Getting kava-curious with Kavahana's Hannah Wilen. Plus a flurry of new restaurant laws in California.

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