The LA Food Podcast

Acquired Taste Media
  • 5.0 (38)
  • Food
  • Updated Weekly

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!

  1. 6d ago

    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 wholesale bakery supplying hundreds of LA restaurants, what makes Bub and Grandma’s such a force in the city’s bread scene, and how obsession, craft, and consistency helped build one of LA’s most recognizable food brands. We also talk about opening the Bub and Grandma’s restaurant in Glassell Park, expanding into a second restaurant, and the very real dangers of getting into the pizza business. -- Help Luca run the NYC marathon! Donate to Soccer Without Borders on Luca's page, here. $1, $5, $10 - anything helps!

    56 min

  2. May 22

    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 competitive figure skater still shapes the way she thinks about craft, repetition, and reinvention. The conversation also dives into Sqirl’s new dinner service, which Koslow describes as a full restaurant within a restaurant, with a completely different menu, atmosphere, staffing model, and hospitality approach. She talks about the dishes leading the charge at night, including the chicken liver, roast chicken, smoked pork collar, French toast, and the personal story behind the Bacchanalia chocolate cake. Luca and Jessica also discuss LA dining culture, the economics of running an ambitious independent restaurant, the joy of hidden restaurant “Easter eggs,” and what it means for Sqirl to keep evolving after a complicated public chapter. -- Please consider donating to Soccer Without Borders to support Luca's quest to run the New York Marathon 3 Every cent counts! Make sure to use Luca's link!

    1h 3m

  3. May 15

    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 Design District, plus recent eats at Jacaranda, Picala, Gjusta, and Pijja Palace. She and Luca also get into the new Helms District, Santee Alley after last year’s ICE raids, the Roll Em Up Taquitos controversy, vermin-related restaurant closures, the New York Times 100 Best Restaurants in NYC list, bromated flour, and Dine Latino Restaurant Week. Then Luca sits down with Adam Alper, better known as Rick Lox, one of LA’s most recognizable food influencers, to talk about how he built his platform, the origin of the Rick Lox name, his rating system, dealing with haters, why Shibuya is his favorite restaurant of all time, why In-N-Out still matters, and the LA restaurants he thinks are truly elite, including Dunsmoor and République. Rick also opens up about what makes a restaurant review trustworthy, how social media has changed the LA dining scene, and why helping great restaurants find new customers is still the best part of the job. -- Please consider supporting Luca's efforts to raise funds for Soccer Without Borders - LOVE YOU!

    1h 37m

  4. May 8

    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 Hollywood, and whether Catch LA is better than people admit. Plus Chef’s Kiss / Big Miss: Enrique Olvera’s new LA restaurant, a stacked all-star pop-up, an exciting new LA food Substack, and the most unhinged steakhouse behavior imaginable. And oh yeah. Luca announces he’s officially running the New York City Marathon for Soccer Without Borders—and trying to raise $8,000. If you should feel so inclined to chip in - here's the link! Anything helps and is SO greatly appreciated! -- Sponsored by mva.wine - discover wines that don't usually make it to the US, delivered straight to your doorstep.

    46 min

  5. May 1

    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 listener feedback, including a note from Caper Media clarifying their business model and what the future of food media might actually look like. Then it’s recent eats, featuring one of Luca’s all-time favorite meals with his parents (shout out Loreto)… and a truly brutal burrito experience that raises serious questions. From there, we dive into an extended Chef’s Kiss / Big Miss, covering: The New York Times’ updated “25 Best Restaurants in LA” list - and substitutions we would makeAlinea’s reinvention strategy and the future of immersive diningDaniel Hernandez's honest thoughts on the Noma LA experienceWhether modern sushi (especially omakase) has lost its soulRavenous leaning into gossipInfatuation under fireAnd Indian food disrespectIt’s raw, it’s unfiltered, and it’s probably our worst episode ever. Or… maybe our most honest. -- Presented by mva.wine. Let's drink awesome wine.

    57 min

  6. Apr 24

    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 power, what business models might work, and why food media still struggles to scale beyond local audiences. On Chef’s Kiss / Big Miss, they get into the dilution of Wagyu in America, the rise of African diaspora fast-casual concepts, a $300 steakhouse cocktail, and a fast food chain leaning hard into RFK Jr.–era food politics. Then in Part 2, chef Christian Yang of Yang’s Kitchen joins the show to talk about building one of LA’s most distinctive restaurants and launching his new kombucha brand, Joimo, as he expands from hospitality into CPG. -- Presented by mva.wine - the uncharted side of wine.

    1h 33m

  7. Apr 17

    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 James Beard Awards controversy, a bizarre California Pizza Kitchen cease and desist, Food & Wine’s controversial best food cities rankings, and the rise of the “restaurant relationship gap.” In Part 2, we sit down with Natalie Dial and Harry Posner of Tomat, the Westchester hotspot near LAX, to hear their incredible journey from meeting in The Gambia to leaving London behind to build one of LA’s most unique all-day restaurants. If you haven’t been yet, this conversation might change that. -- Presented by mva.wine.

    1h 46m
  8. COUCH POTATOES: Is America's Culinary Cup... Better Than Top Chef?

    Apr 13

    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, and LA’s own Keith Corbin—is actually delivering. Then we unpack the competition structure, the early challenges (from meat to sustainability to dessert), and whether the twists and judging system are elevating the show or overcomplicating it. Finally, we get into our hottest takes: who’s winning, whether the show has real staying power, and how America’s Culinary Cup compares to the current food TV landscape. If you’re into Top Chef, food competition shows, or just strong opinions about who should be sent home, this one’s for you.

    56 min
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5
out of 5
38 Ratings

About

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!

Information

  • Creator
    Acquired Taste Media
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    185
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Acquired Taste Media
  • Show Website
    The LA Food Podcast

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