Proof
Episodes
Introducing: The Side Dish
05 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Since 2018, Proof has been sharing incredible stories; from that first episode, which brought the curious history of celery to life, to our most rec...
The Hospital That Serves Wild Game
18 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What if hospital food could actually help you heal? In this episode of Proof, Reporter Otis Gray travels from the waters of Southeast Alaska to the Al...
Creating a Copycat Cookie Recipe
11 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever wondered what really goes into developing a recipe at America’s Test Kitchen? In this episode of Proof, ATK Associate Producer Angeli...
Why Dinner Parties Still Matter
04 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Dinner parties are having a moment again; where homemade meals feel almost radical in our fast-paced world. But this isn’t the first time they’ve ...
What Does a Shared Menu Look Like Across a Divide?
27 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What happens when two chefs, Yia Vang and Colby Rasavong, inherit a fraught history and decide to cook their way through it? In this episode, reporter...
Whose Borscht Is It Anyway?
13 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What happens when food travels with a diaspora? Reporter Kat Chow thought her family’s corned beef stew was a Chinese take on an Irish dish...until ...
The (Social) Mushroom Network
06 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The way wild mushrooms make it to your plate defies almost every rule of the modern food system. Unlike most produce, wild mushroom cultivation isn’...
The Hot Dog King: An Episode from The Sporkful Podcast
30 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s story, from Dan Pashman and The Sporkful, is about the people behind New York’s hot dog carts, and one man’s fight to keep his spot. Fr...
A New Season of Proof Starts November 6!
23 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Is the mushroom foraging business as innocent as it seems? What does it take for two cultures at odds to come together to make the ultimate fusion cui...
The Legacy of America's Culinary Founding Father (Part 3: The James Hemings Story)
16 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this three-part series, reporter Otis Gray explores the extraordinary life of James Hemings; the enslaved chef who forever changed American cuisine...
The Bargain for Freedom (Part 2: The James Hemings Story)
09 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this three-part series, reporter Otis Gray explores the extraordinary life of James Hemings; the enslaved chef who forever changed American cuisine...
The Man Who Commanded Jefferson's Kitchen (Part 1: The James Hemings Story)
02 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this three-part series, reporter Otis Gray explores the extraordinary life of James Hemings; the enslaved chef who forever changed American cuisine...
America's Beef with Beef
04 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Many meat eaters might have experienced a phenomena called the meat paradox, where we acknowledge our love animals--like beef, or cow--but we...eat th...
Has Airplane Food Actually Gotten Better?
28 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What does it take to serve a dinner in first class at 37,000 feet? And are we in a new golden age of fine dining on airplanes? Reporter Emily Siner re...
Was the Modern Gyro Invented in Chicago?
21 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
When reporter Justin Barney first moved to Nashville, he kept seeing signs for "Chicago-Style Gyros." Chicago-style? What's that? And why Chicago? The...
Brewing a Revolution: The Origins of Fair Trade Coffee
14 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We often see labels that say "Fair Trade" -- particularly in the context of chocolate or coffee. But what does it actually mean for a food to be "fair...
Tradwives and the Original Kitchen Influencers
07 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In 1924, a man in Iowa named Henry built a radio station so that he could sell more seeds. Then, his rival Earl also created a radio station to sell m...
Brand New Episodes of Proof Starting August 7th!
31 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The new season of Proof is filled with food origin stories that you'll want to share at your next dinner party. We ask: What can we learn from trad wi...
As American as Pie
03 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
While developing her award-winning cookbook, 50 Pies, 50 States, Stacey Mei Yan Fong was about to become a permanent American resident. As she navigat...
Love (and Food) Actually
05 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Proof contributor Aaron Pang wasn't sure if he'd find community and people to eat with when he arrived in Iowa to attend his creative writing program....
Cracked Open: An Episode from the Feet in 2 Worlds Podcast
29 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s story comes from The Hustle, the new podcast series from Feet in 2 Worlds about the ways immigrants navigate a changing economy — today...
Return of the Ancient Brews
22 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We dig into Ireland's storied spirit, poitin, Peru's historic beverage, chicha and Uganda's traditional brew, malwa. What accounts for their staying p...
More Cheese Boat, Please!
15 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Proof's fact-checker sets off in search of Georgia's famed dish. Craving Georgian food now? Check out America's Test Kitchen's recipe for Adjaruli K...
A Korean Mom's Kitchen Wisdom
11 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
You may know our America's Test Kitchen colleague Sarah Ahn as the popular content creator behind the social media account, @AhnestKitchen. Sarah chr...
Why Are Americans So Obsessed with Ice?
01 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Americans love ice, and it's no surprise given the food's (yes, you read that right; ice is a food) rich history and its start as an American inventio...
Introducing: In the Test Kitchen
29 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We're excited to introduce Proof listeners to a new video podcast from America's Test Kitchen! Each episode of In the Test Kitchen is a mix of expert ...
Can Science Brew a Better Cup of Tea?
24 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
On his quest to brew the perfect cup of tea, reporter Jerome Campbell gathers insights from a tea historian and a chemist. Is loose-leaf really worth ...
Why Do Meals Taste Better at Such Great Heights?
17 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Ever wonder why food tastes so much better after a long hike? Reporter Otis Gray climbs up the White Mountains in New Hampshire in search of answers a...
A New Season of Proof Starts April 17!
10 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How did content creator Sarah Ahn reconnect with her Korean identity through food? Why does food taste so good at the top of a mountain? Does salt rea...
Dumplings in Iowa (Best of Proof: Travel Edition)
06 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In the final episode of our Best of Proof: Travel Edition series, we find out what it looks like when you uproot yourself from a familiar culinary pla...
Chasing the Freshest Beer (Best of Proof: Travel Edition)
27 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Best of Proof: Travel Edition, we take flight and join reporter Kate Bernot on a journey to collect the freshest hops for a Denver-...
What's on the Menu in 1906? (Best of Proof Travel Edition)
20 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this week's episode of Best of Proof: Travel Edition, we visit the New York public library and search through their expansive database of restauran...
Seeking Korean Soviet Cooking (Best of Proof Travel Edition)
13 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this week's episode of Best of Proof: Travel Edition, we explore the history of Koryo Saram cuisine (Korean Soviet cuisine) and learn about the imp...
The Lost Crops of Sapelo Island (Best of Proof: Travel Edition)
06 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this week's episode of Best of Proof: Travel Edition, we take the ferry to Georgia's Sapelo Island to visit the Gullah Geechee community. Every yea...
Chicken Tender Capital, USA (Best of Proof: Travel Edition)
30 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Best of Proof: Travel Edition, we replay an episode where one comedian is on a mission to make the Manchester, New Hampsnire the ch...
How Cooking Competitions Took Over TV (Part 2)
19 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In part 2 of our deep-dive into the history of culinary competition shows, America's Test Kitchen: The Next Generation contestant Garrett Schlichte c...
How Cooking Competitions Took Over TV (Part 1)
12 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
From Iron Chef to The Great British Bake Off, cooking competition shows hav been a staple of American entertainment and education for ages. But Americ...
There's a Snake in My Food!
05 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Every March, Sweetwater, Texas celebrates its title as the ‘Rattlesnake Capital of the World’. Dozens of teams compete to cook Texas staples like ...
How to Save a Hive
21 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Melipona honey from Mexico is prized for its taste and its medicinal qualities. But melipona bees are under threat; not just from deforestation, pesti...
The (Iron) White Claw
14 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Writer and former restaurant owner Dionne Reid investigates White Claw's rapid ascendance and its prowess as a gay icon. If you don't have a White Cla...
The Rise of the Modern Asian Pastry
07 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
How did a Cold War-era American food aid program help ignite the rise of the modern Asian pastry and lead to the creation of milkbread? Clarissa Wei r...
What Does Space Taste Like?
31 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What does it mean to impart the "taste of space" into our ice creams, juices, cheeses and even fruit? Reporter Julie Carli dives into the history of f...
The (Tea) Room Where It Happened
24 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What if we told you that one of the earliest third places—spots outside of the home and workplace where people can convene and commune with others; ...
In Love with the Shape of Food
17 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
As we kick off a new season of Proof, we dig into the psychology and science behind our fascination with food shapes. From popcorn to square watermelo...
Back to our bread-and-butter episodes next week on a new season of Proof!
10 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What's the story story behind those square watermelons? What does rattlesnake taste like? And how do you create the taste of space? Find out as we kic...
ATK at 25: Reverse-Engineering the Boxed Brownie (Episode 4)
03 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This week on the podcast, we bring you the fourth and final episode of our miniseries where we reveal the backstories behind four iconic recipes from ...
ATK at 25: Why You Need a Wok (Episode 3)
26 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This week on the podcast, we bring you the third episode of our miniseries where we reveal the backstories behind four iconic recipes from America's T...
ATK at 25: How Many Eggs in the Perfect Scramble? (Episode 2)
19 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This week on the podcast, we bring you the second episode of our miniseries where we reveal the backstories behind four iconic recipes from America's ...
ATK at 25: A Recipe Made from a Mistake (Episode 1)
12 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This week on the podcast, we bring you the first episode of our miniseries where we reveal the backstories behind four iconic recipes from America's T...
Introducing ATK at 25: Stories Behind the Iconic Recipes
05 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
For the next couple of weeks on our podcast, Proof from America’s Test Kitchen, we’ll bring you the back stories behind some of our most iconic re...
Barbecue Trailblazers: What is the Future of Barbecue? (Episode 4)
22 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In a matter of months, Kelli Nevarez went from first-grade music teacher to pitmaster of the Texas Monthly Top 50 barbecue joint La Vaca Barbecue. Re...
Barbecue Trailblazers: The Hogroast Heads North (Episode 3)
15 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Transporting a Southern tradition to the North might seem like a tall order, but Cook's Country grilling expert Morgan Bolling knows just how to do it...
Barbecue Trailblazers: The Woman Who Gave Us Fajitas (Episode 2)
08 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Ninfa Laurenzo, or Mama Ninfa as many called her, was a trailblazer and an icon in the city of Houston, Texas. She helped introduce a Tex-Mex classic ...
Barbecue Trailblazers: The Queen of Smoke (Episode 1)
01 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In a world where barbecuing is considered "dude food" and men's work, Helen Turner is an institution. She's steadily nurtured her style of Tennessee b...
Introducing When Southern Women Cook: Our Miniseries on Barbecue Trailblazers
25 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
For far too long, the art of barbecue and grilling have been considered “men’s work.” But women were cooking with fire since the earliest days o...
100 Proof: From 100 to Zero Proof (Episode 6)
11 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The cocktail emerges from the dark ages and enters the modern era. In this episode: We meet more innovative mixologists pushing the bounds of what a c...
100 Proof: The Dark Ages (Episode 5)
03 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The 1950s to the 1990s are often dubbed as the cocktail's Dark Ages where drinks like Long Island Iced Teas and Midori Sours reined supreme. The drink...
100 Proof: Prohibition (Episode 4)
27 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Was Prohibition really the Gilded Age utopia that it's made out to be? In this episode: Cocktail innovation happening in unlikely places under unlikel...
100 Proof: The Golden Age of Cocktails (Episode 3)
20 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
How did the Industrial Revolution, immigration--and maybe Winston Churchill's mother--give rise to the Golden Age of cocktails in America? We explore ...
Buy Me Some Biryani and Cracker Jack
06 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Cricket World Cup started this week, and fans in New York are celebrating the wickets, the fast bowlers, and biryani. How did the rice dish bec...
100 Proof: The Dawn of the American Cocktail (Episode 2)
30 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Where does the word "cocktail" come from? Who invented it? We explore these questions and the backstories of two drinks from America's early days as a...
100 Proof: It Wasn't Always Like This (Episode 1)
23 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This week, we kick off Proof's first-ever miniseries. Episode 1 explores how we got to our modern cocktail renaissance. Why were cocktails in the 90s ...
Introducing 100 Proof: Our Miniseries on the American Cocktail
13 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Even before the Stone Age, our ancestors were thinking about what happens when we combine one flavor with another, both in the primordial kitchen and ...
The Unavoidable Ingredient
02 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Can saliva change the way our food tastes? Does it affect our cooking? In our Season 16 finale, reporter Jacklyn Kim digs into the unexpected ingredie...
A (Wooly) Mammoth of A Meal
25 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In 1951, the Explorer's Club hosted an extravagant banquet that had 250,000-year-old woolly mammoth on the menu. The dinner raised eyebrows back then...
The River That Feeds Us
18 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We're headed to the riverbanks of the Magdalena River to experience a Colombian tradition of eating stew, called the paseo de olla. Journalist Cami...
Boycotting Your Favorite Food
11 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What happens when you have to boycott your favorite food? Reporter Makepeace Sitlhou travels to her home to North East India to confront this reality ...
It’s All Greek Salad to Me
04 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We kick off Season 16 with a new episode that traces Horiatiki, or the Greek salad's journey from Athens to American tables. Our reporter digs into ho...
Conan O'Brien on Your Mama’s Kitchen Podcast
27 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Before we return next week with new episodes of Proof, we're sharing an episode of Your Mama’s Kitchen, a podcast about cuisine and culture, ingred...
From The Sporkful: ANYTHING'S PASTABLE
21 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This week, we're bringing you the first episode from a new, four-part series from our friends at The Sporkful. Host Dan Pashman shares the inside stor...
Award Winners: Should I Get My Lobster High?
14 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We wrap up awards season with our Signal Award-Winning episode that asks: Will hot-boxing a lobster before it's cooked alleviate its pain? Science rep...
Award Winners: Sakura and the Wild Boars
07 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Author Hannah Kirshner takes us on a captivating journey into the woods of rural Japan alongside boar hunter, Sakura Yoshida. In our IACP Award-winnin...
Award Winners: Navigating Blindness at the Supermarket
29 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Reporter Jason Strother shows us what it’s like to navigate the supermarket while visually impaired. Listen to our Signal award-winning episode to l...
Award Winners: The Drink that Wouldn't Die
22 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Chartreuse, a beloved liqueur among bartenders, defies the test of time. We recount the history of this drink that wouldn't die in our 2022 IACP Awa...
Award Winners: Raiders of the Lost Yeast
15 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The plan: To extract dormant yeast from the nooks and crannies of ancient Egyptian pots stored in the vaults of the world’s most prestigious museums...
Award Winners: You're a Good Man, Brady Keys
08 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Pulitzer-prize winning author Dr. Marcia Chatelain returns to share the story of Brady Keys, a former NFL star and Black entrepreneur whose franch...
Award Winners: The Case of the Disappearing Franchise
01 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Pulitzer-prize winning historian and fast food detective Dr. Marcia Chatelain explores the cases of three American franchises that disappeared from th...
Award Winners: World's Greatest Italian Beef
25 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This week, we replay our award-winning episode inspired by the food in FX's "The Bear". We get to the meat of the matter on how family can be the secr...
Cheesesteaks Go to Pakistan
11 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
How did the Philly Cheesesteak make its way to Lahore, Pakistan? Journalist Kunwar Khuldune Shahid traces the transcontinental journey. Try Ayesha S...
Behind Boba Tea's Big Boom
14 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We're spilling the tea on the origins of boba, or bubble tea. Cookbook author Clarissa Wei reports. Did this episode make you thirsty? Try making our ...
The Lost Crops of Sapelo Island
07 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The Gullah Geechee community on Sapelo Island, Georgia, is in a battle against time. Every year, storms, salt water, and construction threaten the lan...
How Almond Boneless Chicken Took Over Detroit
30 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
ABC, or almond boneless chicken, is a popular Chinese-American dish from Detroit. But it's not as well known outside the Motor City. In this episode, ...
Chasing the Freshest Beer
16 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
How far would you go to ensure the hops in your fresh hop IPAs are as fresh as humanly possible? The answer for one Denver-based brewery? Take advanta...
World's First Italian Coffee Bean
09 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Despite its rich coffee and cafe culture, Italy doesn't produce its own coffee beans. One man is trying to change that, against all odds. Producer Joh...
Proof returns November 9!
02 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Why aren't Italians drinking Italian coffee? What's the story behind ABC--a.k.a. almond boneless chicken? How did Philly Cheesesteaks become a popular...
Best of Proof: My Father, the YouTube Star
26 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In the last 'Best of Proof' episode of the year, we bring you a story from 2021 that gives new meaning to the question: How did host Kevin Pang's fath...
Best of Proof: Prepping for the Worst
19 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Preparing for doomsday might not be as crazy as we think. This week, we bring you an episode from 2019 that takes you inside the culinary minds of peo...
Best of Proof: How Far Would You Travel for An Apple?
12 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
It’s apple-picking season, and one man, Tom Brown, is on a mission to find an elusive variety called the Junaluska before it’s too late. Will Tom ...
Best of Proof: Nixtamalization and Indigenous Science
05 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What is nixtamalization, and why is it so important when preparing corn-based dishes like tortillas and pupusas? Navajo reporter Andi Murphy walks us ...
Best of Proof: Fair Foods
28 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This week, we’re starting autumn off right with one of our all-time favorite episodes: Fair Foods. Chris Siege reports. Craving that sugar cream...
Saving the Craft of Soy Sauce
21 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
For hundreds of years, Japanese soy sauce was made in wooden barrels, but now, most are made in steel tanks. And some argue: It’s made it less delic...
Finding Beer Where It's Banned
14 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In Pakistan, alcohol is banned for Muslims, who make up around 97% of the population. But, people drink, and there’s even a renowned beer brewery. H...
Proof Presents: Snacks!
07 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The Proof team presents bite-size stories on snacks and snacking. Want a snack while you listen? Check out ATK’s reviews on potato chips. Get a 14...
How to Make the Worst Pies in London
31 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Proof contributor Eliza Rothstein heads to Broadway to get a behind-the-scenes look at how the pies from Sweeney Todd are made. We hear from the actor...
America's First Butter Sculptor
24 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The Butter Cow draws enormous crowds every year at the Iowa State Fair. But who came up with the idea to sculpt with butter in the first place? Des ...
Seeking Soviet Korean Cooking
17 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Reporter Sarah Baik explores the history of Koryo Saram cuisine (Korean Soviet cuisine) and learns about the importance of morkovcha--a carrot dish--t...
Chicken Tender Capital, USA
10 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Former Comedian Nick Lavallee is on a mission to make Manchester, New Hampshire the chicken tender capital of the world. Will he succeed? Read report...
How to Make A Battle-Ready Pizza
03 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
How did the U.S. military create a pizza that warfighters could eat on the battlefield? The Proof team follows the 5-year journey to create the world'...
Season 14 Kicks off August 3!
13 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
How does beer thrive in a country that bans it? Who's behind the worst pies in London? What does a Danish tale of a blind princess have to do with Ame...
What Is Fusion Food?
01 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
For the Season 13 closer, we bring you two stories on the theme of fusion food. We look at a JamAsian specialty--Jamaican Pepper Steak--and ask: How ...