Pop Culture – FoodWatcher

The Presidential Dining Power Rankings

George H. W. Bush nearly banned broccoli from his White House. Seriously—there’s an entire Wikipedia page titled George H.W. Bush broccoli comments, and after reading the “analysis” section, I’ve become certain: If I was eight years old, I would’ve lov…

However, since I’m no longer in third grade, the 41st White House is not my preferred presidential dining destination. As you’ll be happy to know, many of our nation’s leaders didn’t just stomach their green vegetables, they embraced them. Even seasoned them. And, in Nixon’s case, likely poured ketchup on them.

Fact vs. Fiction: 3 Epic Meals From ‘Julia’

By the time we meet Julia Child in the fictional Max show, Julia, her time in Paris, one of the most consequential periods in her life, has already passed. Her groundbreaking cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, has just been accepted for pub…

By the time we meet Julia Child in the fictional Max show, Julia, her time in Paris, one of the most consequential periods in her life, has already passed. Her groundbreaking cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, has just been accepted for publication, and Julia, fully embodied by actress Sarah Lancashire, is off to Cambridge, Mass. with Paul Child (David Hyde Pierce). The show’s producers skip ahead to this moment so we can get to the meaty part: the launch of The French Chef on Boston public television, which brought French cooking, cooking shows—and of course, Julia—to the American masses.

The French Chef is when Julia’s star really begins to rise over 1960s America, altering not just her life, but the trajectory of everyone in her orbit. Unlike a biopic such as Julie and Julia, which doesn’t have the time to go deep on minor players, Julia has the luxury of eight hours per season to shine a light on a multitude of people and events that make her story so relevant.

The One Detail That Can Make or Break a Chef Movie

In a restaurant kitchen, a towel never goes on your shoulder. I learned this the hard way. Two months into my first cooking job—and somewhere in the middle of what I thought was an impressive shift—I tossed a towel over my shoulder.

The chef noticed, …

The chef noticed, looked me in the eyes, and plainly said, “You know this isn’t your movie, right?”

The Best Italian Beef Starts With The Right Bread

In the first episode of The Bear, the award-winning FX series that captures the chaos of a fictional Chicago restaurant, one thing is made clear: Crumbly bread does not belong on an Italian beef sandwich. Not only is this bread assertion true—it might …

In the first episode of The Bear, the award-winning FX series that captures the chaos of a fictional Chicago restaurant, one thing is made clear: Crumbly bread does not belong on an Italian beef sandwich. Not only is this bread assertion true—it might be the most useful tip for recreating the show’s signature sandwich at home.

An Italian beef is a classic Chicago sandwich of thinly sliced roast beef piled onto a French roll with either sweet peppers or spicy giardiniera. Typically served hot and wet (i.e. alongside a bowl of au jus for dipping or fully submerged into a pot of its own juices) this nourishing, warming sandwich sits alongside the hot dog and deep-dish pizza as one of Chicago’s iconic foods.

The 10 Most Popular Recipes We’ve Ever Shared on TikTok

As I write this in March 2023, I have two pieces of evidence that confirm TikTok is still alive and well:

I was on it this morning (definitely not during a meeting).
The person sitting next to me at the coffee shop has been scrolling through it on th…

As I write this in March 2023, I have two pieces of evidence that confirm TikTok is still alive and well:

I was on it this morning (definitely not during a meeting).
The person sitting next to me at the coffee shop has been scrolling through it on their phone for nearly an hour.

Regardless of what people think about TikTok, one thing is undeniably true: The food rocks. All of it looks good, all the time. Over the last few years we’ve learned techniques, tricks, and new recipes on the app, while also sharing some of our own. Of everything we’ve posted so far, here are our most-viewed recipes on TikTok—ranked by popularity.

Where Are Your Favorite ‘Great British Bake Off’ Contestants Now?

This post contains products independently chosen (and loved) by our editors and writers. Food52 earns an affiliate commission on qualifying purchases of the products we link to.

For ten weeks, they charm us with their sky-high sweets, poise under p…

This post contains products independently chosen (and loved) by our editors and writers. Food52 earns an affiliate commission on qualifying purchases of the products we link to.

For ten weeks, they charm us with their sky-high sweets, poise under pressure, and tenacious treats, but after the tent flaps shut, we pretty much only hear from former Great British Bake Off contestants when they show up on holiday specials. What happens when the people we cheered on, the ones who broke our hearts with soggy bottoms, and those who warmed our hearts with Hollywood handshakes return to daily life?