I always feel that learning history though the lens of some specific topic (rather than just the wars and politics and great men and whatnot) offers a unique perspective and a lot of insight. And I’m also very much a foodie. So the history of food is a good fit for me, but this is so much more than just the combination of my interests: it’s one of the best (maybe the best) history podcasts I know of — and I listen to a lot of history podcasts. I listen to the Anthrochef so carefully and slowly that I’m not even completely caught up yet, but I see that the most recent podcast is over a year old. I truly hope that this brilliant podcast keeps going (I believe the potential topics are more or less endless). In the meantime, I’ll keep listening to the whole thing, and when I’m caught up I’ll start over and listen again. It’s that good.

Nice podcast, but if you want to talk about non European cultures, please learn those two words! Really not difficult

I too am a food history nut and I think anyone who cooks should listen to this elegantly crafted, well researched, enthusiasm-driven podcast series! You will learn ancient history, anthropology, global trade, and economics through the lens of food and daily life, and it brings so much context and perspective to how our modern lives are so different from the way most people lived throughout human history. It is so refreshing to listen to something that is not so entertainment driven but very educational (think college lecture with your food and culture professor). This is the best, most well written, and most expansive food history podcast I have ever listened to. I can’t say enough good things, and don’t let me write this review without mentioning the accompanying blog!

He talks so fast and packs so much into each sentence that it’s hard to follow and take in. The narrator has a nasally monotonous voice, unpleasant to listen to for long stretches. I wish they would get a professional narrator and editor. The content is fascinating, but the editing and performance is two star.

Saw this pop up on my feed and did the happy dance, WOO so glad this podcast is back, it is SO good, so interesting, no shouting or obnoxious filler.. just wonderful information well presented by a knowledgeable person.

to the point of ridiculous. and the voice is really annoying

I’m amazed by how good this podcast is. Great synthesis of grand themes and yet always manages to keep it connected to food. Episodes are longish so good for a commute or car trip. Very knowledgeable but the important question is :can he cook? Seriously, with the research he must do how can he have a day job?

Can we hear objective facts without political messages? Not here on this strangely-narrated podcast.

This is not a typical history podcast. Putting food front and center, the AnthroChef's 'The History of Food' eschews the the serial recitation of names and dates (that can make history so hard to digest) and reveals the human experiences of ancient peoples. The narrator's impressive knowledge of history is passed on with unpretentious enthusiasm and wry wit. He conveys deep respect for the innovative ways in which people have harnessed (sometimes literally) the resources at hand: Milk, yogurt and butter are taken in turn as the remarkable and sustaining items that result from a herding culture, but the reverent awe he expresses upon the first development of cheese is unabashedly and contagiously joyful. With evocative descriptions of the geographical, technological and cultural landscapes that ancient people were born into — and peppered with archeological, anthropological and genetic data — this podcast presents a multi-disciplinary view of world cultures. Each episode is garnished with a recipe or two from the cuisine of its subject. A unique way to get the authentic flavor of history.

Food history is my passion. This podcast has a way of really helping me envision what the past may have been like. No fluff, no distractions, no boring facts and figures. Just interesting information given in a memorable way. Keep it up! Food history nerds unite!

I really, really love the Anthrochef's History of Food. I am a history professor, but he always teaches me something I didn't know. His style is so engaging, I feel like I am listening to a particularly interesting friend. This is one of my top three favorite podcasts ever!

This podcast is usually pretty good and informative. Now and then there are some errors, elisions and omissions that could be improved on. The host sometimes invents annoying and unnecessary names (“tamalification”, the “Great Sobering”) for things that already HAVE names - just talk about nixtamalization and the Enlightenment, please. No rebranding is needed.

This podcast has enormous scope and is brilliantly executed. The host is engaging and charming, as close to perfect as a history podcast can be.

for any food historian or the culinarily minded interested in the story and evolution of our food ways.

I was interested i hearing his description of the Last Supper as meal modeled on Greek & Roman meals and symposia. I had been taught that the Last Supper was really a seder. This makes sense to me since Jesus & his apostles were Jews who stood in opposition to Roman rule. I’m surprised that there is no mention of any Jewish basis to the Last Supper. Similarly, Easter has some roots in Passover.

The food parts are interesting, but the pod is unlistenable due to the host's biases. He spends at least 20% of each show explaining how evil Europeans white people are. This would just be his point of view if when he didn't mention the same sorts of things done by non-Europeans, it is wonderful. The host is a real hypocrite. Please try to exam your biases and don't dehumanize what is likely the majority of your audience.

What a wonderful podcast. Fascinating, informative, so well researched, so many cultures covered. Listens like a very interesting audiobook. Keep it up!

This podcast is clearly a labor of love, and I'm enjoying it immensely. Learning all sorts of things I didn't know before.

As a history podcast, I’d say it might be on par with Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History, yet a completely different style. Every episode I’ve heard so far has been super fascinating.

This is my favorite podcast. It is very well researched and surprisingly engaging for a history podcast (it’s difficult to find!). He somehow weaves a very natural narrative out of a huge amount of information. You can tell he puts a lot of time into this show. Thanks Anthrochef!

This podcast has made me realize how many untapped possibilities and resources are available to me as a cook. We should all embrace the flavors of the world, and Anthrochef shows us how!

Well written and well presented. The podcast is a fun and informative combination of history, anthropology and food. If you happen to listen to the Wonders of the World podcast, you’ll probably like this one too. Wonders emphasizes much broader history using wonders, e.g. Petra, as its focusing device, but always including a discussion (and recipe) for a signature food of the culture discussed. HoF is focused around the food, but they sort of meet in the middle. There is also something similar, which I can’t describe, about the two hosts’ styles. Also, be sure to check out the anthrochef blog, which has all the recipes discussed and many more. Yum!

This podcast is very well-written and researched for an “amateur” historian/anthropologist and food enthusiast. It combines my two passions: the culture of food and the past! The host does a fantastic job with oral presentation of the subject and does an impressive job condensing incredibly broad and complex ideas into cohesive, digestible episodes. I recently discovered this show and have been binging it ever since! Thank you for all your hard work and sharing your enthusiasm with us!

An incredibly well-done, meaningful, and fascinating look into big points and perfect details of agriculture, survival, hunger, trade, desire, foodstuffs, power, and human change. I really appreciate the Anthrochef's podcast and blog, giving us all a better feel of who we are, where we come from, and what we take for granted. Cheers!!!

This podcast combines my love for food and my adoration of history. It has inspired me to forgo the use of appliances and get my hands “dirty” to help fully understand my internal yearning to be connected to my food on a primal level. Looking forward to the next episode.

Anybody with curiosity about the ancient world and culinary arts owes it to themselves to listen.

Hey “Silence is Support”, there is a blog with everything you want! Anthrochef.blog :)

It’s super distracting and the mix overpowers the voice. Other than that, so far so good.

Actually true to the title and doesn’t just cover Ancient Greece and Rome like many other “history” podcasts do. Love the recipes at the end. Wish there was an accompanying blog or something for the pictures of the finished product and recipes to review later. Also this podcast, in addition to being comprehensive, is very accurate to what we know about early history.

I loved this podcast right out of the gate, but wanted to wait & see if it would keep coming out on a regular schedule before I reviewed. In short, this is a really fantastic podcast. It covers all the various ways humans obtained & prepared their food from the ealiest days of the hunter-gatherers all down through human history. Episode 3 featured an extremely interesting & thought-provoking discussion on whether humans moving from hunter-gatherer societies to more agricultural societies was necessarily a good move, in terms of both human health and societal pros/cons. Apart from the subject matter, the show also has everything else nailed down: great audio quality, background music (by the great Michael Levy), etc. Holden's delivery is also great - lots of info and lots of humor, presented in a very welcoming and congenial style. Here's to many more great episodes!