Hypothesis: Dreams Do Come True

How I went from watching America’s Test Kitchen in the lab to hosting my own show, Flavor Forward.

Dear Friends, It’s been a busy few weeks…

Last Sunday I was on Substack Live with Hetty Lui McKinnon to discuss her new book, Linger. If you missed us, check out the recording.

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What’s taken most of my time, though, and what I’m most excited to share with you all is my new show with America’s Test Kitchen, Flavor Forward! Instead of my typical content, I wanted to share a bit more about the show, what it means to me, and what I’ll bring to you!

From Dreaming in a Lab to Cooking on Camera

There was a time, back when I was still spending long days in a molecular biology lab, when silence felt endless. I’d wait for experiments to tick away on their own clocks and sometimes, to breathe, I’d sneak home for a break. That’s when I stumbled across America’s Test Kitchen (ATK) on PBS.

It felt like fate. Here were people who looked at cooking the way I looked at science: curious, nerdy, precise, a little obsessive about the “why.” They didn’t just make dinner, they asked questions, tested ideas, explained failures, and celebrated the wins. I was hooked. They were chasing truth through food, and I saw myself in that.

I never dared imagine that one day I’d walk through those same doors, not as a fan, but as part of the story.

After I left the lab for the apron, I wrote recipes, columns, and books for years, but television? That always slipped just out of reach. A few near-misses dangled in front of me, then disappeared, first the pandemic, then media mergers. One network even told me I looked too young to cook on TV (A compliment? Apparently not). After a while, I convinced myself that maybe it wasn’t meant to happen. Some dreams, I thought, are better left alone.

And then, out of nowhere, came ATK.

Earlier this year, as an editor-in-residence, I walked into the legendary test kitchen for the first time. The smell of roasting, the hum of conversation, the sound of pots clattering; it was like stepping into a universe I’d only watched from afar. The team welcomed me in, generous with their knowledge and wild with curiosity. Together, we geeked out over the myth of lemon pith bitterness, how instant mashed potatoes act like water sponges when added to meat, and how to fix problems in the kitchen. For me, someone who lives and breathes the science of flavor, it felt like holding the keys to the kingdom.

Every trip to Boston lit me up with possibility.

Then one day, I came home, opened my inbox, and nearly dropped my laptop. An email from Dan Souza: Would I be interested in hosting a show with America’s Test Kitchen? I’d just finished recording an episode of the In The Test Kitchen podcast, and the editors loved how it turned out.

You’d think after years of waiting, I would have screamed, but instead, I held my breath. So many false starts had made me cautious. But this time, it was real. Dan and the team weren’t offering a maybe—they were offering a chance to build something together. A show where I could finally share the things that matter most to me: flavor, science, and the thrill of discovering why.

For months, we wrote scripts (harder than any essay I’ve ever written), tested recipes, filmed long days in the studio, and shaped an idea into something I can only describe as a dream come true. And none of it would exist without Dan, Lan Lam, Matt Watson, Simon Savelyev, and the entire ATK team, who poured their creativity and humor into every single episode.

And now—it’s here. Flavor Forward.

Seven episodes. Seven deep dives into flavor and science, airing every Sunday at 12 pm EST/9 am PST on America’s Test Kitchen’s YouTube channel.

It’s bold, it’s nerdy, it’s fun. And it’s the show I once thought I’d never get to make.

Flavor Forward is my love letter to flavor and to the global pantry that enriches our kitchens. It’s about honoring traditions, celebrating science, and giving you the tools to feel fearless in the kitchen.

I can’t wait for you to see it. Thank you for being here, for rooting for me, and for letting me share this dream with you.

With gratitude and love,
Nik