This week, we get into the history, craft, and techniques of homemade Ramen with the brilliant author, Sho Spaeth. We talk about its origins in Japan, the introduction of ramen to the US, and the recent innovation that gave rise to what we know as instant ramen. We learn about the five elements that go into a bowl of ramen: broth, tare, fat, noodles, and toppings, and how these have been refined over the years to create endless variations, including the kind that can be enjoyed in our own homes. Sho Spaeth is the author of Homemade Ramen. He left us his recipe for Niboshi Shoyu Ramen.

Head to our YouTube channel to watch our interview with Sho Spaeth. Subscribe so you don’t miss anything!

Broadcast dates for this episode:

March 13, 2026 (originally aired)

Your support is a special ingredient in helping to make The Splendid Table. Donate today

When you shop using our links, we earn a small commission. It’s a great way to support public media at no extra cost to you.

This week, we’re joined in the studio by food superstar and philanthropist Jamie Oliver. We talk about his start in food, growing up above a small-town pub, and finding himself at the iconic River Café with Ruth Rogers and Rose Gray, and later becoming the TV persona behind The Naked Chef. He talks about his travels, his admiration for women cooks, and the use of his platform to champion nutrition programs and job-skills training for underserved communities. Jamie Oliver is a restaurateur, TV personality, and the author of over 30 cookbooks, including the best-selling 30-Minute Meals, 5 Ingredients: Quick & Easy Food, and Veg: Easy & Delicious Meals for Everyone. His latest book is Eat Yourself Healthy: Food to Change Your Life. He left us with his recipe for Harissa Tuna Bean Parcels.

Head to our YouTube channel and watch this extended cut of our interview with Jamie Oliver. Subscribe so you don’t miss anything!

Broadcast dates for this episode:

February 27, 2026 (originally aired)

Your support is a special ingredient in helping to make The Splendid Table. Donate today

When you shop using our links, we earn a small commission. It’s a great way to support public media at no extra cost to you.

We're taking the show on the road this year to celebrate our 30th Anniversary! This week, we bring you to our first stop, Indianapolis, in partnership with WFYI. We dig into the local food scene with restaurateur Martha Hoover, founder of Cafe Patachou and the Patachou Foundation. We talk to her about her start as a prosecutor turned restaurateur and how the restaurant scene has changed over her 35-plus years running a restaurant in Indianapolis. Then, we welcome Samir Mohammad of 9th Street Bistro, Zoë Taylor of Borage, and food writer and Eater correspondent Brian Garrido to the stage to talk about the present: Indianapolis's new and booming food scene. Then, we close the show with a heartwarming story of Isaac Roman and Thomas Hayes re-opening Indy's beloved Rene's Bakery.

Broadcast dates for this episode:

• February 21, 2025 (originally aired)
• February 20, 2026 (rebroadcast)

Subscribe to @TheSplendidTable on YouTube for full podcast episodes and full-length video interviews!

Generous listeners like you make The Splendid Table possible. Donate today to support the show