Copper & Heat Radio is a podcast that explores the forces that shape our meals through narrative, sound-rich audio stories. Primarily released as thematic seasons, past topics covered have ranged from questioning the exclusionary traditions around gender in fine-dining kitchens – to dissecting the concepts of value and craft in the world of food. Copper & Heat Radio is a two-time James Beard Media Award winner for Best Podcast (2019) and Best Audio Programming (2023).
“…a deep dive into the exclusionary traditions around gender, identity and femininity in the kitchens of fine-dining restaurants.” — The New York Times
Thoughts on the State of Food Media: Treefort Panel 2025
June 2, 2025
It is no secret that 2024 and 2025 have been tough years for food journalism in the United States, with a number layoffs happening across the industry. It’s against this national backdrop that at the end of March we hosted a panel discussion on the Podcast stage at Boise’s Treefort Music Fest.
Our live podcast - also a part of Treefort’s ...
You can stream this episode here.
When Katy was working in the Bay Area in her early 20s, she would have given the Michelin Guide 3 stars, because those were the restaurants she felt like she had to work to learn about the most innovative and interesting food. How has that changed?
In this last episode of our fourth season, Katy and ...
You can stream this episode here.
Welcome to the Copper & Heat audio tasting menu. This 6-course experience takes you through dishes from pivotal points in the history of the modern tasting menu.
Guests:
Beth Forrest - Her faculty bio and books
Sam Yamashita - His piece on the Japanese Turn | His books | His faculty ...
You can stream this episode here.
How have chefs and the restaurant industry contributed to the near-extinction of abalone, the prized mollusk often associated with fine dining?
Indigenous tribes up and down the coast of what is today California have been eating abalone for thousands of years. In the 20th and 21st centuries, the influx ...
You can stream this episode here.
What does the popularity of culinary foam say about the types of food – and the kinds of chefs – we value?
When Geraldine DeRuiter wrote about her meal at “the worst Michelin starred restaurant, ever,” she didn’t expect to start a global controversy. The tasting menu she had at Bros, in Lecce, Italy, ...
You can stream this episode here.
Why are restaurant kitchens organized the way they are? What is a kitchen brigade? What does a typical day of a cook look like? How does someone move up the ranks? And what do women do to work their way up the ranks in a kitchen?
Some of the stats:
Women make up a little over 50% of students ...
