We’re All Perfectly Cooked ft. Stephen Buranyi

This is a preview of a bonus episode! Find it, along with our extensive backlog, on our patreon! Writer and editor Stephen Buranyi joins the pod this week to talk about his latest feature, which explores the shadow economy driving food reviewers and the restaurants who love and loathe them. Stephen talks about the evolution of the food influencer, their distancing from being considered critics, and the ways that video-based platforms demand more from them, while also giving them less. Stephen explains how the evolution of food reviewers and influencers have reshaped the way restaurants operate and market themselves, and how influencers themselves are fighting each other for exclusivity. We also commemorate Kirkmas, and look back on that strange day in 2025 when the right’s last martyr got memed into irrelevance. Read Stephen’s article, here: https://www.theguardian.com/news/ng-interactive/2026/sep/03/a-crisis-of-authenticity-the-truth-about-food-influencers ------- LEBANON AID LINKS Here are some fundraisers to support collective rebuilding and survival efforts on the ground in Lebanon. -Beit El-Baraka started out as a food bank, but has grown to help people afford rent, cover thei…