Longer Tables, Not Shorter Fuses

Journalist Frank Bruni discusses how to reset the table in the Age of Grievance

We chefs have a love-hate relationship with critics. A good review and we think they are brilliant! A bad review…and … maybe not so much.

But on today’s podcast, we have a journalist, pundit and restaurant critic who I never tire of listening to: Frank Bruni.

Frank is a veteran of the New York Times. As my executive producer, Jane Black, who interviews him this week says, he’s had the very best jobs in journalism: White House correspondent, Rome bureau chief, weekly columnist, and, of course, restaurant critic.

In this episode, Frank discusses his new book, The Age of Grievance, which describes how today’s explosion of grievance has turbocharged conflict on both the right and the left. It’s a subject that touches on the very premise of this show – our ability to come together as people. Frank has a lot of ideas about how we can reconnect as a nation.

But don’t worry, there’s also a lot of talk about food: The Ozempic effect, Frank’s very conflicted relationship with eating and how, surprisingly, having a job that required dining out 8 times a week actually helped heal his struggle with eating.

Tune in. And as always, send feedback to longertables@joseandres.com