A restaurateur remembers, food in The Sims, Thai staples, citrus

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Wes Avila is on the hunt for bitter oranges at the farmer’s market for the cochinita pibil on his menu at Ka’teen in Hollywood. Photo by Andrea D’Agosto.

Brad Johnson arrived in Los Angeles from New York City where he cut his teeth in the restaurant business. Soon he had the hottest place on the Sunset Strip — the Roxbury, spoofed by Will Ferrell and Chris Kattan on Saturday Night Live. Johnson has a podcast that showcases his years and Black voices in the business. Multitasking and perfection are in Leanne Brown’s DNA, yet sometimes her self-worth falters in favor of anxiety, so she turns to the kitchen to remind herself that she is good enough for nutrition and self-care. Nikita Richardson shares her avatar in the life simulation video game, “The Sims,” where characters learn to cook and experience new foods. Jet Tila, the prince of Thai cuisine in Los Angeles, shares his favorite dishes to make. Chef Alisa Reynolds is modernizing Southern comfort food, making gluten-free favorites in her kitchen at My 2 Cents. Finally, seedless and easy-to-peel winter citrus are chefs’ favorites this time of year.