In The Weeds

In restaurant lingo, to be "in the weeds" is to feel overwhelmed in the thick of chaos. In pre-pandemic times, it often referred to drowning in orders. COVID-19 radically altered the restaurant industry, and brought a different kind of chaos and struggle to those who depend on it to survive. These intimate first person confessions are their stories.

Shanita Nicholas and Amanda-Jane Thomas left their legal careers in the rearview mirror to open a community-focused coffee shop in Inglewood.

from Good Food

Joe and Celia Ward-Wallace are taking the food and drink of South LA Cafe to the Natural History Museum.

from Good Food

"The McSatan" and "The Bruja" are on the menu at Evil Cooks where Alex Garcia and Elvia Huerta are on a mission to "Make Tacos Great Again."

Making tacos metal with Evil Cooks

"The McSatan" and "The Bruja" are on the menu at Evil Cooks where Alex Garcia and Elvia Huerta are on a mission to "Make Tacos Great Again."

from Good Food

Chef Johnny Lee steps back from Pearl River Deli to reassess the model, despite its accolades and notorieity.

Beloved Chinatown restaurant Pearl River Deli ready to take a breather

Chef Johnny Lee steps back from Pearl River Deli to reassess the model, despite its accolades and notorieity.

from Good Food

Ricardo Ortega aims to make tortillas using honest ingredients at his tortilleria, Kernel of Truth Organics.

‘In the Weeds’ with pioneering LA tortilleria Kernel of Truth Organics

Ricardo Ortega aims to make tortillas using honest ingredients at his tortilleria, Kernel of Truth Organics.

from Good Food

At Bé Ù, Uyên Lê serves Vietnamese comfort and street food while promoting equity and sustainability.

Bánh mì, equity, sustainability are on the menu at Bé Ù

At Bé Ù, Uyên Lê serves Vietnamese comfort and street food while promoting equity and sustainability.

from Good Food

Chef Scott Zwiezen reopens Elf Cafe in Echo Park with a new look and some new additions to the menu.

Don't call it a comeback: Elf Cafe reopens in Echo Park

Chef Scott Zwiezen reopens Elf Cafe in Echo Park with a new look and some new additions to the menu.

from Good Food

What happens when a British rocker lands in LA with no pubs to be found? He opens one himself.

40 years of Cat and Fiddle: How a British bassist gave LA a proper pub

What happens when a British rocker lands in LA with no pubs to be found? He opens one himself.

from Good Food

La Princesita took home the gold at the 2022 Tortilla Tournament. To commemorate their win, Good Food revisits their “In the Weeds” segment.

‘In the Weeds’: A family empire built on masa

La Princesita took home the gold at the 2022 Tortilla Tournament. To commemorate their win, Good Food revisits their “In the Weeds” segment.

from Good Food

Carrying on a legacy, Alexis Navarette recalls working on the weekends as a kid and connecting with the culture of his parents’ South LA restaurant.

‘In the Weeds’ with Alexis Navarette of La Flor Blanca Salvadoreña

Carrying on a legacy, Alexis Navarette recalls working on the weekends as a kid and connecting with the culture of his parents’ South LA restaurant.

from Good Food

After hitting pause for two years, Irv’s Burgers is open again in West Hollywood with the same doodles on plates and a simplified menu.

‘Just for you’: Original owner Sonia Hong reopens Irv’s Burgers

After hitting pause for two years, Irv’s Burgers is open again in West Hollywood with the same doodles on plates and a simplified menu.

from Good Food

Bugra Arkin runs Dolan's, one of only a handful of Uyghur restaurants in the United States. He had an unlikely, and not entirely happy, path to becoming a restaurateur.

In the Weeds: Burga Arkin operates one of the few Uyghur restaurants in the US

Bugra Arkin runs Dolan's, one of only a handful of Uyghur restaurants in the United States. He had an unlikely, and not entirely happy, path to becoming a restaurateur.

from Good Food

Melvin Blanco has made it a practice to feed frontline workers for free at Juan & Nita’s Bagnet-Silog, a restaurant he opened during the pandemic.

In the Weeds: Oncology nurse moonlights as Filipino restaurant owner

Melvin Blanco has made it a practice to feed frontline workers for free at Juan & Nita’s Bagnet-Silog, a restaurant he opened during the pandemic.

from Good Food

When Gacia Tachejian couldn’t find coffee she liked in the Valley, she began roasting her own.

‘In the Weeds’ with Gacia Tachejian of Laidrey

When Gacia Tachejian couldn’t find coffee she liked in the Valley, she began roasting her own.

from Good Food

Owner and pitmaster Daniel Castillo is serving Texas barbecue steps away from the mission in San Juan Capistrano.

New religion: Classic Texas barbecue in San Juan Capistrano

Owner and pitmaster Daniel Castillo is serving Texas barbecue steps away from the mission in San Juan Capistrano.

from Good Food

Food writer Eddie Lin remembers Yening “Lupe” Liang, who owned Hop Woo with his wife and daughters and strived for inclusiveness on his menu.

Remembering Yening ‘Lupe’ Liang of Hop Woo

Food writer Eddie Lin remembers Yening “Lupe” Liang, who owned Hop Woo with his wife and daughters and strived for inclusiveness on his menu.

from Good Food

Mort & Betty’s is a pop-up offering vegan versions of traditional Jewish deli dishes, such as lox, mushroom pastrami, and whitefish salad.

Veganizing the Jewish deli: ‘In the Weeds’ with Megan Tucker

Mort & Betty’s is a pop-up offering vegan versions of traditional Jewish deli dishes, such as lox, mushroom pastrami, and whitefish salad.

from Good Food

At Bé Ù, Uyen Le serves Vietnamese comfort and street food while promoting equity and sustainability.

Bánh mì, equity, sustainability are on the menu at Bé Ù

At Bé Ù, Uyen Le serves Vietnamese comfort and street food while promoting equity and sustainability.

from Good Food

Yuko Watanabe incorporates plants and pastries into her two locations of Yuko Kitchen, creating a retreat for the beleaguered diner.

Rice bowls, mochi cookies: Yuko Watanabe serves Japanese comfort food

Yuko Watanabe incorporates plants and pastries into her two locations of Yuko Kitchen, creating a retreat for the beleaguered diner.

from Good Food

Chefs Andrew Marco and Ralph Hsiao took inspiration from New York’s corner bodegas when bringing Open Market to life.

How can we bring value to neighborhoods without opening restaurants?

Chefs Andrew Marco and Ralph Hsiao took inspiration from New York’s corner bodegas when bringing Open Market to life.

from Good Food