The LA Food Podcast
Episodes
Fast Eddie: Can Eddie Navarrette save California restaurants? Plus, Something About Her blues.
24 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Eddie Navarrette is the Executive Director of the Independent Hospitality Coalition in addition to being one of LA’s foremost consultants in helping...
Molly Baz and lactation-gate, restaurant finances dissected, and Michelin goes to Mexico. Plus, Top Chef midseason check-in with the hosts of Compliments to the Chef.
17 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 p...
Bill Esparza on his journey, "taco bros," David Chang and much, much more. Plus, World's 50 Best recognizes Kato, 5 So Cal restaurants added to the Michelin Guide, and Sweetgreen embraces beef.
10 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We’re joined by none other than Bill Esparza, the legendary award-winning writer, author, TV fixer and saxophonist. Maybe you’ve read his reportin...
James Beard loves LA media, the future of reservations, and serious questions about LA's croissant game. Plus, Chef Jonathan Harris of Linden, LA's most underrated new fine dining concept.
03 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We give flowers to the very deserving LA-based journalists and writers who did score James Beard nominations, including Gab Chabran, Daniel Hernandez ...
Chefs of Coachella, feat. Eric Greenspan, David Kuo and many more. Plus, Sage Vegan embraces meat, Matthew Kenney still sucks, and Eddie Navarrette doesn't.
26 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Yes We Cannabis: Wendy Zeng is the LA chef exploring cultural heritage (and much more) via food and cannabis
19 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 mist...
Daniele Uditi and Los Angeles' pizza renaissance. Plus, David Chang's chili crunch controversy, the 5 most anticipated bites of Coachella, and L.A. Taco needs our help.
12 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 c...
James Beard snubs LA (kind of), Trader Joe's trader woes, and a Father Sal food crawl feat. Yangban, Felix, Poltergeist and a Chris Bianco cameo
05 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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...
High Steaks: Matū's Scott Linder on the wonders of wagyu. Plus, the Walk of Fame gets a face lift, LA Health Dept in crisis and Brant Cox comes for Lisa Vanderpump.
29 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 Ange...
Ladyhawk's Charbel Hayek on winning Top Chef and a new era of Lebanese food in LA. Plus, The War on Pizza, Vespertine 2.0 and the return of Cafe Tropical.
22 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 re...
The 2024 Fantasy Top Chef Draft. Plus, 9 LA restaurants added to the Michelin Guide, Roy Choi's new taco concept, and how to party correctly in Valle de Guadalupe.
15 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 202...
PIE 2 PIE crossover with Hot Tongue Pizza's Alex Koons
08 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 tal...
Chang-a-Palooza: Dissecting David Chang's empire (but mostly just Chrissy & Dave Dine Out)
01 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Joining us today on the podcast is our very own Prodigal Father-turned-television correspondent, Father Sal. If you have a Hulu subscription, a Netfli...
Sneak preview of the inaugural LA Wine and Food Festival. Plus, Sacramento's star turn, smashburger fatigue, and junk fee trouble ahead.
23 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 a...
For Sake's Sake: Tsubaki and Ototo's Courtney Kaplan and Charles Namba on sake, success, and striving for more
16 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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...
BONUS: Valentine's Day for procrastinators, with Jada Montemarano
13 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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...
The LA restaurant Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce Superbowl spreads. Plus, Found Oyster in hot water, Jenn Harris slams All'Antico Vinaio, and LA street vendors win big.
09 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 Kelc...
Immaculate Vibes: The ins and outs of restaurant design with Preen Inc's Alexis Readinger
02 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We’re joined today by Alexis Readinger, the founder of Preen Inc., an international award-winning hospitality architecture and design firm based rig...
Whiplash as 19 LA restaurants named James Beard semifinalists, but 94 LA Times reporters lose their jobs. Plus, the art of fast casual, with My Lai Kitchen's Traci and Shad Davis.
26 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
19 LA area restaurants are named James Beard Semifinalists while 94 journalists at The Los Angeles Times, including some food journalists, lose their ...
Who are the Justice 8? With L.A. Taco's Janette Villafana. Plus, The Bear wins big, certain restaurants behave badly, and Luca does Seacrest
19 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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...
The Dreamer: Danny Castillo's journey to opening Heritage Barbecue and becoming one of So Cal's premier pitmasters
12 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We’re joined by Danny Castillo, the pitmaster behind San Juan Capistrano’s Heritage Barbecue, one of Southern California’s premiere barbecue des...
Announcing the 2024 Countdown. Plus, holiday recap, our food-related New Year's resolutions, and a Father Sal birthday surprise.
05 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 da...
The Best of The LA Food Podcast 2023, featuring Gilberto Cetina, Courtney Storer, Gustavo Arellano, Lien Ta, Jeremy Fox, Diego Argoti, Farley Elliott and more
29 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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...
The Holiday Party! Feat. the definitive list of the best food lists of 2023 (look out, journalists!) and Merry Margaritas courtesy of Hornitos
22 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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'r...
The Infatuation LA's Best New Restaurants of 2023, featuring Brant Cox and Sylvio Martins
15 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 l...
Stop hating on The LA Times 101 Best Restaurants list. Plus, we argue about The Great British Bake Off, and why so many influencers are opening restaurants.
08 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
LA Times restaurant critic Bill Addison dropped his much-anticipated 101 Best Restaurants list on Tuesday and it’s set the internet abuzz with thoug...
Why Chef Jeremy Fox won't serve lamb to Alain Passard. Plus, stories on Rustic Canyon, Birdie G's, and earning a Michelin star.
01 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Thanksgiving Special: Meals we're grateful for in 2023. Plus holiday gift guide "cop or drop," Pakistani excellence, Tate McRae mediocrity, and a GOAT-level list from the New York Times.
23 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Negroni-palooza with Virali Dave. Plus the latest on legal street vending, with Inclusive Action for the City's Doug Smith.
17 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Why LA3C may be the coolest food (and music) festival ever. Plus Bar Chelou's star turn, Erewhon's dark underbelly, and fried chicken drama.
10 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 fe...
Why Farley Elliott is leaving Eater for SF Gate. Plus poutine, hamsters eating tiny burritos, and more.
03 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Musings on mole with Guelaguetza's Bricia Lopez. Plus Victor Heights gentrifies, legislators doom service fees, and LAist trolls Luca.
27 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We’re joined today by the indomitable Bricia Lopez, a widely respected entrepreneur and author whose family restaurant, Guelaguetza, has been enchan...
Paul Feinstein wrote the book on Italian cocktails. No, really.
20 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Uptown Provision's Aaron Melendrez: Veteran, master mixologist, and maker of the best damn sandwiches you've never had
13 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We’re joined today by Aaron Melendrez, the chef and owner behind one of Southern California’s most exciting sandwich shops, Uptown Provisions in W...
Getting kava-curious with Kavahana's Hannah Wilen. Plus a flurry of new restaurant laws in California.
06 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 Paci...
Dissecting The N.Y. Times' Best Restaurants in LA list. Plus nude dinners, trouble at Erewhon and another Nobu lawsuit.
29 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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...
How to nail the LAFC eating experience, with Forking Around
22 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 aro...
Takes and Tortillas: Gustavo Arellano joins the pod and we talk about, well, everything
15 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 colu...
BONUS: Dave Portnoy vs. Dragon Pizza
12 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Dave Portnoy of Barstool Sports went viral last week after he posted one of his One Bite Pizza Reviews. He was reviewing Dragon Pizza, a small indepen...
The Farmers' Market on Wheels: Prosperity Market is tackling LA's thorniest food access issues and economic inequities
08 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Carmen Dianne and Kara Still are the co-founders of Prosperity Market, a farmers market on wheels whose mission is to support local black farmers and ...
Behind the curtain of Gilberto Cetina's Holbox, The L.A. Times' 2023 Restaurant of the Year
01 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Gilberto Cetina is the chef and owner of Holbox, the Los Angeles Times 2023 Restaurant of the Year. On this episode, Cetina traces the journey that br...
Five Star Chef is good... but is it Five Star!? Plus the LA Times loves NY, and another big LA restaurant bites the dust.
25 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
UK cooking show Five Star Chef has finally made it to Netflix, and Father Sal joins me today to break down what can only be described as the best Brit...
Here's Looking At Lien: Lien Ta's journey to becoming one of LA's best loved restaurateurs
18 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Lien Ta is the restaurateur behind All Day Baby, Here’s Looking At You and Tet a Tet. Lien’s story is a fascinating one, and we retrace her steps ...
Is David Chang's "Secret Chef" any good? And what's the deal with LA's pork crisis?
11 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
David Chang’s Secret Chef is out on Hulu, and Father Sal joins me to break down the first season. We discuss the concept, the contestants, the chall...
Who curates the food at music festivals? With Outside Lands' Tanya Kollar
04 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We are joined today by Tanya Kollar, the food curator of Outside Lands. She has the massive responsibility of assembling the vendors that keep the mas...
Love and Lasagna: Ceci's Gastronomia is the closest you can get to Italy without leaving LA
28 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Joining us on the pod today are Francesca Pistorio and Francesco Lucatorto, the husband-and-wife team behind Ceci’s Gastronomia in Silver Lake. Ceci...
Diving into natural wine with Ian Asbury, while Michelin gives LA the finger
21 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ian Asbury is the Co-founder of Good Clean Fun, an absolutely bitchin’ natural wine shop and bar in downtown LA. Natural wine has been on the rise f...
Kat Turner's highly unlikely road to Highly Likely, and Kristen Kish's Top Chef takeover
14 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Kat Turner is chef and partner of Highly Likely, one of LA’s hottest all day restaurant concepts. They’ve been serving the West Adams neighborhood...
Forks and Fishes: The Bear special with culinary producer Courtney Storer
07 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s episode is all about The Bear. We’re joined by culinary producer Courtney Storer to break down the behind-the-scenes of Season 2, which is...
LAist's Gab Chabran knows food (and also how to make a mean mixtape)
30 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Gab Chabran is the Associate Editor of Food and Culture at LAist. He’s a Whittier native and a Long Beach resident, and joins the pod to offer a div...
What makes an L.A. Times Restaurant of the Year, and San Jose food recs with Brian Lerner
23 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Father Sal joins me to discuss the 2023 LA Times Restaurant of the Year. This year’s honors went to Holbox, Gilberto Cetina’s seafood concept at M...
Why Karen Palmer is LA food's Kevin Bacon, and the definitive Top Chef postmortem
16 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Food writer, editor and founder of Pain Pizza Karen Palmer joins the pod for a wide-ranging conversation on making a career in food writing, the joys ...
Top Chef World All-Stars finale recap with Daniel "Forking Around" Wargo
09 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel Wargo joins the pod to recap the epic season finale of Top Chef World All-Stars Helpful links Forking Around on Instagram https://www.instagra...
Top Chef Exec Producer Doneen Arquines previews the Season 20 finale, and LA wins the James Beard Awards
07 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Happy Top Chef Finale Week to all those who celebrate. To preview the occasion, we’re joined by Top Chef Executive Producer and Showrunner Doneen Ar...
Stories to sink your teeth into with L.A. in a Minute's Evan Lovett
02 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Joining us today on the pod is Evan Lovett of LA in a Minute. You’ve probably seen Evan’s face on your TikTok or Instagram feeds, dropping some se...
Helicopters and Hallucinogens: Diego Argoti's winding road to Poltergeist, LA's best new restaurant
26 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Poltergeist, Diego Argoti's bold and brash concept located inside of Echo Park arcade Button Mash, takes the cake for "best meal I've had...
James Beard accused of "wokeness," while Hollywood hot spots wade into hot water
19 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Father Sal joins the pod to discuss a particularly busy news day. The James Beard Awards are being accused of "bending to wokeness" for info...
Valerie Gordon is LA's queen of confections
12 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This episode is guaranteed to give you a sugar rush! We're joined by Valerie Gordon, the chocolatier, chef, and entrepreneur behind Valerie Confec...
The Infatuation's Brant Cox on EEEEEATSCON, and a Father Sal food crawl recap
05 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This episode is what the kids call "a banger." Brant Cox of The Infatuation joins us to talk about how he became one of LA's most truste...
Benson Tsai on leaving SpaceX to make robot-powered pizza
28 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In 2019 Benson Tsai quit his job at SpaceX to start... a pizza company. Stellar Pizza isn't just any pizza company, though. Benson and his co-founders...
Controversy at Silver Lake's Salt & Straw, hot takes on Coachella's food set-up and more with Father Sal
22 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Father Sal returns to the pod to discuss some hot-topics in LA and global food news, including the recent backlash incurred by a new Salt & Straw loca...
4 recent meals that have blown my mind (and why I don't like magicians)
14 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Solo pod alert! We're a third of the way through the year, dear listener, and I want to tell you about four incredible dining experiences that I've ha...
Jessie "Eats" Evans on how NOT to be a "pump and dump" influencer
06 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
I'm joined by a true OG of the food influencing world today to discuss the ins and outs of this weird world. Jessie Evans has been producing food cont...
What would the quintessential LA wedding menu look like?
30 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Big news! Your favorite podcast host tied the knot recently! Cousin Sal joins me to talk all things wedding food, including what makes for an unforget...
The Perfect Rec with Michael "Fat Phuck" Cannata
23 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Michael "Fat Phuck" Cannata joins us to talk about his journey as a long-time food influencer, what eats he's been enjoying recently, an...
To Live and Street Vend in LA with Rudy Espinoza
15 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What would LA be without its street vendors? From pupusas to tacos de canasta, some of my favorite places to eat in this fair city don't even have nam...
Top Chef Season 20 Fantasy Draft
09 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Top Chef Season 20 airs TONIGHT on Bravo at 8p ET/PT. It's a special season - they're headed to London for a World All-Stars in which winners and fina...
The Dough Daddy Story with Kyle Davidson
06 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Kyle Davidson joins the pod to talk about Dough Daddy, his Detroit-style pizza concept that first popped up during the pandemic. We discuss why Dough ...
Amiga Amore's Danielle Duran Zecca talks elote agnolotti, and Forking Around joins me to challenge ChatGPT to a duel
27 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We're joined by the all-star chef of one of LA's hottest new restaurant concepts, Amiga Amore. Chef Danielle Duran Zecca is cooking up Italian-Mexican...
LA's outdoor dining debate with Casa Vega's Christy Vega, and creating food competition show GOLD
18 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
As the City of Los Angeles proposes new hoops for restaurants to jump through in order to keep serving diners outdoors, Casa Vega's Christy Vega joins...
Steve Dolinsky talks Pizza City Fest LA plus The 2023 Draft of Best Birthday Spots in LA
11 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We're joined by James Beard Award-winning broadcaster, author and podcaster Steve Dolinsky to talk all things pizza, including the first-ever Pizza Ci...
Embezzling chicken wings and reviewing "The Menu"
05 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The epic sequel to our blockbuster debut, Cousin Salman and I do a little round-up of the top food news stories this week, and then have a lively reca...
ORIGIN STORY / Why should we care about the James Beard Awards?
28 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this epic POD DEBUT, I give you the 411 on what the heck the Countdown is, and why I'm embarking on a quest to eat 100 iconic LA sandwiches in 365 ...
TASTY TRAILER
22 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Here's why you should subscribe The LA Countdown - The Podcast. Sponsored by TUMS. Not really.
The LA Food Podcast (Trailer)
22 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas