NEW YORK - TelAve -- MAX TUCCI UNVEILS NEW PODCAST: Relaunching and Rebranding "MAX & Friends" audio podcast to "Welcome to My Table with Max Tucci" audio/videostream series consisting of mid-to-long-form interviews with diverse guests.

-World Premiere Sunday, January 25, 2026 on L.A. Talk Radio, YouTube, and All Podcasting Platforms

-Airs Weekly Sundays at 8 PM PT / 11 PM ET | Available on All Podcast Platforms After Broadcast

Award-winning media force Max Tucci — bestselling author, restaurateur, television favorite, and one of the original pioneers of podcasting with millions of downloads since 2008 — announces the launch of his highly anticipated return to podcasting with his new weekly unscripted podcast, premiering Sunday, January 25, 2026, on L.A. Talk Radio and globally across all major podcasting platforms, continuing Max's reach to an international audience.

Show Description

Welcome to My Table is an interview-style podcast hosted by podcast veteran and restaurant royalty Max Tucci, filmed in Max's barn at Delmonico Farm in upstate New York. Each episode brings together icons and everyday originals for unguarded conversations about life, legacy, and connection rooted in the Tucci family's 100-year tradition of hospitality. All are welcome at the table.

The new series is executive produced by daytime television royalty — Suzanne Bass (The Wendy Williams Show, Martha, The Rosie O'Donnell Show) and Fran Brescia Coniglio (The Rosie O'Donnell Show, Martha, The Wayne Brady Show, The Tony Danza Show) — Emmy-winning producers behind some of the most iconic and culturally influential talk shows in broadcast history.

This launch also coincides with a milestone year for Tucci, who in 2026 celebrates "100 years of his family's hospitality legacy" — a centennial moment that includes multiple major media, culinary, and cultural announcements throughout the year. This podcast is the first of several high-profile projects marking the historic anniversary.

A NEW FLAGSHIP SHOW FOR SUNDAY NIGHTS

The new podcast replaces MAX & Friends, Tucci's long-running, award-winning show that held the same coveted Sunday night slot on L.A. Talk Radio for 18 consecutive years. During its celebrated run, MAX & Friends earned numerous honors, including Telly Awards, Communicator Awards, Davey Awards, and Muse Awards, as well as accolades for Outstanding Podcast Host and Outstanding Lifestyle Show, to name a few.

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"My grandfather, Oscar Tucci, was famous for saying, 'All are welcome at my table.' I echo him. It brings me great joy to welcome guests to Delmonico's, TUCCI–New York, and Villa Tucci–Firenze, and I loved welcoming audiences to MAX & Friends for nearly two decades. So evolving MAX & Friends into Welcome To My Table with Max Tucci felt like a natural next step. Suzanne Bass gave me the push to get back on-air, and together with Fran Brescia Coniglio, they light a fire under me to take my hosting passion one step further. I'm thrilled for this new chapter—and I know it will grow into something bigger than all three of us are imagining!" Tucci exclaimed.

With the new series, Tucci evolves the format while preserving the intimacy, intelligence, and cultural relevance that made his voice essential listening for nearly two decades.

PREMIERE GUESTS SET A BOLD, CULTURAL TONE

The debut episodes feature a powerful lineup of influential voices across entertainment, food, and culture:

Suzanne Bass — Season 1 kicks off with a headline-making premiere (S1E1) as Tucci sits down with the Emmy-winning force who helped reignite his on-air comeback. In a candid, no-holds-barred conversation, the two revisit how they first crossed paths, how Page Six immortalized the moment — and how Bass didn't just "encourage" Max, she pushed him to dismantle the old format and relaunch bigger, bolder, and brighter. The interview dives into Bass' behind-the-curtain connection to Wendy Williams, stories of what she witnessed in her career, and the night she first met Tucci at Delmonico's — a moment that turns into a deliciously unexpected origin story for the show's next chapter.

Eva LaRue — Emmy-winning actress and producer. Star of All My Children, CSI: Miami, My Nightmare Stalker, The Eva La Rue Story — the two-part docuseries features Max Tucci and airs on Paramount+.

Chef Ayesha Nurdjaja — Brooklyn-bred, James Beard–nominated chef behind two acclaimed NYC restaurants, known for bold Eastern Mediterranean flavors influenced by her Italian and Indonesian roots. Nurdjaja is now a Titan on Bobby's Triple Threat Season 4 and was named to Food Network's 2025 Hot List, and a 2025 IACP Trailblazer Award Winner.

Chef Gabe Bertaccini — World-renowned chef, Food Network star, featured on shows such as Ciao House, 24 in 24: Last Chef Standing, and Beat Bobby Flay.

Melba Wilson — Acclaimed Harlem restaurateur, author, and community leader behind Melba's Restaurant — an iconic soul-food institution — a familiar face on shows such as the Today Show and Food Network, with appearances on Beat Bobby Flay and Throwdown! with Bobby Flay.

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Each week, Max Tucci welcomes guests who shape conversation — from Hollywood and television to hospitality, publishing, and global culture.

EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: DAYTIME TELEVISION ELITE

Suzanne Bass

An Emmy-winning television producer, Suzanne Bass is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in modern daytime television. Her career includes senior producing roles on landmark shows such as The Rosie O'Donnell Show, Martha, and became internationally known from The Wendy Williams Show. Bass is celebrated for her instinctive understanding of audience connection, cultural timing, and host-driven storytelling — skills that made her an architect of long-running, ratings-dominant talk franchises.

Her move into podcasting with Max Tucci brings top-tier broadcast storytelling to the audio space, elevating the genre with television-caliber production and creative vision.

Fran Brescia Coniglio

A three-time Emmy Award–winning producer, Fran Brescia Coniglio has shaped decades of influential daytime and lifestyle television. Her credits include The Rosie O'Donnell Show, The Wayne Brady Show, The Tony Danza Show, and Martha. Known for her ability to draw authentic, emotionally resonant conversations from guests, Coniglio's expertise bridges entertainment, culinary, and cultural programming.

Together, Bass and Coniglio bring an unmatched pedigree to Tucci's new podcast — a collaboration rarely seen in the audio space.

MAX TUCCI: A MEDIA ICON WITH A LEGACY VOICE

Max Tucci is a trusted, recognizable face across television and media. A bestselling author of The Delmonico Way, a celebrated restaurateur behind legendary institutions including Delmonico's and TUCCI – New York, a celebrated storyteller and recipient of the International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP) Trailblazer Award.

Tucci has appeared on Good Morning America, The Drew Barrymore Show, Tamron Hall, SHERRI — The Sherri Shepherd Show, Good Day New York, and serves as a judge on Beat Bobby Flay. Good Morning America famously dubbed him "Restaurant Royalty," while New York Post critic Steve Cuozzo crowned him the "Prince of New York" and "a hospitality wizard."

For nearly two decades, Tucci has been a media favorite — admired for his warmth, intelligence, and ability to create meaningful dialogue across platforms.

ABOUT L.A. TALK RADIO

Founded in 2008, L.A. Talk Radio is a pioneering internet radio network known for championing original voices, live programming, and commercial-free talk radio. Broadcasting globally, the network has become a launchpad for both emerging broadcasters and established media personalities, offering uncensored, authentic conversation to listeners worldwide.

LISTEN

Premieres: Sunday, January 25, 2026
Airs Live: Sundays at 8 PM PT / 11 PM ET on L.A. Talk Radio https://www.latalkradio.com/content/welcome-my-table

Available: All major podcast platforms worldwide

Follow Max Tucci on Instagram: @maxtucci and by visiting http://maxtucci.com

Show hashtags: #WelcomeToMyTableWithMaxTucci
#WTMT #MaxTucci

Media inquiries, interviews, and partnership opportunities: Suzanne Bass