The Dinner Plan

Top Chef alum Sheldon Simeon has a new cookbook out, called Ohana Style, that's all about cooking family dinners. But sometimes feeding your people is a bigger affair, and Sheldon has opinions about the best things to bring to a potluck. On this episode of The Dinner Plan podcast, Sheldon Simeon chats with host Maggie Hoffman and shares his strategy for potluck leftovers, his advice for prepping food for hot weather gatherings, and a few cookbooks he turns to for inspiration. Get Sheldon's shoyu chicken recipe and a chance to win the book on this week's newsletter at TheDinnerPlan.Substack.com.___Thanks to today's sponsors:Tastemade Cooking: Use code DINNERPLAN for 40% off an annual membership at Tastemade.com/dinnerplanMade In Cookware: Head to madein.cc/dinnerplan to unlock your discount offer.Find Brami protein pasta at Costco, Walmart, Whole Foods, or EnjoyBrami.comSociety Insurance: Find your local agent at SocietyInsurance.com

Reilly Meehan really knows his stuff in the kitchen, which means his private chef videos on social media are especially compelling. In this episode of The Dinner Plan, Reilly shares his path from the competition cooking circuit to the life of a private chef cooking dinners for clients, what he actually cooks for their weeknight dinners, and insights on how you can add a little flourish to your daily meals. He has lots of advice for what to cook using pantry staples like quinoa, beans, and farro, tips on getting more flavor into your easy dinners, and advice for meal planning during a busy week, plus a favorite high-protein dinner. Reilly's new book, A Little Bit Extra, offers lots of fun cooking techniques that'll come in handy at your next dinner party. Get a recipe preview at TheDinnerPlan.Substack.com.___Thanks to today's sponsors:Rouxbe Online Culinary School: Get 30% off your first course with code DINNERPLAN30 at Rouxbe.com/dinnerplanFind Brami protein pasta at Costco, Walmart, Whole Foods, or EnjoyBrami.comFind Stone & Skillet English Muffins in the bakery section at Publix, or other retailers nationwide.Made In Cookware: Head to madein.cc/dinnerplan to unlock your discount offer.Tastemade Cooking: Use code DINNERPLAN for 40% off an annual membership at Tastemade.com/dinnerplan

Chef Christine Flynn has cooked in restaurants in Nantucket, Toronto, and Beaune, but these days, she's trying to feed a family great food on a budget. Her new book, Easy Does It, offers chef-inflected weeknight dinners, impressive sides, salads, and sauces. It's also particularly smart about leftovers. "I think when people get leftover fatigue," Christine says, that's because they're simply reheating last night's dinner. "And, you know, nobody wants to eat the same thing like five times in a row. No, thank you. But I think the cool thing about leftovers," she notes, "is if you sort of reimagine them, sometimes the leftovers are better than the original dish." Learn how Christine thinks about meal planning and avoiding waste in this week's interview, and head over to The Dinner Plan's newsletter at TheDinnerPlan.Substack.com for a peek at one of Christine's new recipes that's really great in a taco the next day.____Thanks to this week's sponsors:Tastemade Cooking: Go to tastemade.com/dinnerplan and use promo code DINNERPLAN for 40% off an annual membership. Be sure to redeem promo code online before downloading the app.Made In Cookware: Head to madein.cc/dinnerplan to unlock your discount offer.Nice Cans: Get 20% off Nice Cans sardines by using code DINNERPLAN20 at JustNiceCans.comFind The Joy of Cooking podcast wherever you listen.

Ham El-Waylly has a restaurant—Strange Delight in Brooklyn—but the chef's new book, Hello Home Cooking, is not a restaurant cookbook. In this interview with host Maggie Hoffman, Ham shares his most important tips for home cooks, including smart farmers market shopping advice, thoughts on your nonstick cookware, and his favorite thing to put on a salad. He also shares his most beloved out-of-print cookbooks, memories of his mother's cooking, and the snacks and comfort food he'd sneak from the freezer while playing video games as a kid. Hop over to The Dinner Plan's newsletter at TheDinnerPlan.Substack.com to get the free recipe of the week.____Thanks to today's sponsors:Rouxbe Online Culinary School: Get 30% off your first course with code DINNERPLAN30 at Rouxbe.com/dinnerplanDirty Labs: Use code THEDINNERPLAN to get 15% off your first order at DirtyLabs.comSociety Insurance: Find your agent at SocietyInsurance.comMade In Cookware: Head to madein.cc/dinnerplan to unlock your discount offer.

Anissa Helou wrote her first book about Lebanese cooking in 1994. In this week's podcast conversation (recorded February 24), Anissa shares the story of that book, which largely focused on her mother's recipes, and the differences between that first 250-recipe collection and her new cookbook, Lebanon: Cooking the Food of My Homeland. Anissa's new book dives into Lebanese regional specialties, and in this episode, she shares the most memorable dishes of her travels throughout the country, her recommended menu for a Lebanese feast, and the cookbooks that inspire her most when she's cooking at home. For a preview recipe from Lebanon, go to The Dinner Plan's newsletter at TheDinnerPlan.Substack.com.___Thanks to today's sponsors:Rouxbe Online Culinary School: Get 30% off your first course with code DINNERPLAN30 at Rouxbe.com/dinnerplan.Find Bethlehem by Fadi Kattan on Bookshop, Amazon, or your local bookstore.Made In Cookware: Head to madein.cc/dinnerplan to unlock your discount offer.Find In the Test Kitchen wherever you listen to podcasts and on Netflix.

Anna Hezel's new book is full of fun party food you can serve when you're entertaining—and this conversation with Anna offers tips for hosting without stress. Learn how Anna likes to serve party food in courses of quick snacks, heartier appetizers and warm dishes, and even dessert, and get her thoughts on the things we can learn from cocktail parties of generations past. If you've been in a cooking rut, it could be that planning a casual gathering is exactly what you need: "Asking yourself the question of, 'what do I want to cook for my friends?’ is a good answer," Anna says, "to the question of 'what do I want to cook for myself?'" Get Anna's matrimonio tartine recipe on The Dinner Plan's newsletter at TheDinnerPlan.Substack.com—you'll need to scroll all the way down.____Thanks to this week's sponsors:Made In Cookware: Head to madein.cc/dinnerplan to unlock your discount offer.Nice Cans: Get 20% off Nice Cans sardines by using code DINNERPLAN20 at JustNiceCans.comFind In the Test Kitchen from America's Test Kitchen wherever you listen to podcasts and on Netflix.

Cookbook author and content creator Maxine Sharf organized her new cookbook, Maxi's Kitchen, by day of the week. Easy recipes for Mondays anticipate lower energy and keep things simple, while Tuesday recipes cut down on dishes. Wednesday mixes things up a bit, and Thursday is date night, with restaurant-worthy dishes you can make at home. Listen to the full episode to learn how she plots the rest of the week, the important thing she does before serving every meal, and why she thinks it's worth building up a regular repertoire of dinner ideas of your own. For Maxine's easy teriyaki chicken meatballs recipe and a list of her favorite cookbooks, head to TheDinnerPlan.Substack.com.____Thanks to today's sponsors:Find LaBelle Patrimoine chicken at Whole Foods or GrownAsPromised.comBrooklyn Delhi: Use code DINNERPLAN15 for 15% off your order at BrooklynDelhi.com.Made In Cookware: Head to madein.cc/dinnerplan to unlock your discount offer.Find Brami’s made-in-Italy protein pasta at Costco or wherever you shop. Get Franklin Farms Ready Bake Tofu Kits wherever you buy groceries.

Ella Quittner conducted around 1500 recipe tests as a part of her research for her new book, Obsessed With the Best. In this episode of The Dinner Plan, Ella and host Maggie Hoffman discuss the pros and cons of the internet's preoccupation with pronouncing certain foods and cooking techniques "the best," and what Ella was looking for as she attempted to figure out the best roast chicken, crispy smashed potatoes, and other favorite dishes. Ella shares one game-changing pantry staple that’s worth adding to your pantry, the struggle meals she makes when she's out of energy at dinner time, and the weird and fun dinner party tradition she's started with a few friends. Get Ella's Definitely Not a Lasagna and vodka sauce recipe at TheDinnerPlan.Substack.com.____Thanks to today's sponsors:Rouxbe Online Culinary School: Get 30% off your first course with code DINNERPLAN30 at Rouxbe.comFind LaBelle Patrimoine chicken at Whole Foods or GrownAsPromised.comStone and Skillet English Muffins: Check stoneandskillet.com for a store locator.Find Franklin Farms Veggie Balls and Veggie Burgers in the refrigerated aisle. Store locator: FranklinFarms.com/where-to-buyMade In Cookware: Head to madein.cc/dinnerplan to unlock your discount offer.