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Artwork for Special Sauce

Special Sauce with Ed Levine

Ed Levine
Pizza
Thanksgiving
Food Industry
Food Insecurity
Martha's Vineyard
Cooking
Seattle
Teriyaki
ICE
Food Culture
Leftovers
Spices
Cooking Tips
Pasta
Grilling
Kamala Harris
Chocolate
Immigration
Cookbooks
Turkey

Serious Eats' podcast Special Sauce enables food lovers everywhere to eavesdrop on an intimate conversation about food and life between host and Serious Eats founder Ed Levine and his well-known/famous friends and acquaintances both in and out of the food culture.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes459Founded11 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
ArtsFood

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Artwork for Special Sauce

Latest Episodes

As one of the millions of long-suffering New York Knicks fans, I decided I had to devote an episode of Special Sauce to the the team's amazing playoff run. Joining me on the pod is the The New York Times's Matt Flegenheimer, who wrote a great piece a... more

This week on Special Sauce we talk to Mateo Kehler, the cheese visionary behind Jasper Hill Farm.  Mateo and his brother Andy, carpenters by trade, pooled together their life savings and bought a 200 acre dilapidated dairy farm in Greensboro, Vermont... more

I have written thousands of words about the joys of eating hot dogs, so when Memorial Day rolls around, this serious eater's thoughts immediately turn to the humble frankfurter. A couple of years ago we had my friend and fellow food writer J.J. Goode... more

This week on the pod we are back with Part 2 of our deep dive into bageldom with bagel baker and celebrated chef Mark Strausman of Mark’s Off Madison in NYC. He and I taste-tested bagels from Wall Street darling PopUp Bagels, which was just valued at... more

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Mateo Kehler
Co-founder of Jasper Hill Farm
Jasper Hill Farm
Episode: Mateo Kehler: The Cheese Visionary Behind Jasper Hill Farm
JJ Goode
Food writer and author; hot dog expert guest on the show
Freelance / Serious Eats contributor
Episode: A Hot Dog Reheat for Memorial Day
Mark Strausman
Bagel baker, celebrated chef, founder of Mark's Off Madison
Mark's Off Madison
Episode: The Big Bagel Taste Test
Kim Severson
New York Times food reporter
The New York Times
Episode: Can Food Actually Be Medicine? Yes!
Corby Kummer
Executive director of the Food and Society Policy Program at the Aspen Institute
Aspen Institute
Episode: Can Food Actually Be Medicine? Yes!
Zareen Syed
Chicago Tribune reporter
Chicago Tribune
Episode: Chicago and ICE: An Update
Marcos Carbajal
Second-generation Mexican-American restaurant owner
Carnitas Uruapan
Episode: Chicago and ICE: An Update
John Stage
Upstate New Yorker, Dinosaur Bar-B-Que founder
Dinosaur Bar-B-Que
Episode: A Tribute to Tom Valenti, The Best Chef You Never Heard Of
Andrew Friedman
Fine writer and podcaster, co-author of Valenti's cookbooks
Host/Creator of Andrew Talks to Chefs
Episode: A Tribute to Tom Valenti, The Best Chef You Never Heard Of

Host

Ed Levine
Host of the show and founder of Serious Eats

Reviews

4.1 out of 5 stars from 499 ratings
  • Political show

    This is not a cooking show. Way too many politically based opinions. Its more of a left leaning news program. I just like food too bad your waisting my time with your agenda

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    jloy oyster
    United States2 months ago
  • Using your platform for good

    Thank you to Ed Levine and the podcast team for being one of the few “fun” podcasts out there for shining a light on ICE and making sure the truth is told about their inhumane and unlawful tactics. We need more brave people in the media using their voices to highlight the ways in which the most vulnerable members of our community are being targeted.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    meownisota
    United States7 months ago
  • these reviews make me lol

    Giving this show a 5 stars for getting Zionists and folks who wish discussing food could really be apolitical (or rather that it would leaning more to their own views/beliefs) BIG mad!!! It’s very funny and I haven’t even listened to the podcast yet! But I loveeee to see whiny adult baby reviews, always an incentive to listen!!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    txhxy j
    United Statesa year ago
  • LA look at New Orleans

    Look how long it took New Orleans to come back. It was the chefs that bought New Orleans back. Building back will take years. And a lot of people moved away to never to return.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Bsbooker
    United Statesa year ago
  • Great show

    Very much enjoy the show but, enough with the pizza already!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    mgd1961
    United Statesa year ago

Listeners Say

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

Many appreciate the depth of interviews and the human stories behind food careers.
Some express frustration with political topics and host interruptions.
Listeners praise the show for its fascinating guest mix and thoughtful conversations about food beyond recipes.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#26
United States/Arts/Food
Apple Podcasts
#149
United States/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#57
Canada/Arts/Food
Apple Podcasts
#189
United Kingdom/Arts/Food
Apple Podcasts
#14
Italy/Arts/Food
Apple Podcasts
#67
Australia/Arts/Food

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

A Hot Dog Reheat for Memorial Day
Q: Have you actually eaten every hot dog you wrote about?
No, it was more of an armchair exercise and a style guide rather than a literal catalog of every hot dog consumed; the emphasis is on style and regional character, not a one-to-one tasting diary.
A Hot Dog Reheat for Memorial Day
Q: How did the hot dog story come about?
The piece was commissioned as a field guide to the hot dog, inspired by Sam Sifton's earlier field guide on sandwiches, prompting JJ Goode to contribute a comprehensive, global style-centric take.
Chicago and ICE: An Update
Q: What changes have restaurants implemented to cope with ICE activity?
Restaurants are posting signs, restricting entry without judicial warrants, locking doors during raids, and coordinating with local allies and councils to keep operations going while prioritizing staff and customer safety.
Chicago and ICE: An Update
Q: Has it gotten better slowly since the low point last month?
There has been a modest uptick in sales at some locations, with a few locations reporting a 20% increase week over week, suggesting a slow recovery alongside ongoing enforcement concerns.
Noma and Redzepi: A Shocking Tale of Abuse
Q: How has media coverage shaped the understanding of the Noma controversy?
Media coverage has highlighted corroborated accounts and investigative reporting, but the panel notes the risk of surface-level narratives and the need for deeper context beyond what's on the plate.

Audience Metrics

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

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Special Sauce

What is Special Sauce about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show blends culinary culture with personal storytelling, featuring intimate conversations between a renowned food writer-host and a rotating lineup of chefs, journalists, critics, and industry insiders. Episodes often pivot around craft traditions (bagels, biali, and other iconic foods), culinary history, and the people behind food brands, while frequently weaving in broader social topics such as immigration, labor, health, and policy. Listeners can expect deep-dive technique discussions, first-person career journeys, and candid takes on media, technology, and ethics in the food world. The format stands out for its wide-ranging guest roster, long-form conversations, and a willingness to blend food obsession with timely cultural issues,... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Special Sauce?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Special Sauce:

1. Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street Radio
2. Good Food
3. The Splendid Table: Conversations & Recipes For Curious Cooks & Eaters
4. Bon Appétit
5. Food with Mark Bittman

How many episodes of Special Sauce are there?

Special Sauce launched 11 years ago and published 459 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 Special Sauce?

Recent guests on Special Sauce include:

1. Mateo Kehler
2. JJ Goode
3. Mark Strausman
4. Kim Severson
5. Corby Kummer
6. Zareen Syed
7. Marcos Carbajal
8. John Stage

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