Let’s talk tortillas! Gustavo Arellano announces KCRW’s first-ever Great Tortilla Tournament, to choose the best tortilla in LA out of a bracket of 64. Bill Esparza talks tortilla makers in the L.A. area. And did you know that inside your tortilla is an ancient process, perfected over centuries? Also, L.A. Taco’s Daniel Hernandez recalls a Guad ...…

This week the world lost its most highly decorated chef, Joël Robuchon. Chef Ludo Lefebvre recalls lessons he learned at the hands of this master. We also revisit Evan Kleiman and Jonathan Gold’s 2014 visit to Robuchon’s Vegas restaurant. Jean Trinh investigates how some diners in LA can stand waiting two or more hours in line. Finally, we reca ...…

Paul Greenberg discusses what the Omega-3 boom means for our planet and lives. Nadine Redzepi talks about cooking for culinary giants like her husband Rene Redzepi in ‘Downtime.’ Crafting a menu takes more than exceptional produce, says writer Diana Henry. Also, a tour and history of LA’s pan dulce scene. Plus: ‘City of Gold’ director remembers ...…

There’s a Jonathan Gold-sized hole in the heart of Los Angeles. The Pulitzer-winning LA Times food critic died on July 21, prompting an outpouring of grief and love from around the world. For this special tribute, we gathered the voices of colleagues, friends, chefs, and listeners to celebrate the man who taught us how to eat and live in LA. We ...…

In this bonus episode, we're resharing some of the late Jonathan Gold's classic segments on KCRW from over the past 20 years. These conversations had a tremendous impact on LA’s dining scene, helping Angelenos to get out of their silos to explore new neighborhoods and cuisines.By webmaster@kcrw.org (KCRW, Evan Kleiman).

Tradition exists to be honored and improved upon. Venerable classics like grilled cheese sandwiches can only get better, according to chef Eric Greenspan. The food traditions of Italy are well documented, but for Roads & Kingdom’s Matt Goulding and writer Elizabeth Minchilli, there’s always more to learn. A year after opening Vespertine, chef J ...…

Food personality Eddie Huang announces a new show at the intersection of immigration and food culture. Likewise, Pixar’s latest short depicts the power of food in an immigrant home. A new book details how to eat like Walt Disney. Instead of produce, we’re talking heritage pork at the farmers market. Plus: rethinking tapas, and DineLA hits ten y ...…

What elevates a dish or market to cult status? Eggslut’s Alvin Cailan is eating through LA’s burger scene to figure out the city’s obsession with the sandwich (and who makes the essential LA burger). In Oakland, loyal customers have sworn by the fresh produce at Berkeley Bowl since 1977. Alon Shaya’s new book breaks down Israeli flavors that in ...…

Cooking at home doesn’t mean you need a million cookbooks, according to San Francisco Chronicle columnist Jessica Battilana. Nancy Singleton Hachisu is an authority on making Japanese food at home and her new book is her most ambitious yet. Jonathan Gold heads to the westside for Travis Lett’s take on Japanese cuisine. Martha Mendoza investigat ...…

The death of Anthony Bourdain is a loss felt around the world. His nomadic spirit redefined how many of us ate and traveled. We dug through the Good Food archives for Evan’s past interviews with Bourdain about everything from “Kitchen Confidential” to No Reservations. Plus, a visit to a remarkable memorial in New York. Also, we learn more about ...…

Water may be the essence of life but it’s subject to near-constant misuse. Journalist Mark Arax profiles a couple running a water monopoly in the Central Valley. A once abundant Cambodian lake is in decline, leaving fisherman and half the population scrambling for fish. We’ve heard of using less water but what about eating less water? And Mark ...…

It’s summer cookout season, and Mark Bittman has some essential grilling tips. Third-generation butcher Katie Flannery talks life in the beef business. English chef James Whetlor wants us to consider eating more goat. As Filipinotown gentrifies, the owners of a new bar are trying to reach out to their neighbors. Jonathan Gold talks food-centric ...…

Fine dining is nice, but sometimes the best bites are those that remind us of home. Nigella Lawson wants to celebrate home cooks in her latest book. Jonah and Amanda Freedman are recreating the bagels of their childhood at their modern Jewish deli, Freedman’s. Beyond the bagels, Jonathan Gold says the rest of the menu at Freedman’s is delicious ...…

Congress failed to pass the Farm Bill last week. What tanked the legislation? London author Anissa Helou discusses some foods traditionally eaten after sundown during Ramadan, in addition to other foods of the Islamic world. And how is one of LA’s best chefs secretly running a clothing line? Plus, Jonathan Gold returns from Japan with a deepene ...…

What makes a meal authentic? Rolando Beramendi thinks it’s about capturing the culture by using imported ingredients. The use of an old recipe can also connect immigrant cooks with their families’ food traditions. Chef Massimo Bottura has a plan to reclaim unwanted food—and along with it, people’s dignity. Also, Jonathan Gold enjoys the vibranc ...…

Our annual pie contest went off without a hitch! Now, meet the winners. Tired of all the sweet stuff? We’ll dig into LA’s Sichuan food scene with Fuchsia Dunlop and also with Jonathan Gold during his update on the LA Times Food Bowl. Hsiao-Ching Chou has some tips on cooking Chinese food for the first time. Also, find spring onions at the marke ...…

What’s the best slice of pie in LA? Pie Contest judge Isa Fabro and reporter Abbie Fentress Swanson are on the hunt. Rhubarb is a favorite pie filling, but its sweetness isn’t always easy to coax out. Jonathan Gold reviews Native in Santa Monica. How can composting help Angelenos control their food waste? Gillian Ferguson takes a look at mezcal ...…

New York Times columnist Melissa Clark explains the pressure cooker craze. Culinary scientist Ali Bouzari says cooking boils down to eight essential ingredients. Looking for crispy rice in the San Gabriel Valley? Jonathan Gold has just the place. Gustavo Arellano remembers Latino supermarket maven Doña Teresa Reynoso. Also, a preview of the LA ...…

This week we talk to a few players taking over our Instagram feeds, including the chefs behind Compton’s Trap Kitchen and Chris Stang, CEO of The Infatuation. André and Tenaya Darlington talk mixing drinks and tunes. Pastry chef Clémence Gossett offers tips on baking with kids, and artichokes are what’s hot at the farmer’s market. Plus: Jonatha ...…

Journalist Andrew Friedman lifts the veil on how kitchen culture has changed since the 1970s. Just in time for KCRW’s Pie Contest, Stella Parks dishes on her bestselling cookbook, BraveTart. Dan Barber’s latest venture focuses on breeding sustainable seeds. Acadian foodways get a long-awaited spotlight. Thinking about getting takeout? Hayato is ...…

It’s time to pay tribute to the makers who expand our understanding of food. Whether it’s forging cutlery like Adam Perry Lang, or inventing new forms of “meat,” it’s the restless creatives who keep food culture in constant motion. We also hear about Harper Magazine’s greatest food writing from the past 150 years, as well as an iconic Southern ...…

This is our second and final bonus episode from the Food Book Fair LA that was held in downtown LA from March 2-4, 2018.By webmaster@kcrw.org (KCRW, Evan Kleiman).

Food media is having a reawakening thanks to a few new trendsetters. David Chang is changing how we eat, learn about, and talk about food with his Netflix series. There’s a new Los Angeles restaurant guide in town, rising from the ashes of a downsized LA Weekly. Noma, once lauded as the best restaurant in the world, has reopened and Jonathan Go ...…

This is the extended version of Evan Kleiman’s conversation with David Chang, chef and founder of Momofuku and creator of the hit Netflix show Ugly Delicious. Evan and David go deep on a wide range of topics, including the arc of his career, the demise of Lucky Peach, his friendship with Adam Perry Lang, and his new media company called Majordo ...…

The Food Book Fair recently came to downtown Los Angeles from March 2-4, 2018. The event has been called the “Coachella of writing about eating.” This bonus episode features a live recording of a panel that Evan Kleiman appeared on about the future of food media, as well as an interview with Food Book Fair co-directors Kimberly Chou and Amanda ...…