Dinner Last Night (with Emma & Dimity)
We’re Emma & Dimity—identical twins, mamas, and co-hosts of Dinner Last Night. When we became parents, figuring out what to make for dinner—and how to get our families to eat it—was hard. One minute, we were serving up a home-cooked meal; the next, we were in high-stakes negotiations over one bite of broccoli. Between finding time to shop and cook, dodging tantrums, balancing nutrition, and honoring traditions, we often felt like we were facing the daily dinner struggle alone.
So we started asking other parents, “What did you have for dinner last night?” We quickly learned we’re all connected by this daily ritual—but also discovered a world of game-changing mealtime tricks and recipes. That’s why we started Dinner Last Night, a podcast where we swap unfiltered stories with parents around the world, diving into how culture, family dynamics, and daily rhythms shape mealtime. Whether it’s pasta from scratch or cereal in a pinch, every meal has a story—one that proves we’re all in this delicious mess together.
Never miss an episode! Subscribe to our newsletter, where you’ll also be entered to win exclusive giveaways from our amazing guests and be the first to get updates about the podcast: https://emmafrisch.substack.com/
A bit about your co-hosts:
Dimity Palmer-Smith is a co-host of Dinner Last Night, a hobby fitness instructor (her secret accountability hack), and a career educator and nonprofit leader. With a knack for fostering connection and community, Dimity understands the magic of shared meals and the delightful chaos of family dinners. She swore she wouldn’t be a short-order cook, but here she is, whipping up gourmet meals tailored to each kid’s whims! When she’s not discussing dinner with parents worldwide, you’ll find her on the soccer field, at the climbing gym, advocating for local education issues, or exploring nature.
Emma Frisch Emma Frisch is a co-host of Dinner Last Night, a chef, culinary instructor, and writer known for helping people fall back in love with home cooking through simple, seasonal recipes. She’s the author of Feast by Firelight and Seasonal Family Almanac, and co-founded two hospitality ventures—La Buena Onda in Nicaragua and Firelight Camps in Upstate New York—before she had kids and dinner got complicated. A Food Network Star finalist and Fulbright Scholar, Emma’s work has appeared in The New York Times, Vogue, Epicurious, and more. She lives in the Finger Lakes with her husband and two daughters.
Episodes
24 episodes
Stefan Merrill Block: Novelist and Memoirist on Being Homeschooled, Cooking as Rebellion, and The Power of Writing to Heal
Stefan Merrill Block, author of the New York Times bestselling memoir Homeschooled, grew up in near-total isolation, pulled from school by his mother between 4th and 8th grade. His mother cooked without recipes and with maximum paranoi...
Virginia Craddock: Fashion Founder and Mother on Conscious Consumption, Blending Families, and Finding Clarity in Everything
Virginia Craddock is the founder of Inside Out Agency, a multi-brand showroom working to shift the way we think about what we wear, how we consume, and what it all means. She grew up eating Brazilian moqueca in two different households, her par...
Julia Turshen: Cookbook Author on Power Lifting, Working for Home Cooks, and Feeding Loved Ones
Cookbook author and former competitive powerlifter Julia Turshen sits down for a warm, wide-ranging conversation about healing a lifelong eating disorder, the daily labor of home cooking, and how food can heal yourself and the people you love. ...
Jonathan Lee: Novelist and Screenwriter on Taco Tuesdays, Trauma, and the Power of Stories
In this riveting conversation with novelist, screenwriter, and father Jonathan Lee, we discuss the dynamics of family dinners and how “branding” matters to kids, storytelling, and the surprising lessons from Taco Night. From the “perils of prec...
Jana Blankenship: Clean Beauty Pioneer on Natural Fragrance and Meal Hacks for Busy Families
In this episode of Dinner Last Night, we sit down with Jana Blankenship—mother, entrepreneur, herbalist, educator, and founder of the pioneering green beauty brand Captain Blankenship.Jana’s work is rooted in the powerful connec...
Nandini Austin: Ayurvedic Coach on Eating for Your Digestion and Embracing Joy (and Spices!)
In this episode of Dinner Last Night, we talk to Ayurvedic wellness coach Nandini Austin, whose fresh perspective on ancient practices helps modern families feel healthier, more energized, and more connected at the table. Raised in Lon...
.png)
Eliza Blank: Nonprofit CEO on Rescuing Food Waste, Feeding Kids Thoughtfully, and Filipino-Jewish Traditions
On this episode, we’re talking with Eliza Blank—mom, entrepreneur, founder of The Sill, and CEO of
Catherine Carnevale: Slow Fashion CEO and Mom on Flexibility, Gut Instincts & Dance Breaks
We’re kicking off Season 2 of Dinner Last Night with fashion entrepreneur, mom, and all-around creative force, Catherine Carnevale, founder of the sustainable knitwear brand Eleven Six.In thi...
Season 2 Trailer: The Hudson Valley
Season 2 of Dinner Last Night launches January 29th, and this season is really close to our hearts.After taking you around the world in Season 1, we’re staying close to home and pulling up a chair with parents from one of our be...
.png)
An Interview with...Each Other! 👯♀️
To close out Season 1, we’re turning the microphones on ourselves. In this episode, we interview each other for the very first time and dive into all the things we usually ask our guests: our favorite holiday food traditions, the stran...
Reuben Beck (Our Cousin!): Actor and Foodie on Scottish Fare and Gaelic Roots
In this episode, we sit down with our hilarious, big-hearted Scottish cousin, Reuben Beck, and our first-ever non-parent guest. Dimity’s youngest, Kai, kicks things off with the cutest intro, and then we dive into all things Scotland: Beltane a...
Laura Arteaga: Raising Plant-Based Kids, Cross-Cultural Parenting, and Switching Careers
Laura Arteaga is the creator behind Six Hungry Feet, a blog she started during COVID to document and share her family’s vegetarian and vegan recipes. Hailing from the island of Mallorca, Laura grew up in...
Davinia Tomlinson: Caribbean Roots, Helping Women Build Wealth, and Raising Confident Kids
On this week’s episode, we talk with Davinia Tomlinson, the powerhouse behind Rainchq, a platform that helps women around the world build long-term wealth. Born in England to a Caribbean family from St. Kit...
Amy Lee: British Roots, ’90s Beauty Standards, and Secrets We Tell Our Kids
This week, we sit down with multi-hyphenate Hudson Valley mama Amy Lee— artist, writer, and creator of Catskill Culture Club, a Substack that celebrates local artists and g...
Cat Seixas: Herbalist, Author, and Mother on Slow Living, Redefining Success, and Life without a Fridge
This week on Dinner Last Night, we sit down with radiant mama Cat Seixas, author of The Wild Craft, bioregionalist, folk herbalist, photographer, gardener, forager, and mother. Cat lives in a hand-built stone cottage in the hills of We...
Sarah Copeland: Bestselling Author and NYT Chef on "Low-Lift, High-Impact" Cooking and Living Abroad with Kids
This week on Dinner Last Night, we’re chatting with the incredible Sarah Copeland—chef, food blogger, photographer, best-selling cookbook author, gardener, and all-around powerhouse. In this episode, we talk about our families' cultural ...
Dr. Rony Duncan: Psychologist, Mum—and Our Big Sister!—Gives Us Permission Not to Do It All!
This week on Dinner Last Night, we welcome a very special guest—our big sister, Rony Duncan, all the way from Melbourne, Australia!Rony’s our big sister from the same mister, but a different mom (shout-out to our...
Anand Wilder: Indie Rocker and Dad on Raising Bicultural City-Kids Who Aren't Afraid of Spice
We sit down with Anand Wilder—musician, songwriter, former Yeasayer frontman, and devoted dad—to explore how his bicultural Indian-American upbringing, family life, and passion for music intertwine in the kitchen, at home, and in his community....
Rachel Tidd: Homeschooling, Outdoor Learning, and Not Doing It All (Including Dinner)
What happens when a homeschool mom and curriculum creator hands over the kitchen—and the classroom—to her husband? In this episode, Rachel Tidd of Wild Learning shares how she restructured family ...
.png)
Liesha McKinley-Barnett: Food Justice, Honoring our Roots, and Health at Every Size
From Navy chef to farmer, food justice educator and advocate, TEDx speaker, and health-at-every-size nutritionist, Liesha McKinley brings a powerful, multifaceted lens to how we feed our families and ourselves. In this episode, she talks with E...
Danielle: Rewriting the Rules of Dinner and Parenting through Ethical Non-Monogamy
What does it look like to raise kids with radical love and cultural curiosity? In this rich and wide-ranging conversation, we talk with Danielle of Openly Committed about parenting abroad, navigating food traditions across continents, ...
Giulia Scarpaleggia: How Italian Cookbook Author and Mom Simplifies Dinner
What does an Italian mom and cookbook author really make for dinner? Tuscan chef and food writer, Giulia Scarpaleggia, joins us from her countryside home to talk about seasonal cooking, her refreshing approach to “picky” eating, frozen veggie h...
