<p>Today on <em>The LA Food Podcast</em>, James Beard Award-winning author, restaurateur, and longtime Angeleno <a href="https://www.instagram.com/galuten/?hl=en" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer"><strong>Noah Galuten</strong></a> joins as guest co-host for a wide-ranging conversation on LA’s past, present, and future as a food city.</p><p>In a moment where the restaurant world is dominated by headlines around René Redzepi and Noma, we take a different approach. Instead of focusing on controversy, we draft our <strong>Mount Rushmore of Los Angeles chefs</strong>—asking a deceptively simple question: <em>who actually changed the game?</em> Not just the best chefs, but the ones who reshaped how LA eats, cooks, and thinks about food. The result is a competitive, snake-style draft filled with legacy picks, bold calls, and a few names that might spark debate.</p><p>We also dig into recent meals across the city, including <a href="https://www.bistronas.com/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">Bistro Na’s</a>, <a href="https://www.loreto.la/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">Loreto in Frogtown</a>, and <a href="https://www.secretpizzala.com/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">Secret Pizza</a>, before diving into Noah’s career. From his early days running the influential food blog <em>Man Bites World</em>, to helping define some of LA’s most important restaurants of the 2010s, to his upcoming cookbook <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/781433/grill-time-by-noah-galuten/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer"><em>Grill Time</em></a>, Noah shares how he’s built a career at the intersection of media, restaurants, and storytelling.</p><p>In <strong>Chef’s Kiss / Big Miss</strong>, we break down some of the biggest conversations shaping the food world right now:</p><ul><li><p>A <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-food-scene/the-real-cost-of-a-meal-at-noma" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">Helen Rosner take</a> on whether you can separate art from the artist in the wake of Noma</p></li><li><p>The rise of <a href="https://www.latimes.com/food/newsletter/2026-03-14/bill-addison-review-bruce-pop-up-horses-alumni-cafe-triste-justines-wine-bar" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">LA’s pop-up culture</a> and whether it’s sustainable long-term</p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/13/dining/wolfgang-puck-kitchen-oscars-night.html" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">Celebrities stepping into chef roles</a> at events like the Oscars</p></li><li><p>The <a href="https://la.eater.com/restaurant-openings/300479/very-thai-thai-food-restaurant-opening-century-city-los-angeles" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">growing presence of global restaurant brands entering Los Angeles</a></p></li><li><p>And a wild slate of <a href="https://www.tacobell.com/newsroom/live-mas-live-2026-reveal" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">new Taco Bell menu items</a> for 2026</p></li></ul><p>Plus, we kick things off with listener feedback and what might be the early stages of <a href="https://lataco.com/canceling-noma-canceled-editor" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">a beef with one of LA’s most iconic food publications</a>.</p><p>--</p><p>Presented by <a href="https://www.mva.wine/subscribe" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">mva.wine</a>. To learn more about becoming a member of the mva.wine community and receiving regular access to incredible wines you won't find anywhere else, visit <a href="https://www.mva.wine/subscribe" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">mva.wine/subscribe</a> - first 20 people to sign up using code "LAFOOD" receive $50 off. </p>