Call for Pitches: Proof, a narrative podcast from America's Test Kitchen

Proof is an award-winning narrative podcast from America's Test Kitchen hosted by James Beard Award-winning journalist Kevin Pang. We accept pitches on an ongoing basis, but we're especially interested in stories for Seasons 10-12, which will air in 2022. (Season 10 is scheduled to air from April - June; Season 11 from July - September, and Season 12 from November - December (with the final episode airing in January 2023)). 

Proof is a podcast that takes us into the curious, often unexamined corners of the food world and turns seemingly small questions into expansive storytelling journeys. We broadcast stories about Somali farmers as well as why baloney fell out of favor in the United States. The questions that Proof stories dive into shouldn’t have easily Google-able answers.

Here’s a sample of Proof episodes:

• At the turn of the 20th century, there was a coordinated effort to shut down Chinese Restaurants in the U.S. What happened?
• White Tower. Arthur Treacher’s. Mahalia Jackson’s Glori-Fried Chicken. Where did these fast food chains disappear to? Pulitzer Prize-winning author Marcia Chatelain investigates. 
• Host Kevin Pang dives into how his dad became a YouTube cooking show star.

In your pitch, include the following: What are the plot points? Who are the characters we’ll meet? What are the twists and turns? What are the stakes? What are the larger themes the story will touch on? What historical aspects might you touch on? How will it challenge the way we think about a particular ingredient, dish, drink, or culinary tradition? 

Diversity–subject matter, viewpoints, the reporters telling the stories–is crucial to Proof.

• Show: Airs weekly during the season. (Seasons 10 & 11 have 8 episodes each; Season 12 has 6 episodes.)
• Episodes: 30-45 minutes, but we’re flexible about length.
• Pitch: By email, please include “Proof Pitch” in the subject line