Taqueando with Bill Esparza

Don’t Mess With the Empanada: Alto’s Chefs Bring Río de la Plata Fire to LA

At Alto [https://www.alto.la/chefs]in Studio City, chefs Juana Castellanos Lagemann and Esteban Klenzi are bringing the food and fire traditions of Argentina, Uruguay and the Río de la Plata to Los Angeles in a way the city has never experienced before. Bill Esparza joins the duo to discuss their journey from some of the world’s most demanding fine-dining kitchens to Ventura Boulevard, why asado should be cooked over glowing coals instead of open flames, and how they are elevating their culture without stripping away its soul. They also explain why you should never order short rib medium rare, what makes a truly great empanada, how the parrillero’s relationship with fire differs from that of a typical grill cook, and where to eat in Buenos Aires and Montevideo. Plus, the chefs introduce Alto’s immersive Pampa Omakase, a communal feast inspired by the joyful, smoky ritual of a South American family asado. Produced by Robert Haleblian [https://www.instagram.com/robert_haleblian/?hl=en].

Marcela Valladolid Is Reclaiming the Mexican Pantry (Part 2)

In Part 2 of Bill Esparza’s intimate conversation with chef, author and television personality Marcela Valladolid [https://www.instagram.com/chefmarcela/?hl=en], the two dig deeper into Matriarca [https://matriarca.com/?srsltid=AfmBOoqrDC24uXYAMnknevS5wNdoEr6CwtnanN3GXnX0wLgV0K1gKGTI], her growing Mexican pantry brand built around clean ingredients, traditional cooking and the belief that Mexican families deserve beautiful, high-quality products rooted in their own culture. Marcela breaks down Matriarca’s expanding lineup, from organic fideo, masa harina and salsa macha to heirloom beans, dried chiles and ingredients sourced directly from producers across Mexico. She also discusses making tortillas from scratch, the wellness industry’s failure to speak to Mexican women, the rising cost of dining in Valle de Guadalupe and why preserving language, recipes and culinary traditions still matters. Plus, Marcela and Bill debate tamal versus tamale, share their favorite Chula Vista and Tijuana food memories and reflect on nearly two decades of friendship. Taqueando is hosted by Bill Esparza [https://www.instagram.com/streetgourmetla/?hl=en] and produced by Robert Haleblian [https://www.instagram.com/robert_haleblian/?hl=en].

Marcela Valladolid Is Done Asking for Permission (Part 1 of 2)

In Part 1 of a two-part conversation, chef, author and television personality Marcela Valladolid [https://www.instagram.com/chefmarcela/?hl=en] welcomes Bill Esparza into her Chula Vista home for an intimate look back at her journey from Tijuana’s culinary world to becoming one of the Food Network’s most recognizable Mexican chefs. Over a pot of fideo seco, Marcela opens up about fighting for authentic Mexican representation on television, the pressure of being reduced to Cinco de Mayo segments and the lack of support she experienced as a working mother. She also reflects on leaving food television, rebuilding her career through wildly successful online cooking classes and creating Matriarca, her new Mexican pantry brand centered on clean, thoughtfully sourced versions of the foods she grew up eating. This is only the beginning. Part 2 of Bill and Marcela’s conversation continues next week. Taqueando is hosted by Bill Esparza [https://www.instagram.com/streetgourmetla/?hl=en] and produced by Robert Haleblian [https://www.instagram.com/robert_haleblian/].

Don’t Bring That BS to Casa Vega: Christy Vega and Nayomie Mendoza on LA Mexican-American Food

This week on Taqueando with Bill Esparza, Bill sits down at one of Los Angeles’ most iconic Mexican American restaurants, Casa Vega [https://www.casavega.com/], with owner Christy Vega [https://www.instagram.com/christyvegaofficial/?hl=en] and Nayomie Mendoza [https://www.instagram.com/nayomiem/], owner of Cuernavaca’s Grill [https://cuernavacasgrill.com/], for a conversation about legacy, survival, margaritas, wet burritos, taquitos, salsa, and what it really takes to preserve an LA institution. From Casa Vega’s 70-year history in Sherman Oaks to Cuernavaca’s rise as a community-driven Mexican American restaurant in the Fashion District, this episode digs into the food culture that shaped Los Angeles: chips and salsa, oven-style burritos, chile rellenos, crispy taquitos, big margaritas, celebrity regulars, family ownership, and the generational weight of keeping a restaurant alive. Bill, Christy, and Nayomie also talk about why Mexican American food deserves respect on its own terms, how LA’s classic restaurants survived COVID, fires, strikes, ICE raids, influencer backlash, and impossible operating conditions, and why places like Casa Vega and Cuernavaca’s Grill are not just restaurants. They are memory banks for the city. Plus: Casa Vega’s World Cup specials, Cuernavaca’s Grill joining the FIFA Fan Fest at the LA Coliseum, Casa Vega’s upcoming Baja patio takeover, and why the best way to experience these restaurants is simple: order the margarita, get the taquitos, add the salsa, and have a good time. Produced by Robert Haleblian [https://www.instagram.com/robert_haleblian/]

Are Bagels Just Bread? Canter’s Deli and LA’s Bagel Debate

This week on Taqueando, Bill Esparza heads to Canter’s Deli [https://cantersdeli.com/] to talk with Marc Canter about the deep history between Jewish delis, Boyle Heights, East LA, Fairfax, and Los Angeles’ Mexican American love affair with pastrami. From pastrami burritos and pastrami fries to the survival of old-school LA delis, the conversation traces how Canter’s helped shape one of the city’s most unexpected food connections: Jewish deli culture through a Chicano lens. Then Bill is joined by Lisa Wahl of Lisa Eats LA [https://www.instagram.com/lisaeatsla/] to unpack “Bagel Gate,” the viral Threads debate sparked by Bill’s claim that bagels are just bread. Together, they get into LA’s current bagel boom, New York food superiority complexes, Vietnamese and Mexican bread cultures, Courage Bagels, Canter’s old-school bagels, and why Los Angeles doesn’t need to become New York to have great food. Produced by Robert Haleblian [https://www.instagram.com/robert_haleblian/?hl=en]