Proof is a podcast series from America's Test Kitchen hosted by Kevin Pang. We’re accepting pitches for season 9 and 10 (coming late fall 2021 and early 2022).
Proof tells food stories that feed the curious mind. We don’t profile celebrity chefs or restaurateurs. We’re not interested in pitches about a food topic. We’re interested in narrative stories, through a food lens, that allow us to examine our relationship to food and change the way we think about it.
For example, in past seasons we’ve told the following stories:
- A story chronicling the rise and fall of the Jello salad.
- At the turn of the 20th century, there was a coordinated effort to shut down Chinese Restaurants in the US entirely.
- In 2003, the World Chili Championship Cookoff was won by a man who cheated . . . by mixing other cooks’ chilis together and submitting the mixture to the judges.
- In the 1970s, an up-and-coming company wanted to commercialize a sweetening alternative to sugar, the naturally occurring Miracle Berry, but an FDA conspiracy shut it down.
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? How will it challenge the way we think about a particular ingredient, dish, or culinary tradition? Proof stories shouldn’t have easy, straightforward, or google-able answers.
Diversity is important to Proof—we’re interested in covering stories from historically underrepresented communities and we’re interested in working with reporters and producers from diverse backgrounds.
Show: Weekly, 8-week season
Segments: 30-45 minutes, but we’re flexible about length.
Compensation: $2800-3200 per story, depending on length, research, travel, and experience level. Rate is negotiated and determined in advance.
Pitch: By email, please include “Proof Pitch” in the subject line
Contact: Yumi Araki, Managing Producer: yumi.araki@americastestkitchen.com