The Shameless Chef

Modernist BreadCrumbs is a special series created in collaboration with Modernist Cuisine founder Nathan Myhrvold and head chef Francisco Migoya. The show takes a new look at one of the oldest staples of the human diet: bread. Dive into the microbial world, heritage grains, flatbreads, and breads with holes, and also step back and look at the ways bread intersects with culture, fermentation, immigration, art, and tradition. 

Subscribe to Modernist BreadCrumbs on your favorite podcast platform and never miss an episode!  (Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify | RSS). 

If your food media diet is fueled by HRN, sustain the future of food radio. Become a monthly sustaining donor at heritageradionetwork.org/donate. 

The Feedfeed is the world’s largest epicurean social media community & crowdsourced publication. On their podcast, you can engage with the food content creators who push the needle forward of what we cook, bake, and drink. 

Conversations cover how we consume food when we aren’t actually consuming it—everything from navigating social media, building, engaging with and growing a community, and producing content that resonates with young and old.

In this episode, Deb Perelman of Smitten Kitchen (a shameless chef in her own right) shares how she develops her recipes. 

Subscribe to The Feedfeed on your favorite podcast platform and never miss an episode!  (Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify | RSS). 

Similarly to The Shameless Chef - pick up cooking tips and delicious recipes while learning a lot about the way in Cooking in Mexican from A to Z. The hosts are mother and son, but also award-winning celebrity chefs, restaurateurs, and cookbook authors. Aarón Sánchez and Zarela Martínez take listeners on a culinary journey featuring regional ingredients that are the soul of Mexican cuisine. From chilis to chocolate and everything in between, Aarón, Zarela and special guests share stories, tips, techniques, and quintessential recipes in spirited kitchen table conversations. Subscribe to Cooking in Mexican from A to Z on your favorite podcast platform and never miss an episode!  (Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify | RSS).

If you love learning about regional cuisine, also check out:

Soul by Chef Todd Richards (Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify | RSS)

Japan Eats! (Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify | RSS)

Item 13: An African Food Podcast (Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify | RSS)

Eat Your Heartland Out  (Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify | RSS)

Agave Road Trip (Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify | RSS)

If you enjoyed going back in time with The Shameless Chef while learning home cooking tips that are still relevant today, then you’ll love the insights that A Taste of the Past has to offer. 

A Taste of the Past brings listeners on a journey through the history of food. Host and culinary historian Linda Pelaccio interviews authors, scholars and culinary chroniclers to discuss food culture from ancient Mesopotamia and Rome to the grazing tables and deli counters of today. Each week Linda explores the lively link between food cultures of the present and past.

Episode 361 features an interview with culinary historian and foremost expert on the food and foodways of the African Diaspora, Dr. Jessica B. Harris. She joins Linda to talk about The Legacy Quilt, the centerpiece of a project celebrating Black contributions to American cuisine. It's all part of a major exhibition at the Museum of Food and Drink (MOFAD) entitled, African/American: Making the Nation's Table. Dr. Jessica B Harris also has a series on HRN: My Welcome Table. 

Subscribe to A Taste of the Past on your favorite podcast platform and never miss an episode!  (Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify | RSS). 

We want to help you find your next favorite food podcast. This week, we’re sharing HRN’s flagship show Meat and Three which features food news and storytelling. Modeled after the Southern meat-and-three-sides concept, each episode has one deep dive and three shorts. 

The show’s most recent episode was all about insects. We unpack the mysterious patterns of cicadas in the US, investigate the presence of radioactive isotopes in honey, meet a self-professed edible insect ambassador, and do some insect cooking of our own. Michael Davenport would surely support giving insects some culinary consideration.

If you like what you hear, subscribe to Meat and Three wherever you listen to podcasts and never miss an episode. (Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify | RSS).

Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support our shows by becoming a member!

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In the final episode of The Shameless Chef, Michael Davenport entertains and delights with the richer things in life. From pavlova to sundae smorgasbords and homemade pie crusts, it’s all about dessert this week. When the late night munchies come calling, Michael’s advice is to be prepared. Have your favorite snacks on hand, keep packaged cookie mix in your pantry, and take down his recipe for a “sloppy egg sandwich.” Delight any dinner party guests this summer with a sundae buffet - think multiple flavors, sauces and toppings to be combined in endless combinations, and don’t forget homemade whipped cream. Michael provides a pie crust recipe that you don’t need to be intimidated by and suggests a more complicated pastry endeavor for those with lots of time on their hands and strong hankering for chocolate.

Please consider making a donation to Heritage Radio Network, which brought this series back to life at heritageradionetwork.org/donate.

Hungry for more food podcasts from HRN? For more home cooking content, check out HRN series like Cooking Issues, The Feedfeed, Modernist Bread Crumbs, and Pizza Quest. Dive into more culinary history with A Taste of the Past and enjoy podcasts about food and beverage from across the country and around the world like Eat Your Heartland Out, Cooking in Mexican from A to Z, and Soul by Chef Todd Richards. There’s Time for Lunch, a podcast for kids, and Meat and Three, a food storytelling podcast that any food-lover and home cook is sure to love. You can find our full lineup of over 40 shows at heritageradionetwork.org.

Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support The Shameless Chef by becoming a member!

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Revisit ingredients you may be overlooking and realize that experimentation is a big part of the joy of eating. First, Michael hams it up, discussing whole hams, ham and bean casserole, and ham salads. You may not have cooked with gooseberries before but the gooseberry fool is a delicious dish that will also make you giggle. When The Shameless Chef was faced with an abundance of green peppers, he quickly got sick of stuffing them but did not fear. Plus, jump into the wonderful world of peas and the numerous ways to prepare them, whether canned, dried, or freshly shelled. 

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Michael Davenport was thrilled whenever he found a roadside stand and if you’re anything like him, and have gone overboard buying too many fruits and vegetables, this episode has some ideas for putting them to use. He talks berries, cherries, bananas and avocados. Plus, The Shameless Chef shares ideas for ripening your fruit and eating it - fresh, cooked, sauced, pickled, in cereal, pies, breads and more. 

Episode art by Alicia Qian. 

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Michael Davenport offers tips for being a great host, from the moment guests arrive to the time they leave when you’re left with the dirty dishes. Knowing how to ad-lib in the kitchen is an important skill, especially when more people than you expected show up for dinner. In this scenario, Michael suggests a “garbage salad” that cleans out the ingredients of your fridge or adding a soup course with some extra veggies and bread. Once you serve the food, Michael implores you not to insult it. Accept your guests’ compliments without pointing out any flaws you might notice. Finally, avoid being confronted with a disaster in the kitchen after a party by cleaning while you cook. Being a lazy cook goes hand in hand with being a neat cook - tidy up while the food is baking or boiling so you don’t have to deal with a mess later. 

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Michael Davenport proclaims: “along with peanut butter, I think salads are the gifts of the Gods.” However he would not stand for a bowl of iceberg lettuce with bottled dressing. He suggests employing everything  from fruit to fish, spices, condiments, nuts and even cottage cheese to turn fresh greens into a delicious and satisfying meal. Join his “crazy salad club” and get ideas for whipping up bowls of spinach and strawberry salad, S.O.B. salad with sour cream dressing, Michael’s West Coast take on a salad niçoise, and more.

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Episode art by Karina Andreatos.

Head outside with The Shameless Chef this week. Michael’s ideal picnic was easy to transport and easy to clean up but that doesn’t mean the food has to be forgettable. His favorite hamper meals included a combination of chicken breast (broiled, barbecued, or in a sandwich), crudités with a tangy dip, and a hot beverage or a bottle of wine. Plus, Michael always brought colorful cloth napkins. When it comes to barbecuing, Michael preferred to leave it up to the Boy Scouts but he shares a few tips anyway. Lastly, take a trip to the sporting goods store for groceries as Michael talks freeze dried food. Mountain food doesn’t just have to consist of snacks; you may be surprised that meat, vegetables and soups can be made to fit inside your pocket.

Episode art by Alicia Qian.

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Never commit the crime of overcooking your food again with some timeless tips from The Shameless Chef. No matter what sauce you’re serving with spaghetti, you have to boil the pasta first and Michael had a secret to get al dente noodles without fail. Plus, he’ll walk you through how to sear a steak (hint: you’re going to want two pans). Finally, never again worry about destroying a hard boiled egg. Follow a few easy steps, let yourself and the egg rest for 20 minutes, have some ice water ready, and enjoy. 

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Michael Davenport didn’t frequent restaurants often because he preferred to prepare a meal. Perhaps his love for home cooking is why this episode’s stories are about the woes of dining out. Enjoy funny, awkward, and honest observations about eating at restaurants, and recommending them to others. 

“Davenport’s Law” states that the very evening you recommend a restaurant to friends is the very evening it will go bad. The chef will be sick or the air conditioning will be broken; somehow your friends will end up cursing your name. When it comes to the timing of a meal, Michael self-identified as a “salad-afterer.” Salad bars have their pros and cons but Michael insisted upon eating his salad after the main course no matter how many waiters it confused. Over the years, plenty of people suggested Davenport open his own restaurant, his response: “heaven forbid.” He claims home cooks don’t often become famous chefs and shares a laundry list of hurdles to opening a successful food chain. When he dined out, Michael was happy to merely be, The Shameless Chef. 

Episode art by Alicia Qian.

Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support The Shameless Chef by becoming a member!

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Try something new this week, whether it’s a novel recipe or an unfamiliar food. Michael talks edible weeds; from sage and fiddlehead fern to dandelions, he has tips for cooking and serving all types of greens. If you’re used to eating an ingredient raw, try applying some heat and enjoy poached pears or cooked cucumbers. Michael convinced his crotchety uncle to eat artichokes, and he’ll convert you too. Plus, be shameless when you combine fruit and meat in a main course like California pot roast and experiment with coriander in a new crazy soup. 

Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support The Shameless Chef by becoming a member!

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From ornamenting your pastries to adding embellishment to your table, Michael Davenport believed that for all the time we take preparing our food, it should be presented proudly. An elaborately, or even just a neatly set table can get the salivary glands going. Michael was a firm proponent of cloth napkins, candlelight, and a centerpiece - even if it’s just a bowl of lemons. Despite being a skeptic of many kitchen gadgets, when it comes to decorating food itself, Michael sings the praises of pastry tubes. They’re not only for wedding cakes; they don't have to be limited to cakes at all for that matter. Try using a pastry tube when dealing with butter, mashed potatoes or making deviled eggs. Finally, Michael shares a treat made in the kitchen and then broken over someone’s head - hear him out, he’s talking about cascarones. Cascarones are most commonly a part of Mexican fiestas. This festive activity requires hollowing out eggshells, filling them with confetti, and adding a layer of paint. Next time you’re celebrating or simply left with extra eggshells after making a meringue, consider cascarones. 

Episode art by Alicia Qian.

Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support The Shameless Chef by becoming a member!

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Michael Davenport shines a spotlight on canned food, which can be wonderful as long as you add some imagination. He offers tips to enliven canned foods by chilling canned pears and adding mint leaves or supplementing canned biscuit mix with parmesan or poppy seeds. When it comes to canned pineapple, Michael urges listeners to consider it in a different category than fresh produce. Try it in barbecue sauce, an omelet or with green beans. He shares a recipe for canned clams and sings the praises for cranberries, which can be enjoyed all year round in soufflés, pancakes, bread and more when they’re preserved in a can. 

Episode art by Karina Andreatos.

Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support The Shameless Chef by becoming a member!

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Dig into lunch with Michael’s ideas for stepping up what’s in your brown bag. Lunch doesn’t have to be boring - fresh fruit, salads, soups and even a little white wine can be on the menu according to The Shameless Chef. When it comes to salads, they don’t have to be so focused on lettuce; add garbanzo beans, kidney beans, navy beans or all three to make any meal a little bit heartier. While the good old Earl of Sandwich had a great idea on his hands, Michael makes suggestions for sprucing up the food between those two slices of bread. He talks heroes, watercress and club sandwiches. Plus, he implores listeners to consider pairing peanut butter with ingredients besides jelly - think about bananas, celery, or bacon bits!

Episode art by Karina Andreatos.

Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support The Shameless Chef by becoming a member!

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Discover new ways to flavor your food with delicious sauces, spices and fresh herbs. Michael Davenport didn’t have anything secretive in his spice cabinet, in fact he shares its contents so you can go out and find coriander, sorrel or borage yourself. Then things get saucy, but you don’t have to be a professional saucier to keep up. Michael breaks down some classic French sauces, dives into recipes that can be made veronique, and offers alternatives to spaghetti with tomato sauce. Plus, don’t forget about chutney; it’s as handy as ketchup and easier to make than pickles or preserves!

Episode art by Alicia Qian. 

Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support The Shameless Chef by becoming a member!

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Michael Davenport felt it was better to cook three new meals in a day and hate them, than to eat the same dishes again and again. He offers tips to spark the creative process: open a cookbook to a random page and prepare the recipe, try eating fish with fruit sauce, or buy an herb you’ve never tried before. When it comes to cookbooks, Michael’s collection wasn’t limited to his kitchen. He kept cookbooks in the bedroom, on the coffee table and in his study and he makes recommendations of which to add to your own collection. Trial and error is the best way to learn but cooking classes are also a great way for anyone to improve. 

Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support The Shameless Chef by becoming a member!

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Michael Davenport believes people feel one of two ways about food: either they simply see it as fuel, or they have strong preferences (especially about the things they prefer not to eat). But in Michael’s mind, anything worthwhile will offend somebody, and in this episode he’s definitely going to step on some toes. Starting with what to wear in the kitchen, Michael wouldn’t be caught dead in most of the aprons he has received as gifts. When it comes to how a kitchen is arranged and organized - the kitchens found in magazines look charming when they’re covered in pots and pans, but as a cook you should view your kitchen as a workroom not a display window. So called “cutsie pie” menu items like “hugs and quiches” are subject to an impassioned rant.  And as for charity cookbooks go? Give the charity your money and forget the cookbook; Michael counted 116 meatloaf recipes on his bookshelf and that is more than enough.

Episode art by Alicia Qian.

Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support The Shameless Chef by becoming a member!

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