Besha RodellDid you hear? Jon and Vinny's opened this week! And everyone is talking about it.
John Birdsall this week wrote an open letter to Owen Van Natta, a tech guy who owns a ramen restaurant in San Francisco. Why should we care? Because it gets to the heart of what's important in the food world, about how the creators are often not the ones with the money, and how their creations can be taken from them without a second thought. Birdsall argues passionately for cooks everywhere.
Los Angeles Magazine's drinks issue is on stands now. Online, check out Caroline on Crack's list of spring cocktails around town.
Speaking of LA Mag, they join the increasingly trendy trend of writing about chain restaurants with a Longform essay about Panda Express by Ed Leibowitz.
And speaking of essays about fast food, Smithsonian magazine asks: Has McDonald's reached the end of its success?
There's a lot of frozen listeria concerns this week, with both Blue Bell and Jeni's Splendid ice creams recalling products and shutting down stores.
More L.A. restaurant news: Short Order at the Grove has bitten the dust, but two Mozza alums are planning a Spanish concept in the location called Bar Moruno (with an outpost also at Grand Central Market). Moby will open Little Pine in Silver Lake. And: SHAKE SHACK IS COMING!!! SHAKE SHACK IS COMING!!!
Tweets o' the week:
How amazing/terrible would it be though if chefs had to name dishes the same way bartenders have to name drinks.
— Helen Rosner (@hels) April 24 2015
— Anthony Bourdain (@Bourdain) April 22
EVENTS:
Sat. April 25 & Sun. April 26: Artisanal L.A.
Artisanal L.A. returns this year at downtown's The Reef, which will transform into an eco-foodie showcase featuring over 150 local vendors, including artists, authors, chefs, wares and more. Some of the weekend highlights include a DIY bitters station; how to keep backyard chickens; a leather-coaster-making workshop; how to brew coffee at home like a pro; tomato hybrids in the urban farm pop-up; a Milk & Cookies Corner; DIY terrariums. Details.
Sun., April 26: Atwater Village Beer, Wine and Food Festival
The small, curated list of breweries at the 1,000-cap event include nearby Golden Road Brewing and Angel City Brewery, which makes it a celebration of the positive culinary changes happening in the neighborhood. Bravery Brewing from Lancaster, Hess Brewing from San Diego and SanTan Brewing from Arizona will also be pouring. Details.
Tues., May 5: Vegan Dinner With Gene Baur
At this exclusive Mohawk Bend installment of Authors Worth Celebrating, Baur will be cooking a four-course vegan feast, joined by L.A. chef Matthew Kenney and Beyond Meat culinary ambassador Caitlyn Grady, two of the chefs featured in his latest book. The trio will talk sustainability and food-sourcing between courses inspired by the book. Details.
Sat., May 8: Bruce Kalman and Anne Willan Cooking Class
Up-and-coming L.A. chef Bruce Kalman — who opened Union in Pasadena in 2014 — joins preeminent French chef and instructor Anne Willan for an intimate cooking class just in time for Mother's Day. Be a part of this 15-person class that will walk you through making an Italian farm-to-table meal. Details.
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