The LA Food Podcast

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 Angeles. Matū is famous for its dedication to serving only the highest quality grass-fed wagyu beef. But that’s not all - as they were getting ready to launch the restaurant, Scott and his fellow founders spent a ridiculous amount of time nailing down all of the variables that go into preparing the product correctly, and serving it up in a way that leads to maximum flavor and satisfaction.  Scott joins us to talk all things beef, but also how he got into the position of being the culinary mind behind all that Matū has to offer. He tells us about his love for Iron Chef, his time spent traveling the world as the private chef to an A-list celebrity famous for doing their own stunts, and how one fateful afternoon with Jerry Greenberg led him to moving to Los Angeles and betting it all on beef. Of course, I couldn’t let him leave without asking him about Matū's legendary Philly Cheesesteak. How did they come up with it, and what makes it so damn irresistible? But first, a few things that caught my eye. There’s change coming to the Hollywood Walk of Fame, a crisis at the Health Department, and several excellent restaurant reviews I want you to go check out! Helpful links: Matu https://www.matusteak.com/aboutustext/ First Light Farms Steak Club https://steakclub.firstlight.farm/ Walk of Fame https://www.dailynews.com/2024/03/22/access-to-hollywood-plan-will-dramatically-redesign-hollywood-boulevard/ LA Times on Health Dept woes https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-03-15/restaurant-inspection-workplace-complaints Jenn Harris reviews Sophy's https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2024-03-21/review-sophys-cambodia-town-food-music-beef-jerky LA Times Koreatown guide https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2024-03-28/best-restaurants-bars-in-koreatown-los-angeles Brant Cox of the Infatuation on SUR https://www.theinfatuation.com/los-angeles/reviews/sur-restaurant-and-lounge

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 restaurants. Charbel is the mastermind behind Ladyhawk, which opened last year inside of the La Peer Hotel in West Hollywood. Ladyhawk has been earning rave reviews for its forward-thinking Eastern Mediterranean menu, with LA Times critic Bill Addison calling it “Los Angeles’ most compelling Lebanese restaurant.” Charbel joins us to talk about the journey that led him to Ladyhawk, from growing up in Beirut as the son of a chef, to becoming the youngest ever Top Chef winner in global franchise history. Of course, I couldn’t let him leave without asking him all of the dirty deets on his Top Chef experience, especially with respect to last year’s World All-Stars in London. He breaks down just how grueling the filming schedule is, what it was like to win the Gaggan Anand challenge that allowed him to showcase his love for his country, and how he conceptualized the iconic onion dish that he’s become synonymous with in Top Chef-loving circles.  Also… There’s a War on Pizza playing out in New York City, a fascinating inside look at Vespertine 2.0, and the return of Cafe Tropical in Silver Lake. Helpful links: Ladyhawk https://ladyhawkrestaurant.com/ Bill Addison on Ladyhawk https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2024-01-25/ladyhawk-west-hollywood-lebanese-bill-addison-review War on Pizza https://abc7ny.com/new-york-city-department-of-environmental-protection-pizzeria-emissions/13429285/ Vespertine 2.0 by Paul Feinstein https://www.finedininglovers.com/article/vespertine-jordan-kahn-interview Cafe Tropical returns https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2024-03-15/cafe-tropical-reopen-return-sober-silver-lake --- Brought to you by House of Macadamias. Shop The LA Food Podcast bundle https://www.houseofmacadamias.com/pages/la-foods

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.