Chef Jeremy Fox is best known in Los Angeles for helming the widely acclaimed restaurants Rustic Canyon and Birdie G’s. He joins us to walk through his illustrious career, from his days at David Kinch’s Manresa in Los Gatos, to earning a Michelin star for a vegetarian restaurant attached to a yoga studio in Napa Valley. He talks about how an impounded car led him to move to Southern California, and his very personal inspiration for opening Birdie G’s, his Santa Monica restaurant that he describes as the product of an Eastern European Jew who grew up in the Midwest and settled down in California by way of the American South. Now, there’s a journey. Helpful links: Birdie G's https://www.birdiegsla.com/about/ 8 Nights at Birdie G's https://blog.resy.com/2023/10/8-nights-at-birdie-gs/ Rustic Canyon https://rusticcanyonrestaurant.com/ Chef Jeremy Fox on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/chefjeremyfox/?hl=en --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thelafoodpodcast/support

HAPPY THANKSGIVING! Today’s episode is all about gratitude. For our main course today, I’m joined by Father Sal to reminisce on the meals that we feel most grateful for in 2023. And although yes, there are tales of surf n turf burritos, roasted bone marrow gnocchi, and pizza so good that it haunts my dreams to this day, it’s really a conversation about the intangibles that make certain meals that much more memorable.  But first, Father Sal and I chop up the latest and greatest headlines in the food world. There’s a GOAT-level list of Best Dishes in Mexico City from The New York Times and a not-so-GOAT level list of where to eat in LA from pop singer Tate McRae. We do a “cop or drop” inspired by the many food holiday gift guides that have come out in the past week, and Father Sal gives us his expert take on the Infatuation’s latest guide to LA’s Indian and Pakistani restaurants. There’s a fun little helping of bad idea/horrible idea for ya, and for dessert, we’ve got another edition of our acclaimed segment, “Shitty Yelp Review of the Week,” in which we each share a moment in the past week when the people in our lives would have been justified in leaving us a shitty yelp review as humans. Let’s just say that mine involves shrimp tacos, a stray dog, and Poltergeist chef Diego Argoti. You won’t wanna miss it. Helpful links: The best food guide, in my opinion https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-food-scene/a-food-themed-holiday-gift-guide Infatuation's Best Indian and Pakistani restaurants https://www.theinfatuation.com/los-angeles/guides/the-best-indian-pakistani-restaurants-in-la NYT's Best Dishes in CDMX https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/14/t-magazine/mexico-city-restaurants-food.html Infatuation's Best New Restaurants 2023 https://www.theinfatuation.com/los-angeles/collection/best-new-restaurants-los-angeles-2023 Infatuation's Tate McRae list https://www.theinfatuation.com/los-angeles/guides/tate-mcrae-la-restaurants NY Carbone private dining club https://www.grubstreet.com/2023/11/zzs-club-carbone-privato-nyc.html --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thelafoodpodcast/support

We’re joined today by writer and editor Virali Dave to talk all things Negronis. Virali is a well-versed and passionate consumer of cocktail culture, and the well loved Italian cocktail has been an obsession of hers as of late. She joins us to talk about the cocktail’s origins, how to tell if your bartender’s making you a good one, and where to find the five best versions around the City of Angels. We also spend some time talking about her journey as a food writer, from her humble beginnings fact checking at The Ringer, to her most recent experience writing and editing some pretty awesome pieces for Eater LA.  Also... there have been some important developments with respect to legal street vending in Los Angeles. In October, LA City Council Member Hugo Soto-Martinez introduced a motion that could have some pretty significant ramifications for LA’s street vendors. We’re joined by Doug Smith of Inclusive Action for the City to break down what it all means. Helpful links: Virali on IG https://www.instagram.com/virali/?hl=en Virali's article on Rendition Room https://la.eater.com/2023/9/11/23863248/rendition-room-speakeasy-studio-city-scott-warren-bartender-feature Rendition Room https://therenditionroom.wildapricot.org/ Margot https://www.margot.la/ Grandmaster Recorders https://grandmasterrecorders.com/ Baar Baar https://www.baarbaarla.com/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thelafoodpodcast/support

LA3C Food and Music Festival is coming to Downtown LA’s Historic Core this weekend. We’re joined by Joey Rubin, who leads food curation for the festival, to hear about how him and his team put together one of the coolest food festival experiences this city has ever seen. From a Oaxacan sushi pop-up featuring the folks over at Simon in Silver Lake, to a bonkers collab between Poltergeist’s Diego Argoti and Pearl River Deli’s Johnny Lee that may or may not feature an orange chicken burrito, this is truly the kind of food experience that could only happen in LA. So listen to the conversation with Joey, go buy the $20 tickets - $20! That’s it! - and I’ll see you there, dear listener. But first, I’m going to give you a quick rundown of 3 news stories that caught my eye this week. There’s a LA restaurant that’s been named to Eater’s list of Best New Restaurants in America 2023, a fascinating look at Erewhon’s questionable past, and some fried chicken drama cracking on between Timeout LA and Le Coupe. Helpful links: LA3C Marketplace tickets https://www.la3c.com/marketplace Biite Club https://biite.club/ Joey on IG https://www.instagram.com/joey.rubin/?hl=en Eater's Best New Restaurants America https://www.eater.com/2023/11/7/23949168/eaters-best-new-restaurants-america-2023 The Cut on Erewhon https://www.thecut.com/article/erewhon-smoothie-boston-los-angeles-history.html Timeout LA fried chicken list https://www.timeout.com/los-angeles/restaurants/best-fried-chicken-in-los-angeles --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thelafoodpodcast/support

We’re joined today by Farley Elliott. One of Los Angeles’ preeminent voices in food media, Farley’s been bringing us mouth-watering stories for more than a decade via the likes of LAist, LA Weekly and, more recently, in his capacity as Senior Editor of Eater LA. Farley recently announced that he’d be leaving Eater for a new adventure as the So Cal Bureau Chief of SF Gate, where he’s already gotten off to a fast start, covering interesting topics ranging from In N Out Burger’s reclusive founder to the LA dude who went viral for ordering a scooped, gluten-free bagel at a New York City bagel shop. Farley tells us the story of how we went from eating poutine and Thousand Island dressing on his family’s dairy farm in upstate New York, to traversing the South Land for the tastiest bites and stories our region has to offer. It’s a conversation full of delicious anecdotes, lessons learned and thoughtful reflections on what it means to report on food and restaurants in a city like Los Angeles, and what he hopes to accomplish in his new role with SF Gate. And oh yeah, there’s even a bit about  a viral video featuring tiny hamsters eating tiny burritos. Don’t say I never gave you anything, dear listener.  Helpful links: Farley's page at SF Gate https://www.sfgate.com/author/farley-elliott/ Farley on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/overoverunder/?hl=en Farley's book on street food https://www.amazon.com/Los-Angeles-Street-Food-Tamaleros/dp/1626199914 Tiny hamsters eating tiny burritos https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOCtdw9FG-s --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thelafoodpodcast/support

We’re joined today by the indomitable Bricia Lopez, a widely respected entrepreneur and author whose family restaurant, Guelaguetza, has been enchanting the palates of Angelenos with Oaxacan delicacies for nearly three decades. Bricia joins me to discuss the restaurant’s origin story, how she and her siblings helped save it from bankruptcy 10 years ago, and what it means to uphold Guelaguetza’s legacy while working to keep things fresh and exciting. We get into the ins and outs of mole and why you should never even THINK about calling it a chocolate sauce, and Bricia even gives us a run-down of how to spend the ideal weekend getaway to Oaxaca. It’s a treat of a conversation and I can’t wait for you to listen to it, dear listener.  Father Sal also swings by to chop up some of the biggest headlines in the food world. We talk about a couple of fascinating new developments coming to a sleepy corner of Chinatown, a troubling new twist in California’s service fee saga, and the first signs of a potential Mario Batali comeback (please hold while I vomit). Most importantly, though, I get to vent about an LAist article that felt a bit like a personal insult, and if you think that sounds dramatic, just you wait, dear listener. Helpful links: Guelaguetza website https://www.ilovemole.com/ Mole and More by Bricia Lopez website https://moleandmore.com/bio Asada Cookbook https://store.ilovemole.com/collections/home-and-kitchen/products/asada-the-art-of-mexican-style-grilling-signed-copy Bricia Lopez on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/bricialopez/?hl=en Mario Batali comeback? https://www.eater.com/23929016/mario-batali-teases-comeback-instagram-virtual-events Service fees in trouble https://sf.eater.com/2023/10/18/23922950/california-restaurant-service-fee-ban-junk-fee-law-confusion-rob-bonta?_gl=1*lb21tw* Victor Heights LA Times article https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2023-10-24/victor-heights-alpine-street-perilla-chinatown-gentrification LAist article in question https://laist.com/news/food/this-guy-ate-100-la-burgers-over-8-years-in-a-quest-for-the-best --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thelafoodpodcast/support

Our guest today is Paul Feinstein, the author of the upcoming book Italy Cocktails: An Elegant Collection of Over 100 Recipes Inspired by Italia. Paul is a renowned food and travel writer with bylines in publications ranging from BBC to La Cucina Italiana. He spent months singularly focused on compiling the best recipes and stories associated with Italian cocktails. The end product is a gorgeous book that I’m predicting will be one of this holiday season’s hottest culinary gifts. In my mind, Paul is kind of like the Dos Equis Most Interesting Man in the World of food and travel writers, so we also talk about how he found his way into this globe-trotting line of work. We talk about which travel experiences most deeply impacted him, which types of stories he most enjoys writing, and how one particular food writing assignment almost brought him face to face with his maker. So head to your bar cart, dear listener, fix yourself a stiff drink and prepare for a doozy.  Helpful links: Pre-order the book! https://amzn.to/46PJeJD Paul's website https://www.mrpaulfeinstein.com/ Paul's Instagram https://www.instagram.com/mrpaulfeinstein/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thelafoodpodcast/support

We’re joined today by Aaron Melendrez, the chef and owner behind one of Southern California’s most exciting sandwich shops, Uptown Provisions in Whittier. From an Asian-inspired egg salad that’ll change your life, to a pastrami sandwich that could go toe to toe with the best of ‘em, Uptown Provisions is the LA sandwich scene’s best kept secret. It’s no surprise that behind such an interesting operation is a dude with a super interesting story. Aaron walks us through how he went from living in South Korea doing intelligence for the Air Force, to helming some of LA’s most forward-thinking beverage programs, and eventually going out on his own to start a baller sandwich shop that draws on his techniques as a mixologist to make some of the most interesting sandwiches this town has ever seen.  Personally, I was super inspired by Aaron’s story. It’s very much one of learning as you go, drawing inspiration from the unlikeliest of situations, and regularly checking in with yourself to determine whether the path you’re on is actually making you happy. Helpful links: Uptown Provisions https://www.uptownwhittierprovisions.com/ Uptown Provisions Instagram https://www.instagram.com/uptown_provisions/?hl=en --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thelafoodpodcast/support

We’re joined today by Hannah Wilen, the co-founder of Kavahana, Los Angeles’ first-ever kava bar. Kava is a drink that’s traditional to the Pacific Islands. It’s been consumed and celebrated for more than 3,000 years, and is known for making you relaxed and happy without any ABV to speak of. Kavahana is looking to bring the kava experience to Los Angeles, and today’s conversation is a fascinating journey into the drink’s history and its many health and wellness benefits. We also get into the topic of what it’s like to have an idea for a business and transform that idea into a reality. We talk about the ups and downs of entrepreneurship, and Hannah shares some pretty inspiring wisdom for anyone looking to start a business of their own.  Also on this pod... It's the end of the legislative session in California, and there are several new laws on Governor Newsom’s desk that stand to impact the restaurant industry in big ways. Being the helpful podcast that we are, we’re going to give you a quick run-down of what those laws are, and offer our takes on how they could potentially help or hurt our beloved local businesses.  Helpful links: Kavahana https://www.kavahana.com/ Kavahana on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/kavahanabar/ Kavahana on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@kavahana Eater round-up of the new laws hitting California's food and bev industry https://la.eater.com/2023/10/3/23872067/california-legislation-session-governor-gavin-newsom-lawmakers-los-angeles-san-francisco LAist article on the new law allowing cannabis stores to serve food https://laist.com/news/food/cannabis-lounges-could-soon-serve-food --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thelafoodpodcast/support

The New York Times dropped a list of “The 25 Best Restaurants in Los Angeles Right Now.” Coming on the heels of the paper’s 2023 Restaurant List a few weeks ago, critic at large Tejal Rao describes the new list as her “current favorites in one of the greatest food cities in the world.” Father Sal joins me to comb through the selected restaurants, opine on the quality of the list as a whole, and share a couple of Rao’s choices that left us scratching our respective heads. We also ask ourselves the questions who is this list really for, what’s the point of having so many similar lists floating around in the ether, and what would be an even better way to do this whole listicle journalism thing? But first, Father Sal and I round up the headlines to sift through what matters and what doesn’t. There’s a waste controversy at Erewhon, another round of harassment allegations at Nobu Malibu, and a sad landlord story affecting one of LA’s most beloved Japanese cafes. We also talk robot food delivery, coffee omakase, and my new favorite topic, dining in the nude. We finish the episode off with a brand new segment called “Bad Yelp Review,” where we each share a moment from the past week in which the people in our lives would have been justified in leaving us a shitty Yelp review as humans. Podcasting was gonna be fun, they said. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thelafoodpodcast/support

We’re headed to Los Angeles’ temple of soccer, BMO Stadium, home of Los Angeles FC, to break down how to achieve the best day of eating in and around the stadium. Friend of the pod Daniel Wargo, who you might know as Forking Around on social media, joined me this past Saturday for a day of food, fun, and futbol, as we attended the white hot rivalry match between LAFC and the LA Galaxy. The game was beyond intense, but so was our commitment to finding the best way to make your day at the stadium an unforgettable eating experience as well.  We break down the best places to eat before the game, what to nosh on when you’re inside the stadium, and where to head for a late night feast once the game’s all said and done. We also tell you about our experience at the game itself, so get ready for stirring tales on-field heroics, and a recounting of a pretty hairy but also wildly hilarious altercation Daniel and I had with a half-naked LA Galaxy supporter.  Whether or not you’re a soccer fan, I think this episode is a great reminder of what makes Los Angeles such a fun and exciting place to live. And it all culminates with a round of our trademark game The Perfect Rec - I challenge Daniel to offer the perfect recommendation for where to eat around all of LA’s greatest sports venues. How does he fare? Listen to find out.  --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thelafoodpodcast/support

Gustavo Arellano is one of Southern California’s most influential voices in food and culture over the course of the last 25 years. Gustavo is a columnist for the Los Angeles Times, and he’s also currently the namesake of KCRW and Gustavo’s Great Tortilla Tournament, which culminates this October 8 at Smorgasburg in Downtown LA.  He’s a best-selling author, he was the long-time food critic of the storied OC Weekly, and his TV appearances include the likes of David Chang’s Ugly Delicious, Chelsea Handler’s Chelsea Lately and Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations. He joins the pod today to tell us about his storied career, from his days at the OC Weekly to his more recent endeavors with the Times and KCRW. His anecdotes are absolutely hilarious, and his takes are hotter than the chili peppers he apparently grows in his front yard. More than anything, I found Gustavo’s whole approach to food wholly refreshing. The joy, curiosity and excitement with which he approaches pretty much any topic is contagious, whether he’s talking about the current state of food journalism or what distinguishes a good tortilla from a crappy one. And by the way, we get into both on this podcast! Helpful links: Gustavo's website https://www.gustavoarellano.org/newsletters/ The tortilla tournament https://www.kcrw.com/events/tortilla-tournament Alta Baja Market https://www.altabajamarket.com/ Taco USA https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Taco-USA/Gustavo-Arellano/9781439148624 Gustavo's LA Times page https://www.latimes.com/people/gustavo-arellano Gustavo on X https://twitter.com/GustavoArellano Gustavo on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/gustavo_arellano/?hl=en --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thelafoodpodcast/support

Dave Portnoy of Barstool Sports went viral last week after he posted one of his One Bite Pizza Reviews. He was reviewing Dragon Pizza, a small independent pizza shop in Somerville, Massachusetts. Turns out the owner, Charlie Redd, wasn’t such a fan of Portnoy’s and came out front to give the man a pizza of his mind. See what I did there? Never mind.  This was just the beginning though! Their profanity-laden interaction quickly became the talk of TikTok, Instagram, and the app formerly known as Twitter. Portnoy went on Tucker Carlson to talk about the incident, and Redd did an interview with Bon Appetit to give his side of the story. The situation spiraled out of control with Portnoy’s followers pulling out all of the stops to mess with Dragon Pizza, including tanking their Yelp rating and putting in fake orders at the shop.  It’s a pizza feud that says a lot about the state of food criticism, the power of food influencers, and the insanity of the culture wars. I had to have Father Sal join me to chop up all the hairy details and discuss the questions of do we care, why do we care, and what the heck does this all mean? --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thelafoodpodcast/support

Carmen Dianne and Kara Still are the co-founders of Prosperity Market, a farmers market on wheels whose mission is to support local black farmers and food businesses throughout L.A. and create food access in communities where it’s currently lacking. They believe that by focusing on the local food system, they can feed their neighbors, and create a substantial economic impact.  Carmen and Kara join the pod today for a fascinating conversation on how Prosperity Market was born, the systemic challenges facing black farmers and business owners in today’s society, and what we can do as consumers and concerned citizens to create an ecosystem where everyone can thrive. Father Sal also joins us to discuss a week of escape rooms and good eatin’ in our City of Angels. We break down the tasting menu at Holbox, debate the criteria for what makes a good taco crawl, and reminisce on a pretty epic night out at The old Airliner in Lincoln Heights on the heels of the news that it’s now being re-oponed as a fancy pan-Asian restaurant. Helpful links: Prosperity Market https://www.prosperitymarketla.com/ Together We're Greater fundraiser https://www.prosperitymarketla.com/its-bigger-than-us-initiative/ LA Times Prosperity Market article https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2023-08-18/prosperity-market-helps-black-owned-businesses-stay-open-los-angeles Food insecurity info https://www.prosperitymarketla.com/about/#why Poltergeist article https://la.eater.com/2023/8/30/23851438/poltergeist-restaurant-button-mash-echo-park-los-angeles-service-check Airliner re-opens https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2023-09-04/century-old-lincoln-heights-bar-the-airliner-reopens Tesar fired https://pagesix.com/2023/09/01/top-chefs-john-tesar-out-at-own-eatery-after-three-months-following-altercation/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thelafoodpodcast/support

Gilberto Cetina is the chef and owner of Holbox, the Los Angeles Times 2023 Restaurant of the Year. On this episode, Cetina traces the journey that brought him to where he is today. We talk about the dreaded childhood chore that was helping his family make tamales to sell at church, his adolescence spent spearfishing with his cousins on the Yucatan peninsula, the experience that was opening the family’s first restaurant, Chichen Itza, and what he learned from a failed expansion into a second location. The story culminates, of course, with the opening of Holbox, and Chef Cetina is very generous in letting us see behind the curtain to learn more about the magic behind some of his most iconic dishes.  Helpful links: Holbox website https://www.holboxla.com/#/ Holbox on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/holboxlosangeles/ Chichen Itza https://www.chichenitzarestaurant.com/ LA Times names Holbox 2023 Restaurant of the Year https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2023-06-13/gilberto-cetina-holbox-los-angeles-times-2023-restaurant-of-the-year --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thelafoodpodcast/support

UK cooking show Five Star Chef has finally made it to Netflix, and Father Sal joins me today to break down what can only be described as the best British export to grace these shores since Harry Styles began serving angelic sounds and androgynous fashion choices. Five Star Chef follows a cast of up-and-coming chefs as they compete to take over the iconic Palm Court restaurant at the five-star Langham Hotel in London. The show is a bona fide rollercoaster of emotion, and whether you’ve seen it or not, I think you’ll enjoy our discussion of what makes a cooking show actually good, as opposed to the gimmicky nonsense clogging up our Hulu home screens.  But first, Sal and I get into the Los Angeles food news of the past couple weeks. We discuss an absolutely heinous list brought to us by the LA Times, why a vegan restaurant in Santa Monica has decided to add meat to their menu, and what the heck is driving all of the high profile restaurant closures we’re seeing in 2023. Tallulah, we hardly knew ya. Helpful links: Five Star Chef https://www.netflix.com/title/81507383 Margo starts serving meat https://la.eater.com/2023/8/21/23840379/margos-former-plant-based-adds-meat-to-menu-santa-monica-restaurant Restaurant closures https://la.eater.com/2023/8/22/23840539/biggest-restaurant-closures-los-angeles-summer-2023-news Etta-gate https://la.eater.com/2023/8/22/23842250/etta-culver-city-eviction-staff-layoffs-los-angeles-news Kristen Kish feature https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/22/dining/kristen-kish-top-chef.html LA Times NY list https://www.latimes.com/food/list/15-nostalgic-new-york-inspired-restaurants-for-a-slice-of-the-big-apple --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thelafoodpodcast/support

Lien Ta is the restaurateur behind All Day Baby, Here’s Looking At You and Tet a Tet. Lien’s story is a fascinating one, and we retrace her steps from her childhood in Georgia eating beige foods at Chili’s to her culinary awakening in New Orleans, which eventually resulted in her opening one of LA’s best loved restaurants of the last decade, Here’s Looking At You in Koreatown. We discuss the challenges of opening a new restaurant, what it was like to close seemingly for good during the pandemic, only to then rise from the ashes against all odds. From her leadership at her restaurants to her work supporting woman-owned business with Regarding Her Food, Lien is truly a shining light in the Los Angeles food community, and I’m stoked for you to hear our conversation.  Also on this episode… The Infatuation released a controversial list of the 19 best pizzerias in Los Angeles this week. This caused quite a stir to say the least, so I outline the pizzerias I think were most hard-done by being excluded from the list.  Helpful links: Lien's Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lientigre/?hl=en Here's Looking At You https://www.hereslookingatyoula.com/ All Day Baby https://www.alldaybabyla.com/ Regarding Her Food https://www.regardingherfood.com/ Infatuation Pizza List https://www.theinfatuation.com/los-angeles/guides/the-best-pizza-in-los-angeles Pizzana https://pizzana.com/ Milana's http://www.milanasnewyorkpizzeria.com/ Pi LA https://pila213.com/ Gra https://xn--gr-nia.com/ Gorilla Pies https://gorillapies.com/ Dough Daddy https://www.instagram.com/doughdaddyla/?hl=en Dtown Pizzeria https://www.dtownpizzeria.com/ Lucky Nick's luckynickspizza.com Brandoni Pepperoni https://www.brandoni-pepperoni.com/ Quarantine Pizza Company https://www.instagram.com/quarantinepizzaco/ Hail Mary Pizza https://hailmarypizzala.com/ Hot Tongue https://www.hottonguepizza.com/ Tomato Pie https://www.tomatopiepizzajoint.com/ Bagel and Slice https://bagelandslice.com/ Pizza Wagon of Brooklyn https://www.pizzawagonofbrooklynmenu.com/ Dough Box https://order.doughboxla.com/ Blackbird https://blackbirdpizzashopla.com/ Mother Wolf https://www.motherwolfla.com/ Speak Cheezy https://www.speak-cheezy.com/ Best Bet https://www.bestbetpizzeria.la/ Friends and Family https://www.ffpizzaco.com/ Ghisallo https://www.ghisallo.la/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thelafoodpodcast/support

David Chang’s Secret Chef is out on Hulu, and Father Sal joins me to break down the first season. We discuss the concept, the contestants, the challenges, and ask ourselves whether one of the most iconoclastic chefs in the game succeeded in breaking the mold of cooking competition shows. We also discuss a couple of chaotic news weeks in food. Taco Maria has closed, John Tesar tried to get canceled, a diabolical service fee spreadsheet has burst onto the scene, and our city has been confronted with a pork crisis that’s squeezing barbecue pitmasters and carniceros alike… We discuss all of that and more. Helpful links: Secret Chef https://press.hulu.com/shows/secret-chef/ Pork crisis https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2023-08-04/los-angeles-barbecue-restaurants-react-to-proposition-12-pork-prices Taco Maria closure https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-07-25/taco-maria-closes-saturday-carlos-salgado-future-relocation Service charge spreadsheet https://la.eater.com/2023/8/8/23823809/los-angeles-service-charge-reddit-am-intel Tesar loses it https://la.eater.com/2023/8/9/23823674/chef-john-tesar-video-strike-union-labor-workers-orange-county-yelling-knife-restaurant-news The Bear Season 3 predictions https://chicago.eater.com/2023/7/28/23809939/the-bear-season-3-fx-hulu-predictions Dave Portnoy pizza fest https://www.tmz.com/2023/08/01/barstool-sports-dave-portnoy-one-bite-pizza-festival/ Restaurant reservation fee https://ny.eater.com/2023/8/3/23817542/reservation-fees-deposits-resy-opentable-nyc?_gl=1*1bx0wxg* --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thelafoodpodcast/support

We are joined today by Tanya Kollar, the food curator of Outside Lands. She has the massive responsibility of assembling the vendors that keep the masses fed, working with them to figure out how they’re going to serve their food in a festival setting, and ironing out all of the mind-boggling logistics to make it all happen. Even if you’re not going to the festival next week, you’re gonna want to add some of the restaurants we discuss to your Bay Area bucket list.  I also share with you 3 incredible meals I’ve had recently. I’ve been eating like a damn prince lately, if I’m being honest, and it was insanely difficult to choose just 3 for today’s pod. But alas, choices were made, and I’ve got stories of mariscos, roast beef and Italian ice coming your way in just a minute.  Helpful links: Outside Lands https://sfoutsidelands.com/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwoK2mBhDzARIsADGbjermZ_F1mXw-bzNW2_B9Lb5aXZ0GprL0-rhBc0oCd-BuKRC9K5NyVhQaAn7sEALw_wcB Outside Lands food https://sfoutsidelands.com/food-and-drink/taste-of-the-bay-area/ Za Za Za www.zazaza.la Pane Bianco https://www.pizzeriabianco.com/pane-bianco-los-angeles Coco's To-Go Go https://www.instagram.com/cocostogogo/?hl=en --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thelafoodpodcast/support

Joining us on the pod today are Francesca Pistorio and Francesco Lucatorto, the husband-and-wife team behind Ceci’s Gastronomia in Silver Lake. Ceci’s is designed to recreate the authentic Nonna experience. If you’ve got a Nonna, an abuela, an Oma or any kind of grandmother, you know what I’m talking about. You stop by her house for a quick coffee, maybe a pastry, and before you can say “mamma mia”, you’re leaving with a to-go container of lasagna, gnocco alla romana, suppli and whatever the heck she felt like whipping up on that particular day. Well guess what, that’s also what happens every time I go to Ceci’s. And Not only is the food at Ceci’s spectacular, the experience is too. It’s cozy, familial, welcoming, and frankly, the closest approximation to a true Italian breakfast-and-lunch spot that you can find in Los Angeles. What about Francesco and Francesca, you ask? Well, they’re an absolute treat. Their story of falling in love with food and with each other will leave you hankering for a rewatch of your favorite Italy-based rom com. Under the Tuscan Sun would be my choice. What’s yours? We talk about surfing, suppli, the state of Italian food in LA, and so much more. Helpful links: Ceci's https://www.cecisoven.com/ Ceci's Instagram https://www.instagram.com/cecis_gastronomia/?hl=en Taste of Italy https://www.iamla.org/taste-of-italy/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thelafoodpodcast/support

Ian Asbury is the Co-founder of Good Clean Fun, an absolutely bitchin’ natural wine shop and bar in downtown LA. Natural wine has been on the rise for a minute now, but a lot of folks are still skeptical. How is it made? Is it real wine? Is it even any good? These are all questions we get into with Ian, who’s passion for the form is, frankly contagious. We also talk about his journey from dining at Olive Gardens in Beaverton, Oregon to becoming a widely respected food and wine entrepreneur in our City of Angels.  Father Sal also joins us to break down Michelin’s California Guide, which was released earlier this week. Once again, Los Angeles was low-key snubbed, losing two stars and gaining only one. We tlak about what this says about LA, what this says about Michelin, and whether you as an eater should even care. We also spend a little bit of time talking about the LA Times’ recent coverage of Mexico City. Daniel Hernandez published a nice little three-piece set on the changing face of the city, and how to best enjoy it as a traveling Angeleno.  Helpful links: Good Clean Fun https://gcfwines.com/ California Michelin Guide https://guide.michelin.com/us/en/article/michelin-star-revelation/michelin-guide-california-stars LAT on Mexico City https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2023-07-13/mexico-city-essay-daniel-hernandez LAT tips for traveling in Mexico City https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2023-07-14/mexico-city-tips-dos-donts-daniel-hernandez LAT Mexico City recs https://www.latimes.com/food/list/best-mexico-city-restaurants-bars-tacos-cantinas-dessert --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thelafoodpodcast/support

Kat Turner is chef and partner of Highly Likely, one of LA’s hottest all day restaurant concepts. They’ve been serving the West Adams neighborhood for several years now, and are on the verge of opening a second location in Highland Park. Chef Kat joins us to discuss Highly Likely’s food and new location, but also her own personal journey which has taken her from acting in a David Lynch movie to private cheffing for Billy Corrigan on tour. Also, did I mention she’s a Chopped champion? We talk about what that was like, and I even give her a virtual basket of mystery ingredients to see if she’s still got it.  We’re also joined by world-renowned Top Chef scholar Father Sal to discuss the late breaking news that Season 10 champion Kristen Kish will be taking over as host now that the great Padma Lakshmi has stepped down. Will she be up to the challenge? Or is this a missed opportunity for the show to go in a totally new direction? We discuss all that and what we think of setting season 21 in Wisconsin.  Helpful links: Highly Likely on IG https://www.instagram.com/itshighlylikely/ Kat Turner on IG https://www.instagram.com/katturnerwashere/?hl=en Highly Likely website https://www.itshighlylikely.com/ Chef Keith Corbin's book https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/677186/california-soul-by-keith-corbin/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thelafoodpodcast/support

Today’s episode is all about The Bear. We’re joined by culinary producer Courtney Storer to break down the behind-the-scenes of Season 2, which is now airing on Hulu. Courtney is a Los Angeles-based chef who’s many credentials include running the kitchen at Jon & Vinny’s. Courtney is, in a nutshell, one of the main reasons why The Bear feels like such an accurate representation of restaurant life, and why it’s resonated with so many inside and out of the industry. We talk about her experience working with actors to ensure they’re moving around the kitchen believably, how she went about creating the gut-wrenching chaos present in the already iconic Feast of the Seven Fishes episode guest starring Jamie Lee Curtis, and how important it was to her to do right by Chicago’s legendary culinary scene. Courtney is wise beyond her years and we also get into some heavier topics like mental health in the kitchen, how our personal trauma informs our beliefs about ourselves, and why so many chefs have no problem taking care of others, but have a really tough time taking care of themselves. In Part 2 we’re joined by Father Sal. We give our overall takes on Season 2, and discuss things like who gave the best performance, which episode made us cry the most and is Rick Bayless an idiot for saying the show set the industry back 20 years. In Part 3, we let our creative juices flow and pitch our best ideas for how we think The Bear should open Season 3, Episode 1. If you’re afraid of spoilers, I recommend listening to Part 1 with Courtney and saving the rest of the pod for after you’ve seen the show. Helpful links: Courtney's Instagram https://www.instagram.com/courtney__storer/?hl=en The Bear on FX https://www.fxnetworks.com/shows/the-bear Queen Street https://resy.com/cities/la/queen-st?date=2023-07-07&seats=2 Yang's Kitchen https://www.yangskitchenla.com/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thelafoodpodcast/support

Gab Chabran is the Associate Editor of Food and Culture at LAist. He’s a Whittier native and a Long Beach resident, and joins the pod to offer a diverse and far-reaching perspective on our region's amazing food. Gab tells us the story of how his dual passions for music and food molded his professional journey, landing him in the driver’s seat of one of LA’s most respected food newsrooms. Gab’s is a story of tenacity, perseverance and, of course, plenty of delicious food. We talk old school pizza parlors, new school burger pop-ups, and of course, what goes into making the perfect mixtape. Because what else would you want to learn on a food podcast? Helpful links: Gab's Instagram https://www.instagram.com/gabchabran/?hl=en Gab on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@gabchabran Gab's bio https://laist.com/people/gab-chabran LAist's food section https://laist.com/news/food --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thelafoodpodcast/support

Father Sal joins me to discuss the 2023 LA Times Restaurant of the Year. This year’s honors went to Holbox, Gilberto Cetina’s seafood concept at Mercado la Paloma near USC, and while we definitely give them their flowers, our discussion today is more about what it means to be s a Restaurant of the Year in the first place, what distinguishes this type of recognition from other big time awards in the food world, and which LA restaurants we can see snagging the title in years to come. We also recap the latest and greatest in the food world, from the most recent iteration of the World’s 50 best  Restaurants List, to Netflix’s foray into the pop-up dining world.  Finally, we’re joined by our good friend Brian Lerner who you might know on social media as Brian Eats. We’re debuting a new segment with Brian in which we explore what to eat when you’re on the road in different cities. Brian recently left our City of Angels for San Jose, and he walks us through the eats you absolutely must check out next time you’re up there on a business trip, family visit, or your annual pilgrimage to the alma mater of Joey Chestnut. That’s right, dear listener, the greatest eater of all time went to San Jose State. Imagine that. Helpful links: LA Times Restaurant of the Year https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2023-06-13/gilberto-cetina-holbox-los-angeles-times-2023-restaurant-of-the-year LA Times Jonathan Gold Award winner https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2023-06-13/2023-la-times-gold-award-winner-parks-korean-bbq-jenee-kim World's 50 Best https://www.theworlds50best.com/list/1-50 Brian Eats on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/brianeats__/?hl=en Brian Eats on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@brianeats Pre-Hispanic Mexican cuisine https://www.instagram.com/prehispanicmxcuisine/?hl=en Adamsons French Dip https://www.adamsonsfrenchdip.com/ Slice of Homage Pizza https://www.sohpizza.com/ Horn Barbecue https://www.hornbarbecue.com/ Kowbird Fried Chicken https://www.instagram.com/kowbird/?hl=en --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thelafoodpodcast/support

Food writer, editor and founder of Pain Pizza Karen Palmer joins the pod for a wide-ranging conversation on making a career in food writing, the joys of pizza, and why everyone should aspire to become a regular at their favorite restaurants. I'm a big fan of Karen's and her perspective on food (read: carbs) and I think this conversation will remind you to do (and eat) what you love. Father Sal also joins me for a far less enjoyable conversation reliving Top Chef Season 20. We allow him to revel in his Fantasy Top Chef victory, and we award the superlatives of the season. Helpful links: Karen Palmer website http://www.karenlpalmer.com/ Karen Palmer on IG https://www.instagram.com/karenlpalmer/?hl=en Pain Pizza https://www.painpizza.com/about Pain Pizza on IG https://www.instagram.com/painpizza/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thelafoodpodcast/support

Daniel Wargo joins the pod to recap the epic season finale of Top Chef World All-Stars Helpful links Forking Around on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/forkingaround.tv/ Forking Around on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@forkingaround_tv Top Chef website https://www.bravotv.com/top-chef --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thelafoodpodcast/support

Happy Top Chef Finale Week to all those who celebrate. To preview the occasion, we’re joined by Top Chef Executive Producer and Showrunner Doneen Arquines. We talk why this season of Top Chef World All-Stars has been so damn special and why you should drop everything to tune into the finale on Thursday night. We also dive into Doneen’s incredible journey from being a Production Assistant in 2006 when the show started, to Executive Producing the show today. I ask her what her favorite challenges have been over the years, which city she most enjoyed filming in, and of course, what the show will look like without the great Padma Lakshmi, who announced last week she’ll be moving on from the show starting next season.  Speaking of culinary legends, Father Sal joins me to discuss a weekend that saw Los Angeles dominate the medal count at the James Beard Awards. We give love to Anajak Thai, giggle at Eater’s petty behavior towards Bill Addison, and reflect on what these awards mean for LA’s continuing culinary ascendance. Helpful links: Full list of winners https://www.eater.com/23749724/james-beard-awards-2023-winners-restaurant-and-chef-awards Petty Eater article that minimizes Bill Addison's win https://la.eater.com/2023/6/6/23750210/los-angeles-restaurants-james-beard-awards-winners-ceremony-chefs Diep Tran's JB Award-winning essay https://www.foodandwine.com/the-day-my-cooking-ambitions-got-the-best-of-me-6950944 Fatima Ali's book, Savor https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/07/books/review/savor-fatima-ali.html The YouTube show that beat Top Chef https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9rX1LVnB3U NYT piece on James Beard "interrogations" https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/31/dining/james-beard-restaurants-investigation.html --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thelafoodpodcast/support

Joining us today on the pod is Evan Lovett of LA in a Minute. You’ve probably seen Evan’s face on your TikTok or Instagram feeds, dropping some serious knowledge on the City of Angels’ wonderful and often whacky history. Whether he’s answering the question of why Trader Joe’s parking lots are always so damn small, or why people from LA say “the” before freeway numbers, Evan’s passion for Los Angeles is the secret ingredient that makes his storytelling so special.  On this episode, we discuss topics like why so many fast food chains were born in Los Angeles, what the heck Jaleel White has to do with revolutionizing the LA food scene, and why the City of Angels is definitely in the conversation for best food city in the world. There are tales of FBI raids, East Coast vs. West Coast hip-hop, and even murder! So if you’re the type of person who finds themselves wondering, who the heck invented the smoothie or what’s the oldest restaurant in LA, this is definitely the episode for you.  Helpful links: LA in a Minute on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@evanlovett?lang=en LA in a Minute on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lainaminute/?hl=en In a Minute with Evan Lovett podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/in-a-minute-with-evan-lovett/id1672118172 --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thelafoodpodcast/support

Poltergeist, Diego Argoti's bold and brash concept located inside of Echo Park arcade Button Mash, takes the cake for "best meal I've had in 2023." Whether you're munching on a Parker House Roll with fermented butter or spooning Panang lamb neck into a golden saffron bao, you'll find yourself alternating between thinking "this makes NO sense" and "this makes TOTAL sense." But as wild a journey as Poltergeist's menu takes you on, it's nothing compared to the journey that brought Argoti to where he is today. From losing his mentor in a freak helicopter crash, to being stood up at the altar after living a double life, to taking an acid-fueled walk to Bestia to demand an opportunity... Argoti's story is truly Slumdog Millionaire-esque in the ways that random and often tragic events have served as the building blocks of something beautiful. Perhaps my favorite LA Food Pod interview to date, Argoti's story is heartwarming, thought-provoking, and inspiring. It made me laugh, cry, gasp, and seriously ponder what it means to love food, love cooking, and love this crazy industry. Helpful links: Button Mash and Poltergeist website https://www.buttonmashla.com/#poltergeist Bestia https://bestiala.com/ Bavel https://baveldtla.com/ Saffy's https://www.saffysla.com/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thelafoodpodcast/support

Father Sal joins the pod to discuss a particularly busy news day. The James Beard Awards are being accused of "bending to wokeness" for informing Alabama chef Timothy Hontzas that he is no longer being considered for 2023 Best Chef: South for ethical reasons, while the hotel group in charge of Hollywood heavyweights like Mother Wolf and Ka'Teen is being investigating for allegedly stiffing workers of the 5% service fee charge. We discuss what we're most excited about on the eve of EEEEEATSCON 2023, and Father Sal gives us a recap of where things stand in our Fantasy Top Chef battle royale. Helpful links: Eater article on the James Beard situation https://www.eater.com/23721900/james-beard-awards-2023-resignations-todd-price-timothy-hontzas-investigation-transparency LA Times article on the 5% service fee situation https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2023-05-16/la-fo-city-investigating-la-restaurants-for-service-fees-workers The Bear Season 2 trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5U-w1yL4r0 EEEEEATSCON https://www.eeeeeatscon.com/los-angeles Baar Baar Los Angeles https://www.baarbaarla.com/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thelafoodpodcast/support

This episode is guaranteed to give you a sugar rush! We're joined by Valerie Gordon, the chocolatier, chef, and entrepreneur behind Valerie Confections and Valerie Echo Park. Valerie walks us through her journey, and tells us what it takes to run a successful food business that lasts the test of time. We get into fun topics like what it was like to be a maître d' at one of San Francisco's hottest restaurants in the 90s, how she became a barbecue expert, and where she goes when she's craving a good ole' fashioned sandwich. Helpful links: Valerie Confections https://valerieconfections.com/ Valerie on IG https://www.instagram.com/valerieconfctns/?hl=en Valerie's book https://valerieconfections.com/products/sweet Maison Matho https://maisonmatho.com/ Pizza City Fest https://pizzacityfest.com/events/los-angeles/ Tribute Pizza https://www.tributepizza.com/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thelafoodpodcast/support

This episode is what the kids call "a banger." Brant Cox of The Infatuation joins us to talk about how he became one of LA's most trusted food critics, how The Infatuation goes about rating restaurants, and why anonymity in food criticism is no longer a must. He talks us through EEEEEATSCON, The Infatuation's upcoming behemoth of a food festival, which is coming in hot May 20 and May 21 at Santa Monica's Barker Hangar. Father Sal and I proceed to then recap an epic food crawl we took through LA last weekend, which took us from noshing on smashburgers in Santa Monica to gnawing on Thai fried chicken in Sherman Oaks. Helpful links: EEEEEATSCON (including ticket links!) https://www.eeeeeatscon.com/los-angeles Brant Cox bio https://www.theinfatuation.com/contributor/brant-cox Brant Cox Instagram https://www.instagram.com/brantcox/?hl=en Infatuation LA Instagram https://www.instagram.com/infatuation_la/?hl=en Flavors From Afar https://www.flavorsfromafar.co/ Tail O The Pup https://www.tailothepup.com/ Heavy Handed https://heavyhanded.la/ Crudo e Nudo https://www.crudoenudo.com/ Pizzana https://pizzana.com/ Angler https://anglerla.com/ Mother Wolf https://www.motherwolfla.com/ Poltergeist https://www.buttonmashla.com/ Anajak Thai https://www.anajakthai.com/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thelafoodpodcast/support

In 2019 Benson Tsai quit his job at SpaceX to start... a pizza company. Stellar Pizza isn't just any pizza company, though. Benson and his co-founders used their engineering backgrounds to launch a fully automated robot-powered pizza operation, which eventually attracted the financial support of Jay-Z and is now operating trucks that serve USC and UCLA. Benson joins us to talk about Stellar Pizza's journey so far, how the heck it all works, and what's next on their quest for global pizza domination. Also on this episode... I quickly recap an insane social media interaction I witnessed this week between Eater's Bill Esparza and the owner of Guisados. Food criticism in the social media age is wild... Helpful links: Stellar Pizza's website https://www.eatstellarpizza.com/ Stellar Pizza on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/eatstellarpizza/?hl=en Pizza City Fest https://pizzacityfest.com/events/los-angeles/ Love Letter Pizza & Chicken https://www.loveletterrh.com/ 38 Essential Tacos to Try in LA https://la.eater.com/maps/best-tacos-los-angeles-taquerias-mexican --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thelafoodpodcast/support

Father Sal returns to the pod to discuss some hot-topics in LA and global food news, including the recent backlash incurred by a new Salt & Straw location in Silver Lake, the pros and cons of music festival food, and why L.A. Taco's Taco Madness competition is actually a great way to gauge the actual merits of a taqueria. We also give a quick updated on how our Fantasy Top Chef is progressing and - spoiler alert - it's not looking good for yours truly. Helpful links: Eater article on Salt & Straw and Pazzo Gelato https://la.eater.com/2023/4/12/23680602/pazzo-gelato-salt-and-straw-silver-lake-controversies-los-angeles-whats-going-on-explained LA Times on Coachella food https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2023-04-18/where-to-eat-at-coachella-this-year-for-best-food LA Taco's Taco Madness https://www.lataco.com/taco-madness-2023/ Press release on Elena Reygadas' award https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/mexico-citys-elena-reygadas-named-130000107.html?guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAACO-nL0emODGcflWAcyaxaPF06mUTtPcU_ikkeg_J4F7_nvRComN2ZZsQf2zQ9uxDfKIdy0mcfFboHoIruyKoMgx8XVTcMZYZDKHGqGFObumcCv973eg5GFf4OpxcGaUmDR1Pe2pOgHWBg1k__OiQ_fAdlUsubhmRQ3b3P0sVxrO&guccounter=2 Eater on Blackbird's dining NFTs https://ny.eater.com/2023/4/20/23674545/ben-leventhal-blackbird-loyalty-platform-restaurant-nfts --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thelafoodpodcast/support

Solo pod alert! We're a third of the way through the year, dear listener, and I want to tell you about four incredible dining experiences that I've had of late. From handmade cavatelli to wood-fired kanpachi, you're gonna want to have your DoorDash app open cuz impending hunger is guaranteed. Helpful links: Uncle Paulie's - https://site.unclepauliesdeli.com/ Mirate - https://www.mirate.la/ Isla - https://www.isla-la.com/ Pasta Night at Pizzana - https://pizzana.com/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thelafoodpodcast/support

I'm joined by a true OG of the food influencing world today to discuss the ins and outs of this weird world. Jessie Evans has been producing food content under the moniker of @JessieEats for the better part of a decade, putting her storytelling to work so that foodies from all over can learn where to eat next. We discuss how she started, how she approaches reviewing spots that offer a less-than-positive experience, and we even play a round of The LA Food Podcast's favorite game, "The Perfect Rec." Helpful links: Jessie on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jessie_eats/?hl=en Jessie's website - https://jessieeats.com/ Angler - https://anglerla.com/ Anajak Thai - https://www.anajakthai.com/ Oy Bar - http://oybarla.com/ Sonoratown - https://www.sonoratown.com/ Factory Kitchen - https://thefactorykitchen.com/ Maude - https://www.mauderestaurant.com/ Stephanie Breijo at LA Times - https://www.latimes.com/people/stephanie-breijo --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thelafoodpodcast/support

Big news! Your favorite podcast host tied the knot recently! Cousin Sal joins me to talk all things wedding food, including what makes for an unforgettable wedding menu and what he really thought of the food served at my wedding. We then go head to head as we each try to create the ideal wedding menu using our favorite dishes from Los Angeles restaurants. Who won? You decide! Helpful links: James Harden's new prosecco - https://www.foodbeast.com/news/james-harden-debuts-his-own-signature-prosecco/ Dublin's alcohol-free bar closes - https://www.foodandwine.com/dublin-alcohol-free-bar-closes-virgin-mary-7372205 Birba Palm Springs - https://www.birbaps.com/ Bavel - https://baveldtla.com/ Bestia - https://bestiala.com/ Little Joy - https://www.instagram.com/littlejoyla/?hl=en Girl & The Goat - https://girlandthegoat.com/los-angeles Sichuan Impression - https://www.sichuanimpressions.com/ Open Sesame - https://www.opensesamegrill.com/ Mother Wolf - https://www.motherwolfla.com/ DTown Pizzeria - https://www.dtownpizzeria.com/ The Win-Dow - https://www.thewin-dow.la/ Tacos El Unico - https://www.yelp.com/biz/tacos-el-unico-los-angeles-3 Tacozone - https://www.yelp.com/biz/taco-zone-los-angeles --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thelafoodpodcast/support

Michael "Fat Phuck" Cannata joins us to talk about his journey as a long-time food influencer, what eats he's been enjoying recently, and what the heck makes for a good New Haven-style apizza (pronounced "a-BEETZ!"). We then debut a brand new LA Food Pod game, "The Perfect Rec," in which our guest is tasked with providing the pinpoint ideal restaurant rec for a very specific and rather outlandish scenario. Helpful links: Fat Phuck on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/fat_phuck/?hl=en Fat Phuck on TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@eatwithfatp Breadologie - https://www.breadologie.com/ EP & LP - https://www.eplosangeles.com/ Sichuan Impression - https://www.sichuanimpressions.com/ Angry Egret - https://www.aedinette.com/ The Griddle Cafe - https://www.thegriddlecafe.com/ Button Mash - https://www.buttonmashla.com/#poltergeist --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thelafoodpodcast/support

What would LA be without its street vendors? From pupusas to tacos de canasta, some of my favorite places to eat in this fair city don't even have names. They're just there. But them being there shouldn't be taken for granted - in fact, making street vending legal has been a long and arduous fight in this city. Today, Rudy Espinoza stops by to talk about the fight for legal street vending in LA. For more than a decade now, Rudy, his organization (Inclusive Action for the City) and other organizations have spearheaded the campaign for street vending alongside the street vendors themselves. He breaks down how far we've come, and how far we still have to go. Helpful links: Great article on how street lending became legal - https://www.kcet.org/shows/city-rising/making-it-official-how-l-a-street-vending-became-legal Inclusive Action for the City website - https://www.inclusiveaction.org/ Inclusive Action for the City Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/InclusivAction/ Rudy Espinoza IG - https://www.instagram.com/rudyespi/?hl=en Tacos Arabes de Puebla - https://www.instagram.com/tacosarabes/?hl=en --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thelafoodpodcast/support

Top Chef Season 20 airs TONIGHT on Bravo at 8p ET/PT. It's a special season - they're headed to London for a World All-Stars in which winners and finalists from past editions across the globe will go head to head. Cousin Sal joins me to preview the season and to conduct a draft for our very own game of Fantasy Top Chef! Helpful links: Top Chef website - https://www.bravotv.com/top-chef Contestant Bios - https://www.goldderby.com/gallery/top-chef-20-cast-chefs/top-chef-season-20-3/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thelafoodpodcast/support

Kyle Davidson joins the pod to talk about Dough Daddy, his Detroit-style pizza concept that first popped up during the pandemic. We discuss why Dough Daddy got started, how it rose to such rapid success, and what the journey has been like for Kyle, both from a business and a mental health perspective.  --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thelafoodpodcast/support

We're joined by the all-star chef of one of LA's hottest new restaurant concepts, Amiga Amore. Chef Danielle Duran Zecca is cooking up Italian-Mexican fusion, and she tells us about the concept's history, as well as its exciting future. I'm then joined by Daniel Wargo of the Forking Around social media channels for an epic duel with ChatGPT - who can provide the best list of Top 10 restaurants in LA? Us or the machines!? Listen to find out. Sponsored by TUMS. Not really. Helpful links: Amiga Amore website Amiga Amore Instagram Forking Around Instagram Forking Around TikTok Restaurants mentioned: Ka'teen Ye Olde King's Head El Cholo Midori Sushi Petit Trois Jitlada Harold and Belle's Sunnin Cafe Cici's Cafe Pizzana Bavel Villa's Tacos Sushi Bar Sichuan Impression Asadero Chikali Park's BBQ Night + Market Holbox Providence Osteria Mozza n/naka Gjelina Republique Felix Trattoria Mother Wolf Animal Majordomo Langer's Delicatessen --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thelafoodpodcast/support

As the City of Los Angeles proposes new hoops for restaurants to jump through in order to keep serving diners outdoors, Casa Vega's Christy Vega joins us to break down just what the new red tape would mean for LA's restaurateurs. She also tells us about what it was like to grow up in and take over one of LA's most legendary Mexican restaurants, and how the Ventura Blvd icon became a Kardashian mainstay.   To celebrate the imminent return of Bravo's Top Chef, Cousin Sal joins me to brainstorm what the BEST food competition show of all time would look like. We come up with a (frankly genius) concept on the fly, and are now accepting meeting invites (looking at you, HBO). Sponsored by TUMS. Not really. Helpful links: Casa Vega Christy Vega's website Christy Vega's Instagram The LA Times' Jenn Harris on the new outdoor dining ordinance LA Mayor's Office contact page Top Chef Season 20 preview  --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thelafoodpodcast/support

We're joined by James Beard Award-winning broadcaster, author and podcaster Steve Dolinsky to talk all things pizza, including the first-ever Pizza City Fest LA, coming to L.A. Live on April 29-30. Cousin Sal and I then celebrate my birthday by holding the 2023 Draft of the Top 10 restaurants and bars for LA-based birthday celebrations. Sponsored by TUMS. Not really.  Helpful links from this episode: Pizza City Fest LA Steve Dolinsky's website Steve Dolinsky's pizza book Pizza City Tours Pizza City Podcast The World's 50 Best Restaurants Restaurants mentioned (in Los Angeles unless otherwise specified): Oriole (Chicago, IL) My Pi Pizza (Chicago, IL) Pudgy's Pizza (Chicago, IL) Barnaby's Pizza (Chicago, IL) Pizzeria Uno (Chicago, IL) Apollonia's Pizzeria Pizzana Bettina (Santa Barbara, CA) Tribute Pizza (San Diego, CA) LaSorted's Long Bridge Pizza Co. (San Francisco, CA) Pi LA Slice House (coming to Thousand Oaks, CA) The Slice & Pint Truly Pizza (Dana Point, CA) Ronan Bulgarini Gelato Gra Double Zero Masa of Echo Park Labriola (Chicago, IL) Lou Malnati's (Chicago, IL) People mentioned: Emeril Lagasse Kevin Brauch Alton Brown Michael Symon Masaharu Morimoto Dana Cowin Alex Guarnaschelli Karen Palmer Chris Bianco Brian McGinn Nancy Silverton Fred Eric Matthew Kenney --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thelafoodpodcast/support

The epic sequel to our blockbuster debut, Cousin Salman and I do a little round-up of the top food news stories this week, and then have a lively recap conversation of foodie satire "The Menu." Spoiler alert, there are spoilers. Sponsored by TUMS. Not really.  Articles referenced: LA Times - The best places to eat and drink in L.A. right now, according to our food writers - https://www.latimes.com/food/list/best-los-angeles-restaurants-to-visit-february-2023 Eater - Resy Is My Best Frenemy (and It Could Be Yours, Too) - https://ny.eater.com/2023/2/1/23512517/resy-restaurant-critic-privacy?_gl=1*1un0y5y* Eater - How to Get Into the Restaurant You Can’t Get Into - https://ny.eater.com/2023/2/1/23580233/how-to-make-reservations-hot-restaurants-nyc-resy?_gl=1*1d0x2k3* Eater - How Resy Won - https://ny.eater.com/2023/2/1/23475584/how-resy-won-reservation-wars-opentable Eater - Suburban School Worker Accused of Stealing $1.5 Million in Chicken Wings  https://chicago.eater.com/2023/2/1/23581736/chicago-harvey-school-district-154-chicken-wing-theft?_gl=1*1i0jdy0*- Restaurants referenced (all in LA, unless otherwise stated): El Prado Mother Wolf Felix Em (Mexico City, Mexico) Carmen (Cartegena, Colombia) Noma (Copenhagen, Denmark) Alinea (Chicago, Illinois) People referenced: Aimee Rizzo Seth Reiss and Will Tracy Evan Funke Paul Feinstein Jonathan Gold --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thelafoodpodcast/support