This Is TASTE

Our Las Vegas week continues with a fun conversation with Marc Vetri. We wanted to talk with Marc about opening a restaurant in Las Vegas, Vetri Cucina at Palms. What’s it like to move his Philadelphia-based operation across the country to cook on the 56th floor overlooking the Strip? Not easy. We get into how Marc has settled in and some of the exciting regional Italian dishes he is preparing. Also on the show, Aliza catches up with Josh Smith, executive chef of Delilah, the Art Deco–themed supper club at Wynn Las Vegas. They talk about what it takes to maintain buzz in the desert and how there is only one Las Vegas when it comes to the showmanship of dining out. I hope you enjoy this very special Las Vegas episode of the show.These very special episodes of This Is TASTE are supported by Las Vegas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our Las Vegas week continues! Penny Chutima is the next generation of Lotus of Siam, an iconic, James Beard Award–winning restaurant serving up regional Northern Thai food in Las Vegas since 1999. The daughter of chef Saipin Chutima, Penny is dedicated to preserving and expanding Lotus of Siam’s legacy, beloved by chefs like Anthony Bourdain and just about everyone else who comes to Vegas. Also on the show, Matt talks with Amanda Signorelli about running the Golden Steer, an iconic Vegas steakhouse founded in 1958, frequented by Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra, that’s been in her family for years.These very special episodes of This Is TASTE are supported by Las Vegas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our Las Vegas week continues with a very fun interview with Michael Mina, a legendary Bay Area chef who has deep roots in Las Vegas. We talk about how the city has grown into a world-class culinary destination and get into what he is cooking up at his restaurants there, including Bardot Brasserie, International Smoke, Orla, StripSteak, and his namesake restaurant at Bellagio. This guy has serious range, and we discuss how he sources California produce and seafood and gets it to his Las Vegas restaurants in a snap. We also get a locals-only tour of restaurants off the Strip from the point of view of a world-class chef who also happens to be a local. Also on the show, Aliza and Matt pay a visit to Sphere, the now-legendary Las Vegas performance venue. We attended a recent Dead & Company show and wanted to check in with the food! It’s actually quite good, and we share some highlights from the concession stand, including good pizza, great pretzels, craft beer for days, and a thoughtful approach to modern stadium food. It’s yet another example of how Las Vegas is getting food right. These very special episodes of This Is TASTE are supported by Las Vegas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Influential and esoteric celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck has been operating restaurants in Las Vegas for more than 25 years, earning a following through his creative cuisine and sense of showmanship at restaurants including Caramá, CUT, and Spago. On this entertaining episode, we hear how Wolfgang was initially drawn to Las Vegas when opening Spago, his first restaurant there, in 1992, and how he’s seen the Las Vegas dining scene develop into an internationally acclaimed destination.Also on the show, Aliza and Matt take a tour of Las Vegas’s bustling Chinatown, making visits to some really cool places, including Ping Pang Pong, Gäbi Coffee & Bakery, Shang Artisan Noodle, and the 24-hour cocktail bar Golden Tiki. We also experience Cantonese barbecue nirvana at Win Kee HK BBQ and Noodle and catch up with the restaurant’s owner, Ida Shek. These very special episodes of This Is TASTE are supported by Las Vegas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re so happy to feature two great friends: chef Deuki Hong and New York Times columnist and cookbook author Eric Kim. We had a great conversation about the new book Koreaworld, a cookbook and cultural study that Matt wrote with Deuki. This conversation was recorded live at Rizzoli Bookstore and touches on many topics related to modern Korean food in both Korea and the United States. We hope you enjoy the conversation.Got a question, comment, future guest idea, fact to share, fun fact to share, less-fun fact to share? Send us a voice memo and we will listen to it, and may feature your message on the show!MORE FROM DEUKI HONG: Buy: Koreaworld The Seoul Train of Inspiration Runs Through Los Angeles [Eater] Koreaworld: A Culinary Revolution [NBC Washington] Chef Deuki Hong Talks New ‘Koreaworld' Cookbook [NBC Bay Area] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Louis Catizone, cofounder of St. Agrestis, talks about the Phony Negroni, a popular NA cocktail. They discuss the rise of NA bottled cocktails, challenges in the industry, and the success of St. Agrestis. The conversation also touches on the impact of the pandemic on businesses and consumer behavior towards non-alcoholic options.

London-based baking expert Benjamina Ebuehi discusses European vs. NYC bakeries, recipe development, and unique transport strategies for delicate desserts. She explores British baking ingredients, shares nostalgic food memories, and recommends top food spots in South London.

Aaron Lindell is the chef and co-owner of Quarter Sheets, the wildly popular Los Angeles restaurant he runs with his wife, Hannah Ziskin. Now, listen, you’ve probably read about Quarter Sheets. You may have even had Hannah’s iconic princess cake. But this is a conversation about Aaron’s pizza. It’s…amazing. And it has a great backstory. On this episode we hear about Aaron’s wild career as a private chef for NBA stars and tech icons, and how the pandemic led to his amazing pop-up and restaurant. It’s such a great talk, and I hope you enjoy it.Got a question, comment, future guest idea, fact to share, fun fact to share, less-fun fact to share? Send us a voice memo and we will listen to it, and may feature your message on the show!MORE FROM AARON LINDELL: This Is TASTE 152: Hannah Ziskin [TASTE] One of L.A.’s Best Pizzerias is Finally Taking Reservations [Time Out] How Quarter Sheets Conquered LA, One Pan Pizza and Slab Cake at a Time [Eater] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Celina Baljeet Basra is the Berlin based author of Happy, a sweet and surreal postmodern novel released last year. It follows a young man named Happy from his family cabbage farm in Punjab to his clandestine journey to Europe, and the service jobs he works along the way. I’ve never read a book quite like Happy and it's so fun to have Celina on the show to talk about unconventional food writing, her favorite restaurants in Berlin, and more.Got a question, comment, future guest idea, fact to share, fun fact to share, less-fun fact to share? Send us a voice memo and we will listen to it, and may feature your message on the show! MORE FROM CELINA BALJEET BASRA: Happy [Literary Hub] The Tragic Exploitation that Puts Food on Our Plates [Washington Post] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rocco DiSpirito is an iconic Italian American New York City chef, television personality, and highly acclaimed author of 14 cookbooks, including three New York Times bestsellers. On this episode we go way back to his star turn on one of the first food reality TV shows on air, and we talk about his time in the kitchen at Union Pacific, his acclaimed New York City restaurant from the early 2000s. We also discuss what excites him about food in New York City and beyond. Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you. MORE FROM ROCCO DISPIRITO: Where'd You Go, Chef Rocco DiSpirito? [Food & Wine] How Rocco DiSpirito, Chef, Spends His Sundays [NYT] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices