Your Last Meal with Rachel Belle

This week on The Leftovers, never-before-heard audio from Neko Case, Grammy-nominated artist and author of the best-selling memoir, The Harder I Fight the More I Love You. Her brand-new album is called Neon Grey Midnight Green. On this week’s lightning round, Neko talks about her favorite fair food (her grandma worked at a food stand at her local fair when she was a kid!), what she listens to when she cooks and her farmer aspirations! Listen to the full episode of Your Last Meal with Neko Case here. Become a Cascade PBS member and support public media! Watch Rachel’s Cascade PBS TV showThe Nosh with Rachel Belle. Sign up for Rachel’s (free!) biweekly Cascade PBS newsletter for more food musings. Follow along on Instagram. Order Rachel’s cookbook Open Sesame.

The only thing Grammy-nominated musician Neko Case craves more than crisp-on-the-outside, fluffy-on-the-inside popovers is Hungarian food from a 61-year-old restaurant in Ohio. Neko tells host Rachel Belle about her favorite Eastern European dishes and how eating at The Balaton helped her reconnect with her long-lost heritage. But back to popovers! We’re joined by a pastry chef who baked thousands of popovers every day, five days a week, for five years at Acadia National Park’s Jordan Pond House, the popover epicenter of the United States. Sign up for Rachel’s The Nosh Newsletter to get her recipe. Neko Case’s new album is Neon Grey Midnight Green. Become a Cascade PBS member The Nosh with Rachel Belle.Instagram.OrderOpen Sesame.

This week on The Leftovers, never-before-heard audio from Jonathan Russell, vocalist, guitarist and founding member of the band The Head and the Heart. In this week’s lightning round, Jonathan talks about the joy of picking up the tab, what back-up dish he often brings to holiday meals (just in case he doesn’t like the version the hosts made!) and what he loves to cook when he returns home from tour. Listen to the full episode of Your Last Meal with Jonathan Russell here. Become a Cascade PBS member and support public media! Watch Rachel’s Cascade PBS TV showThe Nosh with Rachel Belle. Sign up for Rachel’s (free!) biweekly Cascade PBS newsletter for more food musings. Follow along on Instagram. Order Rachel’s cookbook Open Sesame.

Jonathan Russell is one of the founding members (vocals, guitar) of The Head and the Heart, a band that organically formed at weekly open-mic nights at Seattle’s Conor Byrne Pub. Russell didn’t grow up with happy memories around the dinner table. He tells host Rachel Belle about his natural inclination to eat alone, why a crab boil is the perfect meal for an introvert and how working in bars and restaurants changed the way he orders. Rachel’s friend, Roz Ray, joins the show to share her best party strategies for shy and introverted people, and how to use food as a social glue! And Jonathan talks about why the six members of The Head and the Heart started seeing a therapist together. Thanks to the Seattle Symphony for setting up this interview! Become a Cascade PBS member The Nosh with Rachel Belle.Sign upInstagram.OrderOpen Sesame.

This week on The Leftovers, never-before-heard audio from Alice Waters, award winning chef, creator of the iconic 54-year-old restaurant Chez Panisse in Berkeley California, food activist and author of the new cookbook, “A School Lunch Revolution.” In this week’s lightning round, Alice talks about a memorable school lunch from her own childhood, her signature holiday dish, and her favorite comfort food, as someone who eats extremely healthfully, local and organic. Listen to the full episode of Your Last Meal with Alice Waters here! Become a Cascade PBS member and support public media! Watch Rachel’s Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle. Sign up for Rachel’s (free!) biweekly Cascade PBS newsletter for more food musings. Follow along on Instagram. Order Rachel’s cookbook Open Sesame. Support Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Alice Waters opened her iconic Berkeley, California restaurant Chez Panisse 54 years ago, introducing the concept of farm-to-table eating to Americans and only serving local, seasonal produce at peak ripeness. She’s also a food activist, and through The Edible Schoolyard Project, has spent the past 30 years showing schools how to integrate locally farmed, organic produce into their cafeterias. On today’s episode, Alice shares two life-changing experiences that inspired her to open her restaurant; what diners thought about being served two figs for dessert in Chez Panisse’s early days; how schools can afford to serve kids farm fresh food; and what she packed in her own daughter’s lunchbox. And we take a peak inside her her new cookbook, A School Lunch Revolution. Then the Director of Nutrition Services for California’s Sweet Water Union High School district joins the show to talk about how he flipped the district’s lunch program on its head, buying more than half of the food from local farmers and producers or having the students grow it themselves. Become a Cascade PBS member The Nosh with Rachel Belle.Sign upInstagram.OrderOpen Sesame.Support Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on The Leftovers, never-before-heard audio from chef and best-selling cookbook author Gaby Dalkin, who's known online and on social as What’s Gaby Cooking. In this week’s lightning round, Gaby and host Rachel Belle bond over their favorite childhood birthday cake, Gaby shares the late-night, stand-over-the-sink snack she’d never put in a cookbook, and surprises Rachel with her answer to the question, “What do you wish people would ask you about in interviews, that’s not related to food?” Become a Cascade PBS member The Nosh with Rachel Belle. Sign up Instagram.OrderOpen Sesame.Support Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Earlier this month, at Seattle’s Town Hall, Rachel Belle was a guest on a sold-out, live taping of Seattle Eats with host Tan Vinh, the award-winning food and drink writer for The Seattle Times. Bestselling cookbook author and chef, J. Kenji Lopez-Alt was also a guest! The first segment of the show is dedicated to Thanksgiving: we learn about a local sushi chef’s recipe for teriyaki turkey, how green bean casserole factors into Tan’s immigrant story, and why Rachel has fond Thanksgiving memories of KFC and Celine Dion. Then Tan asks Rachel and Kenji about their Seattle favorites (best pizza, best bagels, best place to take a date) and Rachel gets to express her love for 1980s salad bars and The Baby-Sitters Club. Seattle Eats is a production of The Seattle Times and KUOW, part of the NPR network. Become a Cascade PBS member The Nosh.Sign upInstagram.OrderOpen Sesame.Support Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Best known to her millions of followers as What’s Gaby Cooking, the Los Angeles-area chef is a best-selling cookbook author, creator of the Dalkin & Co spice blend line and you can eat her food at Gaby’s in Neighborly food hall. Gaby tells Rachel Belle how she went from being a tragically picky eater to having a career as a chef, shares which celebrity she private cheffed for, and the dish that literally broke her website when said celebrity gushed over it on a late-night talk show. Gaby wants to cook and enjoy her last meal in the Sonora region of Mexico, so Rachel interviews the owner of Caramelo, an artisan, Sonoran-style tortilla maker out of Lawrence, Kansas. Yes, Kansas! And Rachel swears there are no better tortillas in America! Become a Cascade PBS member The Nosh.Sign upInstagram.OrderOpen Sesame.Support Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prolific, five-time James Beard Award-winning cookbook author Dorie Greenspan is the queen of sweets, and she just released her 15th cookbook, Dorie’s Anytime Cakes. Famous for her beloved World Peace Cookies and many baking books, including one she wrote with Julia Child, it's not surprising that Dorie wants to start and end her last meal with dessert. What's wrong with eating dessert first, anyway? Rachel chats with Ayurvedic counselor Jodi Boone about the life-bettering benefits of starting your meal with sweets. And when Dorie told Rachel she ate the same exact lunch every single day for years, the first person we thought of was Donald Gorske. Gorske has eaten almost nothing but McDonald's Big Macs since 1972, putting his current Big Mac count at over 35,000. Rachel called the Fond du Lac, Wisconsin native on his flip phone to learn why the man eats two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun ... Every. Single. Day. Become a Cascade PBS member The Nosh with Rachel Belle. Sign up Instagram. OrderOpen Sesame.Support Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Comedian Atsuko Okatsuka’s last meal, and the reason why she sometimes carries cooked scallops in her bag, trace back to her unstable, unpredictable childhood. She talks about being kidnapped by her grandmother and why a gluten-free spaghetti dinner brings her comfort, even as someone who doesn’t have a gluten sensitivity. Atsuko’s first foray into entertainment was working at an ice cream chain that made employees sing and dance for tips. Atsuko loved it, but host Rachel Belle interviews two other folks who had no idea they had to perform at their restaurant jobs, until they saw it happening on their first day. One at Chicago’s famous Wiener’s Circle and another at a now-defunct steak house chain. Atsuko is on tour now! You can also watch her standup specials on HBO and Hulu. Get ticketsAmerica’s Test Kitchen Become a Cascade PBS member The Nosh with Rachel Belle. Sign up Instagram. OrderOpen Sesame.Support Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Comedian Atsuko Okatsuka’s last meal, and the reason why she sometimes carries cooked scallops in her bag, trace back to her unstable, unpredictable childhood. She talks about being kidnapped by her grandmother and why a gluten-free spaghetti dinner brings her comfort, even as someone who doesn’t have a gluten sensitivity. Atsuko’s first foray into entertainment was working at an ice cream chain that made employees sing and dance for tips. Atsuko loved it, but host Rachel Belle interviews two other folks who had no idea they had to perform at their restaurant jobs, until they saw it happening on their first day. One at Chicago’s famous Wiener’s Circle and another at a now-defunct steak house chain. Atsuko is on tour now! You can also watch her standup specials on HBO and Hulu. Get ticketsAmerica’s Test Kitchen Become a Cascade PBS member The Nosh with Rachel Belle. Sign up Instagram. OrderOpen Sesame.Support Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on The Leftovers, never-before-heard audio from rapper Rico Nasty, who is on tour now with her latest album, Lethal! In a lightning round, Rico Nasty tells host Rachel Belle about her first concert, and how embarrassing it was to attend with her mom, her ideal 'girl dinner,' her top five favorite things to buy at Trader Joe's and her favorite hiking snacks. Get ticketsAmerica’s Test KitchenBecome a Cascade PBS member The Nosh with Rachel Belle.Sign upInstagram.OrderOpen Sesame.Support Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sweet and boisterous, rapper Rico Nasty professes her love for making music; cooking for the people she adores most; and her grandmas, all while promoting her new album, Lethal. Her conversation with host Rachel Belle bounces from Maryland boardwalk fries (we’ll tell you what they are!) to Taco Bell (we learn what the Cinnamon Twists are made from) to a popular Puerto Rican party snack her grandma makes her, and only her, as a treat. Did you know those little strawberry candies, the ones with the cute strawberry-print wrapper and squishy center, most often found in grandmas’ candy dishes and purses, have a name? We didn’t either! Learn their name, their history and a bit more about “grandma candy” with the author of the Snack Stack newsletter. Get ticketsAmerica’s Test KitchenBecome a Cascade PBS member The Nosh with Rachel Belle.Sign upInstagram.OrderOpen Sesame.Support Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on The Leftovers, never-before-heard audio from Tilly Ramsay, host of the new Amazon Prime show, Dish It Out. She also happens to be the only one of Gordon Ramsay's six children who's pursued a culinary career. A recent graduate of both university and culinary school, Tilly gives advice to young people looking to build their first kitchen and shares a dish she loves making for friends. And she talks about what family meals were like growing up, having a celebrity chef for a dad and a cookbook author for a mum. Get ticketsAmerica's Test KitchenBecome a Cascade PBS member The Nosh with Rachel Belle.Sign upInstagram.OrderOpen Sesame.Support Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Yes, food TV host Tilly Ramsay is the daughter of famed chef and TV host Gordan Ramsay, but she is working hard to pave her own way! Tilly recently graduated from culinary school, which she paid for herself, thank you very much, and she tells me about her fateful first day of school, where she was faced with eating her three least favorite foods. Host Rachel Belle asks Tilly the elephant-in-the-room question: Does her dad shout at his family like he shouts at TV contestants? And Tilly explains why a classic Sunday roast is so special to the people of England. If you want to be a chef, do you need to go to culinary school? I chat with two chefs, a sister and brother – one who went to culinary school and one who didn’t – about the pros and cons. And they share a bit about their creative takes on Navajo cooking. Tilly’s new Prime Video cooking show is called Dish It Out. As Heard on the Episode: Listen to the Gavin Rossdale episode to learn more about the history and culture of the British roast! Get ticketsAmerica's Test KitchenBecome a Cascade PBS member The Nosh with Rachel BelleSign upInstagramOrderOpen Sesame Support Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on The Leftovers, never-before-heard audio from Italian singer Matteo Bocelli! In a lightning round with host Rachel Belle, Matteo, a self-described romantic, shares which celebrity wedding he had the honor of singing at earlier this summer; sets the record straight on what bruschetta really is; and discloses the only dish his dad – famed singer Andrea Bocelli – has ever cooked for him (and why most Italians would be angry with the way he makes it). Get ticketsAmerica's Test KitchenBecome a Cascade PBS member The Nosh with Rachel BelleSign upInstagramOrderOpen SesameSupport Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Like any card-carrying Italian worth his focaccia, singer Matteo Bocelli says he could eat pasta for breakfast, lunch and dinner! From his home in Tuscany, Matteo tells host Rachel Belle about the super-simple, but deeply delicious, sauce recipe he’s been trying to perfect, inspired by a three-Michelin-star restaurant, and why you should always choose Italian pasta made from ancient grains. You’ve probably heard the tales: A gluten-sensitive American travels to Italy or France, and can magically stuff their face with croissants, baguettes and pasta without any negative consequences. Rachel asks Dr. Alessio Fasano, professor of nutrition and a Celiac and gluten expert and researcher at Harvard Medical School, if, and how, this is possible. Matteo just released his second album, Falling in Love, and if his name sounds familiar, it’s because his dad is Andrea Bocelli, the famous Italian singer. As mentioned in the episode: WatchGet ticketsAmerica's Test Kitchen Become a Cascade PBS member The Nosh with Rachel BelleSign upInstagramOrderOpen SesameSupport Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on The Leftovers, never-before-heard audio from Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, the U.S. Representative from Washington’s 7th congressional district. Representative Jayapal is almost as passionate about food as she is about immigrant rights, universal health care and income equality. Almost! And in this quick lightning round with host Rachel Belle, recorded live at the Cascade PBS Ideas Festival earlier this summer, she shares her favorite Seattle restaurants and what dessert makes her the happiest on her birthday. Listen to last week's full episode with Pramila Jayapal! Become a Cascade PBS member The Nosh with Rachel Belle -Sign upInstagramOrderOpen Sesame.Support Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this very special LIVE episode, recorded at The Cascade PBS Ideas Festival on May 31, 2025, host Rachel Belle sits down with Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, who represents Washington’s 7th District. She’s also the first elected official to be a guest on Your Last Meal! Congresswoman Jayapal is an activist and fierce advocate of immigrant rights, but she was thrilled to (mostly) take a break from talking politics to chat about one of her favorite topics: food! She talks about what it was like immigrating to the United States on her own at 16, what she thought of American food when she arrived and what American snack has been her favorite since she was a child living in India. She recalls the time President Joe Biden personally called her to invite her to the White House for breakfast, and a tells a charming story about why her daughter became such an avid cook at such a young age. Become a Cascade PBS member The Nosh with Rachel Belle -Sign upInstagramOrderOpen Sesame.Support Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.