Foodbeast Katchup

Boba goes mainstream in the U.S. as fast-food chains like Dunkin’ Donuts and Del Taco begin serving bubble tea & popping boba pearls. On today’s episode of The Foodbeast Katchup podcast, we discuss the Boba wave going on in America. Del Taco’s new poppin’ boba in the form of “Sprite Poppers,” allows customers to put cherry or mango boba pearls on top of their Sprite. Meanwhile, Dunkin’ is testing Bubble Iced Tea and Bubble Iced Coffee through mid-August at a few locations in Upstate New York and Massachusetts. We sat down with our dear friend Tai Tran of @AsiansNeverDie, who’s built a community of millions on Facebook and Instagram around comedic moments and culture in the Asian-American community, to discuss the current boba wave hitting U.S. fast food chains. Thank you all so much for listening! Please review this podcast on Apple Podcasts, follow @foodbeastkatchup on Instagram, and connect with our hosts below: Elie Ayrouth: @bookofelie on IG & Twitter Geoff Kutnick: @geoffkutnick on IG & Twitter Tai Tran: @asiansneverdie on IG FOODBEAST: @foodbeast on Facebook, IG, Twitter, YouTube & Twitch www.foodbeast.com for breaking food & beverage news

The global pandemic and the resulting restrictions and limitations brought on the restaurant industry — from prohibited dine-in to a forced pivot to delivery and pick-up only service — has brought on unique challenges to small business owners throughout the country. With restaurants worried about how to keep their heads above water, this necessity has brought about alternative solutions — namely technology that provides answers to keeping revenue streams steady and consistent. A particular service, named Numa, has helped restaurants explore unique solutions by being an AI-powered virtual assistant and concierge. What’s great about Numa is that it makes a restaurant’s number textable. The technology then answers every voicemail, text, Facebook message and more. Overall it leads to an efficient use of team coordination that has helped many restaurants who have used it. Foodbeast Managing Editor, Reach Guinto, sat down recently with Tasso Roumeliotis, co-founder and CEO of Numa, and Lex Gopnik-Lewinsky, owner & founder of Augie’s Montreal Deli in Berkeley, CA to talk about the benefits of alternative technology beyond third-party delivery apps and how they could be the next wave in restaurants taking advantage of different solutions to serve their customers. Thank you all so much for listening! Please review this podcast on Apple Podcasts, follow @foodbeastkatchup on Instagram and connect with our hosts below: Elie Ayrouth: @bookofelie on IG & Twitter Geoff Kutnick: @geoffkutnick on IG & Twitter Reach Guinto: @reachhard_ on IG and Twitter FOODBEAST: @foodbeast on Facebook, IG, Twitter, YouTube & Twitch www.foodbeast.com for breaking food & beverage news

In the latest episode of Foodbeast's The Katchup Podcast, hosts Elie Ayrouth and Geoff Kutnick, along with managing editor Reach Guinto, wax poetic, and eulogize just how much Souplantation meant to them, while also exploring the immediately unfortunate prospects buffets have post-pandemic. Thank you all so much for listening! Please review this podcast on Apple Podcasts, follow @foodbeastkatchup on Instagram, and connect with our hosts below: Elie Ayrouth: @bookofelie on IG & Twitter Geoff Kutnick: @geoffkutnick on IG & Twitter Reach Guinto: @reachhard_ on IG and Twitter FOODBEAST: @foodbeast on Facebook, IG, Twitter, YouTube & Twitch www.foodbeast.com for breaking food & beverage news

Famed Chef & Restaurateur José Andrés has positively affected millions through his non-profit World Central Kitchen (WCK). In addition to feeding entire communities devastated by natural or economic disaster in Puerto Rico, Tijuana, Venezuela and beyond, WCK had to pivot its model yet again for COVID-19. FOODBEAST Co-Founder Geoff Kutnick and Managing Editor Reach Guinto talk to Tank Gonzales, the project lead for a pilot program in Southern California that re-activates closed restaurants and feeds at-risk seniors. Within days Gonzales cold-called restaurants, UPS, senior centers and city officials leading to an operation feeding thousands of people. To date WCK has provided 3,000,000+ meals across the country during COVID-19, and over 20,000+ in Gonzales’ Long Beach community. Thank you all so much for listening! Please review this podcast on Apple Podcasts, follow @foodbeastkatchup on Instagram and connect with our FOODBEAST hosts & guest: Elie Ayrouth: @bookofelie on IG & Twitter Geoff Kutnick: @geoffkutnick on IG & Twitter Reach Guinto: @reachhard_ on IG and Twitter Tank Gonzales: @tanks_travels on IG FOODBEAST: @foodbeast on Facebook, IG, Twitter, YouTube & Twitch www.foodbeast.com for breaking food & beverage news

Restaurants are one of the strongest backbones of our community because of how many roles they serve beyond providing sustenance to patrons. They act as a third space for gathering & connecting, they employ tens of millions in the US, they provide tax revenue for our states & local communities, and beyond. FOODBEAST Co-Founder Geoff Kutnick talks to the President & CEO of the California Restaurant Association, an advocacy group for the restaurant industry with access to many of the forefront politicians reacting to the new economic environment like Governor Gavin Newsom, and LA Mayor Eric Garcetti. We talk about the ever-slimming margins of restaurants (25:15), how ‘over-built’ the overall restaurant industry was (28:00), how the lost sales tax will affect local communities (34:17), how there are more costs eating up the restaurant ‘pie’ (36:48) and more. Kutnick also talks to Alycia Harshfield, the Executive Director of Restaurants Care, the non-profit arm of the California Restaurant Association funding restaurant employees directly affected by the Coronavirus. Restaurant Care has received thousands upon thousands of grant requests (47:32), but also have been bolstered by major donations like the $100,000 it received from Skrewball Whiskey Peanut Butter Whiskey (50:12). Thank you all so much for listening! Please review this podcast on Apple Podcasts, follow @foodbeastkatchup on Instagram and connect with our hosts below: Elie Ayrouth: @bookofelie on IG & Twitter Geoff Kutnick: @geoffkutnick on IG & Twitter FOODBEAST: @foodbeast on Facebook, IG, Twitter, YouTube & Twitch www.foodbeast.com for breaking food & beverage news

"If 9/11 and the credit crisis were wrapped up into one, this would still be worse." The Coronavirus has created a crisis in the restaurant industry, and while they’re fighting to stay open, others have already shuttered as they are not built for any other format other than sit-down, dine-in. In this week’s episode, we are joined by Jonathan Maze, Editor In Chief at Restaurant Business Magazine. Maze breaks down what restaurants are currently going through, and what it would take for them to survive not only now, but in the future. Also, while self-quarantined, the Katchup crew discusses its own experiences with restaurants at the time of a California lockdown, and how Foodbeast’s coverage has changed since the outbreak. We also talk to our own resident food scientist, Constantine Spyrou, to get some little known facts about canned foods. --- Thank you all so much for listening! All the Tweets and Instagram tags of you listening mean the world. Reviews you leave on iTunes are also incredibly helpful, if you enjoyed an episode, please drop us some love on the Apple Podcasts store, or wherever your beautiful ears are listening. ---- Your Hosts: Elie Ayrouth (@bookofelie) Geoffrey Kutnick (@geoffreykutnick) Your Guest: Jonathan Maze (@jonathanmaze) Produced by: Isai Rocha (@isairocha) ---- Follow us! Instagram: instagram.com/foodbeastkatchup instagram.com/foodbeast Facebook: www.facebook.com/foodbeast Twitch https://www.twitch.tv/foodbeast

John Parlet dared to turn his pizza parlor into an indoor amusement park, and it is still one of the most unique pizza party experiences you’ll ever see. With 50,000 square foot restaurants occupying malls across California, John’s Incredible Pizza houses full-fledged carnival rides, arcade games, a pizza buffet and different dining rooms with different experiences in each. Parlet joined the Foodbeast Katchup podcast and talked about how he made all the magic happen, as he built a Chuck E Cheese’s on steroids. Parlet also talks about the sneaky innovative tech within the restaurants that add to its overall efficiency. Find out more in this origin story for John’s Incredible Pizza. --- Thank you all so much for listening! All the Tweets and Instagram tags of you listening mean the world. Reviews you leave on iTunes are also incredibly helpful, if you enjoyed an episode, please drop us some love on the Apple Podcasts store, or wherever your beautiful ears are listening. ---- Your Hosts: Elie Ayrouth (@bookofelie) Geoffrey Kutnick (@geoffreykutnick) Your Guest: John Parlet (@incredipizza) Produced by: Isai Rocha (@isairocha) Mixed and Mastered by: Shawn Lindell Video Production: Marc Kharrat (@marckharrat) ---- Follow us! Instagram: instagram.com/foodbeastkatchup instagram.com/foodbeast Facebook: www.facebook.com/foodbeast Twitch https://www.twitch.tv/foodbeast

Craig Batiste went from dealing fries in parking lots, to opening his own brick and mortar restaurant in Gardena, California. "Mr. Fries Man," as he calls himself, joined the Katchup podcast and talked about how people thought he was dealing drugs, when it was just fries, making custom fries for hip hop legends like Nipsey Hussle and The Game, and creating a strong community of black-owned businesses. --- Thank you all so much for listening! All the Tweets and Instagram tags of you listening mean the world. Reviews you leave on iTunes are also incredibly helpful, if you enjoyed an episode, please drop us some love on the Apple Podcasts store, or wherever your beautiful ears are listening. ---- Your Hosts: Elie Ayrouth (@bookofelie) Geoffrey Kutnick (@geoffreykutnick) Your Guest: Craig Batiste (@mr_fries_man) Produced by: Isai Rocha (@isairocha) ---- Follow us! Instagram: instagram.com/foodbeastkatchup instagram.com/foodbeast Facebook: www.facebook.com/foodbeast Twitch https://www.twitch.tv/foodbeast

Alcohol-free bars are starting to pop up around Southern California and the Katchup crew discusses the new phenomena. These bars create high-quality, well thought-out "mocktails," and give them the same love a cocktail with alcohol would. Joining us is Voice of OC’s Anne Marie Panoringan, who has been following the zero-proof trend, and helps give us perspective of its goals. Through the experience of an Orange County, California pop up called “Temperance” and even trying some alcohol-free spirits on air, we try to get to the bottom of figuring out what the heck zero-proof bars really are, and if they have a place in modern society. --- Thank you all so much for listening! All the Tweets and Instagram tags of you listening mean the world. Please drop us some love on the Apple Podcasts store, or wherever your beautiful ears are listening. ---- Your Hosts: Elie Ayrouth (@bookofelie) Geoffrey Kutnick (@geoffreykutnick) Your Guest: Anne Marie Panoringan (@brekkiefan) Produced by: Isai Rocha (@isairocha) ---- Follow us! Instagram: instagram.com/foodbeastkatchup instagram.com/foodbeast Facebook: www.facebook.com/foodbeast Twitch https://www.twitch.tv/foodbeast

It's been a busy week in food news, and we're hereto Katchup with all of it. First, some pretty big news from Planters, as they decided to kill off their lovable Mr. Peanut mascot after 100+ years. With conspiracy theories, and a scheduled funeral on Super Bowl Sunday, we break down why Planters might have made this move. We also jump into some vegan news, as JUST egg released a "foldable egg" similar to the ones you see on your Egg McMuffins or McGriddles. We dig into the news that researchers are starting to make protein out of literal air. Dubbed as the future of protein, we have our doubts and questions. We then discuss a new line of fast-acting, cannabis-infused sriracha. Everyone's favorite hot sauce can now get you high, and we give you the lowdown, and personal experiences in trying it. --- Thank you all so much for listening! All the Tweets and Instagram tags of you listening mean the world. Reviews you leave on iTunes are also incredibly helpful, if you enjoyed an episode, please drop us some love on the Apple Podcasts store, or wherever your beautiful ears are listening. ---- Your Host: Elie Ayrouth (@bookofelie) Your Guest: Constatine Spyrou (@constantine_spy) Reach Guinto (@reachguinto) Produced by: Isai Rocha (@isairocha) ---- Follow us! Instagram: instagram.com/foodbeastkatchup instagram.com/foodbeast Facebook: www.facebook.com/foodbeast Twitch https://www.twitch.tv/foodbeast

When you go to a grocery store, you’re usually presented with pre-selected cuts of meats that are popular, and sold in bulk. Because of that, the art of going to a butcher who utilizes the entire animal to its full potential, has been lost. We Katchup with Michael Puglisi of Electric City Butcher Shop in Santa Ana, California, and learn the ins and outs of whole-animal butchery. From getting a better quality cut of meat, to learning how to properly cook it, Puglisi and his shop pride themselves on providing a more personal experience than you would at a run-of-the-mill grocery store meat department. --- Thank you all so much for listening! All the Tweets and Instagram tags of you listening mean the world. Reviews you leave on iTunes are also incredibly helpful, if you enjoyed an episode, please drop us some love on the Apple Podcasts store, or wherever your beautiful ears are listening. ---- Your Hosts: Elie Ayrouth (@bookofelie) Geoffrey Kutnick (@geoffreykutnick) Your Guest: Michael Puglisi (@Electriccitybutcher) Produced by: Isai Rocha (@isairocha) ---- Follow us! Instagram: instagram.com/foodbeastkatchup instagram.com/foodbeast Facebook: www.facebook.com/foodbeast Twitch https://www.twitch.tv/foodbeast

While taking photos of your food has become a bit of a Millennial's game, 50-year-old Connie Aboubakare has taken advantage of the trend, and made it her career. Through a more mature lens, Connie has not let her age keep her from producing engaging content and crushing the social media food game. We Katchup with her and learn how she found her passion at 50, and how she keeps up with social trends. We also discuss the struggles of covering restaurants who might not be too keen on letting cameras in the kitchen, the cultural practices of keeping recipes secret, and even personal practices of not wanting to talk too loudly about some of your lowkey favorite food joints. --- Thank you all so much for listening! All the Tweets and Instagram tags of you listening mean the world. Reviews you leave on iTunes are also incredibly helpful, if you enjoyed an episode, please drop us some love on the Apple Podcasts store, or wherever your beautiful ears are listening. ---- Your Hosts: Elie Ayrouth (@bookofelie) Geoffrey Kutnick (@geoffreykutnick) Your Guest: Connie Aboubakare (OCcomestibles) Produced by: Isai Rocha (@isairocha) ---- Follow us! Instagram: instagram.com/foodbeastkatchup instagram.com/foodbeast

Korean BBQ is a unique experience where you get to be the grillmaster while still sitting at a table and conversing with loved ones. It's a fairly perfect dinner that you wouldn't think needs an upgrade, but we found a way to make the eating experience a tad better. On today's Katchup Lite episode, the guys talk about Producer Izzy's recent KBBQ journey where he sneaked in tortillas and made burritos with fellow Foodbeast legend Peter Pham. Izzy details his experience and talks about how tortillas should be the new standard for Korean BBQ restaurants. Happy New Year, fellow Fatties! --- Thank you all so much for listening! All the Tweets and Instagram tags of you listening mean the world. Reviews you leave on iTunes are also incredibly helpful, if you enjoyed an episode, please drop us some love on the Apple Podcasts store, or wherever your beautiful ears are listening. ---- Your Hosts: Elie Ayrouth (@bookofelie) Geoffrey Kutnick (@geoffreykutnick) Produced by: Isai Rocha (@isairocha) ---- Follow us! Instagram: instagram.com/foodbeastkatchup instagram.com/foodbeast Facebook: www.facebook.com/foodbeast Twitch https://www.twitch.tv/foodbeast

Happy Holidays, Katchup Crew! Hope you're enjoying the last few days of the year, eating as much as possible, and as much basketball as possible. As it is NBA season, we wanted to reshare our favorite episode of the year, which happens to be with ESPN Senior Writer Baxter Holmes. NBA players are often seen as larger than life personas, and inaccessible, Holmes has found a way to unify them with the common fan, through food. Holmes has covered the NBA for nearly a decade, and has uncovered some of the league's biggest eating quirks; from a league-wide obsession with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, to the Portland Trailblazer's almost necessary caffeine addictions. The legendary Holmes shared these peculiar moments with us, explained what led to him pursuing these stories, and how they carry a humanizing effect toward people who are often just seen as figures we watch on TV. Holmes goes in-depth in discussing how San Antonio Spurs head coach Greg Popovich has built a special team camaraderie through intimate dinners, how wine became a hobby for several players, and even how he found out Kobe Bryant consumed bone broth as part of his daily health routine. ---- Thank you all so much for listening! All the Tweets and Instagram tags of you listening mean the world. Reviews you leave on iTunes are also incredibly helpful, if you enjoyed an episode, please do drop us some love on Apple Podcasts. ---- Your Hosts: Elie Ayrouth (@bookofelie) Geoffrey Kutnick (@geoffreykutnick) Your Guest: Baxter Holmes (@baxter) Produced by: Isai Rocha (@isairocha) ---- Follow us! Instagram: instagram.com/foodbeastkatchup instagram.com/foodbeast Facebook: www.facebook.com/foodbeast Twitch https://www.twitch.tv/foodbeast

Welcome to Katchup Lite! This new shorter format allows us to talk about more timely news and immediately get it out to your lovely little ears. Taco Bell finally revealed that they had been working on a secret, oat-based meat. Their ingredients have always been pretty vegetarian-friendly, but at a time where it seems that everyone in fast food is trying to incorporate plant-based meats, Taco Bell, for the most part, stayed away from that conversation. But this changes everything. Instead of going with Beyond Meat or Impossible Foods, the way most fast food chains have of late, they went ahead and just created their own proprietary plant-based meat. We got to try that meat, and give you the lowdown on it in the first edition of Katchup Lite. --- Thank you all so much for listening! All the Tweets and Instagram tags of you listening mean the world. Reviews you leave on Apple Podcasts are also incredibly helpful, if you enjoyed an episode, please drop us some love on wherever your beautiful ears are listening. ---- Your Hosts: Elie Ayrouth (@bookofelie) Geoffrey Kutnick (@geoffreykutnick) Produced by: Isai Rocha (@isairocha) ---- Follow us! Instagram: instagram.com/foodbeastkatchup instagram.com/foodbeast Facebook: www.facebook.com/foodbeast Twitch https://www.twitch.tv/foodbeast

The Cheesecake Factory is a go-to restaurant for millions across the globe, and we spoke to the man in charge of making sure they all go home happy with their meal. Chief Culinary Officer Donald Moore has been with Cheesecake Facotry for over 18 years, and if there's a dish you love in their 21-page menu, he's personally had a hand in it. Every single one of their 200+ menu items go through him, whether they are a brand new dish, an old dish that needs a new makeover, or one that just needs a minute tweak. Moore joined the Foodbeast Katchup podcast and explained all the behind the scenes magic that goes on in the kitchen, and didn't hide a single thing, as he explained how all dishes are handmade, how they keep a high standard at all levels of the restaurant, and how they've been able to keep dedicated employees for 10, 15, and even 20+ years at all of their restaurants around the world. --- Thank you all so much for listening! All the Tweets and Instagram tags of you listening mean the world. Reviews you leave on Apple Podcasts are also incredibly helpful, if you enjoyed an episode, please do drop us some love on Instagram, Facebook, or email us at thekatchup@foodbeast.com. ---- Your Hosts: Elie Ayrouth (@bookofelie) Geoffrey Kutnick (@geoffreykutnick) Your Guest: Donald Moore (@cheesecakefactory) Produced by: Isai Rocha (@isairocha) ---- Follow us! Instagram: instagram.com/foodbeastkatchup instagram.com/foodbeast Facebook: www.facebook.com/foodbeast Twitch https://www.twitch.tv/foodbeast

The plant-based revolution is starting to make its way to the drive-thru, and Plant Power is one of the leaders in that movement. The San Diego-based restaurant already has two drive-thrus operating, with more on the way. Co-founder Jeffrey Harris joined the Foodbeast Katchup podcast and talked about the next step in plant-based restaurants, which is affordable fast food alternatives that can provide the same experience you get from more traditional quick service restaurants. From trying to make vegan drive-thrus the norm, and striving to be the first 100-store plant-based restaurant, Plant Power could be the blueprint for the future of plant-based fast food. --- Thank you all so much for listening! All the Tweets and Instagram tags of you listening mean the world. Reviews you leave on iTunes are also incredibly helpful, if you enjoyed an episode, please do drop us some love on the Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Anchor and anywhere else your beautiful ears are listening from. ---- Your Hosts: Elie Ayrouth (@bookofelie) Geoffrey Kutnick (@geoffreykutnick) Your Guest: Jeffrey Harris (@plantpowerfastfood) Produced by: Isai Rocha (@isairocha) ---- Follow us! Instagram: instagram.com/foodbeastkatchup instagram.com/foodbeast Facebook: www.facebook.com/foodbeast Twitch https://www.twitch.tv/foodbeast

Salt & Straw Ice Cream co-owner and flavor master, Tyler Malek, joins the Foodbeast Katchup podcast to tell the iconic ice cream shop's origin story. Malek takes us through an 8 year journey of what it took to make Salt & Straw what it is today. We also dig into his creative mind to get a glimpse of how he comes up with such wild flavors, including their current Thanksgiving feast-themed ice cream. From starting as a humble push cart with co-founder and cousin Kim Malek, to just opening its 20th location in Pasadena, California, we take a look at Salt & Straw's odyssey, which is just as unique as its flavors. --- Thank you all so much for listening! All the Tweets and Instagram tags of you listening mean the world. Reviews you leave on iTunes are also incredibly helpful, if you enjoyed an episode, please do drop us some love on the Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Anchor and anywhere else your beautiful ears are listening from. ---- Your Hosts: Elie Ayrouth (@bookofelie) Geoffrey Kutnick (@geoffreykutnick) Your Guest: Tyler Malek (@tylerjamesmalek, @saltandstraw) Produced by: Isai Rocha (@isairocha) ---- Follow us! Instagram: instagram.com/foodbeastkatchup instagram.com/foodbeast Facebook: www.facebook.com/foodbeast Twitch https://www.twitch.tv/foodbeast

We've all had dreams of becoming a professional wrestler at some point in our lives, and Austin Watson, AKA Austin Creed, AKA Xavier Woods, is actually living out that wild dream. Austin joined The Foodbeast Katchup to talk how food has shaped his on-screen persona. From he and his tag-team partners, "The New Day," launching an official cereal called "Booty O's," to throwing pancakes at audience members, nighty, food has become an integral part of his identity. Austin also discussed his personal diet, his road back from an Achilles injury, and growing up as video game, cosplay and music nerd, all which helped shape not only his WWE character, but his wildly popular UpUpDownDown gaming culture YouTube channel. ---- Your Hosts: Elie Ayrouth (@bookofelie) Geoffrey Kutnick (@geoffreykutnick) Your Guest: Austin Creed (@xavierwoodsphd) Produced by: Isai Rocha (@isairocha) ---- Follow us! Instagram: instagram.com/foodbeastkatchup instagram.com/foodbeast Facebook: www.facebook.com/foodbeast Twitch https://www.twitch.tv/foodbeast

Popeyes chicken sandwich fever hit yet again, and it was just as insane this time around. People have been shot at, gotten in fights, waited in long lines and created absolute madness for this little fast food sandwich. Just as crazy were the reactions to a Turkish restaurant’s viral video of a whole camel being smoked. The outrage over that video sparked not only a conversation over the lack of knowledge over other cultures' foods, but also questions over people being OK with one meat, but upset over another. Uproxx Life editor, Steve Bramucci, joins The Foodbeast Katchup podcast to help us break down the madness over these two phenomena. The crew addresses if there is a hypocrisy from people being OK with chickens being killed, but being disgusted over camel meat, which is very common in other countries. --- Thank you all so much for listening! All the Tweets and Instagram tags of you listening mean the world. Reviews you leave on iTunes are also incredibly helpful, if you enjoyed an episode, please do drop us some love on the Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Anchor and anywhere else your beautiful ears are listening from. ---- Your Hosts: Elie Ayrouth (@bookofelie) Geoffrey Kutnick (@geoffreykutnick) Your Guest: Steve Bramucci (@stevebram) Produced by: Isai Rocha (@isairocha) ---- Follow us! Instagram: instagram.com/foodbeastkatchup instagram.com/foodbeast Facebook: www.facebook.com/foodbeast Twitch https://www.twitch.tv/foodbeast

The Katchup Crew invades Vegas, and with a handful of new edibles, courtesy of Blum Dispensary, they embarked on a magic-filled adventure. Trying to get that full Vegas experience, Elie, Geoff and Izzy made their way to see the great David Copperfield live. Once the edibles kicked in, it was a whole other experience for the guys, and they documented it all from the good, bad and ugly. The night was filled with magic, a weird Uber ride, and was capped off with a glorious taco experience. If you've ever wondered what a David Copperfield show is like, we've got you covered. --- Thank you all so much for listening! All the Tweets and Instagram tags of you listening mean the world. Reviews you leave on iTunes are also incredibly helpful, if you enjoyed an episode, please do drop us some love on the Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Anchor and anywhere else your beautiful ears are listening from. ---- Your Hosts: Elie Ayrouth (@bookofelie) Geoffrey Kutnick (@geoffreykutnick) Produced by: Isai Rocha (@isairocha) ---- Follow us! Instagram: instagram.com/foodbeastkatchup instagram.com/foodbeast Facebook: www.facebook.com/foodbeast Twitch https://www.twitch.tv/foodbeast

PART 2: It's been a wild 2019, and the innovation coming out of fast food has been game changing. The Foodbeast editorial team came together to discuss the most shocking moves that the likes of Starbucks, Carl's Jr. and even Pieology have made this year. Joined by Foodbeast's resident food scientist, Costa Spyrou, the Katchup crew unfurls these innovations in a two-part episode. Part 2 will consist of our arguments for No. 5 through 1, and if you haven't already, check out Part 1 of the podcast where the guys argue over Panda Express, Starbucks and Subway's placements on this list. Every single restaurant on this list could be moved up or down, but we argue and feature what we feel will be changing the world for years to come. #5: 2:23- Del Taco lets you put Beyond Meat on every single menu item. #4: 13:51- KFC shocks world with plant-based fried chicken. #3: 29:41- Krispy Kreme uses magic to stuff donut rings with cream. #2: 35:10- Popeyes unites the country with a chicken sandwich. #1: 50:44- Carl's Jr./Hardees had a surprisingly innovative 2019, making plant-based burgers accessible nationwide, and even creating a CBD-based burger. We've made it to episode 100! Thank you to every single listener who has enjoyed our conversations over the last couple years, your support means the world to us. --- Guys, all the Tweets and Instagram tags of you listening mean the world. Reviews you leave on iTunes are also incredibly helpful, if you enjoyed an episode, please do drop us some love on the Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Anchor and anywhere else your beautiful ears are listening from. ---- Your Hosts: Elie Ayrouth (@bookofelie) Geoffrey Kutnick (@geoffreykutnick) Your Guest: Costa Spyrou (@outhereflourishing) Produced by: Isai Rocha (@isairocha) ---- Follow us! Instagram: instagram.com/foodbeastkatchup instagram.com/foodbeast Facebook: www.facebook.com/foodbeast Twitch https://www.twitch.tv/foodbeast

It's been a wild 2019, and the innovation coming out of fast food has been game changing. The Foodbeast editorial team came together to discuss the most shocking moves that the likes of Starbucks, Carl's Jr. and even Pieology have made this year. Joined by Foodbeast's resident food scientist, Costa Spyrou, the Katchup crew unfurls these innovations in a two-part episode. Part 1 will consist of our arguments for No. 10 through 6, while Part Two will consist of the top 5. Every single restaurant on this list could be moved up or down, but we argue and feature what we feel will be changing the world for years to come. #10: 5:24- Pieology's game changing pizza crusts and ingredients. #9: 22:15- Starbucks makes moves with app technology and sustainability. #8: 33:52- Subway's healthy collabs for milkshakes and plant-based meats. #7: 44:23- Panda Express brings a unique Chinese flavor experience nationwide with Szechuan. #6: 57:15- Halal Guys brings legitimate Middle Eastern-style lamb to the mainstream, nationwide. We've made it to episode 100! Thank you to every single listener who has enjoyed our conversations over the last couple years, your support means the world to us. --- Thank you all so much for listening! All the Tweets and Instagram tags of you listening mean the world. Reviews you leave on iTunes are also incredibly helpful, if you enjoyed an episode, please do drop us some love on the Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Anchor and anywhere else your beautiful ears are listening from. ---- Your Hosts: Elie Ayrouth (@bookofelie) Geoffrey Kutnick (@geoffreykutnick) Your Guest: Costa Spyrou (@outhereflourishing) Produced by: Isai Rocha (@isairocha) ---- Follow us! Instagram: instagram.com/foodbeastkatchup instagram.com/foodbeast Facebook: www.facebook.com/foodbeast Twitch https://www.twitch.tv/foodbeast

It's often hard to pinpoint the origins of common foods around us, but perhaps the strongest case for the chili cheese dog comes from American Coney Island. This week, Chris Sotiropoulos, co-owner of American Coney Island, tells the story of how his grandfather started pouring his Greek-style chili on hot dogs, and started a chili dog wave from small food cart in the heart of Detroit. They've been serving up the classic Coney Island-style dogs for over 100 years, and Chris explains the secret to that longevity, the obstacles of being open 24/7, 365 days a year, and the company's big move to Downtown Las Vegas, where their famous chili is now being poured for west coasters. --- Thank you all so much for listening! All the Tweets and Instagram tags of you listening mean the world. Reviews you leave on iTunes are also incredibly helpful, if you enjoyed an episode, please do drop us some love on the Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Anchor and anywhere else your beautiful ears are listening from. ---- Your Hosts: Elie Ayrouth (@bookofelie) Geoffrey Kutnick (@geoffreykutnick) Your Guest: Chris Sotiropoulos (@Americanconeyisland) Produced by: Isai Rocha (@isairocha) ---- Follow us! Instagram: instagram.com/foodbeastkatchup instagram.com/foodbeast Facebook: www.facebook.com/foodbeast Twitch https://www.twitch.tv/foodbeast

Mezcal could very well be the next tequila, and Bricia Lopez is leading the charge in that revolution. The "Oaxacan Princess" joined the Katchup Podcast to talk about Mezcal's growth in Los Angeles, and what it means to have a Mezcal-focused bar opening on the Vegas Strip, as "Mama Rabbit" just opened at Park MGM. Bricia also gets into Oaxacan culture, the intricacies of Oaxacan food, and why the Mexican state needs to be a travel destination. --- Thank you all so much for listening! All the Tweets and Instagram tags of you listening mean the world. Reviews you leave on iTunes are also incredibly helpful, if you enjoyed an episode, please do drop us some love on the Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Anchor and anywhere else your beautiful ears are listening from. ---- Your Hosts: Elie Ayrouth (@bookofelie) Geoffrey Kutnick (@geoffreykutnick) Your Guest: Bricia Lopez (@bricialopez) Produced by: Isai Rocha (@isairocha) ---- Follow us! Instagram: instagram.com/foodbeastkatchup instagram.com/foodbeast Facebook: www.facebook.com/foodbeast Twitch https://www.twitch.tv/foodbeast

Las Vegas is a wild, fast, and irreverent city. No one embodies all those traits quite like Drew Belcher, founder of UNLOKT Las Vegas, one of the go-to food sources for locals and visitors alike. In this episode, Belcher penetrates through the ins and outs of Vegas food, nightlife, and even what it's like to work at the world famous clubs. A Las Vegas native through and through, Drew has spent the last six years searching for and featuring the best eats in the city, and not just on the strip. The food scene is vibrant away from Las Vegas BLVD, and no one knows the go-to spots quite like him. With unique stories of serving millionaire high rollers, catching Leonardo DiCaprio turning up, and even the audition process to work at Wet Republic day club, Belcher offers a unique perspective to Vegas. This is the ultimate Las Vegas foodie episode and a guide to the city like you've never seen before. --- Thank you all so much for listening! All the Tweets and Instagram tags of you listening mean the world. Reviews you leave on iTunes are also incredibly helpful, if you enjoyed an episode, please do drop us some love on the Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Anchor and anywhere else your beautiful ears are listening from. ---- Your Hosts: Elie Ayrouth (@bookofelie) Geoffrey Kutnick (@geoffreykutnick) Your Guest: Drew Belcher (@unlokt) Produced by: Isai Rocha (@isairocha) ---- Follow us! Instagram: instagram.com/foodbeastkatchup instagram.com/foodbeast Facebook: www.facebook.com/foodbeast Twitch https://www.twitch.tv/foodbeast

You never know what someone had to go through to get to where they are, and no story embodies that better than Paul Ryu's AKA @ryusauce. After leaving South Korea on his own at 13, Ryu's life hit a tailspin filled with partying, addiction, run-ins with the law, and almost losing everyone close to him. In an inspiring story of redemption, Ryu has been all over the Las Vegas food scene and even co-founded his own agency that is helping build that scene off the Vegas strip. Listen in to his wild story and how he was able to turn everything around. --- Thank you all so much for listening! All the Tweets and Instagram tags of you listening mean the world. Reviews you leave on iTunes are also incredibly helpful, if you enjoyed an episode, please do drop us some love on the Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Anchor and anywhere else your beautiful ears are listening from. ---- Your Hosts: Elie Ayrouth (@bookofelie) Geoffrey Kutnick (@geoffreykutnick) Your Guest: Paul Ryu (@Ryusauce) Produced by: Isai Rocha (@isairocha) ---- Follow us! Instagram: instagram.com/foodbeastkatchup instagram.com/foodbeast Facebook: www.facebook.com/foodbeast Twitch https://www.twitch.tv/foodbeast

Wolfgang Puck is arguably the most recognizable name in the food world, as things we take for granted such as TV cooking demonstrations, open kitchen restaurants, and even California-style fusions, can all be linked back to Puck. He is a household name with over 100 restaurants around the world, and is now a proud graduate of the Foodbeast Katchup podcast. Wolfgang and son Byron Puck joined us, as we took a time machine into Wolfgang's life, learning exactly what he had to fight through to get to where he is, how he became THE most recognizable name in food, how he's grooming his son to follow in his footsteps, and how he has been able to adapt through the decades. --- Thank you all so much for listening! All the Tweets and Instagram tags of you listening mean the world. Reviews you leave on iTunes are also incredibly helpful, if you enjoyed an episode, please do drop us some love on the Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Anchor and anywhere else your beautiful ears are listening from. ---- Your Hosts: Elie Ayrouth (@bookofelie) Geoffrey Kutnick (@geoffreykutnick) Your Guest: Wolfgang Puck (@chefwolfgangpuck) Byron Puck (@byronpuck) Produced by: Isai Rocha (@isairocha) ---- Follow us! Instagram: instagram.com/foodbeastkatchup instagram.com/foodbeast Facebook: www.facebook.com/foodbeast Twitch https://www.twitch.tv/foodbeast

"I just want to stop explaining boba to white people." That is the tongue-and-cheek goal of Andrew Chau, co-founder of Boba Guys as they strive to make boba drinks commonplace in the U.S. Chau and his fellow co-founder Bin Chen have been more than just restaurateurs, as they are often looked to for statements on cultural moments, and always looking to bridge cultures. Chau was very open and honest about a lot of cultural subjects in his Katchup appearance and goes even deeper in Pt. 2, as Chau gives no-holds-barred commentary throughout. Make sure to go back and listen to Pt. 1 on this conversation to learn the origins of Boba Guys, and some additional gems. --- Thank you all so much for listening! All the Tweets and Instagram tags of you listening mean the world. Reviews you leave on iTunes are also incredibly helpful, if you enjoyed an episode, please do drop us some love on the Apple Podcasts App, and anywhere else your beautiful ears are listening from. ---- Your Hosts: Elie Ayrouth (@bookofelie) Geoffrey Kutnick (@geoffreykutnick) Your Guest: Andrew Chau (@bobaguys, @chaumeleon) Produced by: Isai Rocha (@isairocha) ---- Follow us! Twitch https://www.twitch.tv/foodbeast Instagram: instagram.com/foodbeast instagram.com/foodbeastkatchup Facebook: www.facebook.com/foodbeastkatchup/ www.facebook.com/foodbeast

Boba Guys is pushing to make bubble tea as common as sushi, and in a very rare podcast appearance, co-founder Andrew Chau joined us to share just how they're going to do that. In "episode one" of a two-part series we learn the origins of the Bay Area-based boba shop, how they started changing the perception of boba in the U.S., and why they pushed so hard for single-use plastic bans in California. Chau and his fellow co-founder Bin Chen have been more than just restaurateurs, as they are often looked to for statements on cultural moments, and always looking to bridge cultures. Chau was very open and honest about a lot of cultural subjects in his Katchup appearance and goes even deeper in Pt. 2, dropping Friday, September 20. Stay tuned for that one, as Chau gives no-holds-barred commentary throughout. --- Thank you all so much for listening! All the Tweets and Instagram tags of you listening mean the world. Reviews you leave on iTunes are also incredibly helpful, if you enjoyed an episode, please do drop us some love on the Apple Podcasts App, and anywhere else your beautiful ears are listening from. ---- Your Hosts: Elie Ayrouth (@bookofelie) Geoffrey Kutnick (@geoffreykutnick) Your Guest: Andrew Chau (@bobaguys, @chaumeleon) Produced by: Isai Rocha (@isairocha) ---- Follow us! Twitch https://www.twitch.tv/foodbeast Instagram: instagram.com/foodbeast instagram.com/foodbeastkatchup Facebook: www.facebook.com/foodbeastkatchup/ www.facebook.com/foodbeast

Alfred Inc. has become a staple in Los Angeles with Instagram-worthy drinks and a coffee/tea shop experience like no other. Founder Josh Zad jumped on the Foodbeast Katchup podcast, shared how it all came to be, and how he transitioned Alfred's success into a successful international brand, opening Alfred Tea in the heart of Japan. Zad also shared how the success of his shops have opened the door to a new Mexican style called "Calidad," that is already being sold in over 600 U.S. locations. For the first time since the incident, Zad also opened up about the infamous Kawhi Leonard ban and explained the whole situation, trying to finally put the whole thing to rest. --- Thank you all so much for listening! All the Tweets and Instagram tags of you listening mean the world. Reviews you leave on iTunes are also incredibly helpful, if you enjoyed an episode, please do drop us some love on the Apple Podcasts App, and anywhere else your beautiful ears are listening from. ---- Your Hosts: Elie Ayrouth (@bookofelie) Geoffrey Kutnick (@geoffreykutnick) Your Guest: Josh Zad (@alfred, @alfredtea, @calidad, @joshfromalfred) Produced by: Isai Rocha (@isairocha) ---- Follow us! Twitch https://www.twitch.tv/foodbeast Instagram: instagram.com/foodbeast instagram.com/foodbeastkatchup Facebook: www.facebook.com/foodbeastkatchup/ www.facebook.com/foodbeast

Sushi is a very traditional Japanese dish, and we've all known it to look a certain way, taste a certain way, and feel a certain way. Wave Asian Bistro in Mount Dora, Florida, however, is breaking all the sushi rules, taking the base elements and creating 16-pound sushi doughnuts, sushi pizza, sushi fries, and much more. Under the tutelage of his father, who also ran a Japanese restaurant, Jonathan McKinney opened Wave and in a few short years has made "breaking the internet" a habit. We talked with McKinney and partner Kelly Leech, as they showed us what the process of creating these insane dishes, the reception they've received, and how social media marketing has affected their business. --- Thank you all so much for listening! All the Tweets and Instagram tags of you listening mean the world. Reviews you leave on iTunes are also incredibly helpful, if you enjoyed an episode, please do drop us some love on the Apple Podcasts App, and anywhere else your beautiful ears are listening from.  ---- Your Hosts: Elie Ayrouth (@bookofelie) Geoffrey Kutnick (@geoffreykutnick) Your Guests: Jonathan McKinney (@wavemountdora) Kelly Leech (@wavemountdora) Produced by: Isai Rocha (@isairocha) ---- Follow us! Twitch https://www.twitch.tv/foodbeast Instagram: instagram.com/foodbeast instagram.com/foodbeastkatchup Facebook: www.facebook.com/foodbeastkatchup/ www.facebook.com/foodbeast

If you've ever wondered what it's actually like inside a prison's walls; author, entrepreneur and ex-con Andrew Medal jumped on The Foodbeast Katchup podcast to give us an unflitered look. Fully embracing his checkered past, Medal's new book, "Don't Drop the Soap," details prison culture, slang, and tons of recipes that he had to learn on the fly.  From sneaking food into his cell to hand-make alcohol, to using trash bags to make ice cream, Medal had to MacGyver his way to a decent meal. He also compares prison food experiences compared to media interpretations. Medal shared the story of how he ended up in jail, how it affected his businesses, and how he couldn't even get a job at Starbucks after getting out. Medal also shared his current efforts in prison reform, and tech business efforts.   Find his book, "Don't Drop the Soap," out now on Amazon.com.  --- Thank you all so much for listening! All the Tweets and Instagram tags of you listening mean the world. Reviews you leave on iTunes are also incredibly helpful, if you enjoyed an episode, please do drop us some love on the Apple Podcasts App, and anywhere else your beautiful ears are listening from.  ---- Your Hosts: Elie Ayrouth (@bookofelie) Geoffrey Kutnick (@geoffreykutnick) Your Guest: Andrew Medal (@andrewmedal) Produced by: Isai Rocha (@isairocha) ---- Follow us! Twitch https://www.twitch.tv/foodbeast Instagram: instagram.com/foodbeast instagram.com/foodbeastkatchup Facebook: www.facebook.com/foodbeastkatchup/ www.facebook.com/foodbeast

The Hundreds is a pioneer in the Los Angeles streetwear game, and co-founder Ben Shenassafar, AKA Ben Hundreds, joins the Katchup to talk about their new Family Style Food Festival, the stories behind The Hundreds past iconic food collabs, and he also helps us settle the war between Popeyes and Chick-Fil-A’s chicken sandwiches.  Ben gets into the nitty gritty of putting together the Hundreds Family Style Festival, getting L.A.’s best restaurants such as Howlin’ Rays, Jon & Vinny’s and Felix Trattoria to mix it up with cultural icons such as Chinatown Market, Mr. Cartoon and Joshua Vides.  Ben also goes into storytime mode, reminiscing over The Hundreds food collabs with the likes of Tapatio and Pepsi.  The Katchup crew also try the new Popeyes chicken sandwich with Ben, and they all chime in on the current battle going on between the fried chicken icon and Chick-Fil-A.  --- Thank you all so much for listening! All the Tweets and Instagram tags of you listening mean the world. Reviews you leave on iTunes are also incredibly helpful, if you enjoyed an episode, please do drop us some love on the Apple Podcasts App, and anywhere else your beautiful ears are listening from.  ---- Your Hosts: Elie Ayrouth (@bookofelie) Geoffrey Kutnick (@geoffreykutnick) Your Guest: Ben Hundreds (@benhundreds, @familystylefest, @thehundreds) Produced by: Isai Rocha (@isairocha) ---- Follow us! Twitch https://www.twitch.tv/foodbeast Instagram: instagram.com/foodbeast instagram.com/foodbeastkatchup Facebook: www.facebook.com/foodbeastkatchup/ www.facebook.com/foodbeast

When Elie got invited to a secretive event by a friend, he was under the impression that it was going to be a dinner. The closer the day came, he had his suspicions, and eventually realized he had just committed to an underground cannabis swap meet.  The guys popped in some edibles, went to check it out, and had quite an eventful experience.  Geoff and Elie recap their night and talk about how these type of sesh's are still part of cannabis culture, despite weed being legal in California.  Also, if we get 40 reviews on the Podcast app about Elie eating a "cookie crisp bar," by the time Elie gets back from Europe in the next episode, he will eat all 500 milligrams of that cookie edible, at once. --- Thank you all so much for listening! All the Tweets and Instagram tags of you listening mean the world. Reviews you leave on iTunes are also incredibly helpful, if you enjoyed an episode, please do drop us some love on the Apple Podcasts App, and anywhere else your beautiful ears are listening from.  ---- Your Hosts: Elie Ayrouth (@bookofelie) Geoffrey Kutnick (@geoffreykutnick)   Produced by: Isai Rocha (@isairocha) ---- Follow us! Twitch https://www.twitch.tv/foodbeast Instagram: instagram.com/foodbeast instagram.com/foodbeastkatchup Facebook: www.facebook.com/foodbeastkatchup/ www.facebook.com/foodbeast

Virali Dave recently discovered that her family's affinity with Taco Bell was shared throughout several pockets of the Indian American community.Dave explains her experience growing up as an American Indian immigrant, and how Taco Bell has evolved into a cultural phenomenon. Several factors come into play, including affordability and Taco Bell's dietary flexibility make it the ideal fast food. The Katchup crew, with Food beast's Reach Guinto filling in for Elie, also talk about Subway's fight for relevance, this time announcing a partnership with Beyond Meat. They also get hit with a bit of nostalgia, trying out the all new Otter Pops, which have removed all artificial ingredients. --- Thank you all so much for listening! All the Tweets and Instagram tags of you listening mean the world. Reviews you leave on iTunes are also incredibly helpful, if you enjoyed an episode, please do drop us some love on the Apple Podcasts App, and anywhere else your beautiful ears are listening from.  ---- Your Hosts: Geoffrey Kutnick (@geoffreykutnick) Reach Guinto (@reachguinto) Your Guest: Virali Dave (@virali) Produced by: Isai Rocha (@isairocha) ---- Follow us! Twitch https://www.twitch.tv/foodbeast Instagram: instagram.com/foodbeast instagram.com/foodbeastkatchup Facebook: www.facebook.com/foodbeastkatchup/ www.facebook.com/foodbeast

With "Foodbeast Presents: Nood Beach" less than a month away, the guys detail what to expect at the Southern California food and music festival. From Snoop Dogg headlining the music side of things, to unique food experiences such as VIP Lobster Bottle Service, and even competitive eating competitions, the beachside festival is sure to be one for the record books. Conversation starts at (01:34).  The next bit of news comes in the form of food delivery services proving to be increasingly troublesome. From recent stories of Door Dash screwing its drivers out of their tips, to GrubHub faking mom & pop websites, the whole business model can be called into question, and the Katchup crew does just that. Conversation starts at (30:49).  With examples of sketchy pay systems, taking advantage of folks in desperate need of a quick buck, these delivery services prove to have problem after problem, but we all play into it. Geoff gets pretty heated over all these tactics, while Elie feels they're all just waiting for automated cars to take over the human delivery system.    If you've made it this far down in the episode description, have yourself a pomo code for $10 off the Nood Beach festival. Use "foodbeast3" at checkout, and come party with us in Huntington Beach, CA this September 1.  --- Thank you all so much for listening! All the Tweets and Instagram tags of you listening mean the world. Reviews you leave on iTunes are also incredibly helpful, if you enjoyed an episode, please do drop us some love on the Apple Podcasts App, and anywhere else your beautiful ears are listening from.  ---- Your Hosts: Elie Ayrouth (@bookofelie) Geoffrey Kutnick (@geoffreykutnick)   Produced by: Isai Rocha (@isairocha) ---- Follow us! Twitch https://www.twitch.tv/foodbeast Instagram: instagram.com/foodbeast instagram.com/foodbeastkatchup Facebook: www.facebook.com/foodbeastkatchup/ www.facebook.com/foodbeast

It's summer festival season, and we talk through the only two So-Cal festivals that matter; Wing Fest, and Nood Beach.  Lawrence Longo, founder of the Off The Menu App, eater of 365 Burgers in 2018, and the man behind LA's upcoming Wing Fest, joins the Foodbeast Katchup podcast to talk about what it takes to actually put together a festival of this magnitude.  The crew also tries Panda Express' new Sichuan spicy chicken live, giving their first thoughts, along with talking about the grocery store ice cream licking trend that unfortunately has become a thing.  Off the Menu Presents: Wing Fest, will take place Monday, July 29 at Mel's Drive-In, 8585 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069. --- Thank you all so much for listening! All the Tweets and Instagram tags of you listening mean the world. Reviews you leave on iTunes are also incredibly helpful, if you enjoyed an episode, please do drop us some love on the Apple Podcasts App, and anywhere else your beautiful ears are listening from.  ---- Your Hosts: Elie Ayrouth (@bookofelie) Geoffrey Kutnick (@geoffreykutnick) Your Guest: Lawrence Longo (@bigshot) Produced by: Isai Rocha (@isairocha) ---- Follow us! Twitch https://www.twitch.tv/foodbeast Instagram: instagram.com/foodbeast instagram.com/foodbeastkatchup Facebook: www.facebook.com/foodbeastkatchup/ www.facebook.com/foodbeast

It all started with an engineless postal service truck that was bought off Craigslist in 2008, and has led to an ice cream brand that now is being distributed in over 7,500 grocery stores.  Coolhaus ice cream co-founder and CEO Natasha Case joins the podcast and talks about the company's humble beginnings, the bumpy roads, all the way up to its current successes.  From tricking Triple-A into towing their broken down truck to Coachella, to dazzling foodies with odd flavor combinations, to what it takes to get a spot in a grocery store, Case gave a full inside look at evolution of their ice cream brand that changed the way we look at artisanal ice cream.  --- Thank you all so much for listening! All the Tweets and Instagram tags of you listening mean the world. Reviews you leave on iTunes are also incredibly helpful, if you enjoyed an episode, please do drop us some love on the Apple Podcasts App, and anywhere else your beautiful ears are listening from.  ---- Your Hosts: Elie Ayrouth (@bookofelie) Geoffrey Kutnick (@geoffreykutnick) Your Guest: Natasha Case (@coolhaus) Produced by: Isai Rocha (@isairocha) ---- Follow us! Twitch https://www.twitch.tv/foodbeast Instagram: instagram.com/foodbeast instagram.com/foodbeastkatchup Facebook: www.facebook.com/foodbeastkatchup/ www.facebook.com/foodbeast

Having a ton of followers can get you a lot of free stuff if you know how to work it, but one ice cream truck is fighting back against these free handouts. Joe Nicchi, owner of L.A.'s CVT ice cream truck made waves this week when he announced he would not only reject any requests for free ice cream in exchange for an Instagram photo, but would actually make "influencers" pay double. On today's Katchup episode we're joined by Stephanie Breijo, the Time Out LA editor who interviewed Nicchi, as we talk about influencer culture, and if it has a place in the marketing world. We also dig into Alfred Coffee's bold decision to ban Kawhi Leonard, along with the Los Angeles Clippers players from its shops, and Starbucks' new Tie-Dye Frappuccino. Come Katchup with us on the most important news of the week. --- Thank you all so much for listening! All the Tweets and Instagram tags of you listening mean the world. Reviews you leave on iTunes are also incredibly helpful, if you enjoyed an episode, please do drop us some love on the Apple Podcasts App, and anywhere else your beautiful ears are listening from.  ---- Your Hosts: Elie Ayrouth (@bookofelie) Geoffrey Kutnick (@geoffreykutnick) Your Guest: Stephanie Breijo (@breij) Produced by: Isai Rocha (@isairocha) ---- Follow us! Twitch https://www.twitch.tv/foodbeast Instagram: instagram.com/foodbeast instagram.com/foodbeastkatchup Facebook: www.facebook.com/foodbeastkatchup/ www.facebook.com/foodbeast

While plant-based ice cream is not necessarily a new concept, there's a southern California ice cream shop that's destined to be the plant-based Baskin Robbins. Hug Life Anti-Dairy Ice Cream is changing the way you look at vegan ice cream, and co-founder Johny Tran joined thee Foodbeast Katchup to tell us how it all started. Tran is changing minds and trying to reverse prior bad plant-based ice cream experiences you might have had.  With amazing flavors, and zero tummy aches, Hug Life could prove to lead the way in the future of ice cream.  ---- Thank you all so much for listening! All the Tweets and Instagram tags of you listening mean the world. Reviews you leave on iTunes are also incredibly helpful, if you enjoyed an episode, please do drop us some love on the iTunes / Podcast store

After experiencing Medieval Times high as kites, the Katchup crew continued its mission of replicating nostalgic events under the influence of new cannabis-infused snacks. This episode, they guys popped in some edibles and ate their way through Angels Stadium in Anaheim, CA. On a mission to find the best food in the stadium, Elie and Geoff scoured every corner, on every level, in an attempt to satisfy their case of the munchies. A very high Elie spent a lot of the night arguing the legitimacy of baseball as a sport, while Geoff was irrationally terrified of being judged by the way he was eating in public. The guys tried their best to document the night's happenings, with a sober Producer Izzy there confirming and denying what actually happened. --- Thank you all so much for listening! All the Tweets and Instagram tags of you listening mean the world. Reviews you leave on iTunes are also incredibly helpful, if you enjoyed an episode, please do drop us some love on the iTunes / Podcast store

Afters Ice Cream is arguably one of the hottest ice cream chains in the world, and was actually Andy Nguyen's first foray into the food and restaurant world. Before Nguyen changed the ice cream game and became a serial entrepreneur, he was a less-than-impressive student just trying to find his way in this world.  Nguyen hopped on The Foodbeast Katchup podcast in a very raw interview, talking about his troubles as a high school student, being talked into real estate despite having no knowledge, and eventually discovering that he has a knack for helping build restaurant concepts.  With over 15 different restaurants under his belt, Nguyen left his mark on Orange County, Los Angeles, and as he revealed in the conversation, the Las Vegas Strip is next.  Listen to his journey, and how he learned to be an restaurateur on the fly. --- Thank you all so much for listening! All the Tweets and Instagram tags of you listening mean the world. Reviews you leave on the Apple Podcasts App are also incredibly helpful, if you enjoyed an episode, please do drop us some love on social media, too.

Disneyland's much anticipated Star Wars land, a Galaxy's Edge, has finally opened to the public. After visiting twice since opening, The Katchup's Elie Ayrouth, a resident Disneyland Annual Passholder has some very specific feedback on the dedicated Star Wars experience. To add fuel to the fire, friend of the podcast Bobby Navarro, another Disney fanatic who's been THREE times, joins in on the fun.   Along with Geoff's inquisitive nature, the three breakdown the good, the bad, and the confusedly ridiculous elements of Disneyland's newest land, Star Wars Galaxy's Edge. No food, droid or boba-filled cocktail is left un-sipped on this episode, and we tell you EXACTLY what to spend your money on during your first visit to Star Wars Galaxy's Edge.   Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/foodbeastinstagram.com/thefoodbeastkatchup   Your Hosts: Elie Ayrouth (@bookofelie)Geoffrey Kutnick (@geoffreykutnick)   Your Guests: Bobby Navarro, Events & PR @ Foodbeast, Also Disney fanatic ( @bobbybeenthere)   Produced by: Isai Rocha (@izzy_serious) ---- Email us any questions or thoughts: thekatchup@foodbeast.com

Another great week in the world of KATCHING UP with the coolest people in the food game.   This week's guest is Michael Grozier, House of Blues employee #1. House of Blues is a rock & blues-themed music chain with Southern food that was founded back in 1992! Under the tutelage of Hard Rock Cafe and House of Blues founder Isaac Tigrett, we talk about what it was like on opening day 1992, what it was like having your company bought out by Live Nation, and becoming the country's largest music venue chain spanning almost 3 decades! From a 180-sq foot venue in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1992, to over 11 locations nationally, 2300+ shows annually and over 2,500 employees, the building of this empire is a roller coaster story you don't want to miss!     Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/foodbeastinstagram.com/thefoodbeastkatchup   Your Hosts: Elie Ayrouth (@bookofelie)Geoffrey Kutnick (@geoffreykutnick)   Your Guests: Michael Grozier (House of Blues Employee #1, EVP of Operations Live Nation Clubs & Theatres) Walter Sawicki: National Restaurant Director, House of Blues   Produced by: Isai Rocha (@izzy_serious) ---- Email us any questions or thoughts: thekatchup@foodbeast.com

The Katchup episode we spent with Ali Elreda of Fatima's Grill was one of our personal favorites, and one of the most listened to episodes in the catalog. With Fatima's Grill's continued growth, we figured this week would be a good time to bring this episode back up for new listeners who may not have heard this incredible story.   ---------   We dive into prison food through the eyes of a man who worked the kitchen, only to open his own 'Insta-famous' restaurant years later. Self-made entrepreneur, Ali Elreda of Fatima's Grill, joins The Katchup podcast and touches on his troubled past, using Instagram as a tool to launch a restaurant, and why everyone is obsessed with Hot Cheeto menu items.   Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/foodbeastinstagram.com/thefoodbeastkatchup   Your Hosts: Elie Ayrouth (@bookofelie)Geoffrey Kutnick (@geoffreykutnick)   Your Guest: Ali Elreda (@faasgrill)   Produced by: Isai Rocha (@izzy_serious) ---- Email us any questions or thoughts: thekatchup@foodbeast.com

NBA players are often seen as larger than life personas, and inaccessible, but ESPN Senior Writer Baxter Holmes has found a way to unify them with the common fan, through food.  Holmes has covered the NBA for nearly a decade, and has uncovered some of the league's biggest eating quirks; from a league-wide obsession with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, to the Portland Trailblazer's almost necessary caffeine addictions.  The legendary Holmes joins the Foodbeast Katchup Podcast and shares these peculiar moments with us, what led to him pursuing these stories, and how they carry a humanizing effect toward people who are often just seen as figures we watch on TV.  Holmes goes in-depth in discussing how San Antonio Spurs head coach Greg Popovich has built a special team camaraderie through intimate dinners, how wine became a hobby for several players, and even how he found out Kobe Bryant consumed bone broth as part of his daily health routine.     --- Thank you all so much for listening! All the Tweets and Instagram tags of you listening mean the world. Reviews you leave on iTunes are also incredibly helpful, if you enjoyed an episode, please do drop us some love on the iTunes / Podcast store

Italy is the birthplace of pizza, and while many try to replicate the classic Neapolitan style, there's nothing quite like the real thing. Well, now one of the oldest pizza shops in Italy has touched down on U.S. soil for the first time, as L'Antica Pizzeria Da Michele just opened in Los Angeles, California.  Considered by many, including the whole Foodbeast office, the best pizza in the world, da Michele has been the go-to pizzeria in Naples for almost 150 years.  With imported ingredients, a classic two pizza menu, and a one-of-a-kind atmosphere,  Da Michele is now bringing a taste of Italy to Hollywood.  On this episode of The Katchup, we talk to Francesco Zimone, the man responsible for making the groundbreaking move happen. Zimone explains what it took to convince the pizzeria's family to give their blessing, why he chose Los Angeles to bear this historic pizza, and the obstacles he had to maneuver through before opening the hottest new restaurant in L.A. --- Thank you all so much for listening! All the Tweets and Instagram tags of you listening mean the world. Reviews you leave on iTunes are also incredibly helpful, if you enjoyed an episode, please do drop us some love on the iTunes / Podcast store

After Foodbeast posted a video highlighting a restaurant and a special menu they called the "Lao Table Feast," a Lao chef spoke up for the underrepresented community and called out the content within the video. Saying that there was not a single Lao dish on the menu, chef Saeng Douangdara accused Foodbeast of misrepresenting the culture. In a tense conversation about culture, the Katchup crew strived to learn more bout Lao cuisine, how its history connects to Thai-American food, and how lesser known cuisines can be better highlighted in media.  In this episode, we learn about the how Lao people came to the U.S., why they would hide their food under the "Thai" name, and what it has taken for the community to get exposure for its home cuisine.  --- Thank you all so much for listening! All the Tweets and Instagram tags of you listening mean the world. Reviews you leave on iTunes are also incredibly helpful, if you enjoyed an episode, please do drop us some love on the iTunes / Podcast store

Vegans were the bud of jokes for years, but with the rise of plant-based meats, and the announcement that vegan powerhouse Beyond Meat is now being publicly traded, no one is laughing anymore. From Del Taco to Burger King, plant-based meats are really hitting their stride in major restaurants, and it is becoming a social norm faster than anyone could have predicted.  On this week's episode we bring in chef Skyler Tanksley, co-founder of Munchies Vegan Diner, and our resident food scientist Constantine Spyrou to break down the current plant-based movement, and what we can expect in the future.  --- Thank you all so much for listening! All the Tweets and Instagram tags of you listening mean the world. Reviews you leave on iTunes are also incredibly helpful, if you enjoyed an episode, please do drop us some love on the iTunes / Podcast store

Chef and TV personality Josh Elkin got his cooking chops with a Canadian-based YouTube food show that took the world by storm in 2010. Elkin was one of the original members of Epic Meal Time, a show where a group of friends amazed, disgusted, and ultimately intrigued millions of viewers with food creations that were never thought possible, such as Fast food lasagna, giant bacon-wrapped burgers, and even a literal pizza palace. Josh joins the Katchup and gives a behind the scenes look at what it was like to help build that Epic Meal Time brand, and how it shaped who he is today. Elkin has built his brand on creating some of the most insane food combinations you'll ever see. From his famous Poutine Tornado in 2015, to his more recent binges of turning anything from hash browns to Fruity Pebbles, into taco shells, Josh is the original stunt food artist.  For the first time ever, Elkin publicly details his highs, lows, and the brutal growing pains of being part of skyrocketing show with no training manual. It all leads to a triumphant realization of what his strengths in this food space really were, as Elkin's story is one of grit and determination to pursue a passion by any means necessary.  --- Thank you all so much for listening! All the Tweets and Instagram tags of you listening mean the world. Reviews you leave on iTunes are also incredibly helpful, if you enjoyed an episode, please do drop us some love on the iTunes / Podcast store