Podcast Summary: “How to Hot Pot at Home”

Podcast: All Of It (WNYC)
Date: January 27, 2026
Host: Tiffany Hansen (in for Alison Stewart)
Guest: Natasha Pikowitz, chef and author of “Everyone Hot Pot: Creating the Ultimate Meal for Gathering and Feasting”

Overview

This episode of All Of It explores the communal, customizable tradition of hot pot dining with chef and writer Natasha Pikowitz, whose new book demystifies making hot pot at home. The conversation delves into the cultural, practical, and personal facets of this beloved meal—one that is equal parts feast and social activity—while offering tips for both novices and veteran hot pot enthusiasts.

Main Discussion Points & Insights

What Is Hot Pot? (01:47)

• Definition: A meal and social event where participants cook bite-sized food in a simmering broth at the table, blending eating with cooking.
  • “You are cooking bite sized morsels of food a la minute in front of like a communal bubbling broth right at the dining room table. So the cooking actually happens while you are eating.” – Natasha Pikowitz (01:47)
• The experience is modular and customizable, making it accessible to all culinary skill levels.

Diversity & Tradition in Hot Pot (02:05 – 04:15)

• Cultural Variations:
  • Many global traditions: Chinese, Korean, Japanese—each with distinct ingredients, condiments, and rituals.
  • “Even if you’re looking at just one country, like China for example, you’re gonna find infinite variation. It’s so determined by what’s available there and what’s culturally appropriate.” – Natasha Pikowitz (02:33)
  • NYC’s influence: Natasha merges these traditions, reflecting her culinary lens as a New Yorker.
• Specific Traditions:
  • Korean hot pot (common with kimchi)
  • Japanese shabu shabu (often meat-focused, especially with Wagyu)
  • Donabe pots and unique condiments in each tradition
• Text in from listener: Shabu shabu, which uses a chafing dish and various proteins/veg, is considered a type of hot pot (04:59).

Seasons & Hot Pot: Not Just for Winter (05:37 – 06:19)

• Hot Pot Year-Round: Natasha encourages enjoying hot pot in every season:
  • “Hot pot in the summer is really the way to do it.” – Natasha Pikowitz (06:04)
  • Summer produce—like tomatoes, greens, and eggplant—shines when cooked hot pot style.

Family & Regional Stories (06:32 – 07:09)

• Personal Roots: Natasha shares her Beijing-born mother’s approach:
  • (“The northern classic”): Simple water broth, accented with mutton, napa cabbage, and white sesame dipping sauce.
  • “It was a very simple, almost austere thing…still the most comforting format that I know it to be.” – Natasha Pikowitz (06:32)

Alchemy of Broth (07:33 – 08:14)

• Broth Evolution:
  • All flavors contributed by guests meld over the evening, culminating in a deeply rich, communal “group soup.”
  • “You are making a group soup together...it’s alchemy. It’s absolutely magic.” – Natasha Pikowitz (07:44)

Communal Eating Across Cultures (08:25 – 09:56)

• Caller Florette: Parallels between Asian hot pots and Swiss fondue; communal cooking and eating as a cross-cultural human tradition.
  • “They couldn’t be further away…and yet they kind of touch upon this incredible human need to come together in sharing food in this interactive and joyful way.” – Natasha Pikowitz (09:56)

Hot Pot Spots in NYC (11:32)

• Natasha’s Recommendation: Xiang Hot Pot in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, praised for its seafood and atmosphere—including karaoke rooms.

Dipping Sauces: Building Flavor (12:04 – 12:38)

• Natasha advocates for a DIY sauce bar:
  • Basic ingredients: soy sauce, sesame oil, vinegar, aromatics.
  • Her “go-to”: nutty, white sesame dipping sauce with a creamy, “whipped milkshake” consistency.
• Tip: Set up the sauce bar so guests can create their custom blends.

Accommodating Dietary Preferences (12:54 – 13:07)

• Separate broths/chambers for vegetarians and vegans; many broths can be made veggie-forward.

The Role of Broth (13:31 – 14:01)

• Broth is “the beating heart of hot pot” but evolves with each ingredient guests add.

Broth Fundamentals (14:09 – 14:34)

• Use rich, homemade bone broths over boxed stocks; accent with Chinese herbs for nutrition and flavor.

Health & Wellbeing Anecdotes (14:34 – 15:04)

• A listener recounts how regular hot pot meals improved their gut health and put IBS in remission.

• Many hot pot ingredients are staples in traditional Chinese medicine, e.g., dried mushrooms, jujubes.

  • Jujubes: “miracle fruit” with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. (15:24)

Recipes & Inspiration (15:43 – 16:10)

• Charred Tomato & Lemongrass Broth: Inspired by Natasha’s backyard garden, ideal for a bright, summer meal.

Hot Pot for All Eaters (16:10 – 16:35)

• Most NYC hot pot restaurants offer vegetarian and non-spicy options; flexible to a wide range of diets.

Sauce Strategies in Restaurants (17:11 – 17:40)

• Natasha’s basic approach:
  • Start with rich sesame paste/peanut butter, add vinegar, aromatics (garlic/ginger), then adjust to taste.
  • “Just, you know, like throw it all in there. But my recommendation is, you know, start with something rich like a sesame paste or a peanut butter...” – Natasha Pikowitz (17:19)

Dumplings & Appetizers (17:40 – 18:40)

• Dumplings: Essential hot pot ingredient, great when made from scratch or store-bought.
• “Xiaobing” (Chinese sesame breads): Natasha describes them as pita-like pockets you fill with meats and dipping sauce—a family favorite.

Why Hot Pot Is “Easy” (19:26 – 20:08)

• Accessibility: Most prep is arranging ingredients attractively versus intensive cooking.
  • Hot pot is low-stakes for dinner parties and fun for those less confident in the kitchen.

Entertaining Tips & “Hot Pot Personalities” (20:31 – 21:35)

• The interactive nature of hot pot reveals unique “hot pot personalities” around the table (e.g., the “germaphobe,” the “toaster”/host).
• “Hot pot is fascinating because it’s almost like this anthropological study where you see these distinct personality types emerge.” – Natasha Pikowitz (21:02)

Event & Encouragement To Try Hot Pot (21:44 – 22:29)

• Upcoming book release and “soup party” at Archestratus Books + Foods in Greenpoint, Brooklyn—with chef Christina Che.
• Final words of encouragement:
  • “You will feel the best you’ve ever felt. It will cure everything that ails you…You’ll sleep the best you’ve ever slept.” – Natasha Pikowitz (22:17)

Notable Quotes

• On the essence of hot pot:
  “The cooking actually happens while you’re eating.” – Natasha Pikowitz (01:47)

• On cultural fusion:
  “It becomes a bit of a mashup…through my own like NYC lens.” – Natasha Pikowitz (02:33)

• On the broth’s transformation:
  “You are making a group soup together...it’s alchemy. It’s absolutely magic.” – Natasha Pikowitz (07:44)

• On hot pot personalities:
  “Hot pot is fascinating because it’s almost like this anthropological study where you see these distinct personality types emerge.” – Natasha Pikowitz (21:02)

• On communal eating:
  “…they kind of touch upon this incredible human need to come together in sharing food in this interactive and joyful way.” – Natasha Pikowitz (09:56)

• On why you should try it tonight:
  “You will feel the best you’ve ever felt. It will cure everything that ails you…You’ll sleep the best you’ve ever slept.” – Natasha Pikowitz (22:17)

Important Timestamps

• Definition & Introduction to Hot Pot: 01:47–02:05
• Cultural variations: 02:25–04:15
• Year-round Hot Pot: 05:37–06:19
• Family & Tradition: 06:32–07:09
• Broth Evolution: 07:44–08:14
• Communal Eating/Fondue Comparison: 08:25–09:56
• NYC Hot Pot Spots: 11:32
• Sauce Building Tips: 12:04
• Vegetarian Options & Divided Broth: 13:07
• The Broth Is the Heart: 13:31
• Homemade Bone Broth: 14:09
• Health Anecdote & Chinese Medicine: 14:34
• Jujube Explanation: 15:24
• Dumpling Role: 17:40
• Bing/Sesame Bread: 18:58
• Why Hot Pot Is “Easy”: 19:26
• Hot Pot Personalities: 20:31
• Book Event Plug & Final Words: 21:44

Conclusion

This episode is a charming, informative journey into hot pot culture by way of NYC, family stories, and practical advice. Natasha Pikowitz and host Tiffany Hansen illuminate both the deeper cultural meanings and the accessible joys of home hot pot, delivering encouragement and creative ideas for listeners hungry to gather, cook, and feast around a bubbling communal pot.