We’re joined on today’s pod by the icon known as Joe Sasto. Joe is a Michelin-pedigree chef whose exploits at San Francisco’s Quince and Lazy Bear earned him the chance to go on Top Chef. His high-octane performance on his season earned him a third-place finish, the opportunity to compete on Top Chef All-Stars, and more importantly, a place in the pantheon of Top Chef greats. Today Chef Joe brings us with him on his journey, from falling in love with what he calls tweezer food, to becoming a master of pasta, and eventually putting his mastery to work in the form of one of the most exciting snacks on the market - Tantos Pasta Chips.

There’s so much in this conversation. We talk what it takes to earn Michelin stars, why he decided to enter the CPG space, who he most fears competing against on Guy Fieri’s Tournament of Champions, and one of my favorite anecdotes, how he became one of the only people on earth who’s ever served the Voltaggio brothers literal testicles.

Plus, Father Sal is with us. We wonder, did the Infatuation just release the Da Vinci code of burgers? Does Evan Funke deserve to be on Chef’s Table? And why are fast food jobs in California on the rise despite the rising minimum wage? Among other exciting topics...

Helpful links:

Chef Joe Sasto https://www.joesasto.com/

Joe on IG https://www.instagram.com/chef.joe.sasto/?hl=en

Tantos, the original puffed pasta chip https://www.eattantos.com/?srsltid=AfmBOoq12I9gayDmHR6M0ANHnjncgK3sNSQDmlhWZJl0FAltZZo6fAE4

Subscribe to our newsletter, LA FOODSTACK, for access to all of the articles discussed on today's episode and more https://thelacountdown.substack.com/

The LA Food Podcast is produced with the help of:

Adam Skaggs

Tiffany Perez

Tim Bertolini

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Get 10% off on your first purchase of wagyu beef at First Light Farms using code "LAFOOD10" https://www.firstlight.farm/us/

Today on The LA Food Podcast, is Langer’s closing for good? Is Chick-Fil-A going to save Hollywood? And does JD Vance even know what a donut is? 

Father Sal is physically with us in Los Angeles today to discuss all this and more. We recap all of the amazing food he’s had in LA this week, from a beachside South American feast to an all-time steak dinner in Beverly Hills. I have him try the viral Ggiata Chicken Caesar Wrap live on the air, and we give a special shout out to our two biggest fans in LA. 

In Part 2 we’re joined by Chef Avner Levi, the man behind Cento Pasta Bar in West Adams. Cento remains one of my favorite meals I’ve had all year, and Avner’s story is inspiring as hell. We chatted on Cento’s patio with a bottle of wine and, I don’t know if it was the alcohol or what, but I was legitimately moved by Avner’s passion and vision for Cento. 

Helpful links:

Our free newsletter LA FOODSTACK, where you'll find most of the articles we referenced today https://thelacountdown.substack.com/

Avner Levi on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/glutton_ish/

Cento Pasta Bar https://www.cento.group/

The LA Food Podcast is produced with the help of:

Adam Skaggs

Tiffany Perez

Tim Bertolini

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Get 10% off at House of Macadamias using code "LAFOOD" https://www.houseofmacadamias.com/pages/la-foods

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Get 10% off on your first purchase of wagyu beef at First Light Farms using code "LAFOOD10" https://www.firstlight.farm/us/

Father Sal and I recap episodes 1-5 of The Bear Season 3, which is now streaming on Hulu. Helpful links: The Bear https://www.hulu.com/series/the-bear-05eb6a8e-90ed-4947-8c0b-e6536cbddd5f -- Get 10% off when you use code "LAFOOD" on House of Macadamias https://www.houseofmacadamias.com/pages/la-foods

Santiago Lastra is the chef of Michelin-starred restaurant KOL in London. He visited in LA on the heels of the World’s 50 Best ceremony in Las Vegas, where KOL was named the number 17 best restaurant in the world. He stopped by the City of Angels for a special collab dinner with Vespertine’s Jordan Kahn, and I’m really honored he made time to grab lunch with me at Gilberto Cetina’s Holbox, the 2023 LA Times Restaurant of the Year, located at Mercado La Paloma.  This is truly a one-of-a-kind episode, dear listener. Chef Lastra tells us his frankly wild story, from growing up in Cuernavaca, Mexico to becoming known globally as a nomadic chef hosting pop-ups all over the world. He tells us about working with Rene Redzepi on Noma’s famed pop-up in Tulum, how he developed his style as a chef who blends Mexican techniques and traditions with hyper-local ingredients, and he walks us through what a meal at KOL actually looks like. Personally, I was deeply moved by Santiago’s passion and philosophy around food and hospitality. Oh, and did I mention that Chef Gilberto Cetina was serving us lunch while we spoke? Chef Gilberto makes multiple cameos in the episode to chat with Santiago and to explain the incredible dishes he’s bringing to the table. It was an outstanding meal as meals at Holbox always are, and it was really cool for me to see these two powerhouse chefs exchange thoughts and ideas. I think you’ll enjoy it too.  Finally, no news on this podcast - but subscribe to LA FOODSTACK, our brand new Substack newsletter for our curation of the week's headlines. Helpful links: Chef Santiago Lastra on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/santiagolas/?hl=en KOL Restaurant https://kolrestaurant.com/ Holbox https://www.holboxla.com/#/ LA FOODSTACK, the LA Food Pod newsletter https://thelacountdown.substack.com/p/the-bear-season-3-drops-as-la-pizza?r=31nins -- Get 10% off when you use code "LAFOOD" at House of Macadamias https://www.houseofmacadamias.com/pages/la-foods

Top Chef Season 21 is in the books. A champion has been crowned, both for Top Chef and our LA Food Pod Fantasy Top Chef. Father Sal and I are joined by Jessie Evans also known as Jessie Eats, and Daniel Wargo AKA Forking Around to recap the finale and the season as a whole.  But first, a few things that caught my eye this week. An iconic LA fast food restaurant has closed forever, there’s yet another twist in the restaurant service fee saga, and, remember those pesky reservation resale platforms? Well, their days may be numbered. Finally, there’s free political advice for vegans, and a brand new LA Countdown website? Omg.com, dear listener.  Helpful links: Jessie Eats https://www.instagram.com/jessie_eats/?hl=en Forking Around https://www.instagram.com/forkingaround.tv/?hl=en The LA Countdown website https://www.thelacountdown.com/ Arby's closes https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2024-06-18/arbys-hollywood-closure-family-minimum-wage-law-fast-food Service fees live on https://calmatters.org/commentary/2024/06/california-restaurants-hidden-fees-law/ Grub Street on James Kent https://www.grubstreet.com/article/chef-james-kent-rip.html -- Get 10% off on House of Macadamias products using code "LAFOOD" https://www.houseofmacadamias.com/pages/la-foods -- Get 10% off on your first order of First Light Farms wagyu beef using code "LAFOOD10" https://www.firstlight.farm/us/

Kuya Lord’s Chef Lord Maynard Llera took home this James Beard Award this week for Best Chef California, and we’d like to extend him and his whole staff a heartfelt LA Food Pod congratulations. Today’s episode is all about awards. I’m joined by Father Sal to discuss LA’ showing at the Beards, as well as some of the most interesting takeaways from the World’s 50 Best, which was also announced since our last episode.  We talk about what these awards tell us about the state of dining in 2024, whether we’d rather win a Beard Award or be named on the World’s 50 Best and why, and which award recipients caught our eye and may warrant an LA Food Pod excursion in the future.  We also discuss a fascinating Karen Palmer article in SF Gate on why Little Tokyo as we know it may be endangered, and finally, the earth-shaking news that competitive eating GOAT Joey Chestnut has been banned from the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest. Stick around to the end if you want to hear a true story about the time that I, your friendly neighborhood podcast host, won an eating competition of my own. It’s a tale that’s frankly not for the faint of heart.  Helpful Links: James Beard Award 2024 Winners https://www.jamesbeard.org/blog/the-2024-james-beard-award-winners World's 50 Best https://www.theworlds50best.com/ Overheard at the World's 50 Best https://vegas.eater.com/2024/6/6/24173200/worlds-50-best-restaurants-awards-overheard-gossip-las-vegas-strip-winners SF Gate on Little Tokyo https://www.sfgate.com/la/article/little-tokyo-los-angeles-endangered-restaurants-19463905.php Joey Chestnut-gate https://www.npr.org/2024/06/12/nx-s1-5003036/joey-chestnut-banned-nathans-hot-dog-eating-competition John Mulaney's Everybody's in LA https://www.netflix.com/title/81742123 Gordon Ramsey's Food Stars https://www.fox.com/gordon-ramsays-food-stars/

Gabe Kennedy is the all-star chef behind Highland Park’s Checker Hall. He joins us today to tell us his high-octane journey, which includes winning Anthony Bourdain’s competition show “The Taste,” co-founding one of the hottest plant-based supplement companies on the market, and uprooting his life in New York to relocate to LA and grace our city with one of the most fun dining experiences I’ve had in a long time in Highland Park’s Checker Hall. 

One conversation with Gabe and you’re immediately hooked. You can just really tell how much this guy cares, not just about making delicious food, but about doing things that have real meaning and thought behind them. Personally I’m stoked to have Checker Hall in my backyard, but they’ve got a chicken schnitzel that is 100% worth driving across town for. Not to mention the historic building, the fantastic cocktails, the music venue next door. It’s one of the most fun evenings you can have in our fair city, and I think you’ll be makin’ a rez right after you hear Gabe talk about it. 

But first, Father Sal and I break down the things that caught my eye this week. There’s the Infatuation’s lackluster review of Vespertine, an intriguing albeit quite cringey Taste article on The Best Restaurant in Town, and a discussion on whether shoppy shops are good, bad or somewhere in between for neighborhoods.

Helpful links:

Checker Hall https://www.checkerhall.com/

Gabe Kennedy https://www.instagram.com/gabe_kennedy/?hl=en

Plant People https://www.plantpeople.co/

Vespertine review from The Infatuation https://www.theinfatuation.com/los-angeles/reviews/vespertine?ifsb=yes

The Best Restaurant in Town by Priyanka Mattoo https://tastecooking.com/the-best-restaurant-in-town/

LA Grocery opens up on Melrose Hill https://la.eater.com/2024/6/3/24167496/la-grocery-and-cafe-melrose-hill-los-angeles-produce-market

Noise in restaurants https://www.washingtonpost.com/science/interactive/2024/loud-restaurant-noise-health-effects/

Kevin D'Andrea show https://austinfoodmagazine.com/austin-chef-kevin-dandrea-to-host-new-nbcuniversal-series-breaking-baguettes/

EEEEEATSCON https://www.eeeeeatscon.com/los-angeles/lineup

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We’re joined on today’s episode by the Infatuation’s Brant Cox for the first-ever in person podcast in LA Food Pod history. Brant and I met up for lunch at Mae Malai in Thai Town for some wonderful boat noodles (and much more). We caught up about what it’s like to be BFFs with Chris Pine, where he’s been eating lately, and oh yeah, a little thing called EEEEATSCON.

That’s right - EEEEATSCON is back at The Barker Hanger in Santa Monica next weekend June 8 and 9. Brant’s here to spill all the delicious details, and let me tell you, this is one of those food festivals you absolutely cannot miss if you call yourself an LA food lover. 

But first, Father Sal is with us to round up the week’s news, including the trailer to Season 3 of The Bear, a Cathy Chaplin Eater story on mental health and burnout in the service industry, a new food media company coming to LA courtesy of The Hundreds, and widespread fatigue with Instagram-famous cookware.   Helpful links: EEEEEATSCON 2024 https://www.eeeeeatscon.com/los-angeles?utm_source=google&utm_medium=display&utm_campaign=conversion_la_ec_smart&utm_term=eeeeeatscon&utm_audience=la&utm_matchtype=p&utm_id=21258913198&utm_adgroup_id=165813394207&utm_ad_id=700539019081&gclid=CjwKCAjwx-CyBhAqEiwAeOcTdW3ubiuxq2xEpWI0ivw3wj1FTUOiZE_Q9doEL8vGKKiOXUkADzuR0hoCki0QAvD_BwE

Brant Cox on IG https://www.instagram.com/brantcox/

Season 3 Trailer of The Bear https://youtu.be/UHiwdDFPsZY

Eater’s Cathy Chaplin mental health interview with Michael Scribner https://la.eater.com/2024/5/29/24166535/sommelier-michael-scribner-los-angeles-hospitality-career-work-life-balance-mental-health

Family Style food publication https://la.eater.com/2024/5/30/24167704/family-style-festival-the-hundreds-food-publication-complex-new-ownership

NYT on Instagram cookware https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/24/dining/instagram-cookware.html

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Eddie Navarrette is the Executive Director of the Independent Hospitality Coalition in addition to being one of LA’s foremost consultants in helping restaurants navigate the debilitatingly confusing process of opening their doors. He’s been at the center of advocating for restaurants for several years now, helping shape much needed policies for boosting our restaurants during these unprecedented difficult times. We walk through his circuitous career journey, which includes playing in punk rock bands and joining the circus. And we also discuss many of the issues plaguing restaurants today and what IHC is looking to do about them. Plus, Something About Her sandwiches, World's 50 Best talk and the LA Times continues to cover struggling restaurants. Helpful links: Independent Hospitality Coalition https://www.ihcla.org/ FE Design & Consulting https://fedesignandconsulting.com/ Something About Her https://www.instagram.com/somethingabouther/?hl=en World's 50 Best 51-100 https://www.theworlds50best.com/stories/News/the-worlds-50-best-restaurants-2024-51-100-list.html LA Times on life after restaurants https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2024-05-21/life-after-restaurants-former-restaurant-owners-chefs-why-they-left

A midseason check in on Season 21 of Top Chef. We’re about half way through the season, so LA Food Pod Top Chef correspondent Father Sal is on the pod to dissect the highs, lows and everything in between. We’re also joined by two of my new favorite people - Bits Nicholas and Nancy DaSilva, the hosts of Compliments to the Chef, the must-listen Top Chef companion podcast. They tell us about how they got their start, and they also join us in looking back at the season so far, and in making predictions for the episodes to come. 

But first, a few things that caught my eye. Molly Baz found herself at the center of quite the media circus this week, the LA Times published a fascinating look at why restaurants are struggling right now, the Michelin Guide finally touched down in Mexico, and there’s a tournament of cheeseburgers afoot, courtesy of our friends at LAist. Plus, an LA Food Pod apology to one of LA’s great food journalists.

Helpful links:

Compliments to the Chef https://open.spotify.com/show/5ySvTZh0inCpq1SJP9baq6

NYT on Molly Baz https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/10/style/lactation-cookies-billboard.html

LA Times' Stephanie Breijo on restaurant struggles https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2024-05-15/restaurant-industry-economic-crisis-los-angeles

Botanica's Heather Sperling on what happens to a dollar at their restaurant https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2024-05-14/one-dollar-at-botanica-restaurant-los-angeles-heather-sperling

Michelin Mexico https://guide.michelin.com/us/en/article/michelin-guide-ceremony/michelin-guide-mexico-stars-green-stars-sustainability

LAist Tournament of Cheeseburgers https://laist.com/news/food/tournament-of-cheeseburgers

KCRW Good Food episode on Lalo Garcia https://www.kcrw.com/culture/shows/good-food/migrant-chef-life-and-times-lalo-garcia-laura-tillman

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We’re joined by none other than Bill Esparza, the legendary award-winning writer, author, TV fixer and saxophonist. Maybe you’ve read his reporting at Eater, maybe you’ve eaten at one of his many finds, or maybe you’ve seen him on shows like Somebody Feed Phil.

Regardless of where you know him from, Bill’s one of the most essential voices in LA food, and he’s with us today to talk about his journey in food, from starting a food blog in the aughts to winning a James Beard Award for his legendary taco guides. I also ask him about some of his more fiery opinions, including where his disdain for David Chang comes from, why he hates eating with “taco bros,” and what gets his goat about some of those influencers you see out there on social media, present company excluded of course. 

But first, an LA restaurant gets the attention of the World’s 50 Best, 5 new So Cal restaurants are added to the Michelin Guide, Sweetgreen adds beef to the menu, and restaurants navigate uncertainty as California’s junk fee ban looms on the horizon.

Helpful Links:

Bill on IG https://www.instagram.com/streetgourmetla/?hl=en

Bill's Eater page https://www.eater.com/authors/bill-esparza

Kato wins World's 50 Best recognition https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2024-05-08/worlds-50-best-restaurants-kato-one-to-watch-resy Michelin's new additions https://guide.michelin.com/us/en/article/dining-out/michelin-guide-california-new-additions-restaurants?cjdata=MXxOfDB8WXww&cjevent=3377c48b0cd911ef80b602d50a1eba23&utm_source=cj&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=Skimlinks&utm_content=100037205&utm_term=15671072 Sweetgreen adds beef https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/07/dining/sweetgreen-steak.html Lauren Saria on junk fees

https://sf.eater.com/2024/5/3/24148146/california-junk-fee-ban-restaurants-bars?_gl=1*1geowr6*

We give flowers to the very deserving LA-based journalists and writers who did score James Beard nominations, including Gab Chabran, Daniel Hernandez and Noah Galuten. We also talk about what we learned from a New Yorker deep dive on the Wild West that is restaurant reservations, why Angelenos are flocking to two new bakeries that opened this week, and the four pizzas that stole the show at this weekend’s Pizza City Fest. 

We’re joined by Chef Jonathan Harris of Linden, a relatively new concept that opened in Hollywood last summer. Chef Jonathan is about as New York as it gets, and he had one hell of an upbringing eating all kinds of foods and working in his father’s acclaimed Long Island restaurant, Cornbread and Caviar. He talks to us about his journey, and how his unique path influenced the frankly mind-bending menu you can find at Linden. We also talk about his time operating a 26-seat tasting menu concept out of his apartment, and broader topics like the role black chefs and foodways have played in shaping American cuisine writ large.

Helpful links:

Linden https://lindenlosangeles.com/

James Beard nominees https://www.eater.com/24118355/2024-james-beard-awards-restaurant-chef-finalists

How to LA on conchas https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJpu4LZ1V7o

Gab Chabran on The LA Food Podcast https://open.spotify.com/show/7q29bhboG2WSHktlyJzEGl

Daniel Hernandez on Mexico City https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2023-07-13/mexico-city-essay-daniel-hernandez

New Yorker on reservations https://www.newyorker.com/news/our-local-correspondents/why-you-cant-get-a-restaurant-reservation

Petit Grain https://la.eater.com/2024/4/30/24141932/petit-grain-boulangerie-bakery-santa-monica-los-angeles-best-croissant

Fondry https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2024-04-26/eagle-rock-bakery-fondry-croissants-los-angeles

Sal and I on the Compliments to the Chef podcast https://open.spotify.com/episode/6H4OqQQtpkAzfZFOnN7iJB

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Today on the LA Food Podcast, is work/life balance possible in fine dining? What the heck is postmodern craft beer? And why should Angelenos care about the passing of Famous Amos founder Wally Amos? 

James Beard-nominated reporter Gab Chabran is with us today to explore all of these topics, and to tell us why he believes the city’s best tacos are in Whittier, and where you should consider heading next time you’re craving sushi or in need of Japanese pantry goods. 

Our interview today is with Chef Daniel Shemtob, the founder of The Lime Truck and HATCH Yakitori in Downtown LA. Daniel’s most recent venture is called Snibbs. Snibbs is bringing cutting-edge, and rather good-looking work shoes, I might add to professional kitchens. Daniel saw a big hole in the market for stylish, functional footwear after slipping in the kitchen and missing the opening of his own restaurant. Daniel exudes entrepreneurialism, and this is a deeply inspiring conversation for anyone who’s ever thought of starting a business, or who’s even remotely interested in foot health and/or fashion. And did I mention that Daniel won two seasons of The Food Network’s Great Food Truck Race? 

Helpful links:

LA FOODSTACK, our free newsletter containing links to all of the stories we discuss on today's podcast https://thelacountdown.substack.com/

LAist Food Friday coverage https://laist.com/news/food

Gab Chabran on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/gabchabran/?hl=en

Daniel Shemtob on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/daniel.shemtob/?hl=en

Snibbs https://snibbs.co/

The Lime Truck https://www.thelimetruck.com/

HATCH Yakitori https://www.hatchyalater.com/

The LA Food Podcast is produced with the help of:

Adam Skaggs

Tiffany Perez

Tim Bertolini

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Get 10% off at House of Macadamias using code "LAFOOD" https://www.houseofmacadamias.com/pages/la-foods

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Get 10% off on your first purchase of wagyu beef at First Light Farms using code "LAFOOD10" https://www.firstlight.farm/us/

Coachella is behind us, my friends, and your humble podcast host had the chance to descend on the desert to catch up with 8 amazing chefs who were out there serving their food to the masses. Today’s episode is a compilation of those conversations. I spoke with Eric Greenspan about his latest concepts, including a delivery-only duck pop-up you simply must get your hands on. I got a scoop from Fatty Mart chef David Kuo about a brand new project he’s opening in Downtown LA in the next 12-18 months. And I learned a little more than I bargained for about how Juan Garcia, the chef behind birria shop The Goat Mafia, likes to party when taking in the dulcet sounds of Sublime. That and much, much more. 

But first, a few things that caught my eye, including Sage Bistro’s decision to no longer be vegan, Matthe Kenney’s decision to still be vegan but to also be a horrific person, and the inspiring tale of one man who’s making a real difference advocating for Los Angeles restaurants up in Sacramento.

Helpful links:

Article on Sage https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2024-04-24/sage-vegan-bistro-no-longer-vegan-backlash

NYT Matthew Kenney expose https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/22/dining/vegan-chef-matthew-kenney.html

Eddie Navarrette in Eater https://la.eater.com/2024/4/24/24138533/eddie-navarrette-small-business-support-act-assembly-bill-2550-policy-restaurant-california-law

Pizza City Fest https://www.lalive.com/pizza-city-fest-la

Support L.A. Taco https://lataco.com/members

Eric Greenspan https://www.chefericgreenspan.com/the-story

Fatty Mart https://www.fattymart.com/

Burger She Wrote https://burgershewrote.com/

Chris N Eddy's https://www.chrisneddys.com/

The Goat Mafia https://www.thegoatmafia.com/

Mano Po https://eatmanopo.com/about-us

Battambong BBQ https://la.eater.com/2022/8/2/23288894/battambong-bbq-cambodian-texas-barbecue-long-beach-los-angeles-restaurants

Slingers https://www.slingersla.com/

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Wendy Zeng is an award-winning chef and owner known around town and beyond for hosting cannabis-infused pop-ups, supper clubs and events. Make no mistake - we’re not talking about stoner food here, no shade to stoner culture. Wendy’s all about leaning into market-driven ingredients in the name of building community and destigmatizing recreational cannabis use.  What I found really fascinating, dear listener, was to learn about Wendy’s upbringing in Chengdu and how that influenced her love for cooking and her eventual desire to reclaim cannabis as a form of eastern plant medicine that was actually being utilized thousands of years before Cheech ever met Chong. We talk about how she approaches utilizing cannabis in her cooking, why she feels so passionately about destigmatizing the plant, and even what negative side effects have been ailing the industry since legalization took place and capitalism entered the chat. Finally, did you know that there’s a cannabis-tinged spinoff of Chopped on Discovery Plus, and that Wendy actually won the first ever edition!? Well you do now, and trust me, you’re gonna wanna hear more.  Helpful links: Drizzle https://www.drizzle.catering/ Mogu Magu https://mogumagu.co/ -- Shop The LA Food Pod bundle on House of Macadamias https://www.houseofmacadamias.com/pages/la-foods -- Receive 10% off on your first order at First Light Farms with code LAFOOD10 https://www.firstlight.farm/

Daniele Uditi is the chef and partner behind Pizzana, one of Los Angeles’ best and most influential pizzerias. Daniele joins us for a wide-ranging conversation that covers everything from his upbringing living above his aunt’s bakery near Naples, Italy, to his spontaneous relocation to Los Angeles which ultimately led him to meeting Candace Nelson and launching a bona fide pizza empire. We talk about the nitty gritty of dough and sourcing excellent products, but Daniele also offers us a window into the evolution of Los Angeles’ pizza scene over the last decade, what it means to lead a business with integrity in this day and age, and what he thinks of all of those pizza lists you see doing the rounds on social media. We learn about what his favorite pizzas in Los Angeles are besides his own of course, and we also hear about how he ideated the Padrino, LA’s best Italian sandwich, which is now permanently available for lunch at Pizzana’s Marina del Rey location. 

But first, a couple of things that caught my eye... David Chang has chili crunched his way into quite the controversy, L.A. Taco is in dire need of our help, and Coachella is upon us, so I break down the 5 eats you absolutely must make time for, if you’re headed to the desert this weekend.

Helpful links:

Pizzana https://pizzana.com/

The Guardian on David Chang and chili crunch https://www.theguardian.com/food/2024/apr/04/chili-crunch-trademark-momofuku-david-chang

Jenn Harris on David Chang and chili crunch https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2024-04-08/chili-crunch-chili-crisp-trademark-war-momofuku-fly-by-jing Support L.A. Taco https://lataco.com/

Coachella food line-up https://coachella.com/featured-restaurants

Miya Miya https://www.instagram.com/miyamiyashawarma/

Mano Po https://www.instagram.com/eat.manopo/

Chipapas https://www.instagram.com/chipapasporvida

Grindz https://www.instagram.com/eatgrindz/

Battambong BBQ https://www.instagram.com/battambongbbq/

Pizza City Fest https://www.lalive.com/pizza-city-fest-la

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Shop First Light Farms, get 10% off on your first order by using the code LAFOOD10 https://www.firstlight.farm/

Father Sal joins us. There's a quick Top Chef recap, including a Kristen Kish assessment. Father Sal also fills us in on The Bear clip that leaked.

News-wise we cover the announcement of the 2024 James Beard Award Finalists, a scathing Taste Magazine expose on the grocery store known as Trader Joe’s, and a long overdue minimum wage hike coming to California’s fast-food workers. 

In Part 2, we recap a week-long food crawl Father Sal and I took while he was in town last week. We finally made it to modern Korean darlings Yangban in the Arts District, we revisited our old friend Diego Argoti at Poltergeist to see if that panang lamb neck was still hittin’, and, most surprisingly for me, we had a whirlwind at Evan Funke’s Felix in Venice, my first time visiting the restaurant since 2019. We also talk about Sal missing out on dinner at Pizzeria Bianco, where Chris Bianco himself made a surprise appearance...

Helpful links:

The Bear leak https://chicago.eater.com/2024/4/3/24120365/the-bear-season-3-trailer-clip-critics-fx-hulu

LA's 2024 James Beard nominees https://la.eater.com/2024/1/24/24048240/los-angeles-james-beard-foundation-award-semifinalists-2024

Taste on Trader Joe's https://tastecooking.com/we-need-to-talk-about-trader-joes/

California minimum wage hike https://la.eater.com/2024/4/1/24118202/california-fast-food-worker-minimum-wage-explained

LA Times' Stephanie Breijo on World Central Kitchen https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2024-04-01/world-central-kitchen-workers-killed-gaza-jose-andres

Yangban https://yangbanla.com/

Felix https://felixla.com/

Pizzeria Bianco https://www.pizzeriabianco.com/los-angeles

Poltergeist https://www.buttonmashla.com/

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Use LAFOOD10 for a 10% discount on your first order of First Light Farms wagyu beef https://www.firstlight.farm/

We’re joined by Scott Linder, one of the Founders and Operating Partners behind Matū, which just might be my favorite steakhouse in all of Los Angeles. Matū is famous for its dedication to serving only the highest quality grass-fed wagyu beef. But that’s not all - as they were getting ready to launch the restaurant, Scott and his fellow founders spent a ridiculous amount of time nailing down all of the variables that go into preparing the product correctly, and serving it up in a way that leads to maximum flavor and satisfaction. 

Scott joins us to talk all things beef, but also how he got into the position of being the culinary mind behind all that Matū has to offer. He tells us about his love for Iron Chef, his time spent traveling the world as the private chef to an A-list celebrity famous for doing their own stunts, and how one fateful afternoon with Jerry Greenberg led him to moving to Los Angeles and betting it all on beef. Of course, I couldn’t let him leave without asking him about Matū's legendary Philly Cheesesteak. How did they come up with it, and what makes it so damn irresistible?

But first, a few things that caught my eye. There’s change coming to the Hollywood Walk of Fame, a crisis at the Health Department, and several excellent restaurant reviews I want you to go check out!

Helpful links:

Matu https://www.matusteak.com/aboutustext/

First Light Farms Steak Club https://steakclub.firstlight.farm/

Walk of Fame https://www.dailynews.com/2024/03/22/access-to-hollywood-plan-will-dramatically-redesign-hollywood-boulevard/

LA Times on Health Dept woes https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-03-15/restaurant-inspection-workplace-complaints

Jenn Harris reviews Sophy's https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2024-03-21/review-sophys-cambodia-town-food-music-beef-jerky

LA Times Koreatown guide https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2024-03-28/best-restaurants-bars-in-koreatown-los-angeles

Brant Cox of the Infatuation on SUR https://www.theinfatuation.com/los-angeles/reviews/sur-restaurant-and-lounge

We're joined by Charbel Hayek, a Top Chef champion and World-All Stars contestant who’s recently opened up one of Los Angeles’ buzziest new restaurants.

Charbel is the mastermind behind Ladyhawk, which opened last year inside of the La Peer Hotel in West Hollywood. Ladyhawk has been earning rave reviews for its forward-thinking Eastern Mediterranean menu, with LA Times critic Bill Addison calling it “Los Angeles’ most compelling Lebanese restaurant.”

Charbel joins us to talk about the journey that led him to Ladyhawk, from growing up in Beirut as the son of a chef, to becoming the youngest ever Top Chef winner in global franchise history.

Of course, I couldn’t let him leave without asking him all of the dirty deets on his Top Chef experience, especially with respect to last year’s World All-Stars in London. He breaks down just how grueling the filming schedule is, what it was like to win the Gaggan Anand challenge that allowed him to showcase his love for his country, and how he conceptualized the iconic onion dish that he’s become synonymous with in Top Chef-loving circles. 

Also… There’s a War on Pizza playing out in New York City, a fascinating inside look at Vespertine 2.0, and the return of Cafe Tropical in Silver Lake.

Helpful links:

Ladyhawk https://ladyhawkrestaurant.com/

Bill Addison on Ladyhawk https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2024-01-25/ladyhawk-west-hollywood-lebanese-bill-addison-review

War on Pizza https://abc7ny.com/new-york-city-department-of-environmental-protection-pizzeria-emissions/13429285/

Vespertine 2.0 by Paul Feinstein https://www.finedininglovers.com/article/vespertine-jordan-kahn-interview

Cafe Tropical returns https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2024-03-15/cafe-tropical-reopen-return-sober-silver-lake

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Top Chef is back! Season 21 kicks off next week March 20 in Wisconsin, and there are plenty of changes afoot. We discuss the changes, and hold our 2024 Fantasy Top Chef Draft.

We’re expanding the competition this year and joining us are none other than Jessie Evans, also known as Jessie Eats, and Daniel Wargo, also known as Forking Around. Will one of them have what it takes to take down the champ, Father Sal?

But first, a few things that caught my eye, including 9 new LA restaurants added to the Michelin guide, a new Roy Choi venture, the return of the not-so-Sweet Lady Jane, and an awesome Bill Esparza feature on how to do Valle de Guadalupe right!

Helpful links:

Top Chef Season 21 Trailer https://www.bravotv.com/the-daily-dish/top-chef-season-21-trailer-location-cast-premiere-date

9 LA restaurants named to Michelin Guide https://la.eater.com/2024/3/12/24098634/california-michelin-guide-new-discoveries-restaurants-los-angeles-march-2024

Roy Choi's new concept https://la.eater.com/2024/3/12/24098695/roy-choi-tacos-por-vida-stand-los-angeles-overland-avenue

Sweet Lady Jane reopens https://lamag.com/food/sweet-lady-jane-reopens-santa-monica-beverly-hills-new-owners#:~:text=After%20weeks%20of%20the%20bakery,under%20new%20ownership%20on%20Tuesday.

Bill Esparza on Valle de Guadalupe for Alta Journal https://www.altaonline.com/culture/food-drink/a45977150/mexico-wine-country-valle-de-guadalupe-bill-esparza/

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Today, the first ever crossover pod in LA Food Podcast history. I (Luca) joined the PIE 2 PIE podcast, hosted by Hot Tongue Pizza's Alex Koons, to talk about pizza, influencers, and much, much more. Alex is making one of Los Angeles' best pizzas at Hot Tongue in Silver Lake. I loved talking to him about his pizza journey, from delivering pies at Tomato Pie to opening up Hot Tongue Pizza. We talked about his exit from veganism, the power of influencers like Dave Portnoy, and when is the right time for a Little Cesar's Hot N' Ready. Helpful links: PIE 2 PIE https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/pie-2-pie-a-pizza-makers-podcast/id1668271578 Hot Tongue Pizza https://www.hottonguepizza.com/

Joining us today on the podcast is our very own Prodigal Father-turned-television correspondent, Father Sal. If you have a Hulu subscription, a Netflix subscription or a keen eye for billboards, you’ve probably seen an ad for one of David Chang’s many shows recently. Sal and I are going to do a bit of a deep dive into the world of Chrissy & Dave Dine Out, his show on Hulu with Chrissy Teigen and Joel Kim Booster in which they dine at LA restaurants with celebrity friends. Yes, it’s a classic LA Food Pod slice and dice of whether a food show is worth watching or not, but it’s also a larger conversation on what makes for a good food show in general, what it means to do Los Angeles’ food scene justice, and David Chang’s status within pop culture-at-large.  But first, we’re going to carve up a couple of news stories that whet our appetite this week. There’s a fantastic New York Times interview with 30 chefs on topics like tipping and Gen Z employees, a GrubHub lawsuit that stands to threaten the very existence of food delivery apps in California, and a lukewarm albeit detailed debate about the merits of tuna sandwiches.  Helpful links: Chrissy & Dave Dine Out https://www.freeform.com/shows/chrissy-and-dave-dine-out NYT interview with 30 chefs https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/27/dining/chefs-state-of-the-restaurant-industry.html GrubHub in trouble https://la.eater.com/2024/2/22/24080398/los-angeles-county-lawsuit-grubhub-deceptive-business-practices-customers-drivers-restaurants Carla Cafe https://la.eater.com/2024/2/26/24079376/carla-cafe-los-angeles-sandwich-shop-west-third-beverly-grove-avi-ahdoot Infatuation smashburger rankings https://www.theinfatuation.com/los-angeles/guides/best-smashburgers-los-angeles Southern Smoke Foundation mental health resources https://southernsmoke.org/mental-health/

The inaugural LA Wine and Food Festival is coming to Santa Monica pier next week (March 1-3). Organizer Cecile Rebbot joins us to offer a sneak peak at what you can expect from this bona fide chef-a-palooza.

Plus, my thoughts on Eater's 2024 "Where to Eat" list, Mona Holmes' article on whether LA has achieved "peak smashburger," and what restaurants can do to weather the junk fee-related storm ahead.

Helpful links:

LA Wine and Food Festival https://www.lawineandfood.com/

LA Wine and Food Festival on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lawinefoodfest/

Eater Where to Eat 2024 https://www.eater.com/24009889/best-places-to-eat-restaurants-travel-2024-list

Mona Holmes on smashburgers https://la.eater.com/2024/2/15/24074061/smash-burgers-hamburger-takeout-pop-up-los-angeles-opinion-southern-california

Stephanie Breijo on junk fees https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2024-02-15/new-california-hidden-fees-law-service-fee-ban

Top Chef Season 21 trailer https://www.bravotv.com/top-chef/season-21/videos/your-first-look-at-top-chef-season-21

Unlistables on Gold Spoon https://www.instagram.com/thelacountdown/reel/C3lOu9rvlDH/

Episode in which I give my take on why smashburgers are like making out https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-infatuations-brant-cox-on-eeeeeatscon-and-a/id1667175207?i=1000611882092

Today on the LA Food Podcast, is Bill Esparza revolutionizing the restaurant review or is he merely feeding his ego? There’s an Anthony Bourdain biopic in the works, a New York Times article on whether the robots are ready to run restaurants, and a lightning round of bad idea / horrible idea featuring ice cream flavored water and and a Bon Appetit salad recipe that got way too personal. 

Plus, my interview with Jason Ross, CEO of First Light Farms. First Light Farms is producing what they call the best-tasting beef in the world - it’s grass-fed and finished wagyu beef raised in New Zealand and served at Matu steak restaurant in Beverly Hills. We track the company’s journey pioneering a new way of doing things in the meat industry, and we discuss what we mean when we use terms like grass-fed and wagyu, what the heck the deal is with regenerative farming, and what plant-based activists misunderstand about creating a more sustainably food system. 

Helpful links:

Our free newsletter LA FOODSTACK, where you'll find most of the articles we referenced today https://thelacountdown.substack.com/

THAT divorce salad https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/divorce-salad

First Light Farms https://www.firstlight.farm/us/

The LA Food Podcast is produced with the help of:

Adam Skaggs

Tiffany Perez

Tim Bertolini

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Get 10% off on your first purchase of wagyu beef at First Light Farms using code "LAFOOD10" https://www.firstlight.farm/us/

Joining us today on the podcast are Courtney Kaplan and Charles Namba, the duo behind Echo Park’s Tsubaki and Ototo, as well as the upcoming project Camelia, in the Arts District. Both Tsubaki and Ototo have been making serious noise for years, in Los Angeles and beyond. Their modern, California-centric approach to the classic izakaya experience has been widely lauded and recognized by the likes of the LA Times, the James Beard Awards, and many, many more.  Charles and Courtney walk us through the respective paths that led to their fateful meet-cute at EN Japanese Brasserie in New York City, and how they went from being colleagues in the New York restaurant scene to partners in life and business. We talk the ins and outs of sake, the inspirations behind Charles’ menu items, and the unlikely media hit that launched Tsubaki into a whole new stratosphere of success. Helpful links: Tsubaki http://tsubakila.com/ Ototo https://www.ototo.la/ Article on Camelia https://la.eater.com/2024/1/3/24008079/camelia-restaurant-french-japanese-opening-los-angeles-arts-district-courtney-kaplan-charles-namba Original LA Times review of Tsubaki https://www.latimes.com/food/la-fo-patricia-escarcega-tsubaki-review-20190328-story.html

Valentine’s Day is tomorrow, dear listener, and, like a box of chocolates from your office building’s custodian, we’re here with a surprise gift of an episode - a Procrastinator’s Guide to the perfect Valentine’s Day. I’m joined by food reporter Jada Montemarano to talk about how, if you’re one of those people who’s left their plans to the last minute, you just might be able to still hit a Valentine’s Day buzzer beater. 

We talk tips and tricks for staging the perfect Valentine’s Day at home, a few hacks if you’re one of those people who insists on taking their beloved out for one of the most cursed nights on the dining calendar, and what you might consider doing if you’re one of the single guys or gals prepping for a good ole Galentine’s bash. 

There’s talk of sushi, Korean barbecue, the most romantic restaurant in Los Angeles, and why Father Sal was present at my first-ever Valentine’s Day date with my now wife.

Helpful links:

Jada on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/jadamontemarano/?hl=en

Cheat Day on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDFSPggKc7pzA6rHYyrFAiA

I’m joined by my friend Daniel Wargo, who you might know on TikTok and Instagram as Forking Around, to devise the ideal Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce-inspired Super Bowl spreads. We’re going category by category, and challenging ourselves to devise two different spreads sourced from Los Angeles area restaurants, that perfectly capture the essence of Taylor and Travis respectively. Forks is going to do the Travis spread, I’m doing the Taylor spread, and you’re going to get hungry thinking about these absolutely insane, imaginary Super Bowl parties that none of us would ever be invited to in a million years.  

Also discussed on this episode... Service fee trouble at Found Oyster, Jenn Harris demolition of All’Antico Vinaio, and a big win for LA street vendors. Plus a new exciting series on The LA Countdown!

Helpful links:

Forking Around YouTube https://www.youtube.com/c/ForkingAround

Forking Around TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@forkingaround_tv

Forking Around Instagram https://www.instagram.com/forkingaround.tv/?hl=en

Last Word Hospitality lawsuit https://la.eater.com/2024/2/1/24058584/last-word-hospitality-los-angeles-restaurant-class-action-lawsuit-service-charges-found-oyster

Jenn Harris on All'Antico Vinaio https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2024-02-05/favorite-sandwiches-los-angeles

LA street vendors' win https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-02-06/council-lifts-ban-on-vending-near-hollywood-bowl-other-popular-l-a-locations

Manzke and Bicyclette closures https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2024-02-05/manzke-bicyclette-closing-michelin-starred-tasting-menu-los-angeles

We’re joined today by Alexis Readinger, the founder of Preen Inc., an international award-winning hospitality architecture and design firm based right here in our City of Angels. Alexis walks us through her fascinating career designing some of Los Angeles’ most iconic dining rooms, from Michelin star establishments to beloved hot chicken powerhouse Howlin’ Ray’s.  More than that, though, Alexis discusses all that goes into the design process. And, sure, there’s talk of logistics and timelines, but there’s also reflections on getting to the heart of what a restaurant is trying to convey and how you bring a feeling or a vibe to life in a physical space. We talk about design trends over the years, which design trends Los Angeles is recognized for around the world, and what the heck an architect does when a client won’t stop asking for a punny neon sign.

19 LA area restaurants are named James Beard Semifinalists while 94 journalists at The Los Angeles Times, including some food journalists, lose their jobs - needless to say, it’s been a week of high highs and low lows. Father Sal joins us to dissect it all. We have some fun, congratulatory chat about the amazing restaurants like Amiga Amore and Kuya Lord getting the James Beard nods. And we have a thornier conversation on the importance of local media and what can be done to ensure a more sustainable media ecosystem moving forward.  On an entirely positive note, we’re also joined today by Traci and Shad Davis, the power couple behind Vietnamese fast casual concept My Lai Kitchen. Traci and Shad walk us through the inspiration for their rapidly expanding spring roll empire. We talk through the nuances of opening a fast casual concept, why some fast casual concepts succeed better than others, and the discoveries they’ve made as they translate the beauty of Vietnamese cooking into the fast casual format. Traci also talks to us about her inspiration for opening My Lai in the first place, and Shad tells a hilarious anecdote about how he chooses to spend his birthday each year. Traci and Shad are an absolute delight, and their food is delightful too, so make sure to stick around for that. Helpful links: My Lai Kitchen https://www.mylaikitchen.com/ My Lai Kitchen on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/themylaikitchen/ James Beard semifinalists https://la.eater.com/2024/1/24/24048240/los-angeles-james-beard-foundation-award-semifinalists-2024 LA Times layoff news https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/los-angeles-times-lay-off-94-workers-union-president-2024-01-23/#:~:text=Jan%2023%20(Reuters)%20%2D%20The,media%20industry%20in%20recent%20weeks. Eater story on Melrose Hill https://la.eater.com/2024/1/23/24042254/melrose-hill-los-angeles-neighborhood-new-restaurants-bars-zach-lasry-developer-gentrification Danielle Duran Zecca on the LA Food Pod https://open.spotify.com/episode/2MdotJ7CPm5Ni0VhLPbZNQ?si=HkF7D6WTRVCR8nzTvcInDA

We’re joined today by L.A. Taco’s Janette Villafana to discuss the ins and outs of the Justice 8. If you’ve been scrolling Los Angeles food news on social media or the web over the past few weeks, you may have seen the name “Justice 8” being tossed around. Who are the Justice 8 and what do they have to do with food? In a nutshell, the Justice 8 are a group of street vendor activists who are being held in jail for reasons that many are calling unjust. Janette’s been covering the issue in depth, and is here to break down the situation, what it means for Los Angeles street vendors, and what’s happening next. 

But first, a couple of things caught my eye that I wanted to quickly talk to you about, dear listener. From Plant Food + Wine to Cookbook to Sweet Lady Jane, accusations of bad restaurant behavior are running rampant and I want to unpack it all just a little bit. I also want to quickly give the Emmy-winning food shows their flowers, and take a quick second to plug some pretty cool things that I have cooking outside of the podcast.

We’re joined by Danny Castillo, the pitmaster behind San Juan Capistrano’s Heritage Barbecue, one of Southern California’s premiere barbecue destinations. In recent years Heritage has earned the attention of the LA Times 101 Best Restaurants List, they’ve been named Restaurant of the Year by the OC Register, and they’ve even gained Michelin Bib Gourmand recognition.  While Danny’s “Cali Craft Barbecue,” as he calls it, is now legendary, the story that got him there is full of pit stops and perseverance. Danny shares with us how he went from fixing up old cars, to working at Whole Foods, to finally breaking out on his own to dedicate himself fully to his one true passion - smoking meats. Beyond Danny’s story, I loved this conversation because Danny shows his true, barbecue nerd side. We speak in depth about the different types of barbecue, why certain woods yield different results, how the heck those big ole offset grills you see at barbecue joints even work, and more. There’s a touch of barbecue history in there, and a ton of recognition for the pitmasters who paved the way for Heritage and others to thrive today.  Helpful links: Heritage BBQ https://www.heritagecraftbbq.com/ Heritage on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/heritagebarbecue/?hl=en

We’re flipping the script today and Father Sal will be interviewing me on today’s podcast. Why are we doing this? Well, today happens to be the day that I announce which type of food I’m focusing on for the 2024 Countdown, a.k.a. My annual expedition to try 100 different versions of a certain Los Angeles food. As a reminder, in 2021 I tackled pizzas, in 2022 I visited 100 different taquerias, and in 2023 I ate 100 epic LA sandwiches in 365 days. Which food will 2024 spotlight? Burgers? Noodles? Tinned fish? Let’s find out.  But first, Father Sal and I catch up on our holiday plans. We hear about his exotic travels to Morocco and South Florida, and I share the behind-the-scenes details of my annual Feast of the Seven Fishes extravaganza. We talk New Year’s Resolutions, and share the top two food-related goals we each aim to complete in 2024. Also stick around to the end if you want to hear real-life audio of my wife and I surprising Father Sal in Seattle for his birthday. He turned 21 for the 11th time this past Wednesday, so a very special Happy Birthday to him from the entire LA Food Pod community.  Helpful links: The LA Countdown https://www.instagram.com/thelacountdown/

Believe it or not, it's already been one full year (and 50+ episodes!) of The LA Food Podcast. As we gear up for 2024, here's a compilation of some of our favorite moments from 2023. Happy New Year! Helpful links: Gilberto Cetina episode https://open.spotify.com/episode/34o2zYM6KVJHqu8D1q76bK?si=zAzzkHxoTAaUi5unZdV3Xg Diego Argoti episode https://open.spotify.com/episode/5Aci2o7gLVn4jtLlOuwZZR?si=1nUibxNWSNWyrbyfyKUIEQ Lien Ta episode https://open.spotify.com/episode/3VjeSpIelDfrXsMMbvIXQd?si=NNfO7BuFQz6LNOLOaJVhog Gustavo Arellano episode https://open.spotify.com/episode/7iST9Uyzbdcc92R4ERhkAr?si=_Y2NZIbMTheqIewtT3IOwQ Farley Elliott episode https://open.spotify.com/episode/4jJTzB5avWHZsxY6qb3x3L?si=DhQivuDmSQWgsFBt8cvpzw Jeremy Fox episode https://open.spotify.com/episode/7dkkJfaXT76lAy06pZ41Jb?si=JreoyC5gRM674wX0h1b9aQ Courtney Storer episode https://open.spotify.com/episode/3Crkss2igPVP6CG43qHqMr?si=bHBiF5_BQhKn0mnF3JOMrw The Menu episode https://open.spotify.com/episode/0MOjASg51JCYgeiCuCpBDk?si=TQ0gS1sjT_y6hCqG4gv4cQ

Welcome to the first-ever LA Food Pod Holiday Party! Father Sal joins us to talk holiday plans and to try our hands at some festive mixology. We're making something called a Merry Margarita, brought to us by our friends at Hornitos. Will we like it? Will we hate it? Will you want to try making it for your holiday gathering? Listen to find out. 

But that’s not all. What is a holiday party without some sort of game? In a game that only makes sense in the context of the LA Food Podcast, Father Sal and I have combed the food lists of 2023 from the likes of the LA Times, Eater, The Infatuation and more, to draft which ones we thought did the best job. It's a deliciously convoluted white elephant of sorts, except instead of gifts, what you get to walk away with is our arbitrary ranking of a bunch of other arbitrary rankings. What’s not to love?

Helpful links:

Eater Where to Eat https://www.eater.com/23506205/best-places-to-eat-restaurants-travel-2023

NYT Mexico City dishes https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/14/t-magazine/mexico-city-restaurants-food.html

LAT Hall of Fame https://www.latimes.com/food/list/los-angeles-hall-of-fame-restaurants-modern-classics

LA Taco pupusas https://lataco.com/best-pupusas-los-angeles

LA Taco tacos https://lataco.com/69-best-tacos-in-la

LA Times Italian Sandwiches https://www.latimes.com/food/list/best-italian-sub-sandwiches-los-angeles-guide

Infatuation Celebrity-owned restaurants https://www.theinfatuation.com/los-angeles/guides/the-celebrity-owned-restaurant-power-rankings

LAist Cheap Fast Eats Gardena https://laist.com/brief/news/food/deliciously-messy-teriyaki-burgers-a-bowling-alley-coffee-shop-and-secret-shu-its-cheap-fast-eats-gardena

Kenji Lopez Alt for South Seattle Emerald https://southseattleemerald.com/2023/08/26/j-kenji-lopez-alts-favorite-south-end-restaurants/

NYT's LA 25 https://www.nytimes.com/article/best-restaurants-los-angeles.html

Michelin held its 2024 California Guide Ceremony earlier this week, and it’s fair to say that LA restaurants fared rather well. Jordan Kahn’s Vespertine earned back its 2 stars, Holbox, Uka and Meteora earned their first, and LA also dominated the list of new Bib Gourmands. But, like I ask my therapist on a weekly basis, what does it all mean? Father Sal’s on the pod today to help us make sense of it all. 

We also discuss the crucial matter of whether aspiring Vice President of the United States Tim Walz is a foodie, why Pete Wells decided to go all get off my lawn on his final essay as critic of The New York TImes, and a brilliant new series from Eater exploring iconic regional dishes from around the country.

Finally, we’ve got Part 2 of our interview with Botanica’s Heather Sperling. Last week’s Part 1 received rave reviews, especially from those who appreciate behind-the-scenes looks at restaurant operations. Well, Part 2 is even better. Heather and I discuss in detail the factors making restaurant finances so damn difficult, and what can be done to ease the burden both for businesses and, get this, landlords. I bet you weren’t expecting that. We also talk about the exciting food happening at Botanica, of course, and why you as a consumer should feel good supporting a business such as theirs. 

Helpful links:

LA FOODSTACK newsletter on Substack https://thelacountdown.substack.com/p/3-hot-takes-on-the-2024-california

Botanica https://botanicarestaurant.com/

Heather Sperling https://www.instagram.com/heathersper/?hl=en

Heather Sperling in the LA Times https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2024-05-14/one-dollar-at-botanica-restaurant-los-angeles-heather-sperling

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Get 10% off your first order at House of Macadamias using code “LAFOOD” https://www.houseofmacadamias.com/pages/la-foods

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Get 10% off your first order of wagyu beef products at First Light Farms using code “LAFOOD10” https://www.firstlight.farm/us/

We’re joined by Brant Cox and Sylvio Martins of The Infatuation LA to break down their list of the Best New Restaurants of 2023. They dropped this list a couple of weeks ago now, and it includes some truly stellar spots that have graced the LA dining scene this past year, such as Donna’s of Echo Park and Loreto of Frogtown. Brant and Sylvio walk us through their process for compiling this list. We learn about their favorites, honorable mentions that just missed out, and why some big names like Funke and Poltergeist didn’t quite make the cut. 

We also talk food trends of 2023 - from the Great Martini Revival to the seemingly inescapable barrage of red sauce Italian spots flooding our timelines - and they look forward to 2024, discussing which upcoming restaurant openings have them chomping at the bit. 

First though, there are a couple of headlines in the food world I wanted to discuss, from LA’s Al Fresco Program moving towards permanence to the closure of several big name restaurants.

Helpful links:

Infatuation Best New Restaurants 2023 https://www.theinfatuation.com/los-angeles/collection/best-new-restaurants-los-angeles-2023

LAT on Al Fresco dining https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-12-08/los-angeles-city-council-permanent-al-fresco-dining

Michelin adds 3 LA restaurants to guide https://la.eater.com/2023/12/12/23998495/michelin-guide-discoveries-2023-hibi-baroo-olivia-restaurants-los-angeles

Kinn closure https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2023-11-21/los-angeles-korean-restaurant-kinn-chef-mental-health#:~:text=On%20closing%20L.A.'s%20Kinn%2C%20chef%20highlights%20mental%20health%20issues,close%20his%20tasting%2Dmenu%20restaurant.

Craft closure https://la.eater.com/2023/11/20/23969943/craft-la-kinn-koreatown-closed-restaurants-los-angeles-november-2023

Angry Egret closure https://la.eater.com/2023/12/14/24001272/chef-wes-avila-angry-egret-dinette-chinatown-restaurant-closure-los-angeles

LA Times restaurant critic Bill Addison dropped his much-anticipated 101 Best Restaurants list on Tuesday and it’s set the internet abuzz with thoughts and reactions aplenty. Congratulations to all of the restaurants who made the list, I hope you’re all celebrating accordingly. I offer some high-level observations and perhaps a couple of nuggets of constructive criticism. Because that’s just the helpful guy that I am. 

We’re also joined by Father Sal to talk about the trend of influencer-backed restaurants, and we also break down the latest season of The Great British Bake Off. The Bake Off conversation is jolly good fun - we talk about the new host, our fave contestants, and we get into a pretty heated debate about whether this is actually a show about food, or if it’s really just vibes. 

Helpful links:

101 list https://www.latimes.com/food/list/101-best-los-angeles-restaurants-ranked-2023

Hall of Fame https://www.latimes.com/food/list/los-angeles-hall-of-fame-restaurants-modern-classics

LA Times on influencer-backed restaurants https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2023-11-24/influencer-backed-restaurants-los-angeles-worth-the-hype

Great British Bake Off https://thegreatbritishbakeoff.co.uk/

Eater article defending Prue https://www.eater.com/23972427/leave-prue-leith-alone-great-british-bake-off

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

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

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/

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

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

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

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/

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

We’re joined on the pod today by none other than Father Sal. As you know, dear listener, Father Sal doesn’t actually live in Los Angeles, but when he does visit our city, which happens often, he always comes prepared with the most thorough itineraries humankind has ever seen. If planning were an Olympic sport, Father Sal would take home gold, silver, bronze, and perhaps even the cutest leotard award. As a gesture of our goodwill to you, dear listener, we’re going to talk today about how to craft the perfect itinerary when visiting LA or when hosting out-of-town visitors. He’ll walk me through his latest plans, and I’ll critique them from a culinary perspective to make sure he’s not taking just another basic bitch visit to LA, but really getting into the guts of what makes  our city’s food great right now. Consider this the Gourmand’s Guide to Visiting or Hosting Visitors in LA. 

We’re also joined today by a restaurant owner who has been a very vocal voice in recent conversations on the tough times restaurants have been having of late. You may have seen her piece in The LA Times breaking down where every cent of a dollar goes once you’ve spent it at a restaurant. It’s Heather Sperling of Botanica in Silver Lake and, honestly, this was such a fascinating conversation, I had to break it up into 2 parts. Today, we’ll be hearing about the path that led her to opening Botanica, and next week we’ll dive into the nitty gritty of owning and operating a restaurant in LA’s rather draconian regulatory environment. Heather actually worked in food media for a long time, and today’s portion of the interview includes some great insights on what we’re losing as the food media universe continues to hemorrhage dollars and therefore journalists. 

Helpful links:

Our free newsletter LA FOODSTACK https://thelacountdown.substack.com/

Botanica https://botanicarestaurant.com/

Heather Sperling on IG https://www.instagram.com/heathersper/?hl=en

This episode of The LA Food Podcast was produced with the help of:

Adam Skaggs

Tiffany Perez

Tim Bertolini

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Get 10% off on all purchases at House of Macadamias with the code "LAFOOD" https://www.houseofmacadamias.com/pages/la-foods

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Get 10% off your first order of wagyu beef at First Light Farms using the code "LAFOOD10" https://www.firstlight.farm/us/

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

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.

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. 

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