Acquired Taste Food Podcasts

It's Pastry Week in the Great British Bake Off tent, and Nancy and Bits are thrilled to be back to the show's roots: weird British meat pies, questionable fillings, and elaborate pastry sculptures that probably shouldn't exist.

This week, the bakers tackle savory handheld pies, Nigella Lawson's Polish karpatka technical, and a freeform pie showstopper that gives us everything from a stop-motion chicken to a deeply unsettling snake. The ladies discuss whether Paul Hollywood has ever encountered a bánh mì, the increasingly compelling case for Tom to win the whole thing, Nigella's refreshing refusal to be intimidated by Paul, and which bakers are running out of steam.

Then, things go spectacularly off the rails during the Gingham Altar. Nancy declares the New York City dining scene officially dead, while Bits launches an impassioned crusade against the most irritating trends in food influencer culture. Plus: why everyone should Brick their phone, why men insist on aggressively slapping raw meat in cooking videos, and the case for becoming a regular at your neighborhood restaurant.

Come for the pastry, stay for the cultural criticism.

LINKS & MENTIONS

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The Great British Bake Off official website

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Nigella Lawson's Karpatka recipe

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Brick: Take back control of your phone

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Compliments to the Chef on Apple Podcasts

Follow along with Compliments to the Chef for weekly recaps of The Great British Bake Off, Top Chef, and all the food television drama worth discussing.

Chef Keith Corbin is rewriting the rules of California cuisine, and he's doing it in a way that could only happen in Los Angeles.

This week on The LA Food Podcast: Interviews, Luca sits down with the acclaimed chef, author of California Soul, and owner of Alta Adams for a wide-ranging conversation about the restaurant's bold reinvention, the food cultures that shaped him, and why his cooking is more personal than ever.

Keith breaks down his new approach to cooking, which he calls "transposition" rather than fusion, and explains how dishes like duck confit with mole demi-glace and miso-glazed eggplant tell the story of LA's cultural crossroads.

The conversation also gets into the challenges of reinventing an already beloved restaurant, Keith's complicated relationship with gentrification in West Adams, and his ongoing fight to bring investment and opportunity to his hometown of Watts.

Plus, Keith reveals what really happened when he heard Luca's controversial comparison of Alta Adams and Little Mountain (spoiler: he drove straight to Montecito to investigate), takes us behind the scenes of America's Culinary Cup, reveals which competitor intimidated him most, and explains why Padma Lakshmi might be the toughest judge in food television.

From Michelin stars and community activism to In-N-Out burgers and the future of LA dining, it's a funny, thoughtful, and deeply Los Angeles conversation with one of the city's most compelling chefs.

LINKS & MENTIONS

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Alta Adams: https://www.altaadams.com/

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California Soul by Keith Corbin: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/677186/california-soul-by-keith-corbin/

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Little Mountain (Montecito): https://www.littlemountainsb.com/

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America's Culinary Cup (Paramount+): https://www.paramountplus.com/shows/americas-culinary-cup/

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Broken Spanish Comedor: https://brokenspanishcomedor.com/

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LA Times review of the new Alta Adams: https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2026-08-27/alta-adams-reopening-keith-corbin-restaurant-review

Follow The LA Food Podcast for more conversations with the chefs, restaurateurs, and personalities shaping how Los Angeles eats.

Today on The LA Food Podcast, Father Sal and I have once again committed the frankly psychotic act of treating the LA Times' annual 101 Best Restaurants list like it's the NBA Draft, dear listener. We've got spreadsheets, hot takes, and enough grievances to keep a restaurant publicist employed through Christmas.

The 2026 list is here, and we've got some questions. Is newcomer Lielle really the best restaurant in Los Angeles? Has Funke somehow become more essential than Bestia and Bavel? Does Alta Adams' meteoric rise to #10 prove that Keith Corbin is having the year of his life? And what exactly did Pizzeria Bianco do to deserve getting kicked off the list altogether?

We're going deep on the biggest risers, the most brutal falls, the perennial heavyweights, the most egregious snubs, and the restaurants we're betting on for 2027. Plus, we discuss my OTHER 101, because apparently one list of 101 restaurants simply wasn't enough.

But first, we recap the sold-out Echo Park Pizza Crawl, which raised $1,750 for Soccer Without Borders, plus some very good eating at the LA Food Bowl, Carousel, Mr. T, and Quarter Sheets, where I may or may not have committed an act of betrayal against my best friend.

And in Chef's Kiss / Big Miss, we're tackling the explosive Memo Torres vs. LA Taco saga, an absolutely deranged scrambled egg scene in Nathan Fielder's Elizabeth Holmes documentary, restaurants finally putting their foot down on menu substitutions, and the horrifying economics of Halloween candy.

It's a big one, dear listener. Get comfortable.

LINKS AND FURTHER READING

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Memo Torres responds to LA Taco

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Eater on the scrambled eggs scene inYou Can See Everything

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Eater on restaurants pushing back against substitutions

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The New York Times on skyrocketing Halloween candy prices

THIS EPISODE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY SLANG.AI

Slang.ai is an AI phone concierge built specifically for restaurants, helping teams handle incoming calls, reservations, guest questions, and more, so staff can focus on the people actually dining with them.

With its new Superhost technology, Slang.ai can recognize guests' emotions, adapt naturally to conversations, and even handle interruptions and language switches.

Restaurant groups like Memento Mori Hospitality and Telefèric Barcelona are already using Slang to help manage their phones.

Learn more about Slang.ai and Superhost here:

https://www.slang.ai/restaurants

And check out our recent interview with Chloe Makhani of Casaléna to hear how her restaurant uses Slang.ai to improve hospitality.

Powered by Acquired Taste Media.

All hell has broken loose at LA TACO. Following the firing of longtime reporter Memo Torres, the departure of Izzy Ramirez, and a series of increasingly contentious public statements, one of Los Angeles' most beloved independent publications finds itself at the center of an extraordinary controversy.

Bill Esparza and Rob break down the entire saga, from the ethical questions surrounding Torres' relationship with a California state senator to LA TACO's handling of the fallout, its ownership structure, and allegations of newsroom dysfunction. Bill also opens up about his own complicated history with editor-in-chief Javier Cabral, including a little-known story about how he landed the book deal for L.A. Mexicano.

Then, in a stunning late-night twist, Torres publishes his side of the story while Bill and Rob are recording, prompting an emergency addendum and a whole new set of questions about LA TACO's future.

Plus, the guys recap the LA Times 101 Best Restaurants celebration, the growing influence of Latino chefs on LA's dining scene, and some of the list's biggest surprises.

It's an unusually explosive episode of Taqueando, and nobody is holding back.

It's Dessert Week in the Great British Bake Off tent, but somehow Elizabeth Holmes has found her way into the conversation.

Nancy and Bits are back to recap Season 17, Episode 5, where the bakers tackle self-saucing puddings, a tricky bread-and-butter pudding technical, and a gloriously retro dessert trolley showstopper. We're talking soggy bottoms, questionable textures, and who's emerging as a serious contender for the Bake Off crown.

Plus, the ladies take a major detour into You Can See Everything, Nathan Fielder's bizarre new Elizabeth Holmes documentary. What happens when the mind behind Nathan for You and The Rehearsal turns his attention to the disgraced Theranos founder? Nancy and Bits have plenty to discuss.

From British puddings to Silicon Valley fraud, it's another delightfully unhinged episode of Compliments to the Chef!

The Los Angeles Times 101 Best Restaurants of 2026 is here, and the two people behind the list are joining us to break it all down.

LA Times restaurant critics Bill Addison and Jenn Harris return to The LA Food Podcast to explain how they chose LA's best restaurants, why newcomer Lielle earned the coveted No. 1 spot, and what this year's rankings reveal about the state of dining in Los Angeles.

We get into the biggest surprises, snubs, and shake-ups, including why three-Michelin-starred Somni didn't make the list, how Alta Adams rocketed into the top 10, why restaurants like Barbacoa Ramirez tumbled down the rankings, and what happened to Pizzeria Bianco.

Plus, Bill and Jenn discuss the restaurants making a comeback, the exciting new openings redefining LA dining, and why the word "best" might not be the best way to describe the 101 in the first place.

From Holbox and Kato to Broken Spanish Comedor, n/naka, and Osteria Mozza, we're going behind the scenes of LA's most anticipated restaurant list.

Read the LA Times 101 Best Restaurants of 2026: https://www.latimes.com/food

Subscribe to The LA Food Podcast for weekly conversations about Los Angeles restaurants, chefs, food news, and everything happening in LA's dining scene.

Who should run Los Angeles if your single biggest political concern is where you're having dinner?

This week, Luca does something no one asked him to do: turns The LA Food Podcast into a political endorsement machine. Karen Bass vs. Nithya Raman. Five rounds. Restaurant permitting, street vendors, housing, homelessness, Hollywood, and the most important question of all: which candidate would be more fun to grab a beer with? By the end, we're endorsing someone. Democracy has never tasted so good.

Plus, Luca visits the new Bar Fortuna, has a life-changing steak experience at Gwen, and declares Quarter Sheets one of his favorite restaurants in Los Angeles.

Then Luca's wife returns for Chef's Kiss / Big Miss to tackle the possible resurrection of Horses, the James Beard Awards finally recognizing food influencers, Cole's controversial comeback, LA's chicken Caesar wrap obsession, and whether restaurants are collecting a little too much information about their customers.

THIS EPISODE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY SLANG AI

Slang AI is an AI-powered phone concierge built specifically for restaurants, helping teams handle calls, answer guest questions, and spend more time doing what they do best: providing great hospitality. Its new Superhost technology makes conversations feel more natural than ever, even when guests change their minds, interrupt, or switch languages.

Learn more at https://www.slang.ai/ and check out our recent interview with Chloe Makhani of Casaléna to hear how her restaurant is putting it to work.

LINKS & FURTHER READING

The mayoral showdown

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Karen Bass: https://www.karenbass.com/

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Nithya Raman: https://www.nithyaforthecity.com/

Chef's Kiss / Big Miss

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Horses is plotting a comeback (Hoodline): https://hoodline.com/2026/09/hollywood-s-horses-plots-sunset-strip-comeback-after-cat-killing-scandal-530k-in-debt/

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James Beard Awards introduce new short-form creator categories: https://www.jamesbeard.org/awards/media-awards/broadcast-media-awards

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Cole's is reopening with new ownership (LA Times): https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2026-10-20/french-dip-icon-coles-will-return-new-menu-new-ownership-same-bukowski-sign

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How the Chicken Caesar Wrap Ate Los Angeles (Eater): https://la.eater.com/now-trending-los-angeles/307804/chicken-caesar-wrap-los-angeles-restaurants-trend

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Hospitality Shouldn't Require So Much Data (Ravenous): https://www.weareravenous.com/hospitality-shouldnt-require-so-much-data/

Subscribe, leave us a review, and tell us who YOU think deserves the keys to City Hall.

Los Angeles, we have a wet trompo problem. And Bill Esparza has had enough.

This week on Taqueando, Bill and Robert Haleblian get to the bottom of why so much of LA's beloved al pastor is drowning in adobo. From Angel's Tijuana Tacos to the legendary trompos of Mexico City, they break down what separates a truly great taco from a soggy imitation, why the traditional taco brigade matters, and where to find the best al pastor and adobada in Los Angeles.

But first, Bill has some words for Danny Trejo. Following news of the actor's involvement in a controversial film depicting an ICE agent, Bill reflects on his own history with the Hollywood icon, the disappointing tacos he once gave a pass, and why he's now calling for a boycott of Trejo's restaurants.

Plus, an unforgettable seafood takeover at Sāntō, a Holbox collaboration at Paseo, and plenty more from Bill's latest adventures across LA's dining scene.

On this episode:

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Why LA has a wet trompo problem

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Angel's Tijuana Tacos and the economics of street tacos

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The secrets of Mexico City's greatest al pastor

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Bill's favorite al pastor and adobada spots in LA

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Danny Trejo, ICE, and a Hollywood icon's controversial career decision

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Seafood, chef collaborations, and the latest Antojitos Rundown

This is Taqueando, where Mexican food, culture, and the people behind it always come first.

Part of the Acquired Taste Media network.

Producd by Robert Haleblian.

Was this the worst Bread Week in Great British Bake Off history? Nancy and Bits return to the tent for Season 17, Episode 4, where the garlic bread desperately needs more garlic, the dough desperately needs more time, and Paul Hollywood’s grape-and-blue-cheese flatbread technical needs to answer for its crimes.

We’re getting into Mo’s three-TikTok preparation strategy, a technical challenge that nobody could pull off, and the eternal question: can you ask for cake-like bread and then complain that it tastes like cake? Plus, festive bread showstoppers, Tom’s growing frontrunner status, a plea for restaurants to put food on actual plates, and Nancy’s potentially explosive allegation that saffron is a scam.

Come for the Bake Off recap. Leave craving garlic knots.

Compliments to the Chef is part of the Acquired Taste podcast network. Subscribe for weekly recaps of The Great British Baking Show, Top Chef, and more.

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Why do restaurants have lines before anyone’s tasted the food? When did restaurant merch become streetwear? And why does getting dinner sometimes feel like homework?

This week, Luca sits down with Kelly Dobkin, the food writer behind Of All Places and a former editor at Eater, Zagat, and Thrillist, to unpack the forces shaping LA restaurant culture. We get into Eater’s wild early days, the awkward relationship between food writers and chefs, and why Kelly is betting on Substack after years in traditional media.

Then, we talk restaurants becoming brands before they even open, the power of a really good sign, and the dining inconveniences Kelly would happily leave behind. Plus: millennial restaurant nostalgia, au poivre everything, toast-flavored ice cream, and the LA restaurants she’s loving right now.

Read and follow Kelly:
• Of All Places LA
• Of All Places NYC
• Kelly on Instagram

Stories discussed:
• Meet the Designer Behind Some of LA’s Coolest Cafe Branding, A-Frames, and Interiors
• LA’s Coolest New Ice Cream Brand Is Turning Toast, Burnt Rice, and Tomatoes Into Dessert

Last week, we called out an Instagram account dedicated to leaving $0 tips at restaurants. The comments section promptly lost its collective mind. So this week, Luca and Father Sal are going all in on America's most emotionally charged restaurant debate: Is tipping culture completely broken?

Why do we tip servers but not other minimum-wage workers? Has the iPad tipping screen gotten out of control? Would restaurants actually survive if everyone stopped tipping? And why is it so hard to get rid of a system that seemingly nobody likes?

Plus, Bill Esparza and Matt Kang take a beloved LA taco stand to task, Sal discovers an incredible Thai burger, Luca finds some seriously underrated neighborhood gems, and the guys debate whether AI-generated food photos are an abomination or a lifeline for struggling restaurants.

On Chef's Kiss / Big Miss: The heartbreaking closure of Sora Craft Kitchen, Souplantation's triumphant return, and whether any croissant on Earth is worth a 45-minute wait.

THIS EPISODE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY SLANG AI

Missed calls mean missed business. Slang AI helps restaurants answer every call, handle guest questions, and take reservations with AI-powered phone technology. Learn more:

https://www.slang.ai/restaurants

STORIES MENTIONED

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Sora Craft Kitchen is closing: https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2026-10-14/sora-craft-kitchen-permanent-closure-downtown-los-angeles

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Why AI-generated restaurant menus are freaking everyone out: https://www.latimes.com/food/newsletter/2026-10-14/uncanny-valley-ai-generated-food-menu

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Souplantation is returning to Orange County: https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2026-10-08/souplantation-returns-orange-county-2027

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Santa Monica's Matilda's Bakery is drawing 45-minute lines: https://la.eater.com/restaurant-openings/307595/matildas-bakery-opening-santa-monica

FOLLOW ACQUIRED TASTE MEDIA

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LA Countdown: https://www.instagram.com/thelacountdown/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@acquiredtastemedia

More from the network: https://acquiredtastemedia.com/

Love the show? Leave us a five-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. You can say whatever you want about us. Just make it five stars.

Are Mexico City’s most viral tacos actually worth the hype? Bill Esparza and producer Robert Haleblian unpack what the Michelin Guide, TikTok influencers and tourists get wrong about Mexican taco culture, from El Califa de León’s Michelin star to the crowds at La Once Mil.

Bill explains why premium beef and heirloom corn don’t automatically make a better taco, what gets lost when street food becomes a luxury experience, and why generations of taquero expertise deserve more attention. Planning a Mexico City food trip? He also shares favorite stops for tacos al pastor, chorizo verde and tacos de canasta, including El Huequito, El Vilsito and Ricos Tacos Toluca.

Plus: a dispatch from LA’s Chef’s Conference, a lively discussion about the future of food media, and a reminder that Los Angeles dining still has plenty of life.

Taqueando with Bill Esparza is part of Acquired Taste, alongside The LA Food Podcast and Compliments to the Chef.

Produced by Robert Haleblian.

It's Audience Choice Week on The Great British Bake Off, and the viewers have officially lost their minds. This week on Compliments to the Chef, Nancy and Bits recap Season 17, Episode 3, aka “The Cheesecake Factory,” where family members invade the tent, bakers are forced to improvise with a mystery box, and the showstopper challenge turns into a full-blown edible fashion show. We're talking cheesecake chaos, the season's first Hollywood Handshake, Nigella and Paul's judging, and whether letting the audience run the show was actually a good idea.

Compliments to the Chef is part of the Acquired Taste podcast network. Subscribe for weekly recaps of The Great British Baking Show and all your favorite food TV.

Are the Dodgers ruining baseball? LaSorted's Pizza founder Tommy Brockert has some thoughts. And as the man behind one of LA's most beloved Dodgers hangouts, he's got a pretty good seat for the drama.

In this episode of The LA Food Podcast Interviews, Luca Servodio sits down with Tommy Brockert at LaSorted's Chinatown to talk Dodgers dominance, why he calls his restaurant "Dodger Disneyland," and how a former photographer who lost his livelihood during COVID wound up becoming one of Los Angeles' most recognizable pizza makers.

Tommy takes us through his unlikely journey from making sourdough pizzas on his porch to opening two wildly popular LA pizzerias, explains why he refuses to call his pizza New York-style, and shares why authenticity matters more than chasing restaurant trends. We also get into his role in founding the LA Pizza Alliance following the devastating Los Angeles wildfires, his cross-country hot dog collaborations, and, naturally, his obsession with Real Housewives.

It's a conversation about pizza, the Dodgers, betting on yourself, and what it really means to build something for Los Angeles.

LINKS & MORE

🍕 LaSorted's Pizza: https://www.lasorteds.com/

📸 LaSorted's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lasorteds/

🎙️ Listen to Acquired Taste Food Podcasts on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/acquired-taste-food-podcasts/id1667175207

🌴 Explore the Acquired Taste podcast network: https://www.acquiredtastemedia.com/

ABOUT THE LA FOOD PODCAST

Hosted by Luca Servodio and powered by Acquired Taste Media, The LA Food Podcast brings you conversations with LA's biggest chefs and restaurant personalities, the latest food news, strong opinions, and an unapologetic love for the greatest food city in America.

Subscribe for more interviews, restaurant stories, food debates, and everything happening in the Los Angeles dining scene.

#LaSorteds #TommyBrockert #Dodgers #LAFoodPodcast #LAPizza

Two hundred episodes in, Father Sal returns to help Luca celebrate the only way they know how: eating well and talking shit. They dig into Alta Adams, Cuernavaca’s Grill and the best bites from LA ChefCon, where conversations about restaurant economics and the future of food media raise a bigger question: who’s paying for any of this?

Then it’s Chef’s Kiss / Big Miss: an anonymous LA influencer turns refusing to tip into content, Superiority Burger’s Brooks Headley plots a mysterious Los Angeles restaurant, and breakfast burritos get the astrology treatment. Plus, Luca’s roller-coaster regrets and an airplane cookie theft that deserves its own investigation.

In Part 2, Chloe Makhani, CMO of Casaléna and Avondale Hospitality, joins Luca to discuss building a Woodland Hills destination for everything from date nights to weddings, growing a restaurant business with her siblings, and preserving the human touch as hospitality expands. They explore how Slang AI helps Casaléna handle restaurant calls while giving staff more time to focus on the guests in front of them.

This episode is sponsored by Slang AI, the AI phone concierge built specifically for restaurants. Its newly launched Superhost makes calls feel more natural, responding to a caller’s mood and following along as guests interrupt, change their minds or switch languages mid-conversation.

Run a restaurant? Learn more about Slang AI and Superhost.

Joun us for the Echo Park Pizza Crawl!

Discussed in this episode:

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The Daily: “The Restaurant Industry Is Broken” (transcript)

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No Bad Days: Brooks Headley interview

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Los Angeles Times: Jenn Harris on Masa y Taza’s breakfast burrito

Heritage Barbecue chef Danny Castillo joins Bill Esparza to explore the forgotten Mexican and Indigenous roots of California barbecue, the legacy of pioneering pitmaster Joe Romero, and how Latino chefs are reshaping American BBQ. Danny also reveals what's next for Heritage Barbecue in San Juan Capistrano, from a historic barn restoration to a new dinner service, and names his three favorite Texas barbecue joints.

Plus, Bill recaps some of LA's biggest food events, including Eater Off Menu and Manhattan Beach Food & Wine, and weighs in on Asadero Los Ángeles' decision to regroup following criticism on last week's episode.

Produced by Robert Haleblian.

It’s Biscuit Week!!! Bits and Nancy are back to discuss American-style cookies, a deeply nostalgic technical, and some truly unhinged biscuit mosaics.

Plus, Nigella continues to settle into the tent, the bakers start separating themselves from the pack, and we finally have to say goodbye to someone.

Join us for our coverage of Great British Bake Off series 17!!!!!!!!!

Danny Meyer changed American dining with Union Square Cafe, Gramercy Tavern, and Shake Shack. But what happens when the hospitality guy gets it wrong? The legendary restaurateur joins Luca Servodio to discuss why his no-tipping experiment couldn’t make the math work, how listening to critics led Shake Shack astray, and why keeping Tabla open too long hurt the employees he thought he was protecting.

Plus, why Los Angeles is one of the world’s most exciting food cities, the LA restaurants he loves, and whether a 27-year-old Danny Meyer could open Union Square Cafe today. Drawing from his new book, What Could Possibly Go Right?, Danny shares candid lessons on restaurant economics, scaling hospitality, and knowing when conviction has become denial.

Can you tell which LA restaurants have outside investors just by the vibes? Karen Palmer joins Luca Servodio for “Does It Taste Like Private Equity?”, a guessing game exposing the money behind favorites like RVR, Prime Pizza, HomeState, Kismet and more. With Gen Z calling out “PE slop,” we debate whether outside investment actually makes restaurants worse, and why some independent-looking spots have institutional backing while seemingly corporate chains don’t. (For this game, “private equity” is shorthand for a broader mix of private equity, venture capital and other outside investment.)

Plus, Karen discovers standout omakase inside the Bicycle Casino, Luca revisits the reimagined Alta Adams, and we discuss Skywalker Grill and Folks Pizzeria. In Chef’s Kiss / Big Miss: Langer’s wins the 2026 LA Times Gold Award, backyard Peking duck, Sang Yoon’s customizable fast-food burgers, and Eric Ripert’s Buddhist approach to kitchen culture.

It’s another Taqueando Q&A, and Bill Esparza is answering everything. Bill and Rob get into the backlash over their LA mariscos guide, what separates great ceviche and aguachile from the rest, how to tell whether an oyster is worth eating, whether King Taco invented the taco truck, the best pozole and chile en nogada in Los Angeles, where to eat in Coyoacán, and Bill’s perfect day of eating in LA.

Plus, the Antojitos Rundown hits Loreto’s Wednesday omakase, Broken Spanish Comedor, Holbox, Disciples of the Corn and Mariscos El Tambo.

Taqueando is part of Acquired Taste, bringing you deep dives into tacos, Mexican food, Los Angeles restaurants and the people behind them.

Produced by Robert Haleblian.