The LA Food Podcast
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, the show digs deep into what's happening across the most exciting food city on the planet. It features 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.
Episodes
Why the New York Times’ Best Restaurants List Is Better Than Michelin. Plus, Influencer “Licenses,” the Unreasonable Unreasonable Hospitality Backlash & Crumbl Under Fire.
The New York Times named its 50 favorite restaurants in America, and somehow Komal is the first LA Mexican restaurant to make the list in six years. Luca and Sal break down LA selections Komal, Jacaranda and Yerord Mas Bakery & Deli, debate whether the list actually represents how America eats, and name the two Los Angeles restaurants they would have chosen instead. Plus: shrinking portions at
Q&A: Farmers Market Whistleblowing, “Peak Millennial” Restaurants & Is WeHo Cursed? Plus, Ceviche Project, Pawn Shop & Holy Basil.
Father Sal returns for a full Q3 listener Q&A, and things get weird quickly. We debate whether having a controversial guest on a podcast counts as “platforming,” try to decode an anonymous tip about Sqirl’s alleged lack of presence at the farmers market, ask whether West Hollywood is cursed for restaurants, and determine which LA spots best capture peak-millennial dining culture. Plus: which r
Why LA Fish Tacos Suck with Bill Esparza + A Big Announcement About The Future of The LA Food Podcast
We’re reaching into the Taqueando with Bill Esparza archives for one of the only episodes Luca has ever joined Bill on, a deep dive into the glorious, deceptively complicated world of the real Ensenada-style fish taco. Bill breaks down what makes the Baja classic legit, why so many versions miss the mark, and everything Luca didn’t know about one of Southern California’s most iconic foods.There’s
Hillstone Beef, LA’s Best Sandwich Drama, Michelin’s Latest Snub and the Hot New Restaurants to Try Now
Food writer Karen Palmer returns to defend Hillstone, revisit the Hard Rock Cafe and examine whether Go Greek can become the Shake Shack of frozen yogurt. Luca shares recent meals at Doto, Sora Craft Kitchen and LA’s newest spots before they debate $40 sandwiches, protein maxxing, restaurant branding, Michelin’s Texas snub and the return of chicken as a marquee menu item. Plus, the best sandwiches
COUCH POTATOES: Does Tony Get Anthony Bourdain Right? Does It Matter? And Is It Better Than The Odyssey?
Does Tony capture the real Anthony Bourdain, or does it take one creative liberty too many? Luca is joined by Nancy DaSilva (Compliments to the Chef) and Father Sal for a spirited, spoiler-filled review of Matt Johnson’s Bourdain biopic, from Dominic Sessa’s occasionally uncanny performance to standout turns from Antonio Banderas and Leo Woodall. They debate whether the film needed Bourdain at all
LA Food News, Pizza Wisdom and the Content Machine with Alex Koons (Hot Tongue); Craveability and Building an Empire with Lawrence Longo (Prince Street Pizza, Irv’s)
Hot Tongue Pizza owner Alex Koons joins Luca as guest co-host for a pizza-heavy tour of the LA food scene, from Queens, Cacao Mexicatessen and FurnSaj to Bar 109’s Michelin-starred burger, fried pizza at Pizzeria Sei and the prospect of paying $4,000 for pasta for life. Be sure to check out his show, Fast Casual, by the way!Then restaurateur Lawrence Longo tells the incredible story of going from
Matt Rodbard & How Kev Eats: René Redzepi Is Back, $20 Burritos & LA’s Best Pancakes
Matt Rodbard, founder of TASTE and host of This Is TASTE, returns to The LA Food Podcast for an unfiltered conversation at Crudo e Nudo about Los Angeles vs. New York dining, Santa Barbara’s rising restaurant scene (shouout Drift Hotel), twenty-dollar burritos, René Redzepi’s return to Noma, RFK Jr.’s cooking show and the growing influence of credit card companies on restaurants and pop-ups. Then
Rose Previte Is Onto Something Huge at Maydan. Plus, Dine LA Is Cool Again, Condé Nast Goes Full Villain & Father Sal Was Right (Unfortunately).
Restaurateur Rose Previte, the owner of Maydan and Maydan Market, joins The LA Food Podcast to discuss her globe-spanning journey into hospitality, the travel and research behind Maydan’s live-fire Middle Eastern cooking, and the ambitious restaurant ecosystem she is building in West Adams. Luca makes the case that Maydan belongs among the five best restaurants in Los Angeles, while Rose explains
LA Food "SubwayTakes" with Ronit Halmos. Plus, Lodge Bread’s Illegal Carport-to-Empire Story.
This week, LA food creator Ronit Halmos joins Luca for a rapid-fire, Subway akes-style round of “Worth the Hype,” debating Courage Bagels, Hillstone, The Benjamin’s $35 martini, In-N-Out fries, drinks at SUR and the ultimate coastal food fight: Is Los Angeles food actually better than New York’s?Ronit also talks about developing her instantly recognizable restaurant-review format, why she refuses
COUCH POTATOES: The Bear Is Over - Legacy, Rankings & Superlatives (Spoilers)
The Bear is officially over, and we're looking back at one of television's most influential food dramas. On this episode of Couch Potatoes, Luca and Father Sal unpack the final season, debate whether the finale redeemed the show's uneven final stretch, rank every season, hand out series superlatives, and answer the biggest question of all: what is The Bear's legacy? Did it earn a p
Vespertine vs. Providence. NYT’s Chez Panisse Backlash. And Jacaranda’s Daniel Patterson & Sarah Lewitinn on Betting Big on Fine Dining.
This week on The LA Food Podcast, we finally tackle one of the biggest destinations in Los Angeles dining: Vespertine & Providence. After revisiting Jordan Kahn's boundary-pushing tasting menu and making our long-awaited first trip to Michael Cimarusti's three-Michelin-star seafood temple, we compare every course, every experience, and ask whether Michelin got the rankings right. We al
COUCH POTATOES: Everyone Loves Maddie's Secret. We Have Questions. (Spoilers)
Is Maddie's Secret actually a movie about food influencers... or is food just the backdrop?On this special edition of Couch Potatoes, Luca is joined by Bits Nicholas and Nancy DaSilva of Compliments to the Chef to unpack one of the year's most talked-about food films. Together they break down John Early's directorial debut, debate whether its satire of millennial food creators lands, e
"F* Tradition": The TikTok Review That Sparked an LA Food War. Plus, Eric Greenspan on the Tesla Diner, Luxury Buffets Are So Back & Everyone Has Diarrhea
A TikTok review of a $38 Armenian basturma brisket sandwich has exploded into one of the biggest food controversies Los Angeles has seen all year. This week, Luca is joined by Taqueando producer Robert Haleblian, who's been following Glendale favorite Yerord Mas since its pop-up days, to unpack how one viral video ignited a debate about restaurant pricing, tradition, influencer culture, and wh
Caper Eulogizes Eater — But Are They Dead Yet? Plus, Recent Meals at Bar Di Bello, Bad Roman, Tacos Royale & More.
Come to the West Hollywood Pizza Run Club this Sunday July 12!--Has Eater fully lost its place as the most influential name in food media? This week on The LA Food Podcast, Luca Servodio and SF Gate food writer Karen Palmer unpack Dana Brown's explosive deep dive into Eater's rise, evolution, layoffs, SEO strategy, and uncertain future under Penske Media. They debate whether the publicatio
Quiet Quitting Michelin. The Bear Is Low-Key Back. Top Chef Is Washed. And Eddie Huang vs. The New York Times.
Father Sal calls in from his Los Angeles staycation ready to quiet quit the Michelin Guide, even as he heads to two-star Kato and makes the case for restaurants like Lielle, Anajak and Jacaranda. Luca and Sal recap memorable meals at Quarter Sheets, Oaxacalifornia, Asadero, Cafe Telegrama, Expendio de Maíz, Voraz and Anajak before asking whether The Bear Season 5 has somehow rediscovered what made
LA’s James Beard Highlight Reel: Dave Beran Dunking on Haters, Kato’s Historic Run and Providence Aging Like Fine Wine. Plus, Zach Brooks on 10 Years of the “Terrible Idea” That Became Smorgasburg LA.
Karen Palmer joins Luca to break down Los Angeles’ huge night at the 2026 James Beard Awards, including wins for Dave Beran, Providence and Kato, Holbox’s heartbreak, LA’s four-year Best Chef: California streak and what the results reveal about the city’s growing culinary dominance. They also trade recent eats from Mish Deli, Rustic Canyon, Cambria’s Sea Chest, Guelaguetza, Delicious Pizza, Estran
Q&A: LA Pizza, MAGA Food Influencers & Softball Interview Backlash. Plus, Mona Holmes on How 2020 Reshaped Food Media
This week on The LA Food Podcast, Luca and Father Sal kick things off with a listener Q&A covering some of the most pressing issues in Los Angeles dining: where to find a trendy but affordable sit-down meal, whether LA has its own pizza style, how much power food influencers really have, what makes a restaurant creator trustworthy, and why Brazilian pizza at Sampa’s in Marina del Rey might be
How Bub and Grandma’s Took Over LA’s Bread Game
Andy Kadin, founder of Bub and Grandma’s, joins The LA Food Podcast for a deep dive into one of the most beloved bakeries in Los Angeles. If you’ve eaten at restaurants across LA, from Michelin-starred dining rooms to neighborhood sandwich shops, there’s a good chance you’ve had Bub and Grandma’s bread on the table.In this episode, Andy tells the story of how a home bread operation grew into a who
Jessica Koslow on How Dinner at Sqirl Is Actually Going
On this episode of The LA Food Podcast, Luca sits down with Jessica Koslow, the chef and owner behind Sqirl, one of the most influential Los Angeles restaurants of the last 15 years. Koslow reflects on Sqirl’s unlikely evolution from a jam company into a defining all-day restaurant, the origins of dishes like the sorrel pesto rice bowl and ricotta toast, and why her background as a pastry cook and
The Rise of Rick Lox. Plus, LA Gets an Erewhon Knock-Off, Vermin Hit LA Icons & the NYT 100 Causes a Stir
This week on The LA Food Podcast, Luca is joined by food writer Karen Palmer and LA food influencer Rick Lox for a two-part episode covering the state of Los Angeles restaurants, food media, and the city’s never-ending dining discourse. First, Karen breaks down the latest LA restaurant storylines, from the rise of luxury grocery stores like Laurel Supply to the possible comeback of the Helms Desig
Why Does LA Keep Dominating the James Beard Media Nominations? Plus, Enrique Olvera's New Venture, The Pop Up To End All Pop Ups, and Unhinged Steakhouse Behavior.
Luca and Father Sal break down the James Beard Awards media nominations, why LA continues to dominate, and how outlets like the Los Angeles Times keep scoring while The New York Times gets shut out. Plus: is the decline of Eater real, and are Substacks quietly replacing traditional food journalism? In “Recent Eats,” we’re talking airport burgers at Skillet, a return to Lodge Bread, Roman pizza in
Our Worst Episode Ever | NYT's Updated Best LA List, Noma Should Cost More, Infatuation Under Attack & How Sushi Lost Its Soul
This might be the worst episode of The LA Food Podcast we’ve ever released.Luca is sick, the brain fog is real, and for the first time ever… this episode is completely unedited. No cuts, no clean-up, no saving ourselves in post. What you’re about to hear is the raw, behind-the-scenes version of the show — for better or worse.Despite the mess, there’s a lot to get into.We kick things off with liste
The 2026 Food Media Boom: Bubble or Breakthrough? Plus, Yang's Kitchen's Chris Yang's Next Big Bet.
The LA food media landscape is exploding in 2026, and it’s getting harder to keep up. From the return of Gourmet to the rise of Caper Media, RAVENOUS, and LA Material, new outlets are reshaping how restaurants, culture, and criticism are covered.In Part 1 of this episode, Luca and Father Sal break down the biggest food media launches of the year, debating which platforms actually have staying powe
A Tí vs. Broken Spanish Comedor. James Beard "Scandal." CPK's Cringey Cease & Desist. And An Interview With Tomat's Natalie Dial & Harry Posner.
The LA Food Podcast is now on YouTube, and we’re celebrating with a brand new segment: VERSUS. This week, Luca and Father Sal go head-to-head debating two of LA’s most exciting modern Mexican restaurants—Echo Park favorite A Ti vs. the return of Ray Garcia at Broken Spanish Comedor—arguing which one is truly worth your next reservation. Plus, Chef’s Kiss Big Miss is back with takes on the latest J
COUCH POTATOES: Is America's Culinary Cup... Better Than Top Chef?
Today on Couch Potatoes, we’re breaking down the first six episodes of America’s Culinary Cup, the new CBS food competition series hosted by Padma Lakshmi—and her very public post-Top Chef return to the genre.We get into what the show is trying to be, how it stacks up against Top Chef, and whether the high-level talent—from Michelin-starred chefs to James Beard nominees like Buddha Lo, Beverly Kim
Tom Schwartz on Vanderpump, The Valley, and How Restaurants Almost Broke Him. Plus, Recent Eats at Bar Di Bello, Sqirl & Bianca Sicilian.
Today on The LA Food Podcast, we’re joined by Vanderpump Rules star and restaurateur Tom Schwartz for a candid, surprisingly thoughtful conversation about life in the hospitality industry.Recorded at Mae Malai in Los Angeles, Tom opens up about his journey from aspiring actor to bar owner, what it really takes to open and operate restaurants like TomTom and Schwartz & Sandy’s, and why the indu
LA’s James Beard Surge, Fine Dining on Trial, and Brian Bornemann on 5 Years of Crudo e Nudo
Los Angeles shows out in a big way as the 2026 James Beard finalists are announced—and for once, it actually feels like the city is getting its due. We break down the biggest headlines, who got snubbed, and whether the Beards still mean what they used to for LA and fine dining at large.Then, we dive into the growing backlash against fine dining, sparked by Khushbu Shah’s viral Substack and a New Y
Q&A: Full-of-Sh*t Influencers, Bad Restaurants That Stay Packed, and How to Find a Wife + Pizza Lies with Daniele Uditi
On this episode of The LA Food Podcast, Luca checks in from Las Vegas in full Uncut Gems mode while Father Sal returns for a chaotic, no-holds-barred Q&A episode.You asked, we answered. We’re talking everything from which LA food influencers are completely full of shit, why certain “terrible” restaurants stay packed, and how to actually navigate tipping culture in 2026, to deeper cuts like und
Noah Galuten Co-Hosts: LA Chef Mount Rushmore & Noma Art vs Artist Debate. Plus, LA Taco Enters The Chat (Finally).
Today on The LA Food Podcast, James Beard Award-winning author, restaurateur, and longtime Angeleno Noah Galuten joins as guest co-host for a wide-ranging conversation on LA’s past, present, and future as a food city.In a moment where the restaurant world is dominated by headlines around René Redzepi and Noma, we take a different approach. Instead of focusing on controversy, we draft our Mount Rus
Noma-Gate in LA: The Timeline, The Fallout & The Protest Press Conference
This week on The LA Food Podcast, Luca Servodio and Karen Palmer break down the biggest restaurant industry story of the year: the escalating Noma scandal surrounding chef René Redzepi and the $1,500-per-person Noma pop-up in Los Angeles.Following a bombshell New York Times investigation into abuse and labor practices at Noma, protests erupted in LA led by former Noma fermentation director Jason I
COUCH POTATOES: Top Chef Is Back & The 2026 Top Chef Fantasy Draft
A new podcast is hitting the LA Food Podcast feed.Welcome to the debut episode of Couch Potatoes: A Food TV Podcast. To kick things off, Luca Servodio and Father Sal are joined by Bits Nicholas of Compliments to the Chef to preview Top Chef Season 23 and hold the first ever Fantasy Top Chef Draft for 2026.The twist? It’s Team LA Food Podcast vs Team Compliments to the Chef. Each side drafts chefs
Matt Rodbard Co-Hosts: Sqirl By Night, More Noma Thoughts & the Food Media Startup Ignoring the Algorithm
Matt Rodbard of This Is TASTE joins Luca Servodio as guest co-host on The LA Food Podcast for a wide-ranging conversation about the future of food media, restaurant discovery, and what’s happening right now in the LA dining scene.They dig into Rodbard’s recent interviews with Emma Orlow of Caper Media and David Cho of the restaurant discovery app Postcard, exploring the idea of “post-traffic” food
Eater Takes Max & Helen's Heat, New York Times Declares LA's "Essential" Dishes & Echo Park Survives The LA Food Pod Bar Crawl. Plus, Mirate/Daisy Margarita Bar's Max Reis on Mezcal & More.
This week on The LA Food Podcast, we’re diving deep into LA’s cocktail culture with James Beard semifinalist Max Reis, beverage director of Mirate and Daisy Margarita Bar. Max shares his journey from Napa to Los Angeles, how he became one of the country’s most respected mezcal advocates, and what it takes to build a world-class bar program. In Part 1, Luca and Father Sal recap a legendary Echo Par
Alison Roman on AI, LA Dining & Reinvention. Plus, Major Noma Drama, @ComfyWithKerry Episode Fallout & a Major RVR Apology.
Alison Roman joins The LA Food Podcast for a wide-ranging conversation on cookbooks, creativity, and the unsettling rise of AI-generated recipes. We dive into Something From Nothing, her evolving aesthetic, growing up in the San Fernando Valley, and her early days in LA fine dining. Before that, Father Sal and Luca break down meals at Lucia, Bess, Max & Helen’s, and Cheesesteaks by Matu, plus
The LA Dining "Scam" Debate Breaking People's Brains: @ComfyWithKerry, Influencer Hype, and Why Dining Out Feels So Fraught Right Now
On this episode of The LA Food Podcast, Luca Servodio is joined by food reporter Karen Palmer to break down the viral LA dining discourse sparked by Kerry Rose Schwartz (@comfywithkerry) and her claim that “LA fine dining is a scam.”We dig into why Kerry’s videos exploded, the pushback from chefs like Jeremy Fox, and what the backlash reveals about hype culture, pricing, influencer power, and the
LA's James Beard Supremacy; Noma Silences the Haters (Kind Of); Plus, Revenge of the Neighborhood Restaurant with Adam Weisblatt (Last Word Hospitality) & DK Kolender (Hermon's).
On this episode of The LA Food Podcast, we’re doing a little bit of everything — industry analysis, hot takes, and a long, thoughtful sit-down with two people quietly shaping what neighborhood dining looks like in Los Angeles right now.In Part 1, Father Sal joins Luca to break down the 2026 James Beard Award semifinalists. LA had a massive showing this year, but how does it stack up against past y
Keeping Up With Kato: Why Jon Yao & Ryan Bailey Never Stop Evolving
On this episode of The LA Food Podcast, Luca sits down with Chef Jon Yao and Ryan Bailey (Co-owner, DOO & Wine Director) of Kato, one of Los Angeles’s most acclaimed and ambitious restaurants. The conversation traces Kato’s evolution from its pre-Michelin West LA strip-mall era to its Arts District rebirth — unpacking how Jon and Ryan built a fine-dining institution that balances Taiwanese &am
In Defense of Noma's $1500 Price Tag (Not Really). Plus, Jason Lee of Expense Account.
Today on The LA Food Podcast, we break down the LA food story that set the internet on fire: René Redzepi brings Noma to Silver Lake at $1500 per person. With guest Karen Palmer, we dissect the announcement, the backlash, the economics, and whether the outrage is justified—plus why “reindeer penis” somehow became part of the discourse.Then on Chef’s Kiss / Big Miss, we tackle the surprise return o
New Year, New Laws for California Restaurants. Plus, RIP Horses, Welcome Back Bäco, and Sorry Bill Simmons.
Welcome back to The LA Food Podcast! In our second episode of 2026, Father Sal and Luca kick things off with Recent Eats, covering Hermon’s, Superba, Connie & Ted’s, and Etra. Then we dive into the new California food laws taking effect in 2026 — including updates to minimum wage, plastic bag rules, delivery app regulations, tortilla fortification, allergen menu labeling, retirement plan requi
Food Resolutions, What’s In & Out for 2026, and Luca’s 2026 Countdown Announcement
It’s the first episode of The LA Food Podcast in 2026, and Luca Servodio and Father Sal are kicking off the new year the only way they know how: with food resolutions, trend forecasting, and a healthy dose of Chef’s Kiss / Big Miss.On this episode, Luca and Sal trade three food-related resolutions each, from how they plan to dine out in 2026 to charitable goals that may or may not end in regret. L
Building Budonoki: From USC Apartment Pop-Ups to One of LA’s Buzziest Izakayas
It’s a Christmas-week episode of The LA Food Podcast, and we’re celebrating with one of the most joyful restaurants in Los Angeles.This week, Luca Servodio sits down with Eric Bedroussian and Josh Hartley, the hospitality-driven duo behind Budonoki, the wildly popular Virgil Village izakaya that started as a roaming pop-up and grew into one of LA’s most electric dining rooms.In this How I Built Th
The 2025 LA Food Awards
The LA Food Podcast does awards… our way. In this first-ever LA Food Awards, Luca Servodio and Father Sal toss out the tired “Best Chef / Best New Restaurant” formula and replace it with an audio awards ceremony celebrating the restaurants, chefs, and cultural moments that actually defined LA dining in 2025. At least for us. From the FOMO Award for the restaurants we’re most anxious to finally vis
Inside the LA Times 101 Best Restaurants List With Bill Addison and Jenn Harris. Plus, Biggest Drops, Rising Stars, and Notable Exclusions with Father Sal.
The LA food equivalent of a new Taylor Swift album dropped this week. The Los Angeles Times has released its annual 101 Best Restaurants in Los Angeles list, and Acquired Taste got early access before anyone else.On this episode of The LA Food Podcast, Luca Servodio sits down with LA Times restaurant critics Bill Addison and Jenn Harris at Mercado La Paloma, which was named the number one restaura
James Beard Awards Controversy Explained, Wagyu Wars, and LA Dominates Esquire’s Best New Restaurants. Plus, 2025 Gift Guide Feat. My Wife.
Welcome back to The LA Food Podcast. This week, Luca and Karen Palmer dive into one of the most fascinating food stories of the year: the global fight over wagyu. Karen breaks down what Japanese producers are trying to protect, whether A5 wagyu is actually worth the hype, and why the debate mirrors DOP fights in Italy over ingredients like San Marzano tomatoes and Neapolitan pizza standards.We als
New York Dining in 2025: NYC's American Bistro Boom, Reservation Crisis, Credit Card Wars — and Why LA Should Care
This week on The LA Food Podcast, Luca welcomes back Nancy DaSilva, co-host of Compliments to the Chef, certified New Yorker, and our official ambassador from LA’s louder, older, and more globally hyped culinary sibling: New York City.We kick things off with a Thanksgiving ice-breaker before diving straight into the State of Dining in NYC. Is the vibe doom, boom, or mellow in-between? Nancy walks
3 LA Restaurants Make Eater’s Best New Restaurants, Bay Cities’ Fall From Grace, Recipe Brain Rot, and Eric Greenspan’s Tesla Diner U-Turn. Plus Recent Meals at Wilde’s and Camphor.
This week on The LA Food Podcast, Luca and Sal dive into the most chaotic, delicious, and debate-worthy stories shaping Los Angeles dining and the national food world.We kick things off with recent eats at Wilde’s and Camphor before launching into our first-ever extended Chef’s Kiss or Big Miss lightning round.We break down Eater National’s Best New Restaurants 2025, including L.A.’s powerhouse sh
Eater/Resy Founder Ben Leventhal on Blackbird and the Future of Dining. Plus: Good News for Food Media, The Infatuation’s Best New Restaurants, Michelin Demotions, and Recent Eats at Betsy & More.
This week on The LA Food Podcast, Luca sits down with Ben Leventhal — the founder of Eater and Resy — to talk about his most ambitious project yet: Blackbird, a next-gen restaurant loyalty and payments app that might reshape how we dine out and how restaurants survive. Recorded at Rustic Canyon in Santa Monica, the conversation breaks down how Blackbird rewards you for actually showing up and payi
Ludo Lefebvre Just Wants To Be Free. Plus, David Chang's Super Peach, Garibaldina Society, And The SoCal Kabob Chain Taking Over America.
On this episode of The LA Food Podcast, host Luca Servodio sits down with legendary chef Ludo Lefebvre — the culinary rockstar behind LudoBites, Petit Trois, and some of Los Angeles’ most influential restaurants. Recorded inside his intimate Paris-inspired bistro, this candid conversation dives into Ludo’s early days disrupting the LA dining scene, his transition into a restaurant empire, and why
150th episode mailbag: Peer-pressured meals, LA food media blindspots & what we’d do as mayor. Plus Katie Parla on Rome, Italian food, and why to avoid Eataly.
It’s a spooky milestone — 150 episodes of The LA Food Podcast! In this special Halloween edition, Luca Servodio and Father Sal dig into your listener questions in our first-ever mailbag episode: from the meals we felt peer pressured into liking to the undercooked food stories LA media ignores, and even what we’d do for restaurants if we were Mayor of Los Angeles. Expect chaos, confessions, and Fat
NYT savages Spago. Plus, Next Gen Chef hot takes and recent meals at Republique, OyBar and Ototo.
Did the New York Times just cross the line with its brutal review of an LA dining icon? 🍽️ This week on The LA Food Podcast, we unpack Tejal Rao’s headline-grabbing critique of Wolfgang Puck’s Spago, the Beverly Hills institution she labeled merely “Satisfactory.” On our segment Chef’s Kiss / Big Miss, we debate: was this fair criticism, coastal bias, or just plain nonsense?Plus, we’re diving into
The dark side of "enlightened hospitality," with Adam Reiner. Plus, Great White's racist controversy, LA Taco's "best" Mexican restaurants, and thoughts on Quarter Sheets Pizza.
Today on The LA Food Podcast, we’re flipping the script — focusing not on the restaurant, but on you, the diner. Joining Luca and Father Sal is James Beard Award–winning author Adam Reiner, whose new book The New Rules of Dining Out redefines how we experience hospitality from the other side of the table. Reiner shares insider wisdom on how to dine like a pro, earn the respect of even the most jad
A Frankly Psychotic™ Analysis of North America's 50 Best. Plus, Baby Bistro impressions, Bub & Grandma's Pizza, New York eats, and Zohran Mamdani the foodie.
On this week’s LA Food Podcast, Luca Servodio and Father Sal recap recent eats in NYC and LA before diving into Tejal Rao’s review of Baby Bistro — is it really the perfect encapsulation of LA dining in 2025? We also break down the new North America’s 50 Best Restaurants list: Atomix takes #1, New York dominates, Canada surges, and LA lands just three spots (Providence, Holbox, Kato). Plus, in Che
Is Santa Barbara California’s most underrated dining city? Plus, an interview with the Dom’s Taverna dream team.
Santa Barbara might be known as the American Riviera, but its food scene is finally demanding the spotlight. This week on The LA Food Podcast, we recap 72 hours of eats — from surprisingly great Mexican food to a bao joint everyone’s obsessed with — and explain why SB might just be California’s most exciting dining city right now.Plus, we sit down with the team behind Dom’s Taverna, the Basque-ins
Boycott brewing at Enrique Olvera’s Damian? Plus, 2 LA restaurants win Bon Appétit honors, 4 endangered LA restaurants find lifelines, and the NYT dunks on Alinea.
This week on The LA Food Podcast, we dive into one of the most heated debates in the LA dining scene: why are Angelenos calling for a boycott of Enrique Olvera’s acclaimed downtown restaurant Damian? Is the backlash justified, or has a whistleblowing media outlet (LA Taco) gone too far?Father Sal joins the conversation as we unpack the Damian controversy, celebrate the two Los Angeles spots that l
And Dave Beran took that personally. Plus, Food & Wine snubs LA, three LA restaurants score major NYT praise, and our favorite CA pizzas outside of LA.
Today on The LA Food Podcast, Dave Beran—the award-winning chef behind Santa Monica’s Pasjoli and the tasting-menu temple Seline—sits down for his most candid interview yet. We talk about stepping into roles before you feel ready, the line between an intense kitchen and a toxic one, fundraising and vision, and how he truly feels about Seline not earning a Michelin star in year one. We also rewind
Nancy Silverton, y’all. Plus, did our first visit to Kato live up to the hype?
Today on The LA Food Podcast, we’re joined by none other than Nancy Silverton — LA’s Queen of Carbohydrates, President of Pizza, and Secretary of Sourdough. Recorded at Osteria Mozza, our free-flowing conversation covers Nancy’s legendary career, her impact on multiple eras of Los Angeles dining, and why she continues to bring new and exciting concepts to life. We also preview her upcoming panels
The ultimate Las Vegas food weekend featuring MY WIFE !!! Plus, Cracker Barrel in crisis, restaurants face new allergen legislation, and an interview with La Fontaine's Laetitia Rouabah.
What happens on the pod, stays on the pod—or does it? Following the hit Palm Springs recap, Luca is joined once again by his wife to break down a herculean three-day eating marathon at Fontainebleau Las Vegas, the Strip’s buzziest new food destination. From Mother Wolf’s pasta to indulgent dinners at Don’s Prime and Chyna Club, dim sum at Washing Potato, and an ambitious food crawl at the Promenad
Is food media... dying? Eater's race to the bottom and the fight for local food journalism. Plus, hot people restaurants, Italian sandwich fatigue, and Top Chef’s biggest competitor.
This week on The LA Food Podcast, Luca and Sal dig into the biggest story in food media: the latest round of layoffs at Eater. With reporters like Jaya Saxena and Amy McCarthy let go and LA’s newsroom slimmed down, what does this mean for local food journalism, restaurant coverage, and the future of dining media in Los Angeles? We also debate whether influencer content and guides like The Infatuat
Michael Voltaggio on legacy, LA’s fine dining rise, and why he won’t slow down. Plus, restaurants pivoting “for the right reasons” and a preview of LA Chef Con 2025.
Today’s LA Food Podcast is a first — our debut three-part episode. First up, host Luca Servodio breaks down the week’s biggest food stories, from Eleven Madison Park’s bold new pivot to Bill Addison’s glowing RVR review and how Ozempic is reshaping restaurant menus. He also sings the praises of recent meals at Budonoki, Lasita and Teddy’s Red Tacos. Then, LA Chef Con founder Brad Metzger joins us
Unpacking the Joshua Weissman scandal. Plus, Daniel Patterson opens up on mental health, Michelin, and his next big move.
Chef Daniel Patterson has lived more culinary lives than most chefs could dream of. From earning multiple Michelin stars at San Francisco’s Coi, to shaking up the fast-food world with Roy Choi and Keith Corbin at Locol, to now hosting a 12-seat tasting menu out of his own home, Patterson’s journey is as unconventional as it is influential. Ahead of opening his new LA restaurant Jaca in the former
How should food writers cover Elon Musk's Tesla Diner? Plus, the influencer who closed a restaurant, the taqueria that scored national headlines, and a ray of hope for Cole's French Dip.
Elon Musk’s space-age Tesla Diner has been grabbing headlines—but when activist group Tesla Takedown staged a protest, it forced the media to look beyond burgers and milkshakes. This week on The LA Food Podcast, SF Gate’s Karen Palmer joins host Luca Servodio to explore how food writers should approach stories where dining intersects with politics, labor, and activism. Should they just stick to th
Palm Springs' culinary coming-of-age, featuring MY WIFE (!!!). Plus, Elon Musk's Tesla Diner opens, In-N-Out's owner steps in it, and LA Chef Con returns.
On today’s episode of The LA Food Podcast, we’re diving into the culinary comeback of Palm Springs. Once dismissed as a “culinary wasteland,” the desert is now attracting big-name chefs like Mary Sue Milliken, Susan Feniger, and Richard Blais — and perhaps no opening captures that momentum better than The Thompson Palm Springs. We explore how this stunning hotel on Palm Canyon is transforming the
Inside the Closure of Cole’s French Dip with Owner Cedd Moses and IHC's Eddie Navarrete. Plus, the Trends Defining LA Dining in 2025
Downtown LA just lost a legend. This week on The LA Food Podcast, we’re joined by Cole’s French Dip owner Cedd Moses and Independent Hospitality Coalition’s Eddie Navarrete to unpack why this 117-year-old icon is closing—and what it reveals about the crisis facing LA restaurants. Eddie also shares what fixes at the city and state level could provide real relief, and how diners can help stop the bl
Santa Monica legend Raphael Lunetta on food, friendship, and feeding Larry David. Plus, RIP Cole's, goodbye to The Angel, and apologies to Evan Funke.
Santa Monica’s dining scene wouldn’t be what it is without Chef Raphael Lunetta. This week on The LA Food Podcast, host Luca Servodio sits down with the legendary chef behind Lunetta, Marelle, and the iconic JiRaffe to reflect on nearly 40 years in the kitchen. From pioneering California cuisine alongside Josiah Citrin to becoming a regular haunt for Larry David (yes, Curb Your Enthusiasm fans, th
Has Michelin rewired LA fine dining… for good? Plus, Chef Daniel Patterson’s Jaca Social Club, Tejal Rao’s first review as NYT critic, and a taste of Let It Rip, our companion pod for FX’s The Bear.
🎆 Happy Fourth from The LA Food Podcast! This week, we go stars over stripes as Michelin unveils its 2025 California Guide — and LA finally joins the 3-star club (shout out Somni and Providence). Father Sal joins Luca to break down the historic wins for Somni and Providence, and ask: has the Michelin Guide fundamentally changed LA dining since its 2019 return?Plus: a deep dive into Chef Daniel Pat
Bill Addison on the LA Times 101 Best Restaurants in California. Plus, Top Chef Season 22 recap, a trailer for our new podcast, and flowers for LA’s 3 Michelin-starred restaurants.
On this episode of The LA Food Podcast, we welcome LA Times critic Bill Addison to go deep on his freshly dropped list of the 101 Best Restaurants in California. After years of dissecting his LA-only lists, we finally get to ask: what makes a spot one of the best in the state? Bill takes us behind the scenes of how the guide came together, shares the biggest surprises, and hints at who might quiet
Unsolicited James Beard takes and an interview with Evan Algorri and Andrew Lawson of Etra and Cafe Telegrama
🎧 Today on The LA Food Podcast, we break down the biggest moments and key takeaways from this week’s James Beard Awards — with a spotlight on Los Angeles’ own Jon Yao of Kato, who took home the coveted Best Chef: California award. What does his win mean for LA’s dining scene, and where does Kato fit into the larger conversation about California cuisine?Then, we sit down with Evan Algorri and Andre
The gourmand’s guide to San Diego, featuring Addison, Tribute Pizza, The Lafayette Hotel and more.
On this episode of The LA Food Podcast, we're heading south to explore San Diego’s rising food scene. Known for craft beer and beaches, San Diego is now a serious player in the California fine dining landscape. From creative tasting menus to casual neighborhood gems, we spent 48 hours eating our way through the city—and we're sharing every bite.Highlights include: 🍽️ A full San Diego resta
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.
This week on The LA Food Podcast, we dive into Pete Wells’ provocative New York Times piece on how some of the world’s top chefs are using artificial intelligence to reinvent fine dining. From crafting the perfect sausage to generating entire tasting menus, is AI the secret sauce of the future—or the recipe for a soulless, flavorless culinary dystopia? Luca and Father Sal break it all down.In Chef
Could “entertainment zones” save LA restaurants? Plus, Matu’s Scott Linder and Ryan Gianola on expanding their wagyu beef empire.
This week on The LA Food Podcast, we're diving into a bold new plan to revive Santa Monica’s Third Street Promenade: open-container entertainment zones. Think Bourbon Street meets beachside retail. LA Food Editor Karen Palmer of SFGate joins us to unpack the potential impact on local restaurants and bars, drawing on reporting from other California cities where these zones are already live. Could t
Is Thomas Keller losing it? Plus, Found Oyster's Ari Kolender on cooking the finest things in the sea and Queen’s savvy rebrand.
This week on The LA Food Podcast, we dive into one of the wildest chef vs. critic stories in recent memory: Thomas Keller of The French Laundry allegedly asked SF Chronicle critic Mackenzie Chung Fegan to leave the restaurant. Was it a momentary lapse or a sign of a chef in crisis?Then: Chef Ari Kolender of LA seafood hotspot Found Oyster and Eagle Rock’s Queen’s Raw Bar & Grill joins us to ta
Condiment Claire, the LA-raised content creator taking over the world. Plus, burger love/hate, oyster economics, and Nobody Wants This bagels.
This week on The LA Food Podcast, we’re joined by Claire Dinhut—aka Condiment Claire—cookbook author, flavor scientist, and social media sensation. Born and raised in Los Angeles but now based in Europe, Claire has taken TikTok by storm with her inventive approach to sauces, spreads, and the science of taste. Recorded at Venice’s iconic Roosterfish bar, this episode covers her global condiment obs
Are LA diners too hard to please? Survey results from The Angel, Top Chef progress report & big news from Bill Esparza
This week on The LA Food Podcast, we dive into the results of a new survey from Substack favorite The Angel that asked Angelenos what they really want from restaurants. Hosts Luca and Father Sal break down what LA diners say matters most—vibe vs. food, great service, price, and originality—and reveal the surprising (and kind of maddening) contradictions in the data.In Part 2, we’re joined by Nancy
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.
Is Jordan Kahn's Meteora on track for a second Michelin star? On this episode of The LA Food Podcast, we dive deep into LA’s most ambitious fine-dining jungle—Meteora. After falling for Chef Jordan Kahn’s futuristic tasting menu at Vespertine, we head to his Melrose Avenue follow-up to see if the hype (and the hefty price tag) is justified. Is this lush, high-concept, nature-driven restaurant
Inside Lele Dinner Club, LA’s hottest reservation. Plus, Pizza City Fest preview with Steve Dolinsky.
Lele Dinner Club is the buzzy new supper club from Pizzana chef and master pizzaiolo Daniele Uditi, offering an exclusive 10-course Neapolitan tasting menu that’s quickly become Los Angeles’ hottest reservation. With only three seatings so far and a waitlist already topping 6,000 names, this underground culinary experience is redefining LA fine dining. On this episode of The LA Food Podcast, I tak
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.
Melissa Lopez is the James Beard semifinalist chef behind Barra Santos, one of the buzziest restaurants in recent memory to grace Los Angeles. Barra Santos is a tiny, sardine-tin of a restaurant in Cypress Park serving up thoughtful, super high-quality Portuguese fare. But as small as the restaurant’s footprint is, the noise it’s made since opening has been nothing short of deafening. After visiti
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.
Tariffs, tariffs, tariffs. It’s the word on everybody’s lips this week and, as you’d expect, every food media outlet in the country published some sort of breakdown of what this means for restaurants and the food industry at large. Father Sal and I sift through the noise to distill what this means for LA restaurateurs and diners alike. Also on this episode, we issue a correction from last episode,
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.
Controversy in Hollywood as news breaks that Elon Musk - yes, THAT Elon Musk - has tapped beloved LA chef Eric Greenspan to helm his upcoming Tesla-themed Diner on Santa Monica Blvd. Is Chef Greenspan’s choice to take the job in any way defensible, or is he just another DOGE bag? Father Sal and I dig into the news and the backlash to make sense of it all. Plus, the James Beard Awards announced the
BONUS: Live from Family Meal – Restaurants in Times of Crisis with Lien Ta, Alycia Harshfield, Alexa Rousso, and Stephen Poux.
I (Luca) moderated the latest Family Meal panel discussion on how restaurants rose to the challenge during the January wildfires. This is the recording of that panel discussion, featuring four very impressive speakers who I introduce at the top of the recording. We discuss all matters of important topics including how restaurants can prepare for the next big crisis and what you and I can do to sup
Inside the mind of a food critic, with The LO Times’ Ryan Sutton (formerly of Eater NY and Bloomberg News)
Ryan Sutton is the chief critic and editor at The LO Times, one of the absolute best sources of food writing Substack has to offer. He previously served as Eater New York’s chief food critic for almost a decade, and prior to that, the New York critic at Bloomberg News. He’s won a James Beard Award and been nominated for two more, and today he lets us into his mind to understand not just how one ea
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