Meet our host

If you follow food, you've heard of Mark Bittman. He's an acclaimed food journalist, personality and writer of over 20 books including the How to Cook Everything series and the award-winning Food Matters. He was the lead food writer in the Sunday Magazine for the New York Times, where he became the country's first food-focused op-ed columnist for a major news publication. Mark has a history of sharing our True to Food vision of authenticity and respect for the food on every level.

Know thy butcher

We highly suggest being on a first name basis with your local whole animal butcher. Highly dedicated to the craft, their guidance can make a real difference in what you bring to the table. Meet Sam Garwin of Fleishers Craft Butchery in New York as she talks to best-selling author and former New York Times columnist, Mark Bittman about what it takes to make your meal better on every level. Sam knows her farmers well, and that relationship plays a part in the way the meat tastes.

Fishing for answers

Working much like a farmer’s market, fish markets are on the rise. And they are stocked with fishermen who have firsthand knowledge of the most delicious and most sustainable species in your area. In this True to Food episode our host, Mark Bittman introduces us to Dan Major, a fisherman at San Diego’s Tuna Harbor Dockside Market. Along with the importance of sustainability, they’ll discuss what to look for in fresh fish and how sous vide is the best way to ensure perfectly cooked fish every time.

Rising to the occasion

Ever noticed how a trip to your local baker can feel like a visit to an art gallery? Blends of shiny golden creams, deep browns, and flashes of off-whites are displayed by experts who know their craft. It turns out they have a secret that makes all the difference: steam. In this episode of True to Food films, Mark Bittman introduces us to Ellen King, co-owner and head baker of Hewn Bakery in Evanston, Illinois. Among many other things, they discuss the important role the best ingredients and the right equipment play in making bakery-worthy bread at home.

Precision leads to perfection

Whether buried under hot rocks or the French en papillote technique, the idea of sealing food and cooking it at controlled temperatures has been around for thousands of years. But the sous vide we know today came from the brilliant mind of Dr. Bruno Goussault. In this True to Food episode, Mark Bittman will meet the food scientist many consider the father of modern sous vide to discuss what it is, the science behind it, and why some of the world’s best chefs depend on it.

Mother Nature knows best

Creating wine can be an incredibly delicate process, one that plays out all along the way. Time, terroir, chemistry, luck, and preservation are all equally important factors in deciding if a wine is going to be incredible, or undrinkable. Only a seasoned vintner with an eye for each of these provides a wine that consistently hits the mark. In this True to Food episode, Mark Bittman will meet with vintner, Jean-Charles Boisset. Together they’ll discuss what it takes to develop a superior tasting wine - including how going organic is really just scratching the surface.

Alive and Well

Cheese is a living thing. And cheesemaking is a true art that includes a wide range of tastes, textures, aromas and character. A talented cheesemaker will use everything at their disposal, from wild bacteria and mold to precise temperatures and humidity, to make their delicious products. In this episode, Mark Bittman introduces us to John Shuman and Marci Ebeling, a married couple in the Pacific Northwest who literally stumbled on the secret to making great cheeses when they discovered an ancient lava cave on their property. Bearing identical conditions of the famous Roquefort caves of France, John and Marci turn to the natural environment of their own caves to decide what cheeses they will produce. Suffice it to say, the cave knows what it’s doing.

The art of preservation

Making French pastries beautiful, delicate, and appealing is a craft that requires a determined spirit, and the heart of an artist. In this episode of True to Food films, Mark Bittman introduces us to Kaitlin Guerin, owner of Lagniappe Baking in New Orleans. Committed to working with local, seasonal ingredients and staying connected to her Louisiana roots, Kaitlin knows her intricate masterpieces are only as good as what goes into them. Among many other things, Mark and Kaitlin discuss the important role that precise temperature control plays in preserving the perfect balance of flavor and texture of her culinary creations throughout the days-long pastry-making process.

Ep 8: A True to Food Friendship, Mark Bittman and Jean-Georges at the Tin Building

Join Mark Bittman as he pays a visit to his long-time friend and culinary icon, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, at his latest venture, the Tin Building in NYC, to discuss their shared food philosophy.

A philosophy of food

In the hustle and bustle of New York’s financial district, it’s easy to feel separated from fresh food’s origins. Fortunately, renowned chef and culinary icon Jean-Georges Vongerichten has taken on this challenge by introducing the Tin Building. In this True to Food episode, our host Mark Bittman joins his good friend for an exclusive tour of this epicurean wonderland to learn about its roots, his dedication to fresh and sustainable food, and how he’s creating a new chapter as New York’s culinary epicenter.

True to food™ Films—The Tin Building