Culinary Time Travel: Sephardic Flavours and Tales with Hélène Jawhara Piñer

 

 

 

Listen to this episode above, via the link below, or on your favourite listening platform.

What can food tell us about history, identity, and resilience?

In this episode of In My Kitchen with Paula, I sit down with Hélène Jawhara Piñer — historian, professor, and author of Matzah and Flour — to explore the powerful stories behind Sephardic cuisine. With a PhD in medieval history and the history of food, Hélène shares how her research into Inquisition trials and Jewish food traditions unearthed a rich, global culinary heritage that continues to shape how we eat today.

We discuss her personal story, including growing up between French and Andalusian cultures, and how her work connects history, religion, and recipes in surprising and eye-opening ways.

You’ll hear reflections on:
 📚 The real history of Sephardic Jews and how their food evolved post-1492
 🥖 The cultural and spiritual meaning behind matzah and unleavened bread
 🧾 Why Inquisition trials are an unlikely but powerful source of food history

Whether you’re a food lover, history buff, or curious traveler, this episode will leave you inspired to see meals — and menus — through a deeper, more meaningful lens.

 

FEATURED RECIPE
Click here for Hélène's recipe!

 

HELPFUL LINKS

📘 Get Hélène’s cookbook Matzah and Flour
📕 Check out her first book: Sephardi: Cooking the History
📸 Follow Hélène on Instagram
🧳 Download my free Travel Planning Tool

 

SUBSCRIBE, RATE & REVIEW

If you love this podcast and want to give me your support, please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. This goes a long way in helping me get in front of other culinary adventurers like you.

Just open up the Apple Podcasts app and go to “In My Kitchen with Paula”. Or, in this episode, click on the 3 dots in the right corner and click on “Go To Show”. At the bottom of the show page, you can rate and review.

 

SAY HELLO

In My Kitchen creates connections one dish at a time, by exploring culture through food. I do this through unique culinary workshops, speaking engagements, and of course, this podcast.

I'd love to hear from you! Connect with me in one of three ways: