The LA Food Podcast

Acquired Taste Media

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In their own words

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!

As heard by us

Based on 6 episodes we listened to · June 2026

The LA Food Podcast treats Los Angeles dining as culture, argument, craft, and local obsession.

The LA Food Podcast belongs in Leisure, but its version of leisure has teeth. Los Angeles restaurants are the map, and the show follows them through chef conversations, newsy table talk, tasting menu ambition, Michelin frustration, bar programs, dining etiquette, pizza,…

Read our full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

Your dinner-reservation group chat just got Michelin nerves and better guests.

Press play if you want

someone to argue about the LA Times 101 with actual list-making adults in the room
chef interviews that leave room for pressure, sourdough royalty, candid career talk, and honest disappointment

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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Leisure Food & Drink

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In their own words

As heard by us

Why you'd press play

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Episodes

The LA Dining "Scam" Debate Breaking People's Brains: @ComfyWithKerry, Influencer Hype, and Why Dining Out Feels So Fraught Right Now

Q&A: Full-of-Sh*t Influencers, Bad Restaurants That Stay Packed, and How to Find a Wife + Pizza Lies with Daniele Uditi

Is Santa Barbara California’s most underrated dining city? Plus, an interview with the Dom’s Taverna dream team.

COUCH POTATOES: Top Chef Is Back & The 2026 Top Chef Fantasy Draft

NYT savages Spago. Plus, Next Gen Chef hot takes and recent meals at Republique, OyBar and Ototo.

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.

Building Budonoki: From USC Apartment Pop-Ups to One of LA’s Buzziest Izakayas

Keeping Up With Kato: Why Jon Yao & Ryan Bailey Never Stop Evolving

LA’s James Beard Surge, Fine Dining on Trial, and Brian Bornemann on 5 Years of Crudo e Nudo

COUCH POTATOES: Is America's Culinary Cup... Better Than Top Chef?

Tom Schwartz on Vanderpump, The Valley, and How Restaurants Almost Broke Him. Plus, Recent Eats at Bar Di Bello, Sqirl & Bianca Sicilian.

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.

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.

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.

Unpacking the Joshua Weissman scandal. Plus, Daniel Patterson opens up on mental health, Michelin, and his next big move.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

Unsolicited James Beard takes and an interview with Evan Algorri and Andrew Lawson of Etra and Cafe Telegrama

The gourmand’s guide to San Diego, featuring Addison, Tribute Pizza, The Lafayette Hotel and more.

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.

Could “entertainment zones” save LA restaurants? Plus, Matu’s Scott Linder and Ryan Gianola on expanding their wagyu beef empire.

Is Thomas Keller losing it? Plus, Found Oyster's Ari Kolender on cooking the finest things in the sea and Queen’s savvy rebrand.

Condiment Claire, the LA-raised content creator taking over the world. Plus, burger love/hate, oyster economics, and Nobody Wants This bagels.

Are LA diners too hard to please? Survey results from The Angel, Top Chef progress report & big news from Bill Esparza

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.

Inside Lele Dinner Club, LA’s hottest reservation. Plus, Pizza City Fest preview with Steve Dolinsky.

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.

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.

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.

BONUS: Live from Family Meal – Restaurants in Times of Crisis with Lien Ta, Alycia Harshfield, Alexa Rousso, and Stephen Poux.

Inside the mind of a food critic, with The LO Times’ Ryan Sutton (formerly of Eater NY and Bloomberg News)

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.

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.

Hainan Chicken & Hard Lessons: Chef Johnny Lee’s journey to Rasarumah. Plus, LIVE from New York, it’s Taco Bell’s Live Mas LIVE.

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.

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).

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.

BONUS: Are nonalcoholic cocktails the real deal? With The Lonely Oyster's Philip Ross

We can’t stop thinking about Vespertine. But did we like it?

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.

Another (frankly psychotic) analysis of the 2025 James Beard semifinalists. Plus, Opening Cafe Esca Part 3 with Luke Reyes and Reilly Cox.

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.

3 ways to help LA restaurants during the wildfires

Announcing the 2025 Countdown. Plus, more doom and gloom in store for LA restaurants in 2025?

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.

The 2nd annual LA Food Pod Holiday Party. Plus, Christmas at Genghis Cohen with Marc Rose and Med Abrous.

What do the Eater layoffs mean for LA food media? Plus, Part 2 of Opening Cafe Esca with Luke Reyes and Reilly Cox.

A (frankly psychotic) analysis of The LA Times 101 Best Restaurants list

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.

100th Episode Live Show with Mona Holmes and Jackson Kalb

Brooke Williamson talks Top Chef, longevity in the LA restaurant scene, and her debut cookbook, Sun-Kissed Cooking.

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.

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.

The influencer debate heats up. Plus, political burritos, immortal mochi, and a cheesy conversation with The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills' Dominick DiBartolomeo.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Baroo is the LA Times' Restaurant of the Year. Plus, Eater's Mona Holmes on what makes LA food (and food media) great.