How Heritage Becomes Flavor with Marcus Samuelsson

Oct 13, 2026

Chef Marcus Samuelsson joins Your Mama’s Kitchen to reflect on how his Ethiopian roots and Swedish upbringing shaped his relationship with food, culture, and home. He shares how his personal experiences inform his approach to hospitality at Red Rooster, where he’s made it his mission to ensure everyone feels welcome, represented, and like they belong at the table. Marcus also discusses his upcoming book, Back to Green: Rediscovering a World of Delicious, Healthy Eating, arriving October 20, 2026. The book explores plant-forward cooking traditions from around the world, celebrating the ingredients, cultures, and stories that connect us through food. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Peacefully Bringing 65 People to the Table with Tony Shalhoub and Josie Adams

Oct 06, 2026

How do you share a house, a kitchen, and a week with 60+ relatives and still want to do it again next year? Award-winning actor Tony Shalhoub and his daughter Josie Adams, co-authors of the upcoming memoir "We Thought They'd Never Leave", share their family's rules for curating the perfect family week under one roof. It's a primer for anyone with a beach house, a holiday crowd, or a family that wants to stay close. Tony also takes us back to his childhood kitchen in Green Bay, with his nine siblings, and a basement stove where his aunties baked Syrian bread for the whole neighborhood. Plus, we learn to make warm stuffed grape leaves and a Lebanese green bean dish called Loubieh.PRE-ORDER 'WE THOUGHT THEY'D NEVER LEAVE': https://tinyurl.com/4r99e39k Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From Korea to Queens: Min Jin Lee on the American Dream

Season 3, Ep. 1

•

Tuesday, September 29, 2026

Your Mama’s Kitchen is back! We’re kicking off our new season with best-selling author Min Jin Lee (“Pachinko”), whose latest book, “American Hagwon,” hits shelves on Sept 29. In today’s episode, Min Jin takes us inside the kitchen in Elmhurst, Queens where her family built a new life after immigrating from Korea. Around the table, food became a language for everything they were carrying: pride, sacrifice, exhaustion, and the weight of starting over in America. It’s an intimate story of immigration, and how the kitchen table shaped her writing.

How Carla Hall Went from Theater Kid to Top Chef

Top Chef star and renowned cooking show judge Carla Hall takes us back to the Sunday Suppers she grew up going to at her grandmother's house outside of Nashville, Tennessee. Carla details the unconventional road she took to becoming a chef, including being a theater kid and modeling in Paris. She also opens up about learning of her grandmother's dementia through the way she made her mac & cheese. Plus, we learn how to make her family's extra special pound cake.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Your Mama’s Kitchen is a production of Higher Ground.

Produced by Sonia Htoon.

Associate Producers are Camila Thur de Koos and Jenna Levin.

Sound design and engineering from Andrew Eapen, Ryan Kozlowski and Roy Baum.

Executive producers for Higher Ground are Mukta Mohan, Dan Fierman and Michele Norris.

The show’s closing song is 504 by The Soul Rebels.

Editorial and web design from Melissa Bear and Say What Media. Talent booker is Angela Peluso.

Copyright 2024 by Higher Ground Audio, LLC / Sound Recording copyright 2024 by Higher Ground Audio, LLC.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Phil Rosenthal is Anthony Bourdain “If He Was Afraid of Everything”

Food adventurer Phil Rosenthal joins the show to talk about his childhood, his love of fluffy eggs, and how his breakout hit, Everybody Loves Raymond, came to be. He reminisces about the trip to Paris that changed his life and what he thinks money should really be spent on. Plus, he previews what’s on the menu at his new Los Angeles diner with Nancy Silverton—including an ode to his parents’ nightly Egg Cream, recipe included.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Your Mama’s Kitchen is a production of Higher Ground.

Produced by Sonia Htoon.

Associate Producers are Camila Thur de Koos and Jenna Levin.

Sound design and engineering from Andrew Eapen, Ryan Kozlowski and Roy Baum.

Executive producers for Higher Ground are Mukta Mohan, Dan Fierman and Michele Norris.

The show’s closing song is 504 by The Soul Rebels.

Editorial and web design from Melissa Bear and Say What Media. Talent booker is Angela Peluso.

Copyright 2024 by Higher Ground Audio, LLC / Sound Recording copyright 2024 by Higher Ground Audio, LLC.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Life Is a Party and They Are The Hosts: A Conversation with Brie Larson & Courtney McBroom

Oscar-winning actress, Brie Larson, and her best friend, chef and dinner party guru Courtney McBroom, drop by to talk about their new cookbook Party People — a love letter to low-stakes, high-fun get togethers. The duo swap stories about their shared obsession with hosting (and, unexpectedly, Taco Bell!), and how Brie's mom, an over-the-top party planner, sparked her lifelong love of bringing people together. They also reminisce about working side by side on Lessons in Chemistry, where Courtney was head food consultant and Brie learned to see cooking in a whole new light. Plus, they share not one but two family recipes: Courtney’s grandma’s famous Texas sheet cake and a pistachio pie that almost didn’t make the cut.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Your Mama’s Kitchen is a production of Higher Ground.

Produced by Sonia Htoon.

Associate Producers are Camila Thur de Koos and Jenna Levin.

Sound design and engineering from Andrew Eapen, Ryan Kozlowski and Roy Baum.

Executive producers for Higher Ground are Mukta Mohan, Dan Fierman and Michele Norris.

The show’s closing song is 504 by The Soul Rebels.

Editorial and web design from Melissa Bear and Say What Media. Talent booker is Angela Peluso.

Copyright 2024 by Higher Ground Audio, LLC / Sound Recording copyright 2024 by Higher Ground Audio, LLC.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How a Crush on a Cute guy Kickstarted Nancy Silverton’s Culinary Empire

In this special episode, we join James Beard Award-winning chef, baker and author Nancy Silverton in her new beautiful restaurant, Osteria Mozza, in Washington DC. Nancy takes us back to her childhood kitchen in Southern California where her mama refused to take shortcuts -- swearing off "convenience cooking" and microwave meals. She reveals that her cooking journey started after a crush she had in college and talks about how she re-learns to love cooking every year in her kitchen in Italy. Plus, we learn how to make her mama's Brisket al Fomo.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Your Mama’s Kitchen is a production of Higher Ground.

Produced by Sonia Htoon.

Associate Producers are Camila Thur de Koos and Jenna Levin.

Sound design and engineering from Andrew Eapen, Ryan Kozlowski and Roy Baum.

Executive producers for Higher Ground are Mukta Mohan, Dan Fierman and Michele Norris.

The show’s closing song is 504 by The Soul Rebels.

Editorial and web design from Melissa Bear and Say What Media. Talent booker is Angela Peluso.

Copyright 2024 by Higher Ground Audio, LLC / Sound Recording copyright 2024 by Higher Ground Audio, LLC.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Reggie Watts Has Made a Career Out of Being a Weirdo

Comic, musician, and actor Reggie Watts comes on the show to talk about his multi-faceted life. From being born in Germany to growing up in Montana with his French mother and Air Force Sergeant father, Reggie learned the power of being the oddball. Reggie showcases his accents and the works that inspire him. And him and Michele talk about why he tries not to consume sugar, and how to use a sugar alternative for his mother's Crepes Suzette recipe.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Your Mama’s Kitchen is a production of Higher Ground.

Produced by Sonia Htoon.

Associate Producers are Camila Thur de Koos and Jenna Levin.

Sound design and engineering from Andrew Eapen, Ryan Kozlowski and Roy Baum.

Executive producers for Higher Ground are Mukta Mohan, Dan Fierman and Michele Norris.

The show’s closing song is 504 by The Soul Rebels.

Editorial and web design from Melissa Bear and Say What Media. Talent booker is Angela Peluso.

Copyright 2024 by Higher Ground Audio, LLC / Sound Recording copyright 2024 by Higher Ground Audio, LLC.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How Tig Notaro Learned to be Funny Through it All

Comedian, actress and writer Tig Notaro joins us to share some of the most valuable lessons she learned from the darkest times in her life and how she uses comedy to get through it all. She dives into the nature of Southern eccentricities and how her mother's headstrong personality shaped her own sense of humor. Plus, she shares how to make her mama's vegan gumbo.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Your Mama’s Kitchen is a production of Higher Ground.

Produced by Sonia Htoon.

Associate Producers are Camila Thur de Koos and Jenna Levin.

Sound design and engineering from Andrew Eapen, Ryan Kozlowski and Roy Baum.

Executive producers for Higher Ground are Mukta Mohan, Dan Fierman and Michele Norris.

The show’s closing song is 504 by The Soul Rebels.

Editorial and web design from Melissa Bear and Say What Media. Talent booker is Angela Peluso.

Copyright 2024 by Higher Ground Audio, LLC / Sound Recording copyright 2024 by Higher Ground Audio, LLC.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Scott Evans' Mama: We Are Not The Kool Aid House

Access Hollywood and House Guest host Scott Evans, brings us into the Indiana houses he lived in during his early years. From a young age, Scott felt that he was destined to be in showbiz. He also shared all the different ways his mother taught him tough love — by teaching him how to make better eggs and what he should NOT gift women on Christmas. Plus, we learn how to make his mama’s Lasagna.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Your Mama’s Kitchen is a production of Higher Ground.

Produced by Sonia Htoon.

Associate Producers are Camila Thur de Koos and Jenna Levin.

Sound design and engineering from Andrew Eapen, Ryan Kozlowski and Roy Baum.

Executive producers for Higher Ground are Mukta Mohan, Dan Fierman and Michele Norris.

The show’s closing song is 504 by The Soul Rebels.

Editorial and web design from Melissa Bear and Say What Media. Talent booker is Angela Peluso.

Copyright 2024 by Higher Ground Audio, LLC / Sound Recording copyright 2024 by Higher Ground Audio, LLC.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Erika Alexander's Journey From Starlight Inn to Stardom

Actress, producer and Living Single star, Erika Alexander opens up about her childhood home, which was at one point room in the Starlight Motel off Route 66. She shares how the foundation of poverty shaped her creative journey and resilience as an adult and how she found comfort in the flavors of a TV dinner. Plus, we learn how to make her mama's Crispy Tuna Salmon Croquettes.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Your Mama’s Kitchen is a production of Higher Ground.

Produced by Sonia Htoon.

Associate Producers are Camila Thur de Koos and Jenna Levin.

Sound design and engineering from Andrew Eapen, Ryan Kozlowski and Roy Baum.

Executive producers for Higher Ground are Mukta Mohan, Dan Fierman and Michele Norris.

The show’s closing song is 504 by The Soul Rebels.

Editorial and web design from Melissa Bear and Say What Media. Talent booker is Angela Peluso.

Copyright 2024 by Higher Ground Audio, LLC / Sound Recording copyright 2024 by Higher Ground Audio, LLC.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How Coach Craig Robinson Almost Burned His House Down

Basketball coach and podcast host Craig Robinson shares his side of the story on what went on in the childhood kitchen he shared with his sister, Michelle Obama in the South Side of Chicago. He talks about the lessons he learned at the kitchen table when his family wasn’t very well off and how his mother was always a big supporter — Even when he and his sister started a kitchen fire as kids. Plus, he tells us how to make his mama’s Fried Chicken.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Your Mama’s Kitchen is a production of Higher Ground.

Produced by Sonia Htoon.

Associate Producers are Camila Thur de Koos and Jenna Levin.

Sound design and engineering from Andrew Eapen, Ryan Kozlowski and Roy Baum.

Executive producers for Higher Ground are Mukta Mohan, Dan Fierman and Michele Norris.

The show’s closing song is 504 by The Soul Rebels.

Editorial and web design from Melissa Bear and Say What Media. Talent booker is Angela Peluso.

Copyright 2024 by Higher Ground Audio, LLC / Sound Recording copyright 2024 by Higher Ground Audio, LLC.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kardea Brown's Shrimp and Grits Starts with Bacon

American chef and T.V. host Kardea Brown tells her family’s stories of Edisto Island and the Gullah Lowcountry in South Carolina. Kardea talks to Michele about the unique culture of the Lowcountry and how Gullah cuisine and farming has historical ties to West Africa. Plus, Kardea shares how her ancestral history continues to drive her purpose and her cooking show, as she works hard to preserve old traditions from being erased. On top of mentioning her delicious cheesecake recipe, Kardea officially shares with us her recipe for Shrimp and Grits, done Gullah style!

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Your Mama’s Kitchen is a production of Higher Ground.

Produced by Sonia Htoon.

Associate Producers are Camila Thur de Koos and Jenna Levin.

Sound design and engineering from Andrew Eapen, Ryan Kozlowski and Roy Baum.

Executive producers for Higher Ground are Mukta Mohan, Dan Fierman and Michele Norris.

The show’s closing song is 504 by The Soul Rebels.

Editorial and web design from Melissa Bear and Say What Media. Talent booker is Angela Peluso.

Copyright 2024 by Higher Ground Audio, LLC / Sound Recording copyright 2024 by Higher Ground Audio, LLC.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jurnee Smollett Clocks in as the Flavor Flav of the Family

Actress Jurnee Smollett talks lessons in activism and creativity from her family. Being one of six children, Jurnee recounts how her mother was able to juggle care for all the kids while prioritizing their creative spark. From the Smollett's Swiss-Family-Robinson-style upbringing, to her mother befriending craft services for custom meals, Jurnee paints the picture of her childhood as a young actress to now. And she share's her mother's recipe for 7th Ward Gumbo!

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Your Mama’s Kitchen is a production of Higher Ground.

Produced by Sonia Htoon.

Associate Producers are Camila Thur de Koos and Jenna Levin.

Sound design and engineering from Andrew Eapen, Ryan Kozlowski and Roy Baum.

Executive producers for Higher Ground are Mukta Mohan, Dan Fierman and Michele Norris.

The show’s closing song is 504 by The Soul Rebels.

Editorial and web design from Melissa Bear and Say What Media. Talent booker is Angela Peluso.

Copyright 2024 by Higher Ground Audio, LLC / Sound Recording copyright 2024 by Higher Ground Audio, LLC.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sam Sanders on the Healing Powers of Smothered Chicken

Journalist, podcast host and radio star Sam Sanders takes us back to his roots in Texas, where everyone one in his house was a cook and there was a local "rabbit" man who sold all kinds of meat from his truck; including possum. Sam opens up about a special moment he shared with his mom as she was recovering from stroke, while cooking her special Smothered Chicken Recipe.

Check out Sam's podcast The Sam Sanders Show and Vibe Check.

Your Mama’s Kitchen is a production of Higher Ground.

Produced by Sonia Htoon.

Associate Producers are Camila Thur de Koos and Jenna Levin.

Sound design and engineering from Andrew Eapen, Ryan Kozlowski and Roy Baum.

Executive producers for Higher Ground are Mukta Mohan, Dan Fierman and Michele Norris.

The show’s closing song is 504 by The Soul Rebels.

Editorial and web design from Melissa Bear and Say What Media. Talent booker is Angela Peluso.

Copyright 2024 by Higher Ground Audio, LLC / Sound Recording copyright 2024 by Higher Ground Audio, LLC.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Molly Jong-Fast on Alcoholism, Dementia and a Mom Addicted to Fame

Michele chats with author, journalist, and political commentator Molly Jong-Fast. Molly's new book, How to Lose Your Mother: A Daughter's Memoir depicts the emotionally complex relationship she had with her mother, feminist icon Erica Jong. Through sobriety at 19, to stepping out of her mother's overbearing shadow, and finally parenting her mother through dementia, Molly bares it all. Plus she shares her recipe for a decadently sweet Baked Alaska!See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Your Mama’s Kitchen is a production of Higher Ground.

Produced by Sonia Htoon.

Associate Producers are Camila Thur de Koos and Jenna Levin.

Sound design and engineering from Andrew Eapen, Ryan Kozlowski and Roy Baum.

Executive producers for Higher Ground are Mukta Mohan, Dan Fierman and Michele Norris.

The show’s closing song is 504 by The Soul Rebels.

Editorial and web design from Melissa Bear and Say What Media. Talent booker is Angela Peluso.

Copyright 2024 by Higher Ground Audio, LLC / Sound Recording copyright 2024 by Higher Ground Audio, LLC.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How Pyet DeSpain Won Next Level Chef By Embracing Her Roots

Chef, cookbook author, and winner of Next Level Chef, Pyet DeSpain, shares how her Mexican and Native American roots shaped her extraordinary culinary career. Pyet talks about growing up on the Osage Reservation in Oklahoma, debunks misconceptions about Native culture and cuisine, and pulls back the curtain on what it’s really like behind the scenes of a cooking competition show. Plus, she shares her recipe for Blue Corn Strawberry Tamales with Coconut Horchata Sauce!

See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Your Mama’s Kitchen is a production of Higher Ground.

Produced by Sonia Htoon.

Associate Producers are Camila Thur de Koos and Jenna Levin.

Sound design and engineering from Andrew Eapen, Ryan Kozlowski and Roy Baum.

Executive producers for Higher Ground are Mukta Mohan, Dan Fierman and Michele Norris.

The show’s closing song is 504 by The Soul Rebels.

Editorial and web design from Melissa Bear and Say What Media. Talent booker is Angela Peluso.

Copyright 2024 by Higher Ground Audio, LLC / Sound Recording copyright 2024 by Higher Ground Audio, LLC.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kevin Kwan's Crazy Rich History

Bestselling author of Crazy Rich Asians, Kevin Kwan, reflects on his “Huck Finn-style” childhood in Singapore. He shares the real-life inspirations behind Crazy Rich Asians (including a memory from director Jon Chu’s own life that made it into the film) and regales Michele with some truly extraordinary family stories. Plus, he shares a delicious cross-cultural recipe for curry puffs!

See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Your Mama’s Kitchen is a production of Higher Ground.

Produced by Sonia Htoon.

Associate Producers are Camila Thur de Koos and Jenna Levin.

Sound design and engineering from Andrew Eapen, Ryan Kozlowski and Roy Baum.

Executive producers for Higher Ground are Mukta Mohan, Dan Fierman and Michele Norris.

The show’s closing song is 504 by The Soul Rebels.

Editorial and web design from Melissa Bear and Say What Media. Talent booker is Angela Peluso.

Copyright 2024 by Higher Ground Audio, LLC / Sound Recording copyright 2024 by Higher Ground Audio, LLC.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Borinquen Family that Keeps La La Anthony Grounded

Actress, producer, best selling author, and previous MTV VJ, La La Anthony talks about her Brooklyn upbringing. She shares how Boricua food was a constant in her household, the power of her lively Puerto Rican family, and how a cross country leap landed her right into the world of tv and radio. Plus, she shares her family’s Arroz con Pollo recipe! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Your Mama’s Kitchen is a production of Higher Ground.

Produced by Sonia Htoon.

Associate Producers are Camila Thur de Koos and Jenna Levin.

Sound design and engineering from Andrew Eapen, Ryan Kozlowski and Roy Baum.

Executive producers for Higher Ground are Mukta Mohan, Dan Fierman and Michele Norris.

The show’s closing song is 504 by The Soul Rebels.

Editorial and web design from Melissa Bear and Say What Media. Talent booker is Angela Peluso.

Copyright 2024 by Higher Ground Audio, LLC / Sound Recording copyright 2024 by Higher Ground Audio, LLC.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Journalist, author and New York Times critic Priya Krishna joins to dive deeper into the kitchen that inspired her cookbook Indian-ish. She talks through her mom's weeknight dinner routine (all done in a pristine white linen shirt), traveling to new cities and countries for free, and the lengths she goes to avoid being recognized at restaurants. Plus she shares her mom's quick and simple Dal recipe.

See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Your Mama’s Kitchen is a production of Higher Ground.

Produced by Sonia Htoon.

Associate Producers are Camila Thur de Koos and Jenna Levin.

Sound design and engineering from Andrew Eapen, Ryan Kozlowski and Roy Baum.

Executive producers for Higher Ground are Mukta Mohan, Dan Fierman and Michele Norris.

The show’s closing song is 504 by The Soul Rebels.

Editorial and web design from Melissa Bear and Say What Media. Talent booker is Angela Peluso.

Copyright 2024 by Higher Ground Audio, LLC / Sound Recording copyright 2024 by Higher Ground Audio, LLC.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.