The Side Dish from America's Test Kitchen - Season 1

1. Game Day

Aired: 2/4/2026

It's the week of the Big Game, and Bridget and Julia are discussing all things ballpark food. The hosts reminisce about the many tailgating adventures they've shared, their controversial opinions on the architecture of the perfect nacho spread, and what exactly makes the perfect wing. But that's not all—the long-time friends and cooking legends also play a game of “Overcooked/Undercooked,” where they guess how many pounds of guacamole is consumed on Super Bowl day, and compete in a round of sports-food trivia.

2. Romance and Food

Aired: 2/18/2026

In this episode, Bridget and Julia chat about the “Super Bowl for lovers”: Valentine's Day. The hosts discuss how they celebrate this love-filled day with their husbands and children, and the romantic dinner fails that made these celebrations even more special. They also take loved-up listener calls, play a round of “This or That” (romance-style), and test their taste buds with a blind taste test of boxed chocolates.

3. TV and Movies

Aired: 3/4/2026

It's officially Awards season, and our hosts Julia and Bridget kick it off by discussing their favorite films, as well as dropping some behind-the-scenes knowledge about how TV shows and movies make their food look so good. Plus, they discuss which celebrities—dead or alive—they’d invite to dinner. They then call it a wrap after playing a film and TV edition of “This or That.”

4. Travel

Aired: 3/18/2026

In this episode, Bridget’s travel hack sandwich makes a grand cameo, and we promise that it's impressive. Julia and Bridget also dish about their favorite restaurants, the fun antics on stage at their PBS road shows, and weigh in on what is (and isn’t) acceptable in-flight etiquette. They also cap off the episode with a game of “Fried, Boiled, Raw.”

5. Past Jobs

Aired: 4/1/2026

It turns out our beloved America’s Test Kitchen hosts weren’t always the dynamic duo we know them as today! In this episode, Julia and Bridget reminisce about their past jobs and the trials and tribulations they faced while learning to be on-camera co-hosts. Get a sneak peek of the resumé Julia used to score her job at ATK, as well as the women's advice on worknight meal prepping.

6. Cooking for a Crowd

Aired: 4/15/2026

In this episode, Bridget and Julia use their wide experience in hosting dinner parties to break down what it takes to cater or host a large gathering. They also debate the best way to cut sandwiches (are you a diagonal or horizontal cutter?), whether or not pineapple does in fact go on pizza, and why a fork may be superior to a spoon when eating mac and cheese.

7. Spring Cleaning

Aired: 4/29/2026

This week it's all about freshening up your kitchen with a nice spring clean. Bridget and Julia discuss their favorite finds from the “magical” take-home fridge at the ATK offices (that gets cleaned out every day!), and ask the audience which ingredients they plan on using up in their fridges and cupboards to make way for fresh new products. Later, Julia admits that she combines all kinds of condiments in order to use them up, and Bridget shares her secretes for getting that garlic smell off your fingers. Finally, the hosts play “Guess How Long This Has Been In My Fridge,” a game for which the title is . . . fairly self-explanatory.

8. Episode 8

Aired: 5/13/2026