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Artwork for Special Sauce

Special Sauce with Ed Levine

Ed Levine
Thanksgiving
African American Cooking
Cooking Tips
Cookbooks
Harlem Seafood Soul
Soul Food
Southern Food
Food Industry
Chocolate
Chinese Cuisine
Kenji Lopez-Alt
Deb Perelman
Leftovers
Hamburger
Bean-To-Bar Chocolate
Cacao Beans
Sichuan Cuisine
Family Gatherings
Cranberry Sauce
American Hamburger Culture

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.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes441Founded10 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
FoodArts

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Artwork for Special Sauce

Latest Episodes

On this episode of Special Sauce the Minneapolis Star-Tribune's Sharyn Jackson reports on the devastating effect of the ICE operation on the Twin Cities' restaurant and food community. ICE's terrifying tactics in Minneapolis have been met with many c... more

On this episode of Special Sauce we go deep into the story of the not famous enough Jewish roll known as a bialy (which is far superior to its kind of distant cousin, the bagel) with the celebrated chef, Mark Strausman, who is merely one of the great... more

On this episode of Special Sauce the Washington Post's Tim Carman and the Los Angeles Times's Stephanie Breijo discuss the enormous headwinds facing restaurants all over the country in 2026. High food costs, tariffs, the uncertain economy, and the IC... more

On this episode of Special Sauce, The New York Times's superb wine critic Eric Asimov details the many challenges facing the wine industry. He cites high prices, over-production of factory wine, and the snootiness of too many wine enthusiasts AND the... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
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Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Mark Strausman
Chef and restaurateur, known for his Italian cuisine and efforts to preserve the biali
Marks Off Madison
Episode: The Magic of the Bialy
Stephanie Breijo
Food reporter for the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
Episode: Can Restaurants Survive In 2026
Tim Carman
Food reporter and writer for the Washington Post
Washington Post
Episode: Can Restaurants Survive In 2026
Manolo Betancur
Owner of Manolo's Bakery, an immigrant activist
Manolo's Bakery
Episode: ICE Comes to Charlotte
Kathleen Purvis
Former food editor of the Charlotte Observer, food writer and historian
Charlotte Observer
Episode: ICE Comes to Charlotte
Deb Perelman
Creator of Smitten Kitchen, known for her approachable recipes
Smitten Kitchen
Episode: Leftovers Reheat with Kenji and Deb Perelman
Claire Brown
Climate change reporter for The New York Times
The New York Times
Episode: What's Missing From Your Favorite Chocolate Bar? It May Be Chocolate!
Zareen Syed
Reporter from the Chicago Tribune covering the impact of ICE raids
Chicago Tribune
Episode: Taco Life in Chicago Disrupted by ICE
Marcos Carbajal
Second generation Mexican-American owner of Carnitas Uruapan
Carnitas Uruapan
Episode: Taco Life in Chicago Disrupted by ICE

Host

Ed Levine
Founder of Serious Eats and host of Special Sauce. Known for his engaging conversations with food industry personalities and his insights into culinary culture.

Reviews

4.1 out of 5 stars from 489 ratings
  • 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 States3 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 States9 months 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
  • Misrepresentation and political platform

    I recently discovered this podcast, Special Sauce and I was thrilled to find it. However,I was disappointed to see that it took a political turn with the episode featuring Kamala Harris. I appreciate podcasts as a form of entertainment and education and prefer to keep them free from political discussions, unless of course it is a podcast idefined political. I felt like Ed Levine is using his much deserved culinary credentials as a means to promote a political preference . I didn't like it. I app... more

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Juliaaaaaaaaa
    United Statesa year ago

Listeners Say

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

There are positive comments about the diverse guest lineup, highlighting their fascinating personal stories and expertise.
Others applaud the host's ability to intertwine important social issues with culinary narratives, showcasing the podcast's depth.
Some listeners express frustration with political discussions, preferring a focus on culinary content.
Listeners appreciate the engaging conversations and the blend of humor and seriousness surrounding food culture.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#28
United States/Arts/Food
Apple Podcasts
#186
United States/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#31
Canada/Arts/Food
Apple Podcasts
#150
United Kingdom/Arts/Food
Apple Podcasts
#62
Australia/Arts/Food
Apple Podcasts
#111
Germany/Arts/Food

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Special Sauce Reheat: Hamissi Mamba and Baobab Fare
Q: What was it like for Hamissi and Nadia to leave their native country and build a new life in Detroit?
Mamba recounts that their journey was driven by a necessity for survival, facing various cultural shocks and challenges upon arrival, yet ultimately finding a home in Detroit.
Leftovers Reheat with Kenji and Deb Perelman
Q: Do you have an approach to leftovers that you do year after year, or are you into experimenting with your leftovers?
Kenji enjoys turning leftovers into new meals, while Ed prefers them for just one or two meals before moving on to new dishes.
Turkey Day Reheat: Kenji and Stella Parks Take Calls from Listeners
Q: How can I reduce the amount of sugar without compromising taste?
Stella advises using toasted sugar to lessen sweetness or adding more salt to enhance flavor profiles.
Turkey Day Reheat: Kenji and Stella Parks Take Calls from Listeners
Q: How can I make holiday cookies more manageable?
Stella suggests breaking up the cookie-making process into multiple days for convenience, including making the dough ahead of time.
Turkey Day Reheat: Kenji and Stella Parks Take Calls from Listeners
Q: Would you ever use a reverse sear method for turkey?
Kenji explains it's not ideal because turkey has both light and dark meat which cook at different temperatures, recommending a method to cook them separately for best results.

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?

Focused on the intersection of food, culture, and personal narratives, this podcast offers engaging discussions primarily revolving around cooking, culinary innovation, and the intricacies of the restaurant industry. With a diverse range of guests, including chefs, authors, and industry insiders, listeners can expect both humor and poignant insights into themes like immigration, food justice, and culinary traditions. The podcast stands out for its blend of entertaining anecdotes and discussions of serious societal issues, making it appealing to food enthusiasts who appreciate depth in their culinary conversations.

Where can I find podcast stats for Special Sauce?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Special Sauce. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Special Sauce and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Special Sauce get?

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What are the audience demographics for Special Sauce?

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How many subscribers and views does Special Sauce have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Special Sauce has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Special Sauce?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Special Sauce:

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

How many episodes of Special Sauce are there?

Special Sauce launched 10 years ago and published 441 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Special Sauce?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Special Sauce?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Special Sauce from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

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Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Special Sauce. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Special Sauce?

Recent guests on Special Sauce include:

1. Mark Strausman
2. Stephanie Breijo
3. Tim Carman
4. Manolo Betancur
5. Kathleen Purvis
6. Deb Perelman
7. Claire Brown
8. Zareen Syed

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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