When Benyam Ethiopian Cuisine first opened in Harlem, people weren’t always sure whether they’d walked into a restaurant or an art gallery. And in some ways, that was exactly how owner Beniam Asfaw and his siblings wanted it.

In this episode, I sit down with owner Beniam Asfaw to talk about his journey to New York City, berbere basics, and how food, art, and atmosphere come together to create a place meant for lingering.

Read more about what we ate!

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EPISODE CREDITS

Produced & Edited by Diane Bezucha

Music

• “Addis Jazz” by u_98673jp944
• “Cooking Food Music” by BackgroundMusicForVideos
• “Too Good For Punk (positive funk)” by Kulakovka
• “Jazz Background Music” by HitsLab
• “Upbeat Together Worldbeat Emotional World Uplifting Music” by REDproductions
• “Periodicals” by Blue Dot Sessions from the album Albany, NY (2015)
• “City Limits” by Blue Dot Sessions from the album Albany, NY (2015)
• “Grey Grey Joe” by Blue Dot Sessions from the album TinyTiny Trio, (2016)

When Fares Zedeia left Palestine as a teenager, he believed he’d return. Instead, he had to watch from afar as his homeland was torn apart. For years, he searched for his place in the world — a search that eventually led him to a food cart on a New York City sidewalk.

In this episode, I sit down with Fares “Freddy” Zedeia, the King of Falafel and Shawarma himself. Over a platter of his signature falafel, juicy shawarma, and tender kebab, we talk about his journey from cab driver to king — and how food becomes identity and a way to survive when home is far away.

Read more about what we ate!

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EPISODE CREDITS

Produced & Edited by Diane Bezucha

Music

• “Coronea” by Blue Dot Sessions from the album Marisala, (2017)
• “Somewhere in Punjab” by SergeQuadrado
• Cooking Food Music by BackgroundMusicForVideos
• Upbeat Together Worldbeat Emotional World Uplifting Music by REDproductions
• “Cast in Wicker” by Blue Dot Sessions from the album Aeronaut, (2017)
• “Watermarks” by Blue Dot Sessions from the album Crab Shack (2018)
• “City Limits” by Blue Dot Sessions from the album Albany, NY (2015)
• “Armenia” by SergeQuadrado

When friends John Nguyen and Chef Nhu Ton first jumped into the restaurant world, they were in over their heads. Way over. Today, they run one of the hottest Vietnamese spots in New York City.

In this episode, I sit down with John and Nhu, the team behind Manhattan’s Bánh Anh Em. Over bánh mì and bún chả, we talk about their journey from hole-in-the-wall beginnings to the Michelin Guide — and the craftsmanship that transforms simple ingredients into unforgettable dishes.

See what we ate!

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EPISODE CREDITS

Produced & Edited by Diane Bezucha

Additional editing by Christina Mitchell

Music

• “Coronea” by Blue Dot Sessions from the album Marisala, (2017)
• “Cast in Wicker” by Blue Dot Sessions from the album Aeronaut, (2017)
• “Periodicals” by Blue Dot Sessions from the album Albany, NY (2015)
• “City Limits” by Blue Dot Sessions from the album Albany, NY (2015)
• “Filing Away” by Blue Dot Sessions from the album Crab Shack (2016)
• Cảnh Ruộng Đồng Quê Bên Bờ Đê - Vietnam Bamboo Flute by Asian_Background_Music
• Mysteries of Son Doong - Vietnam Travel by Asian_Background_Music
• Cooking Food Music by BackgroundMusicForVideos
• Luỹ Tre Xanh Ngát Đầu Làng (Guzheng) - Vietnam BGM by VPRODMUSIC_Asia_BGM

Patrick Lin calls Hu Tieu “the noodle soup of his ancestors.” So when Ly Nguyen made a version that was better than his mom’s, he knew she was the one.

In this episode, I sit down with Patrick and Ly — owners of Brooklyn's Em Vietnamese — to talk about how they fell in love with each other and with Vietnamese cooking. Over a feast of Ly’s best dishes, we explore the ingredients, stories, and traditions that give this cuisine its incredible freshness and depth.

Check out everything we ate!

----more----Episode Credits

Hosted, Produced, and Edited by Diane Bezucha

Additional Editing by Christina Mitchell

Music

• “Coronea” by Blue Dot Sessions from the album Marisala, (2017)
• “Lahaina” by Blue Dot Sessions from the album Cloud Harbor, (2016)
• Cảnh Ruộng Đồng Quê Bên Bờ Đê - Vietnam Bamboo Flute by Asian_Background_Music
• Cooking Food Music by BackgroundMusicForVideos
• Euphoric Streams Of Vietnam - Nhạc Nền Video by AudioBay_BGM
• Huế Thương Dịu Dàng - Vietnam Bamboo Flute by VPRODMUSIC_Asia_BGM
• Luỹ Tre Xanh Ngát Đầu Làng (Guzheng) - Vietnam BGM by VPRODMUSIC_Asia_BGM
• Mysteries of Son Doong - Vietnam Travel by Asian_Background_Music
• Tiếng Đàn Tranh Dưới Bóng Cây Đa (Đàn Tranh) - Nhạc Nền Video by VPRODMUSIC_Asia_BGM

We're back with season 2 of Our New York Table, the podcast about food, the people who make it, and what brings all of us to the table.

In this season, we'll hear from chefs and restaurant owners about the experiences that shaped them, the dreams they brought to New York City, and the risks they took to make them happen.

New season coming December 2025.

We sit down for a Q&A with the League of Kitchens founder, Lisa Kyung Gross to learn how her grandmother's Doenjang-guk inspired her to start a unique cooking school where immigrant women teach family recipes from their own home kitchens.

Sign up for an in-person or online cooking class with the League of Kitchens.

Pick up your own copy of the League of Kitchens Cookbook.

Contact Lisa for a personalized astrology reading: lisa@leagueofkitchens.com

In the second episode of a two-part story, we continue Shandra Woworuntu’s story, hearing about her escape from a horrific experience with human trafficking, and her work supporting other survivors around the world. Shandra also invites us to her home where she makes us Es Cendol for dessert and tells us how food has been her path to healing.

Try Shandra's Indonesian recipes and restaurant recommendations in NYC.

Learn how you can support survivors of human trafficking at Mentari USA.

Sign up for a cooking class with the League of Kitchens.

In the first episode of a two-part story, we have lunch with Shandra Woworuntu, an Indonesian chef and activist working to eradicate human trafficking. Over Gado-gado salad and Ayem Goreng Kremes at Awang Kitchen, Shandra tells us about growing up in Indonesia, living through the Asian Financial Crisis, and the promising overseas job that turned into a terrifying nightmare.

Try Shandra's Indonesian recipes and restaurant recommendations in NYC.

Eat some great Indonesian food at Awang Kitchen.