The author of The Year of Living Constitutionally talks to Mark and Kate about how he threw an 18th century dinner party and what we can all learn from it; the things that people in the 1700s got right when it came to elections; the reactions he got when he walked around Manhattan with a tricorne hat and carrying a musket; and his family’s reaction to his year of attempting to follow the original meaning of the Constitution.

The author and cook talks to Kate about what she remembers about fleeing her home in Cambodia at the age of nine, five years before the genocide; how the memory of her mother’s cooking saved her life; why, and how, she decided to reclaim her family’s recipes; and what brings her true happiness now.

The innovative chef talks to Kate about the importance of cultivating one’s own identity, notably when it comes to food; why he’s not in the business of nostalgia; his unique ability to read the taste of food; and his new memoir, Good Taste. PLUS: More from food stylist Barrett Washburne, who talks to Kate about wasted plate space, giving props to prop stylists, and how to style brown food.

Mark and Kate talk to food’s most tireless champion about public education as the last bastion of democracy, thirty years of Edible Schoolyard, and tomato confit. PLUS: Food stylist Barrett Washburne is back, and talks to Kate about how much food is thrown out vs eaten on a shoot, the best way to make something look like it’s fresh out of the oven, and food styling tips and tricks.

Journalist Tom Philpott talks to Mark about how to decode wonky farm bill conversations (and why it matters), why we’re having another erosion crisis, and how to turn farmers into conservationists without telling them what to do. PLUS: Food stylist Barrett Washburne talks to Kate about how he got into food styling and how he feels about it, why pots and pans always look so clean on TV, and how to get YOUR pots and pans really clean.

Oral historian and journalist Von Diaz talks to Mark and Kate about the connections that tropical islands share, in general and as related to cooking; the urgency to perfect dishes, build a resilient pantry, and learn to cook sustainably when living on a tropical island; the culture of kindness that seems to emanate from island living; and what got her so interested in telling other people’s stories.

Washington Post columnist Allison Robicelli talks to Mark and Kate about the shame that comes with alcoholism, sobriety as a “trend” and watching things change, and why nonalcoholic beverages are so important.