Photo of chef Brandon Go assembling three of his precisely packed bento boxes at Hayato at Row DTLA by Rosalie Atkinson.
The rise of the chef, BraveTart, and bento boxes
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 creating bento boxes that double as works of art.
FROM THIS EPISODE
The American culinary world has seen a dramatic shift since the 1970s and ‘80s. During that time, kitchen life was glamorized as a non-stop party, complete with copious amounts of drugs, alcohol, and law breaking. Journalist Andrew Friedman chronicles the evolution of the American chef in his latest book, ‘Chefs, Drugs, and Rock & Roll.’
Andrew Friedman
Few desserts are as essential to the American palate as pie. With our annual pie contest just weeks away, Stella Parks, author of the New York Times bestselling cookbook ‘BraveTart,’ shares her passion for pies.
Stella Parks
Garden fresh rhubarb. Photo via public domain.
Which market fresh vegetable was once used for medicinal remedies and is now synonymous with delicious pie filling? You guessed it. This week, Laura Avery talks about fresh rhubarb with Robert Wemischner, Professor of Baking and Pastry at Los Angeles Trade Tech College. Mario Trevino of Trevino Family Farms in Lompoc also talks about growing this surprisingly versatile ingredient.
Dan Barber is the James Beard-winning chef and co-owner of Blue Hill and Blue Hill at Stone Barns, 30 miles outside of New York City. A few years ago, he wrote a hugely influential book on sustainable farming called The Third Plate. Now, he wants to overhaul the way seeds are bred with his new seed company, Row 7.
898 Squash sprouts from Row 7 Seeds. Breeder: Michael Mazourek,
Cornell University. Photo by Johnny Autry.
Journalist Simon Thibault is the descendant of Acadians, the French colonists who during the 17th and 18th centuries settled in what are now Canada’s Maritime provinces. He’s written about his fascinating culinary heritage in “Pantry and Palate: Remembering and Rediscovering Acadian Food.”
Simon Thibault
A Hayato bento, ready to opened and devoured. Photo by Rosalie Atkinson.
Certain foods are seemingly ready-made for Instagram. Take the carefully packed bento box, which chef Brandon Go is making an artform at Hayato in downtown LA. Go is assembling 20 boxes per day featuring portions of bite-sized food made using five essential Japanese culinary techniques.
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Forging knives, lab-grown 'meat,' and iconic food writing 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 cookbook author. Plus: a look at Mimouna’s food traditions.
David Chang, a 'rogue' restaurant guide, and Noma reopens 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 Gold says the magic is still alive. Bonus: Have a (matzo) ball this Passover!
Extended Interview: David Chang 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 Majordomo Media.
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