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How to Pitch to America's Test Kitchen's Podcast "Proof"

We're seeking contributors to tell unexpected audio stories about food.
By Published Jan. 20, 2023

Proof is an award-winning narrative podcast from America's Test Kitchen hosted by James Beard Award-winning journalist Kevin Pang. It’s a podcast that takes listeners into the curious, often unexamined and unexpected corners of the food world, and turns seemingly small questions into expansive storytelling journeys. The questions that Proof stories dive into shouldn’t have easily Google-able answers.

In the last 12 months, Proof was named Best Podcast from the International Association of Culinary Professionals, and nominated for Best Food Podcast from the iHeart Podcasts Awards and the Signal Awards.

We’re currently looking for pitches to fill our Season 13 and 14 lineup.

Here is a sample of past Proof episodes:

  • A Chicagoan's quest to create the World's Greatest Italian Beef.
  • Our story on the theme: One person’s trash is another person’s treasure. 
  • 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. 
  • Proof's Guide to Hangovers (an homage to Bill Nye the Science Guy)
  • Host Kevin Pang dives into how his dad became a YouTube cooking show star.

HOW TO PITCH

In your pitch, tell us: Who are the characters we’ll follow? What quest are they on and what challenges are they trying to overcome? What are the stakes? What central question and/or larger themes does your story attempt to answer and explore? To the extent that you’ve gleaned some of this through pre-reporting, what is the proposed narrative arc of your story?

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

One more tip for a successful pitch: Ask yourself, is the story better as a 7-minute segment on All Things Considered, or does it carry the narrative momentum to sustain a 35-minute episode?

  • Show: Airs weekly during the season. We'll produce 26 original episodes in 2023.
  • Episode length: Your pitch should encompass the scope for a 35-40 minute narrative podcast episode.
  • Compensation: $3,200 depending on experience level, scope of story, and negotiable for necessary expenses. Rate is determined in advance.
  • Pitch: By email, please include “Proof pitch” in the subject line
  • Contact: Yumi Araki, Managing Producer & Editor: yumi.araki@americastestkitchen.com