The LA Food Podcast
By Acquired Taste Media
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Subscribers: 3
Reviews: 0
Episodes: 133
Description
The LA Food Podcast is where LA’s top chefs, boldest food stories, and biggest restaurant moments all collide. Hosted by Luca Servodio, the official hype man of Los Angeles restaurants, we dig deep into what’s happening across the most exciting food city on the planet — Los Angeles.
We’ve chopped it up with legends like Wolfgang Puck, Brooke Williamson, Joe Sasto, and more. Expect chef interviews, restaurant news, behind-the-scenes drama, food culture trends, and no-BS conversations about LA’s dynamic dining scene.
Powered by Acquired Taste Media. New episodes drop every Friday. Hit follow!
| Episode | Date |
|---|---|
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The gourmand’s guide to San Diego, featuring Addison, Tribute Pizza, The Lafayette Hotel and more.
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Jun 13, 2025 |
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How AI is infiltrating fine dining. Plus, Evan Funke’s back at it, Jonathan Gold under fire, and Father Sal tries the Erewhon Hailey Bieber smoothie.
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Jun 06, 2025 |
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Could “entertainment zones” save LA restaurants? Plus, Matu’s Scott Linder and Ryan Gianola on expanding their wagyu beef empire.
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May 30, 2025 |
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Is Thomas Keller losing it? Plus, Found Oyster's Ari Kolender on cooking the finest things in the sea and Queen’s savvy rebrand.
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May 23, 2025 |
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Condiment Claire, the LA-raised content creator taking over the world. Plus, burger love/hate, oyster economics, and Nobody Wants This bagels.
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May 16, 2025 |
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Are LA diners too hard to please? Survey results from The Angel, Top Chef progress report & big news from Bill Esparza
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May 09, 2025 |
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Meteora Rising: Is Jordan Kahn's Melrose restaurant ready for 2 Michelin Stars? Plus, Opening Cafe Esca Part 4, AKA the ins and outs of designing a menu.
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May 02, 2025 |
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Inside Lele Dinner Club, LA’s hottest reservation. Plus, Pizza City Fest preview with Steve Dolinsky.
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Apr 25, 2025 |
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From border town to Beard semifinalist, with Barra Santos’ Melissa Lopez. Plus, Jenn Harris on tariffs, Khushbu Shah on influencers vs. experts, and a hot LA restaurant survey making the rounds.
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Apr 18, 2025 |
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How will the tariffs impact LA restaurants and diners? Plus, RIP middle class restaurants, wagyu beef heaven in Brentwood, and Glen Powell’s BLT boo-boo.
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Apr 11, 2025 |
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The Curious Case of Eric Greenspan and Elon Musk’s Tesla Diner. Plus, 5 SoCal restaurants score James Beard noms, Taco Madness’ notable omission, and notes from the Pizza Expo field.
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Apr 04, 2025 |
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BONUS: Live from Family Meal – Restaurants in Times of Crisis with Lien Ta, Alycia Harshfield, Alexa Rousso, and Stephen Poux.
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Apr 01, 2025 |
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Inside the mind of a food critic, with The LO Times’ Ryan Sutton (formerly of Eater NY and Bloomberg News)
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Mar 28, 2025 |
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Why are restaurants still facing a labor crisis? Plus, new Michelin Guide additions, LA’s street food supremacy, pizza-coded romantic drama, and a Chinese hot pot nightmare.
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Mar 21, 2025 |
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Scouting report of the hottest culinary talent in America (A.K.A. The 2025 Fantasy Top Chef Draft). Plus, a one-man tasting menu in DTLA and the most controversial restaurant in the world.
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Mar 14, 2025 |
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Hainan Chicken & Hard Lessons: Chef Johnny Lee’s journey to Rasarumah. Plus, LIVE from New York, it’s Taco Bell’s Live Mas LIVE.
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Mar 07, 2025 |
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Can anyone save The Original Pantry Cafe? Plus, drama at The Ruby Fruit and a round-up of recent eats feat. Stir Crazy, Calabama and Hiho Cheeseburger.
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Feb 28, 2025 |
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Why are LA pizzerias receiving cease and desists? Plus, OpenTable’s resurgence, reflections on dinner at Baroo, and Father Sal gives his mom a daughter-in-law (kind of).
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Feb 21, 2025 |
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Why restaurants are petitioning the city, with The LA Times’ Stephanie Breijo. Plus, Rashida Holmes on Bridgetown Roti’s journey from pop-up to permanent.
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Feb 14, 2025 |
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BONUS: Are nonalcoholic cocktails the real deal? With The Lonely Oyster's Philip Ross
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Feb 11, 2025 |
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We can’t stop thinking about Vespertine. But did we like it?
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Feb 07, 2025 |
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Boulud & Waxman & Goin, oh my! Previewing the epic Chefs Love LA wildfire benefit dinner. Plus, why Ricardo Zarate’s The Hummingbird is way more than a comeback.
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Jan 31, 2025 |
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Another (frankly psychotic) analysis of the 2025 James Beard semifinalists. Plus, Opening Cafe Esca Part 3 with Luke Reyes and Reilly Cox.
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Jan 24, 2025 |
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Restaurants rise to the wildfire challenge - but the job’s not finished. With Cafe De Leche’s Matthew Schodorf, Fiorelli Pizza’s Liz Gutierrez, and Inclusive Action for the City’s Rudy Espinoza.
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Jan 17, 2025 |
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3 ways to help LA restaurants during the wildfires
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Jan 10, 2025 |
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Announcing the 2025 Countdown. Plus, more doom and gloom in store for LA restaurants in 2025?
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Jan 03, 2025 |
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The Best New Restaurants of 2024, with The Infatuation’s Brant Cox and Sylvio Martins. Plus, 2024 trends, 2025 predictions, and food-related New Year’s resolutions.
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Dec 27, 2024 |
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The 2nd annual LA Food Pod Holiday Party. Plus, Christmas at Genghis Cohen with Marc Rose and Med Abrous.
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Dec 20, 2024 |
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What do the Eater layoffs mean for LA food media? Plus, Part 2 of Opening Cafe Esca with Luke Reyes and Reilly Cox.
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Dec 13, 2024 |
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A (frankly psychotic) analysis of The LA Times 101 Best Restaurants list
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Dec 06, 2024 |
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A very LA Food Pod gift guide. Plus, the case for gatekeeping restaurants per TASTE, in defense of LA dining's "ebb" year, and solving the future of food media in one conversation.
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Nov 29, 2024 |
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100th Episode Live Show with Mona Holmes and Jackson Kalb
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Nov 22, 2024 |
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Brooke Williamson talks Top Chef, longevity in the LA restaurant scene, and her debut cookbook, Sun-Kissed Cooking.
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Nov 15, 2024 |
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Langer’s future on the rocks, why Martha Stewart hates her doc, and Karen Palmer thrives in the Father Sal chair - hardly a shock. Plus, a chat with Richard Pink on the eve of Pink’s 85th Birthday.
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Nov 08, 2024 |
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Opening Cafe Esca Part 1, with Reilly Cox and Luke Reyes. Plus, Jenn Harris puts the NY vs. (World Series Champ) LA food debate to rest, can food help Kamala win, and Father Sal is moving to LA.
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Nov 01, 2024 |
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The influencer debate heats up. Plus, political burritos, immortal mochi, and a cheesy conversation with The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills' Dominick DiBartolomeo.
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Oct 25, 2024 |
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Did Evan Funke’s Chef’s Table just give us the ick? Plus, food criticism chat, LA County does something good, El Moro displaces Patra, Erewhon kids’ meals, and more.
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Oct 18, 2024 |
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Is Eater's Essential 38 the GOAT or the most chaotic list of all time? Plus, Jaca's talent pipeline, Tom Colicchio's memoir, and an interview with The Lonely Oyster's Dominique Crisp.
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Oct 11, 2024 |
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An honest conversation with ex-Otium employees. Plus, reactions to L.A. Taco's Taco 69, Ina Garten's media tour, California's octopus ban, and Paul Hollywood's extracurriculars.
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Oct 04, 2024 |
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The future of Wolfgang Puck with Wolfgang Puck and Byron Lazaroff Puck. Plus, Azizam's hot streak, Owen Han's sandwich crown, and the most embarrassing Yelp review of all time.
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Sep 27, 2024 |
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Bon Appetit honors an LA hotspot, Josiah Citrin reflects on 25 years of Melisse, and Laurie Ochoa has had it with guest chef dinners. Plus, an olive oil masterclass with Corto's Lisa Pollack.
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Sep 20, 2024 |
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High and lows as we bid Poltergeist farewell, but celebrate Holy Basil's big Food & Wine win. Plus, a sneak peek of two exciting concepts coming this Fall to Ojai and Montecito.
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Sep 13, 2024 |
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Joe Sasto blesses the pod with pasta wisdom, Top Chef lore, and his glorious moustache. Plus, decoding LA burgers, Evan Funke gets the Chef's Table treatment, and fast food jobs soar.
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Sep 06, 2024 |
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Is Langer's actually closing? Plus Father Sal unleashed at. Si! Mon, Cobi's, Horses, Petramale and more. And an interview with Avner Levi of Cento Pasta Bar.
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Aug 30, 2024 |
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The best tacos in LA, work-life balance in fine dining, and postmodern beer with LAist's Gab Chabran. Plus, how Snibbs' Daniel Shemtob developed the perfect shoe for chefs.
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Aug 23, 2024 |
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Is Bill Esparza revolutionizing food criticism? Plus, a Bourdain biopic, the rise of restaurant robots, and a beefy interview with First Light Farms' Jason Ross.
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Aug 16, 2024 |
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LA earns 5 new Michelin stars. Plus, Tim Walz is a foodie, Pete Wells yells at clouds, and Part 2 of our interview with Botanica's Heather Sperling.
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Aug 09, 2024 |
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The gourmand's guide to visiting (or hosting visitors in) LA. Plus, Botanica's Heather Sperling on her unique journey and the state of food media.
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Aug 02, 2024 |
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Hot girls eat pickles, with Leah Marcus and Yasaman Bakhtiar of Good Girl Snacks. Plus, it's rainin' taco guides as we pick up the pieces of the Esparza-Villa's fallout.
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Jul 25, 2024 |
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Bill Esparza vs. Villa's Tacos. Plus, why New Zealand real fruit ice cream is the sweet treat of the summer. With Creamy Boys' Duncan Parsons and Joe Wedd.
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Jul 19, 2024 |
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Baroo is the LA Times' Restaurant of the Year. Plus, Eater's Mona Holmes on what makes LA food (and food media) great.
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Jul 12, 2024 |
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The Bear Season 3 Recap - Part 2. Plus, service fees here to stay, street vendors win big, and Gorilla Pies needs our help.
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Jul 05, 2024 |
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The Bear Season 3 Recap - Part 1: Does it still have the special sauce?
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Jul 01, 2024 |
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Live from Holbox: Lunch with Santiago Lastra, chef of London's Michelin-starred KOL
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Jun 28, 2024 |
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Top Chef Season 21 Recap. Plus, service fees live to fight another day, reservation resale platforms get the axe, and Luca gives vegans free political advice.
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Jun 21, 2024 |
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What the James Beard Awards and World's 50 Best tell us about dining in 2024. Plus, is Little Tokyo "endangered?" And what the heck is up with Joey Chestnut?
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Jun 14, 2024 |
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From Boulder to Bourdain, the many lives of Checker Hall's Gabe Kennedy. Plus, Infatuation pans Vespertine, the problem with "shoppy shops," and The Best Restaurant in Town.
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Jun 07, 2024 |
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Lunch with the Infatuation's Brant Cox at Mae Malai (P.S. EEEEEATSCON is upon us). Plus, The Bear Season 3 trailer, mental health and burnout in the industry, and R.I.P. Always Pan.
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May 31, 2024 |
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Fast Eddie: Can Eddie Navarrette save California restaurants? Plus, Something About Her blues.
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May 24, 2024 |
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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.
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May 17, 2024 |
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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.
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May 10, 2024 |
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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.
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May 03, 2024 |
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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.
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Apr 26, 2024 |
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Yes We Cannabis: Wendy Zeng is the LA chef exploring cultural heritage (and much more) via food and cannabis
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Apr 19, 2024 |
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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.
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Apr 12, 2024 |
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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
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Apr 05, 2024 |
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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.
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Mar 29, 2024 |
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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.
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Mar 22, 2024 |
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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.
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Mar 15, 2024 |
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PIE 2 PIE crossover with Hot Tongue Pizza's Alex Koons
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Mar 08, 2024 |
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Chang-a-Palooza: Dissecting David Chang's empire (but mostly just Chrissy & Dave Dine Out)
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Mar 01, 2024 |
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Sneak preview of the inaugural LA Wine and Food Festival. Plus, Sacramento's star turn, smashburger fatigue, and junk fee trouble ahead.
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Feb 23, 2024 |
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For Sake's Sake: Tsubaki and Ototo's Courtney Kaplan and Charles Namba on sake, success, and striving for more
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Feb 16, 2024 |
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BONUS: Valentine's Day for procrastinators, with Jada Montemarano
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Feb 13, 2024 |
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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.
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Feb 09, 2024 |
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Immaculate Vibes: The ins and outs of restaurant design with Preen Inc's Alexis Readinger
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Feb 02, 2024 |
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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.
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Jan 26, 2024 |
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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
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Jan 19, 2024 |
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The Dreamer: Danny Castillo's journey to opening Heritage Barbecue and becoming one of So Cal's premier pitmasters
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Jan 12, 2024 |
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Announcing the 2024 Countdown. Plus, holiday recap, our food-related New Year's resolutions, and a Father Sal birthday surprise.
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Jan 05, 2024 |
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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
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Dec 29, 2023 |
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The Holiday Party! Feat. the definitive list of the best food lists of 2023 (look out, journalists!) and Merry Margaritas courtesy of Hornitos
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Dec 22, 2023 |
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The Infatuation LA's Best New Restaurants of 2023, featuring Brant Cox and Sylvio Martins
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Dec 15, 2023 |
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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.
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Dec 08, 2023 |
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Why Chef Jeremy Fox won't serve lamb to Alain Passard. Plus, stories on Rustic Canyon, Birdie G's, and earning a Michelin star.
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Dec 01, 2023 |
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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.
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Nov 23, 2023 |
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Negroni-palooza with Virali Dave. Plus the latest on legal street vending, with Inclusive Action for the City's Doug Smith.
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Nov 17, 2023 |
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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.
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Nov 10, 2023 |
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Why Farley Elliott is leaving Eater for SF Gate. Plus poutine, hamsters eating tiny burritos, and more.
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Nov 03, 2023 |
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Musings on mole with Guelaguetza's Bricia Lopez. Plus Victor Heights gentrifies, legislators doom service fees, and LAist trolls Luca.
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Oct 27, 2023 |
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Paul Feinstein wrote the book on Italian cocktails. No, really.
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Oct 20, 2023 |
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Uptown Provision's Aaron Melendrez: Veteran, master mixologist, and maker of the best damn sandwiches you've never had
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Oct 13, 2023 |
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Getting kava-curious with Kavahana's Hannah Wilen. Plus a flurry of new restaurant laws in California.
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Oct 06, 2023 |
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Dissecting The N.Y. Times' Best Restaurants in LA list. Plus nude dinners, trouble at Erewhon and another Nobu lawsuit.
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Sep 29, 2023 |
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How to nail the LAFC eating experience, with Forking Around
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Sep 22, 2023 |
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Takes and Tortillas: Gustavo Arellano joins the pod and we talk about, well, everything
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Sep 15, 2023 |
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BONUS: Dave Portnoy vs. Dragon Pizza
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Sep 12, 2023 |
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The Farmers' Market on Wheels: Prosperity Market is tackling LA's thorniest food access issues and economic inequities
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Sep 08, 2023 |
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Behind the curtain of Gilberto Cetina's Holbox, The L.A. Times' 2023 Restaurant of the Year
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Sep 01, 2023 |
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Five Star Chef is good... but is it Five Star!? Plus the LA Times loves NY, and another big LA restaurant bites the dust.
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Aug 25, 2023 |
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Here's Looking At Lien: Lien Ta's journey to becoming one of LA's best loved restaurateurs
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Aug 18, 2023 |
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Is David Chang's "Secret Chef" any good? And what's the deal with LA's pork crisis?
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Aug 11, 2023 |
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Who curates the food at music festivals? With Outside Lands' Tanya Kollar
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Aug 04, 2023 |
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Love and Lasagna: Ceci's Gastronomia is the closest you can get to Italy without leaving LA
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Jul 28, 2023 |
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Diving into natural wine with Ian Asbury, while Michelin gives LA the finger
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Jul 21, 2023 |
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Kat Turner's highly unlikely road to Highly Likely, and Kristen Kish's Top Chef takeover
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Jul 14, 2023 |
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Forks and Fishes: The Bear special with culinary producer Courtney Storer
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Jul 07, 2023 |
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LAist's Gab Chabran knows food (and also how to make a mean mixtape)
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Jun 30, 2023 |
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What makes an L.A. Times Restaurant of the Year, and San Jose food recs with Brian Lerner
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Jun 23, 2023 |
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Why Karen Palmer is LA food's Kevin Bacon, and the definitive Top Chef postmortem
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Jun 16, 2023 |
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Top Chef World All-Stars finale recap with Daniel "Forking Around" Wargo
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Jun 09, 2023 |
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Top Chef Exec Producer Doneen Arquines previews the Season 20 finale, and LA wins the James Beard Awards
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Jun 07, 2023 |
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Stories to sink your teeth into with L.A. in a Minute's Evan Lovett
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Jun 02, 2023 |
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Helicopters and Hallucinogens: Diego Argoti's winding road to Poltergeist, LA's best new restaurant
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May 26, 2023 |
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James Beard accused of "wokeness," while Hollywood hot spots wade into hot water
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May 19, 2023 |
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Valerie Gordon is LA's queen of confections
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May 12, 2023 |
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The Infatuation's Brant Cox on EEEEEATSCON, and a Father Sal food crawl recap
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May 05, 2023 |
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Benson Tsai on leaving SpaceX to make robot-powered pizza
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Apr 28, 2023 |
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Controversy at Silver Lake's Salt & Straw, hot takes on Coachella's food set-up and more with Father Sal
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Apr 22, 2023 |
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4 recent meals that have blown my mind (and why I don't like magicians)
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Apr 14, 2023 |
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Jessie "Eats" Evans on how NOT to be a "pump and dump" influencer
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Apr 06, 2023 |
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What would the quintessential LA wedding menu look like?
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Mar 30, 2023 |
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The Perfect Rec with Michael "Fat Phuck" Cannata
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Mar 23, 2023 |
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To Live and Street Vend in LA with Rudy Espinoza
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Mar 15, 2023 |
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Top Chef Season 20 Fantasy Draft
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Mar 09, 2023 |
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The Dough Daddy Story with Kyle Davidson
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Mar 06, 2023 |
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Amiga Amore's Danielle Duran Zecca talks elote agnolotti, and Forking Around joins me to challenge ChatGPT to a duel
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Feb 27, 2023 |
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LA's outdoor dining debate with Casa Vega's Christy Vega, and creating food competition show GOLD
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Feb 18, 2023 |
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Steve Dolinsky talks Pizza City Fest LA plus The 2023 Draft of Best Birthday Spots in LA
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Feb 11, 2023 |
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Embezzling chicken wings and reviewing "The Menu"
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Feb 05, 2023 |
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ORIGIN STORY / Why should we care about the James Beard Awards?
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Jan 28, 2023 |
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TASTY TRAILER
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Jan 22, 2023 |
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The LA Food Podcast (Trailer)
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Jan 22, 2023 |