The LA Food Podcast

Chef Daniel Patterson [https://www.instagram.com/chefdanielpatterson/?hl=en] 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 [https://welocol.com/], 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 [https://resy.com/cities/los-angeles-ca/venues/Jaca-Social-Club] in the former Son of a Gun space, he joins us for a deeply personal conversation on mental health, why tasting menus still matter, and what it means to create work that truly lasts. But first—Father Sal returns to unpack Joe Rosenthal’s bombshell exposé [https://www.richardeaglespoon.com/articles/weissman] on YouTube mega-chef Joshua Weissman, featuring allegations of recipe plagiarism, toxic workplaces, sexual harassment, and more. Is Weissman just another ego-driven chef—or something darker? In Chef’s Kiss / Big Miss, we’re talking Nancy Silverton’s Korean-Italian pasta bar [https://la.eater.com/coming-attractions/287926/nancy-silverton-koreatown-pasta-bar-lapaba-opening-fall], a radical new hospitality business model in Sonoma [https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/31/dining/drinks/overshine-collective-wine.html], the heartbreaking closure of LA Cha Cha Chá [https://la.eater.com/restaurant-closings/287920/la-cha-cha-cha-mexican-restaurant-closing-los-angeles-ice-raids-protests], and yes… breast milk–flavored ice cream. If you care about food, restaurants, and the messy, fascinating people behind them, this is your episode. The LA Food Podcast is powered by Acquired Taste Media [https://www.acquiredtastemedia.com/]. Be sure to check out our sister shows: Taqueando with Bill Esparza and Let It Rip. And don’t forget to rate and review! – Go check out The Lonely Oyster in Echo Park! ⁠https://thelonelyoyster.com/⁠ [https://thelonelyoyster.com/] – Get 10% off at House of Macadamias using code "LAFOOD" https://www.houseofmacadamias.com/pages/la-foods [https://www.houseofmacadamias.com/pages/la-foods]

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 [https://www.sfgate.com/la/article/tesla-diner-los-angeles-protests-20789970.php]. This week on The LA Food Podcast, SF Gate’s Karen Palmer [https://www.instagram.com/karenlpalmer/?hl=en] 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 the food—or dig deeper? Plus: Karen teases her new feature on California’s barbecue boom, and in Chef’s Kiss / Big Miss, we unpack: * The influencer scandal that shut down a restaurant [https://sf.eater.com/closings/204532/kis-cafe-wine-bar-san-francisco-closure-micro-influencer-karla-luke-sung] * A spicy New York Times review that reads like a political takedown [https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/29/dining/restaurant-review-taqueria-frontera-tacos-los-angeles.html] * And a potential happy ending for LA institution Cole’s French Dip [https://la.eater.com/restaurant-news/287450/coles-french-dip-extension-closing-downtown-los-angeles] The LA Food Podcast is powered by Acquired Taste Media [https://www.acquiredtastemedia.com/]. Be sure to check out our sister shows: Taqueando with Bill Esparza and Let It Rip. And don’t forget to rate and review! – Go check out The Lonely Oyster in Echo Park! ⁠https://thelonelyoyster.com/⁠ [https://thelonelyoyster.com/] – Get 10% off at House of Macadamias using code "LAFOOD" https://www.houseofmacadamias.com/pages/la-foods [https://www.houseofmacadamias.com/pages/la-foods]

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 [https://www.hyatt.com/en-US/hotel/california/andaz-palm-springs/pspaz?src=agn_koddi_crp_chico_ppc_21507006427_Conversion_Thompson_Google_Search_English_PSPAZ_PalmSprings_Paid_Brand_CrossDevice_1x1_google_Koddi-TopUp-Evergreen-Brand_e_thompson%20palm%20springs&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=21507006427&gclid=Cj0KCQjws4fEBhD-ARIsACC3d29RKbIC8e2uMD4FO2tQybZ8B7C1qldsmJLqCqhKK0Bq-m3GdltJ7H0aAuHrEALw_wcB]. We explore how this stunning hotel on Palm Canyon is transforming the local dining scene with bold new restaurants like Lola Rose Grande Mezze [https://www.lolaroseps.com/], Bar Issi [https://www.thebarissi.com/], and Hall Napa Valley [https://www.hallwines.com/visit-explore-hall-palm-springs], plus buzzy food events and chef collabs that are finally giving the Coachella Valley its due. Plus, in a very special twist, Luca is joined by his wife as guest co-host — and let’s just say she might be coming for Father Sal’s spot. In Chef’s Kiss Big Miss, we react to the opening of Elon Musk’s Tesla Diner [https://la.eater.com/scene-report/287082/tesla-diner-los-angeles-food-dishes-tech-design-review], the In-N-Out heiress Lynsi Snyder’s California [https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2025-07-21/in-n-out-leadership-announces-relocation-plans] exit, the just-announced destination for Top Chef Season 23 [https://www.foodandwine.com/top-chef-season-23-the-carolinas-11777078], and the epic return of LA Chef Con [https://www.lachefconference.com/]. Listen to our sister shows Taqueando with Bill Esparza and Let It Rip, and don’t forget to leave us a review. 🔥 Powered by Acquired Taste Media [https://www.acquiredtastemedia.com/]. – Go check out The Lonely Oyster in Echo Park! ⁠https://thelonelyoyster.com/⁠ [https://thelonelyoyster.com/] – Get 10% off at House of Macadamias using code "LAFOOD" https://www.houseofmacadamias.com/pages/la-foods [https://www.houseofmacadamias.com/pages/la-foods]

Downtown LA just lost a legend. This week on The LA Food Podcast, we’re joined by Cole’s French Dip [https://www.colesfrenchdip.com/] owner Cedd Moses and Independent Hospitality Coalition [https://www.ihcla.org/]’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 bleeding. Before that, Luca and Father Sal break down the top LA dining trends of 2025 so far—no year-end list required. There’s Bar Everything, supper clubs galore, collab overload, and much, much, more. Then in Chef’s Kiss / Big Miss:  * A $1B hot chicken chain, per The LA Times’ Stephanie Breijo [https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2025-07-15/daves-hot-chicken-deal-success-story-billion-dollar] * Tejal Rao reviews Mori Nozomi [https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/15/dining/restaurant-review-mori-nozomi-omakase.html] for The New York Times, introducing us to the concept of “bromakase”  * Punch awards [https://punchdrink.com/articles/best-new-bartenders-2025/] a LA-based bartender for their tea-based cocktails * Eater’s Bettina Makalintal covers the surprising rise [https://www.eater.com/trends/895477/jams-protein-peanut-butter-jelly-sandwich-uncrustables-competitor] of protein-packed Uncrustables, questioning whether MAHA has ruined everything * New York Magazine’s Adam Platt confirms [https://www.grubstreet.com/article/truth-about-fine-dining-sodium-levels.html] what we’ve all always known - restaurants use too much salt The LA Food Podcast is powered by Acquired Taste Media [https://www.acquiredtastemedia.com/]. Don’t forget to check out our sister shows Taqueando with Bill Esparza and Let It Rip, and leave us a review wherever you pod.

Santa Monica’s dining scene wouldn’t be what it is without Chef Raphael Lunetta [https://www.instagram.com/raphael.lunetta/?hl=en]. This week on The LA Food Podcast, host Luca Servodio sits down with the legendary chef behind Lunetta [https://www.lunettasm.com/about/], Marelle [https://www.marelle.com/about/], 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, this one’s for you), Lunetta shares stories, insights, and what keeps him inspired. Plus: the shocking closure of Cole’s after 117 years [https://la.eater.com/restaurant-closings/286195/coles-french-dip-los-angeles-closing], the return of Gladstone’s [https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2025-07-03/gladstones-reopens-pacific-coast-highway-malibu-after-sustaining-damage-palisades-fire], the El Gato Night Market [https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2025-07-07/el-gato-latino-night-market-reopens-ice-raids], and a farewell to The Angel [https://www.theangel.la/]—one of LA’s most essential independent food publications. Oh, and Luca issues a heartfelt apology to Evan Funke. Also check out our sister shows Taqueando with Bill Esparza [https://open.spotify.com/show/5ZY5gUvBo0Z3pRmCJILM6S] and Let It Rip [https://open.spotify.com/show/2tMenFvwFs2bkjMkkGsPxX?si=24fc0c17de814a85&nd=1&dlsi=800dba8e464a41fb], the companion pod for FX’s The Bear. 🔥 Powered by Acquired Taste Media [https://www.acquiredtastemedia.com/]. – Go check out The Lonely Oyster in Echo Park! ⁠https://thelonelyoyster.com/⁠ [https://thelonelyoyster.com/] – Get 10% off at House of Macadamias using code "LAFOOD" https://www.houseofmacadamias.com/pages/la-foods