Culinary Masters Collection - Claudia Roden

In this episode of The Splendid Table's Culinary Masters Collection, host Francis Lam interviews legendary food writer Claudia Rodin, whose groundbreaking work introduced Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisines to English-speaking audiences. Rodin recounts her journey beginning in 1956, when she began collecting recipes from Egyptian Jewish refugees fleeing the Suez War, driven by a desire to preserve culinary traditions that were orally passed down and at risk of being lost. Her method of research—traveling solo across the Mediterranean, asking strangers for their favorite recipes, and immersing herself in local cultures—became the foundation for her influential books, including A Book of Middle Eastern Food and The Book of Jewish Food. She reflects on how her work reshaped global perceptions of Middle Eastern food, from being seen as exotic or even 'disgusting' to becoming a cornerstone of modern cuisine. In her newest book, Claudia Rodin's Mediterranean, she shifts focus from historical excavation to personal joy, sharing recipes that reflect her own evolving tastes, family life, and the practicalities of home cooking. The episode underscores Rodin’s deep humanity, her belief in food as a bridge across cultures, and her enduring legacy as a storyteller who turned loss into a gift for the world.