We’re easing into June with cold drinks, a plate of something delicious to pick at, and absolutely no judgement if that snack becomes the whole meal. Summer is starting to stretch its legs, which means travel daydreams and planning the first big cookout of the season. The food world is hitting its summer stride too, with the return of some familiar faces and a few new reasons to make side dishes the star of the show.

Food Network’s new competition show 100 Cooks turns the classic idiom “too many cooks in the kitchen” into a full-blown reality premise. Premiering June 7 (and streaming the following day on HBO Max), the series throws 100 home cooks into a seven-week battle hosted by Terry Crews, with Alex Guarnaschelli and Nick DiGiovanni judging and a prize pot of up to $250,000.

Best of the World, premiering June 7 on Nat Geo, follows the Queer Eye alum through Paris, Mexico City, London, and New York in search of food, art, and local culture worth planning a trip around. Expect gorgeous shots of lush open-air markets, highly snackable travel inspiration, and at least one meal that makes you start checking flight prices.

Andrew Rea, better known as Babish, has officially entered the podcast game. His new Eater and Vox Media show In the Booth with Babish pairs chefs and celebrities with a menu-style interview format, starting with Alton Brown as the first guest. Longtime viewers of his YouTube channel, Binging with Babish, already know the appeal: soothing narration, oddly specific food obsessions, and chaotic how-tos that somehow still turn out delicious.

→ Crispy pasta salad is making the rounds just in time for cookout season. The idea is simple: bake or air-fry cooked short pasta until golden, then toss it with cucumbers, tomatoes, herbs, and a creamy dressing. It’s basically the pasta chip trend reincarnated as a summer side.

→ Pickles are having a bigger summer than expected. Between KFC’s fried pickles, the Smoothie King x Grillo’s pickle smoothie, and the continued pull of picklebacks and briny cocktails, the season’s loudest flavor may not be floral or fruity so much as salty, sour, and served very cold.

→ As A Year at Catbird Cottage turns three, Melina Hammer is revisiting one of the recipes she still loves most: wild salmon with fried sage gremolata. It’s got garlic scapes, crispy sage, charred lemon, and just enough spring energy to make dinner feel intentional without asking anyone to own matching plates.

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The snack aisle is about to get a lot busier this month with the launch of Oreo’s much-anticipated collaboration with K-pop group BTS. The limited-edition cookie is inspired by hotteok, the Korean sweet pancake street snack, with purple wafer cookies sandwiching brown sugar pancake-flavored creme. Each cookie is embossed with one of 13 designs tied to the band’s 13th anniversary, including the members’ names, the BTS light stick, and three cookies that form a hidden message for A.R.M.Y., the official name of the BTS fandom. Presale starts June 1, with a wider rollout June 8.

Chef! Jon Favreau’s 2014 fan favorite features a road trip, a food truck, and the Cubano that launched a thousand sandwich cravings. Babish has made his version too, for anyone ready to commit to the bit at home.