We’re celebrating 2025 by re-airing our top episode of the year—host Jessie Sheehan’s interview with Nicola Lamb! Nicola is a London-based pastry chef and the author of “Sift: The Elements of Great Baking.” She has a pop-up bakery, Lark, and writes the popular Substack newsletter Kitchen Projects.

Nicola joined Jessie earlier this year for a deep dive into one of the world’s most loved pastries: the croissant. She talks about the complexities of adapting her recipe for home bakers after years of producing 10,000 croissants a week in a professional bakery. The duo get deliciously nerdy about technique—from lamination to honeycomb structure—and what it really takes to perfect this baked good at home. Nicola also opens up about her winding culinary path, from being “the office cake lady” to honing her craft at Dominique Ansel’s famed NYC bakery.

For Nicola’s croissant recipe, check out her book, “Sift.”

Click here for Nicola’s French Toast Cinnamon Buns recipe.

Thank you to Diamond Nuts & California Prunes for their support.

Order The Cake Issue

Jubilee NYC 2026 tickets here

Visit cherrybombe.com for subscriptions, show transcripts, and tickets to upcoming events.

More on Nicola: Instagram, Substack, “Sift” cookbook
More on Jessie: Instagram, “Salty, Cheesy, Herby, Crispy Snackable Bakes” cookbook

Today’s guest is Skye McAlpine. Skye is a food writer, cookbook author, and stylist based in Venice, Italy. She’s the author of several cookbooks, including “A Table in Venice,” “A Table for Friends,” “A Table Full of Love,” and her latest, “The Christmas Companion.” Skye also writes a monthly recipe column for The Sunday Times, contributes to publications like Vogue, Vanity Fair, and The Guardian, runs a Substack newsletter called The Dolce Vita Diaries, and is the founder of Skye McAlpine Tavola, a tableware and homewares brand.

Skye joins host Jessie Sheehan to talk about her life and career—from moving to Venice as a child and growing up between British and Italian Christmas traditions, to discovering her love of cooking and entertaining at university with nothing more than a toaster oven, to teaching herself how to cook and turning a food blog into a book deal. Then, Skye guides Jessie through her Chocolate and Chestnut Yule Log from “The Christmas Companion.” It’s a whimsical, showstopping holiday dessert made with a light chocolate sponge, chestnut cream filling, bittersweet ganache, and meringue mushrooms.

Click here for Skye’s Chocolate and Chestnut Yule Log recipe.

Thank you to Diamond Nuts and California Prunes for their support.

Order The Cake Issue

Jubilee NYC 2026 tickets here

Visit cherrybombe.com for subscriptions, show transcripts, and tickets to upcoming events.

More on Skye: Instagram, “The Christmas Companion” book
More on Jessie: Instagram, “Salty, Cheesy, Herby, Crispy Snackable Bakes” cookbook

Today’s guest is Carla Hall. Carla is a chef, cookbook author, TV personality, and all-around culinary force whose career has taken her from the runways of Paris to the sets of “Top Chef,” “The Chew,” and more. She’s the star and executive producer of the Emmy Award–winning series “Chasing Flavor,” a co-mentor on the new show, “Next Level Baker,” and the author of several books, including “Carla Hall’s Soul Food” and two children’s books, “Carla Hall and the Christmas Cornbread” and “Carla and the Tin Can Cake Party.”

Carla joins host Jessie Sheehan to talk about her life and career—from her childhood memories of her grandmother’s five-flavor pound cake, to the years she spent in Paris as a model discovering her love for cooking, to the moment “Top Chef” changed everything. Then, Carla walks Jessie through her Gingerbread Cake With Snow Sugar, a deeply spiced, ultra-moist loaf that uses the reverse-creaming method for a very tender crumb. She explains why hot water is the secret ingredient, how to make “snow sugar” that won’t melt into the cake, and why “sawing” is the only proper way to slice a loaf cake.

Click here for Carla’s Gingerbread Cake with Snow Sugar recipe.

Thank you to Diamond Nuts, California Prunes, and King Arthur Baking for their support.

Order The Cake Issue

Jubilee NYC 2026 tickets here

Visit cherrybombe.com for subscriptions, show transcripts, and tickets to upcoming events.

More on Carla: Instagram, website
More on Jessie: Instagram, “Salty, Cheesy, Herby, Crispy Snackable Bakes” cookbook