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Food with Mark Bittman: Nik Sharma

If you understood what was happening in your kitchen, you'd cook completely differently.

Published September 25, 2026

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Photo courtesy Nik Sharma

On this week’s episode of Food with Mark Bittman, Kate and I interviewed Nik Sharma.

Listen to Nik Sharma on Food with Mark Bittman

Nik is a former molecular biologist who left his lab for a kitchen and never looked back. He’s a three-time James Beard finalist, an editor-in-residence at America’s Test Kitchen, and the author of Fundamentals of Flavor.

We chatted about what baking soda actually does to meat (the meatball revelation alone is worth the episode), why you can marinate all day in yogurt but never in vinegar, and the four elements of nature as a framework for understanding everything that happens in a kitchen.

Plus, we’ve got two recipes from Fundamentals of Flavor: Sparkling Water Pancakes with Spiced Stewed Pineapple, and Poached Eggs with Green Chutney + Yogurt.

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