Dinner Last Night (with Emma & Dimity)

Dinner Last Night
  • 5.0 (9)
  • Food

We’re Emma & Dimity—identical twins, mamas, and co-hosts of Dinner Last Night. When we became parents, figuring out what to make for dinner—and how to get our families to eat it—was hard. One minute, we were serving up a home-cooked meal; the next, we were in high-stakes negotiations over one bite of broccoli. Between finding time to shop and cook, dodging tantrums, balancing nutrition, and honoring traditions, we often felt like we were facing the daily dinner struggle alone. So we started asking other parents, “What did you have for dinner last night?” We quickly learned we’re all connected by this daily ritual—but also discovered a world of game-changing mealtime tricks and recipes. That’s why we started Dinner Last Night, a podcast where we swap unfiltered stories with parents around the world, diving into how culture, family dynamics, and daily rhythms shape mealtime. Whether it’s pasta from scratch or cereal in a pinch, every meal has a story—one that proves we’re all in this delicious mess together. Never miss an episode! Subscribe to our newsletter, where you’ll also be entered to win exclusive giveaways from our amazing guests and be the first to get updates about the podcast: https://emmafrisch.substack.com/ A bit about your co-hosts: Dimity Palmer-Smith is a co-host of Dinner Last Night, a hobby fitness instructor (her secret accountability hack), and a career educator and nonprofit leader. With a knack for fostering connection and community, Dimity understands the magic of shared meals and the delightful chaos of family dinners. She swore she wouldn’t be a short-order cook, but here she is, whipping up gourmet meals tailored to each kid’s whims! When she’s not discussing dinner with parents worldwide, you’ll find her on the soccer field, at the climbing gym, advocating for local education issues, or exploring nature. Emma Frisch Emma Frisch is a co-host of Dinner Last Night, a chef, culinary instructor, and writer known for helping people fall back in love with home cooking through simple, seasonal recipes. She’s the author of Feast by Firelight and Seasonal Family Almanac, and co-founded two hospitality ventures—La Buena Onda in Nicaragua and Firelight Camps in Upstate New York—before she had kids and dinner got complicated. A Food Network Star finalist and Fulbright Scholar, Emma’s work has appeared in The New York Times, Vogue, Epicurious, and more. She lives in the Finger Lakes with her husband and two daughters.

  1. Katrín Björk: Icelandic Food Photographer and Cookbook Author on ARFID, Adoption, and Redefining the Family Dinner

    6d ago

    Katrín Björk: Icelandic Food Photographer and Cookbook Author on ARFID, Adoption, and Redefining the Family Dinner

    Katrín Björk is an Icelandic food photographer, cookbook author, and mom of three adopted kids, and she'll be the first to tell you that dinner in her house is a disaster. Katrín grew up in North Iceland in a fishing and farming family, where wild Icelandic lamb and fresh fish three times a week were just Tuesday. She went on to study photography in Copenhagen (where she met her husband!), publish From the North, a love letter to Icelandic and Danish food, and build a career in commercial food photography. But none of that prepared her for the reality of feeding a family where one child has ARFID (avoidant restrictive food intake disorder), one is autistic and struggles significantly with eating, and all three carry early childhood trauma with deep ties to food. In this episode, Katrín talks openly about the therapy, the letting go, and the slow, hard work of replacing perfectionism with presence. In this episode: Growing up in North Iceland with wild lamb, fresh fish, and from-scratch everythingWhat ARFID actually is, and how it shows up at the dinner table differently than picky eatingThe "safe list" tool: what it is, how Katrín's daughter helped build hers, and why it has to stay flexibleHow her romantic idea of the perfect family dinner collided with the reality of raising three kids with complex needsSourcing prepared food locally and releasing the pressure to cook everything from scratchThe evolution of her blog Modern Wife Style and why its messaging no longer rings true to who she isWhy her family connects over bike rides and nature, not dinner, and why that's okayMentioned in this episode: From the North by Katrín BjörkKatrín's websiteModern Wifestyle BlogFollow Katrín on InstagramBlack Eyed Susie's in Kingston, NYCommon Table meal prep service in Kingston, NY Dia Beacon in Beacon, NYJulia Turshen's Episode on Dinner Last Night

    1h 2m
  2. Paragini Amin: Designer on Indian-American Identity, a Husband Who Cooks Like a Chef, and a Game That Opens Kids Up

    May 20

    Paragini Amin: Designer on Indian-American Identity, a Husband Who Cooks Like a Chef, and a Game That Opens Kids Up

    Paragini Amin grew up in Jersey City in a Gujarati household where dinner, cooked daily by her mother, was always Indian food, and everything else was negotiable. Today, her husband does all the cooking, and he's exceptional at it: French technique one night, Caribbean-Southeast Asian the next, with an instinct for sniffing out the best restaurant on any highway. In this episode, Paragini takes us through the experiences that shaped her, including the early racism she experienced in school, and the radically intentional desegregation high school where she learned what happens when kids from different backgrounds are just given room to be. She tells us what a psychic once said about getting into the kitchen, and why she still hasn't done it. We get into Things & Things, the conversation game she designed — cards paired with physical objects — that helped her quiet, heady eight-year-old finally open up at the dinner table. And we talk perimenopause and HRT, because we're all in our forties and we have things to say. Paragini is co-founder and creative director of Design for Progress, a brand strategy firm serving social justice nonprofits focused on criminal justice reform and mass incarceration. In this episode: Growing up Gujarati in Jersey City, and her parents' approach to two cultures at the dinner tableThe racism Paragini faced as a young Indian-American girl, and how she made sense of itThe quietly radical desegregation high school in Jersey City that just workedThe husband who does all the cooking, and his nose for the best restaurant on any highwayWhat a psychic once told Paragini about getting into the kitchen, and why she still hasn't done itThings & Things: a conversation game with cards and objects that opened up her quiet eight-year-old at the dinner tablePerimenopause, HRT, and the conversations we should all be having in our 40sMentioned in this episode: Things & Things, Paragini's conversation gameDesign for Progress, Paragini and Chris's design firmThe First 40 Days by Heng OuEarlier episode with Eliza Blank on Farmlink and food wasteCornell Prison Education ProgramSubscribe Never miss an episode: Follow Dinner Last Night and ⁠subscribe to our newsletter⁠. If you loved this episode, please leave us a review, tap “like”, and share it with a friend! It helps more people discover the show. 💛 Giveaways ⁠CLICK HERE⁠ to enter the giveaway for any episode! Follow Us Substack: ⁠subscribe to our newsletter⁠YouTube: ⁠@DinnerLastNightPod⁠Instagram: ⁠@dinnerlastnightpod⁠Website: ⁠dinnerlastnightpod.com⁠Credits Produced: Wombmate Productions, Inc., ⁠REP Studio⁠, and Stuart HetzlerEditing: ⁠REP Studio⁠ and Stuart HetzlerMusic by: ⁠⁣⁠⁠Emerson ‘Longstory’ Bartlett⁠ (feat. ⁠Drew Martin⁠ on Saxophone)

    1h 4m
  3. Stefan Merrill Block: Novelist and Memoirist on Being Homeschooled, Cooking as Rebellion, and The Power of Writing to Heal

    May 6

    Stefan Merrill Block: Novelist and Memoirist on Being Homeschooled, Cooking as Rebellion, and The Power of Writing to Heal

    When Stefan Merrill Block was nine, his mother concluded that his teachers were stifling his creativity and pulled him out of public school. He wouldn't return until ninth grade. Those five years in between shaped everything that came after, including, eventually, his relationship with food and cooking. Stefan is the author of the New York Times bestselling memoir Homeschooled, which traces a fiercely loved boy through the years he spent learning at home with a mother whose ideas grew more inventive (and more unsteady) as the months went on. In this episode, we follow the food: his mother's recipe-less cooking, the Dallas chicken tortilla soup that tasted like friendship and a bigger world, and the long road that led Stefan at 30, alone on 250 acres of Texas land, to fall in love with cooking on his own terms. We also talk about writing a memoir with a novelist's instincts, feeling anger for your younger self for the first time, and the homeschool reform conversations the book has sparked in three states. In this episode: Why Stefan's mother pulled him from school at nine, and how that impacted his later yearsHis mother's recipe-less cooking, and the meals that felt like something to endureThe Dallas chicken tortilla soup that tasted like friendship and a bigger worldFalling in love with cooking at 30, alone on 250 acres of Texas landCooking three separate dinners as the main cook in his householdWriting a memoir with a novelist's instincts, and feeling anger for your younger selfCo-owning Skate Time 209, the beloved roller rink in Accord, NYMentioned in this episode: Stefan's WebsiteFollow Stefan on InstagramGet a copy of Stefan's memoir, HomeschooledThe Coalition for Responsible Home EducationSkate Time 209Subscribe Never miss an episode: Follow Dinner Last Night and subscribe to our newsletter. If you loved this episode, please leave us a review, tap “like”, and share it with a friend! It helps more people discover the show. 💛 Giveaways CLICK HERE to enter the giveaway for any episode! Follow Us Substack: subscribe to our newsletterYouTube: @DinnerLastNightPodInstagram: @dinnerlastnightpodWebsite: dinnerlastnightpod.comCredits Produced: Wombmate Productions, Inc., REP Studio, and Stuart HetzlerEditing: REP Studio and Stuart HetzlerMusic by: ⁣Emerson ‘Longstory’ Bartlett (feat. Drew Martin on Saxophone)

    57 min
  4. Virginia Craddock: Fashion Founder and Mother on Conscious Consumption, Blending Families, and Finding Clarity in Everything

    Apr 22

    Virginia Craddock: Fashion Founder and Mother on Conscious Consumption, Blending Families, and Finding Clarity in Everything

    Virginia Craddock is the founder of Inside Out Agency, a multi-brand showroom working to shift the way we think about what we wear, how we consume, and what it all means. Virginia grew up eating Brazilian moqueca in two different households — her parents had both spent time in the Peace Corps in Brazil — and now she makes the dish her own way. We talk about scruffy hospitality and why clarity in how you invite people into your home changes everything about the experience. And in one of the most moving moments of the season, Virginia shares how blending her and her partner's families is her biggest triumph, and why. The phrase her business teacher gave her — “clarity is connection” — turns out to be the thread running through it all. In this episode: A Brazilian moqueca passed down from Peace Corps parents, adapted and made her ownBuilding Inside Out Agency to shift how we think about clothing and consumptionScruffy hospitality, and the freeing power of low-stakes gatheringHow knowing where your clothes come from changes how much you love themThe Art of Gathering, and hosting with intention instead of effortBlending three boys, two households, and years of hard conversations into one family“Clarity is connection” — her business teacher's mantra that became her life'sMentioned in the episode: Virginia on InstagramInside Out AgencyThe Art of Gathering by Priya ParkerMeditations for Mortals by Oliver BurkemanSubscribe Never miss an episode: Follow Dinner Last Night and subscribe to our newsletter. If you loved this episode, please leave us a review, tap “like”, and share it with a friend! It helps more people discover the show. 💛 Giveaways CLICK HERE to enter the giveaway for any episode! Follow Us Substack: subscribe to our newsletterYouTube: @DinnerLastNightPodInstagram: @dinnerlastnightpodWebsite: dinnerlastnightpod.comCredits Produced: Wombmate Productions, Inc., REP Studio, and Stuart HetzlerEditing: REP Studio and Stuart HetzlerMusic by: ⁣Emerson ‘Longstory’ Bartlett (feat. Drew Martin on Saxophone)

    59 min
  5. Julia Turshen: Cookbook Author on Power Lifting, Working for Home Cooks, and Feeding Loved Ones

    Apr 9

    Julia Turshen: Cookbook Author on Power Lifting, Working for Home Cooks, and Feeding Loved Ones

    Cookbook author and former competitive powerlifter Julia Turshen sits down for a warm, wide-ranging conversation about healing a lifelong eating disorder, the daily labor of home cooking, and how food can heal the people you love. From her grandparents' Brooklyn bread bakery to her 81-year-old mom's illustrated cooking class notes, Julia shares the threads that have shaped her relationship with food, family, and feeding others. It's a thoughtful, moving episode about the rituals that anchor us — and the people we cook for along the way. In this episode: The concept of “the everlasting meal”Growing up in a workaholic household, and the Brooklyn bread bakery her Jewish grandparents ranHer mother's illustrated cooking class notes, and their evolving relationshipNavigating disordered eating and finding healing through powerliftingHow food works in her home with spouse Grace, a therapist with Type 1 diabetesWhy investing in neighbors and community is the most important thing any of us can doMentioned in this episode: Julia's website and books: www.juliaturshen.comJulia's Substack newsletter Keep Calm and Cook OnFollow Julia on InstagramReem Kassis, Palestinian cookbook author mentioned by JuliaAn Everlasting Meal by Tamar AdlerSubscribe Never miss an episode: Follow Dinner Last Night and subscribe to our newsletter. If you loved this episode, please leave us a review, tap “like”, and share it with a friend! It helps more people discover the show. 💛 Giveaways CLICK HERE to enter the giveaway for any episode! Follow Us Substack: subscribe to our newsletterYouTube: @DinnerLastNightPodInstagram: @dinnerlastnightpodWebsite: dinnerlastnightpod.comCredits Produced: Wombmate Productions, Inc., REP Studio, and Stuart HetzlerEditing: REP Studio and Stuart HetzlerMusic by: ⁣Emerson ‘Longstory’ Bartlett (feat. Drew Martin on Saxophone)

    1h 4m
  6. Jonathan Lee: Novelist and Screenwriter on Taco Tuesdays, Trauma, and the Power of Stories

    Mar 26

    Jonathan Lee: Novelist and Screenwriter on Taco Tuesdays, Trauma, and the Power of Stories

    Novelist, screenwriter, and father Jonathan Lee joins us for a riveting conversation about family dinners, storytelling, and the surprising parenting lessons hidden in Taco Night. From the “perils of precedent” — why kids love Tuesday Tacos but not Monday Tacos — to writing about real-life tragedy in High Dive and The Bombing of Pan Am 103, Jonathan shares insights on parenting, trauma, and the role of food in stories. Plus, a hilarious dinner-table storytelling game you'll want to try at home. In this episode: Why “branding” dinner matters for kidsJonathan's journey to becoming a full-time writerThe realities of writing about trauma, and the self-care it requiresHow food shapes storytelling even in moments of crisis and connectionTalking to children about difficult topicsBehind the scenes of The Bombing of Pan Am 103A playful dinner table storytelling gameMentioned in this episode: Jonathan’s website and books: www.jonathanleewriter.comEpisode 09 of Dinner Last Night with his wife, Amy LeeTelevision Show: The Bombing of Pan Am 103Subscribe Never miss an episode: Follow Dinner Last Night and subscribe to our newsletter. If you loved this episode, please leave us a review, tap “like”, and share it with a friend! It helps more people discover the show. 💛 Giveaways CLICK HERE to enter the giveaway for any episode! Follow Us Substack: subscribe to our newsletterYouTube: @DinnerLastNightPodInstagram: @dinnerlastnightpodWebsite: dinnerlastnightpod.comCredits Produced: Wombmate Productions, Inc., REP Studio, and Stuart HetzlerEditing: REP Studio and Stuart HetzlerMusic by: ⁣Emerson ‘Longstory’ Bartlett (feat. Drew Martin on Saxophone)

    51 min
  7. Jana Blankenship: Clean Beauty Pioneer on Natural Fragrance and Meal Hacks for Busy Families

    Mar 12

    Jana Blankenship: Clean Beauty Pioneer on Natural Fragrance and Meal Hacks for Busy Families

    Mother, entrepreneur, herbalist, and founder of pioneering green beauty brand Captain Blankenship, Jana Blankenship joins us for a conversation rooted in the powerful connection between plants, scent, memory, and family tradition. We start where every episode does — with dinner last night — and hear about the first meal Jana's family shared after a long stretch of home renovation. From there, we explore the Serbian food traditions passed down by her grandmother, Baka Milka, how childhood perfume “potions” led her to develop a sensitivity to synthetic fragrances, and how that journey inspired her path into natural perfume, herbalism, and clean beauty. Jana is the author of Wild Beauty and co-author (with Emma) of Seasonal Family Almanac. In this episode: Serbian food and herbalism traditions passed down by Jana's grandmother and auntDeveloping a childhood sensitivity to synthetic fragrances, and how it inspired her work with natural scentThe power of scent — the first sense to develop in the womb — to anchor us in memoryFounding and growing Captain Blankenship as an early clean beauty brandDIY herbal beauty, and why making things yourself is so powerfulPractical meal strategies for busy families juggling sports, school, and chaotic eveningsForaging and harvesting responsibly, including how to work with evergreensMentioned in this episode: Jana's websiteCaptain BlankenshipWitch Way by Jana Blankenship on SubstackWild Beauty by Jana BlankenshipSeasonal Family Almanac, co-authored by Jana and Emma FrischSubscribe Never miss an episode: Follow Dinner Last Night and subscribe to our newsletter. If you loved this episode, please leave us a review, tap “like”, and share it with a friend! It helps more people discover the show. 💛 Giveaways CLICK HERE to enter the giveaway for any episode! Follow Us Substack: subscribe to our newsletterYouTube: @DinnerLastNightPodInstagram: @dinnerlastnightpodWebsite: dinnerlastnightpod.comCredits Produced: Wombmate Productions, Inc., REP Studio, and Stuart HetzlerEditing: REP Studio and Stuart HetzlerMusic by: ⁣Emerson ‘Longstory’ Bartlett (feat. Drew Martin on Saxophone)

    55 min
  8. Nandini Austin: Ayurvedic Coach on Eating for Your Digestion and Embracing Joy (and Spices!)

    Feb 26

    Nandini Austin: Ayurvedic Coach on Eating for Your Digestion and Embracing Joy (and Spices!)

    Ayurvedic wellness coach Nandini Austin joins us with a fresh, accessible take on ancient practices, helping modern families feel healthier, more energized, and more connected at the table. Raised in London with Mauritian roots and a lifelong exposure to Ayurveda, Nandini explains why digestion is the foundation of well-being, how to understand your unique dosha, and which simple daily rituals support balance for both parents and kids. We also follow her path from global hospitality to launching The Cocktail Architect, and leading retreats that blend Ayurvedic cooking, traditional Indian dance, and community. In this episode: Growing up in a Mauritian household in London, learning about food as medicine“You are what you digest” — why digestion is central to healthUnderstanding doshas and daily rituals (dinacharya)Demystifying curry and the value of spicesRaising adventurous eaters and shaping lifelong food habitsFood as a pathway to connection, energy, and emotional balanceSpice-infused syrups and soda alternatives from The Cocktail ArchitectMentioned in this episode: For Ayurveda offerings: NandiniAustin.com For delicious, handcrafted syrups: The Cocktail ArchitectFollow Nandini on Instagram, Facebook, and SubstackSubscribe Never miss an episode: Follow Dinner Last Night and subscribe to our newsletter. If you loved this episode, please leave us a review, tap “like”, and share it with a friend! It helps more people discover the show. 💛 Giveaways CLICK HERE to enter the giveaway for any episode! Follow Us Substack: subscribe to our newsletterYouTube: @DinnerLastNightPodInstagram: @dinnerlastnightpodWebsite: dinnerlastnightpod.comCredits Produced: Wombmate Productions, Inc., REP Studio, and Stuart HetzlerEditing: REP Studio and Stuart HetzlerMusic by: ⁣Emerson ‘Longstory’ Bartlett (feat. Drew Martin on Saxophone)

    50 min
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5
out of 5
9 Ratings

About

We’re Emma & Dimity—identical twins, mamas, and co-hosts of Dinner Last Night. When we became parents, figuring out what to make for dinner—and how to get our families to eat it—was hard. One minute, we were serving up a home-cooked meal; the next, we were in high-stakes negotiations over one bite of broccoli. Between finding time to shop and cook, dodging tantrums, balancing nutrition, and honoring traditions, we often felt like we were facing the daily dinner struggle alone. So we started asking other parents, “What did you have for dinner last night?” We quickly learned we’re all connected by this daily ritual—but also discovered a world of game-changing mealtime tricks and recipes. That’s why we started Dinner Last Night, a podcast where we swap unfiltered stories with parents around the world, diving into how culture, family dynamics, and daily rhythms shape mealtime. Whether it’s pasta from scratch or cereal in a pinch, every meal has a story—one that proves we’re all in this delicious mess together. Never miss an episode! Subscribe to our newsletter, where you’ll also be entered to win exclusive giveaways from our amazing guests and be the first to get updates about the podcast: https://emmafrisch.substack.com/ A bit about your co-hosts: Dimity Palmer-Smith is a co-host of Dinner Last Night, a hobby fitness instructor (her secret accountability hack), and a career educator and nonprofit leader. With a knack for fostering connection and community, Dimity understands the magic of shared meals and the delightful chaos of family dinners. She swore she wouldn’t be a short-order cook, but here she is, whipping up gourmet meals tailored to each kid’s whims! When she’s not discussing dinner with parents worldwide, you’ll find her on the soccer field, at the climbing gym, advocating for local education issues, or exploring nature. Emma Frisch Emma Frisch is a co-host of Dinner Last Night, a chef, culinary instructor, and writer known for helping people fall back in love with home cooking through simple, seasonal recipes. She’s the author of Feast by Firelight and Seasonal Family Almanac, and co-founded two hospitality ventures—La Buena Onda in Nicaragua and Firelight Camps in Upstate New York—before she had kids and dinner got complicated. A Food Network Star finalist and Fulbright Scholar, Emma’s work has appeared in The New York Times, Vogue, Epicurious, and more. She lives in the Finger Lakes with her husband and two daughters.

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