The LA Food Podcast

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/ -- Brought to you by House of Macadamias. Discover the LA Food Podcast bundle https://www.houseofmacadamias.com/pages/la-foods

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

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.