kitchen Cabinet
4. Homing
5. grow, cook, eat, arrange with Sarah Raven & friends

How many episodes of Cooking the Books with Gilly Smith are there?

Cooking the Books with Gilly Smith launched 6 years ago and published 318 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Cooking the Books with Gilly Smith?

Recent guests on Cooking the Books with Gilly Smith include:

1. Shivi Ramoutar
2. Madeeha Qureshi
3. Ali Honour
4. Nicola Lando
5. Jeremy Lee
6. Ilhan Abdi
7. Pary Baban
8. Tamar Adler

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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