Food is a universal language. In our increasingly polarized society, it’s something that brings all of us together. And we're exploring why.

Throughout the series, we share meals with New Yorkers from around the world, learning about the flavors and ingredients that make each cuisine unique. And we explore the personal and cultural connections we have to food — what brings all of us to the table.

TRANSCRIPT

MUKTI BANERJEE: Food brings people together.

VANESSA MOTA: Food is a big, big way of how we show love.

DEIRDRE LEVY: It's just something that feels like home.

MIRTA RINALDI: It's happiness. When I hear that, "Mmm, mmm" that's it for me.

DIANE BEZUCHA: Food is a universal language. In our increasingly polarized society, it's something that still brings all of us together. And I'm exploring why.

I'm Diane Bezucha, the host of Our New York Table, a new podcast about food, the people who make it, and what brings all of us to the table. Throughout the series, we'll cook and share meals with New Yorkers from around the world.

MUKTI BANERJEE: I was born and raised in India.

DEIRDRE LEVY: I grew up in Flushing.

DAMIRA INATULLAEVA: We were born in Samarkand.

VANESSA MOTA: I am the author of the Dominican Kitchen Cookbook.

DIANE BEZUCHA: We'll learn about the diverse flavors and ingredients that make each cuisine unique.

SHANDRA WOWORUNTU: Indonesian people like flavor. It's spicy, sour, sweet, salty.

DEIRDRE LEVY: Definitely vinegar and soy sauce. That's your base for adobo.

MIRTA RINALDI: Beef is the numero uno food in the country. And we grill any kind of meat. If it has legs, we put it on the grill.

VANESSA MOTA: We love garlic.

DIANE BEZUCHA: Chefs, activists, cookbook authors and others will share their stories.

DAMIRA INATULLAEVA: My grandmother learned me how to roll out the dough.

MIRTA RINALDI: I remember making a big watermelon, putting sticks with cheese and cherries. I saw it in a photo, I said, that's so neat.

DAMIRA INATULLAEVA: In Soviet Union, that period crushed many things. We had no food. You can't imagine it.

MUKTI BANERJEE: I didn't want to continue working for other people for the rest of my life. I didn't want to see my boss' emails anymore. So, I was thinking what I could do, and I was a teacher back in India, so I thought I could do cooking classes.

DEIRDRE LEVY: I think generally I was really scared, because I thought I knew what I was getting myself into, but I didn't.

SHANDRA WOWORUNTU: It was a miracle. I didn't have a fracture and I didn't have any scratch. I look up, just wave my hand. I will come back. I will come back to pick you up.

DIANE BEZUCHA: And we'll explore the personal and cultural connections we have to food.

VANESSA MOTA: Plantains have become an emblem of Dominicanidad, you know, what it means to be Dominican. So for me, food represents love. Love for my culture, love for my island, love for my family and those things that bring us together, which pretty much always revolves around food.

DEIRDRE LEVY: Our food is different, our food is good, and it's just really important to tell that story.

DIANE BEZUCHA: So come hungry and watch for the first season to drop this fall.