Watch the full collection of historical cooking adventures
Cameroon
The sixth episode of the National Dishes Series — Cameroon's Ndole, a bitter leaf stew loaded with ground peanuts, stewing beef, and king prawns, served with boiled and fried plantain two ways.
Watch EpisodeErnest Hemingway
Hemingway's real hamburger recipe — found in the JFK Presidential Library archives — made two ways: the Papa Burger as Hemingway typed it, and the Wild West Burger with additions scrawled in the margins by his wife Mary.
Watch EpisodeGuatemala
The fifth episode of the National Dishes Series — Guatemala's pepián de pollo, one of the oldest dishes in the Americas. A rich sauce of toasted pumpkin seeds, sesame, charred tomatoes and dried chillies, served over poached chicken with green beans and potatoes.
Watch EpisodeEl Salvador
The fourth episode of the National Dishes Series — El Salvador's iconic pupusas, thick handmade corn tortillas stuffed with chicharrón, refried beans and cheese, served with tangy curtido slaw and charred salsa roja.
Watch EpisodeEgypt
The third episode of the National Dishes Series — Egypt's iconic koshari, a Cairo street food staple of rice, lentils, pasta and chickpeas, drowned in tomato sauce and topped with crispy fried onions, spicy shatta and garlicky da'ah.
Watch EpisodeAbraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln's chicken fricassee with buttermilk biscuits and cream gravy — the one dish Mary Todd Lincoln could always get him to eat. Based on Eliza Leslie's Directions for Cookery (1837), the bestselling American cookbook of the nineteenth century.
Watch EpisodeRomania
The second episode of the National Dishes Series — Romania's iconic sarmale, pickled cabbage rolls stuffed with pork and rice, slow-braised with smoked ham hock and served with mămăligă and sour cream
Watch EpisodeSweden
The first episode of the National Dishes Series — Sweden's iconic köttbullar, served with cream gravy, mashed potato, lingonberry jam, and pressgurka
Watch EpisodeMao Zedong
Mao Zedong's famous red braised pork - the Chairman's favorite dish featuring meltingly tender pork belly in a deep, savory braising sauce
Watch EpisodeMarlon Brando
Marlon Brando's indulgent Italian-American chicken cacciatore - a rustic hunter-style braise loaded with vegetables, wine, and flavor
Watch EpisodeQueen Victoria
Queen Victoria's Victorian-era chicken curry - a dish that became part of her regular routine thanks to her Indian attendant Abdul Karim
Watch EpisodeMartin Luther King Jr.
Cooking Martin Luther King Jr's Southern fried chicken with macaroni cheese and collard greens - the soul food that fueled the civil rights movement
Watch EpisodeWinston Churchill
Exploring Winston Churchill's legendary Full English Breakfast - the hearty meal that fueled Britain's wartime Prime Minister
Watch EpisodeCharles Dickens
Cooking the oyster-stuffed mutton that Catherine Dickens recorded as Charles's favourite dish in her 1851 dinner-planning book.
Watch EpisodeFrank Sinatra
Cooking Frank Sinatra's beloved veal Milanese from Patsy's Italian Restaurant, complete with the arugula salad he always ordered.
Watch EpisodeFryderyk Chopin
Cooking the Polish beef roulades, braised cabbage, and dumplings that comforted Fryderyk Chopin while he lived abroad.
Watch EpisodeMuhammad Ali
Recreating Muhammad Ali's favourite home meal of baked chicken, macaroni and cheese, spinach, and peas, inspired by memories from his family's kitchen.
Watch EpisodeSarah Josepha Hale
Tracing how editor Sarah Josepha Hale turned a regional thanks-giving meal into the national Thanksgiving feast of turkey, stuffing, and pumpkin pie.
Watch EpisodeAl Capone
Cooking like a gangster with the silky walnut pasta supposedly loved by Chicago crime boss Al Capone, blending Old World comfort with Prohibition-era swagger.
Watch EpisodeOzzy Osbourne
Recreating the exact Chipotle burrito order of heavy metal legend Ozzy Osbourne - barbacoa beef, pinto beans, white rice, cheese, sour cream, and medium salsa.
Watch EpisodePelé
Exploring the Afro-Brazilian fusion cuisine beloved by football's greatest legend - Xinxim de Galinha from Bahia
Watch EpisodeChristopher Columbus
Exploring life aboard the 1492 Atlantic crossing - from hardtack and salt cod to the simple meals that sustained explorers at sea
Watch EpisodeJohn Lennon
Exploring the comfort foods of the Liverpool-born Beatle - from enhanced beans on toast to New York deli classics
Watch EpisodeKing Shaka
Exploring the powerful cuisine of the Zulu ruler who transformed southern Africa, from fermented milk to ceremonial beef
Watch EpisodeFreddie Mercury
Exploring the varied culinary tastes of Queen's legendary frontman, from Parsi spice to British comfort food
Watch EpisodeMarilyn Monroe
Spending a full day eating exactly like Marilyn Monroe — not the Hollywood fantasy, but her actual documented habits
Watch EpisodeAlbert Einstein
Exploring how simple, nourishing meals fueled the mind of history's greatest physicist
Watch Episode