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The Splendid Table

Impact Report—February 2025

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Host Francis Lam behind a recording microphone

Highlights:

The Splendid Table began as a live, Saturday-morning call-in show on Minnesota Public Radio in 1995. As the program’s popularity continued to stretch across the nation, The Splendid Table eventually became the pre-recorded program that is heard on more than 400 public radio stations in the United States and as a podcast. The Splendid Table has been at the forefront of food issues and policies since its inception. Long before eating local became a catchphrase and farmers’ markets became ubiquitous, The Splendid Table was talking about the changes needed in the food system and what was happening on the grassroots level. At the end of 2017, after 22 years of hosting The Splendid Table, founding host Lynne Rossetto Kasper retired from the show.

In 2025, The Splendid Table is celebrating its 30th anniversary, and the team will be heading out on tour. Sign up for their newsletter, Weeknight Kitchen, and you’ll be the first to know when tickets go on sale. Stops include Los Angeles, Seattle, Des Moines, Tampa, New York City and St. Paul.

Some favorite episodes from the program include:

  • The annual Thanksgiving show, Turkey Confidential, invites listeners to submit questions to an amazing roster of guests. Guests on the 2024 episode included Andrea Nguyen, author of Ever-Green Vietnamese, Super Fresh Recipes Starring Plants from Land and Sea, Dallas-based chef Tiffany Derry of Roots Southern Table and The Great American Recipe on PBS, Washington Post food editor and author of Mastering the Art of Plant-Based Cooking, Joe Yonan and pastry chef Paola Velez, author of Bodega Bakes, Recipes for Sweets and Treats Inspired by My Corner Store. And, of course, Francis!
a collage image featuring Andrea Nguyen, Tiffany Derry, host Francis Lam, Joe Yonan and Paola Velez
  • In the Cooking by Feel episode, listeners learned about how to be intuitive with food with Vivian Howard, star of the award-winning show A Chef’s Life and author of This Will Make It Taste Good, and scientist-turned-cook Nik Sharma, author of The Flavor Equation and Veg-table.
  • Explore one of the richest food scenes in the U.S. in this episode, recorded live with LAist in Orange County, California. Award-winning journalist and Taco USA author Gustavo Arellano talked about the evolution of OC’s culinary scene. Chefs Brenda and Daniel Castillo of Heritage Barbecue described how they’ve made Texas barbecue their own in Southern California. And Kenneth Nguyen, host of The Vietnamese Podcast, and Patricia Huang, former general manager of the famous 626 Night Market, talked about Orange County’s Asian street food culture.

Reach:

185643

followers on The Splendid Table’s social media channels
(Instagram, Facebook, TikTok)

Average Impression Count per Month:

429692
114931

YouTube views in 2024

More than

800

episodes since 1995

At least

150live events

More than

1600recipes

Winner of

2

James Beard Foundation Awards for Best National Radio Show on Food

Listed on numerous

“best of”

podcast lists including being named an outstanding food podcast by New York magazine, Huffington Post, Oprah Magazine and CNN.

On the Road – Orange County, CA with Gustavo Arellano, Daniel & Brenda Castillo, Kenneth Nguyen & Patricia Huang
Episode 798 (originally aired February 23, 2024): On the Road – Orange County, CA with Gustavo Arellano, Daniel & Brenda Castillo, Kenneth Nguyen & Patricia Huang

I’ve enjoyed listening and following The Splendid Table radio show and podcast for over 30 years and believe in the great work that Sally started with public radio years ago. Even though I am an accomplished cook and chef, I always learn something new or find a new recipe to try. Thanks for all you do and continue spreading the joy of cooking.”

– Aimee in Atlanta, GA

Every Sunday morning, I listen to be inspired to try something new in my kitchen. Thank you.”

– Janelle in Springfield, NJ

Love the programming. Love Francis’ sensitivity, curiosity about different cultures and culinary explorations. Thank you, Francis.”

– Jenna in New York, NY

It is a pleasure and a great privilege that we do not take lightly—to talk to people every week about one of life’s most intimate and important things—what we eat.”

– Francis Lam, host of The Splendid Table

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