This Is TASTE Aliza Abarbanel & Matt Rodbard

Our Las Vegas week continues with a very fun interview with Michael Mina, a legendary Bay Area chef who has deep roots in Las Vegas. We talk about how the city has grown into a world-class culinary destination and get into what he is cooking up at his restaurants there, including Bardot Brasserie, International Smoke, Orla, StripSteak, and his namesake restaurant at the Bellagio. This guy has serious range, and we discuss how he sources California produce and seafood and gets it to his Las Vegas restaurants in a snap. We also get a locals-only tour of restaurants off the Strip from the point of view of a world-class chef who also happens to be a local. 

Also on the show, Aliza and MattI pay a visit to the Sphere, the now-legendary Las Vegas performance venue. We attended a recent Dead & Company show and wanted to check in with the food! It’s actually quite good, and we share some highlights from the concession stand, including good pizza, great pretzels, craft beer for days, and a thoughtful approach to modern stadium food. It’s yet another example of how Las Vegas is getting food right. 

These very special episodes of This Is TASTE are supported by Las Vegas.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Influential and esoteric celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck has been operating restaurants in Las Vegas for more than 25 years, earning a following through his creative cuisine and sense of showmanship at restaurants including Caramá, CUT, and Spago. On this entertaining episode, we hear how Wolfgang was initially drawn to Las Vegas when opening Spago, his first restaurant there, in 1992, and how he’s seen the Las Vegas dining scene develop into an internationally acclaimed destination.

Also on the show, Aliza and Matt take a tour of Las Vegas’s bustling Chinatown, making visits to some really cool places, including Ping Pang Pong, Gäbi Coffee & Bakery, Shang Artisan Noodle, and the 24-hour cocktail bar Golden Tiki. We also experience Cantonese barbecue nirvana at Win Kee HK BBQ and Noodle and catch up with the restaurant’s owner, Ida Shek. 

These very special episodes of This Is TASTE are supported by Las Vegas.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We’re so happy to feature two great friends: chef Deuki Hong and New York Times columnist and cookbook author Eric Kim. We had a great conversation about the new book Koreaworld, a cookbook and cultural study that Matt wrote with Deuki. This conversation was recorded live at Rizzoli Bookstore and touches on many topics related to modern Korean food in both Korea and the United States. We hope you enjoy the conversation.

Got a question, comment, future guest idea, fact to share, fun fact to share, less-fun fact to share? Send us a voice memo and we will listen to it, and may feature your message on the show!

MORE FROM DEUKI HONG:Buy: KoreaworldThe Seoul Train of Inspiration Runs Through Los Angeles [Eater]Koreaworld: A Culinary Revolution [NBC Washington]Chef Deuki Hong Talks New ‘Koreaworld' Cookbook [NBC Bay Area]

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

St. Agrestis has had a couple very big years in the competitive nonalcoholic drinks arena, and it’s long overdue to have the brand’s cofounder Louis Catizone on the show. The Phony Negroni is a near-perfect NA cocktail, and on this episode we talk about how it was born and how NA bottled cocktails are appearing in bars and restaurants at record levels. This is a great talk for anybody interested in hearing the story of an emerging brand in the drinks world.

Got a question, comment, future guest idea, fact to share, fun fact to share, less-fun fact to share? Send us a voice memo and we will listen to it, and may feature your message on the show!

MORE FROM ST. AGRESTIS:A Nonalcoholic Amaro ‘Falso’ From St. Agrestis [NYT]St. Agrestis Debuts the Phony Mezcal Negroni [Appetito]

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Benjamina Ebuehi is a London-based recipe developer and food stylist who rose to fame as a quarter-finalist in the 2016 Great British Bake Off. She’s also the author of three baking cookbooks, including the new release I’ll Bring Dessert, and it’s so fun to have her on the show to talk about the differences between London and NYC bakeries, developing recipes, and more.

Got a question, comment, future guest idea, fact to share, fun fact to share, less-fun fact to share? Send us a voice memo and we will listen to it, and may feature your message on the show!

MORE FROM BENJAMINA EBUEHIDouble Chocolate and Mascarpone Tray Bake [Guardian]Sweet Things [Substack]Buy: The New Way to Cake

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Aaron Lindell is the chef and co-owner of Quarter Sheets, the wildly popular Los Angeles restaurant he runs with his wife, Hannah Ziskin. Now, listen, you’ve probably read about Quarter Sheets. You may have even had Hannah’s iconic princess cake. But this is a conversation about Aaron’s pizza. It’s…amazing. And it has a great backstory. On this episode we hear about Aaron’s wild career as a private chef for NBA stars and tech icons, and how the pandemic led to his amazing pop-up and restaurant. It’s such a great talk, and I hope you enjoy it.

Got a question, comment, future guest idea, fact to share, fun fact to share, less-fun fact to share? Send us a voice memo and we will listen to it, and may feature your message on the show!

MORE FROM AARON LINDELL:This Is TASTE 152: Hannah Ziskin [TASTE]One of L.A.’s Best Pizzerias is Finally Taking Reservations [Time Out]How Quarter Sheets Conquered LA, One Pan Pizza and Slab Cake at a Time [Eater]

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.