My Life As a Foodie

Today we’re discussing Ugly Delicious, a Netflix show hosted by David Chang. Each episode of the show highlights a single dish, explores how it’s made, and how to tell if what you’re getting in your neck of the woods is authentic or a total fugazi. Ugly Delicious digs deep to explore the cultural, sociological, and culinary history of each popular dish.

Vegetarians had it right all along. Then, vegans came along and spoiled everything by being attention whores. The idea: If it comes from the ground, eat it. If it comes from an animal, don’t. Everyone has their reasons for excluding meat from their diet. Today, I explore the possibilities and the reasons why people make this radical change in their dietary lifestyle.

My brother Chuck joins the show to discuss all things coffee as he launches his new coffee roasting company Elevated Roast. Like most artisans, his passion for roasting coffee started as a hobby over a decade ago and it didn't take long for that passion to turn into a profession. Chuck knows practically everything there is to know about what makes the difference between an acceptable roast and an exceptional roast. I can tell you with great certainty that his beans are the latter. Visit elevatedroast.com to order fresh roasted beans that will change your perspective on coffee.

He has lived in the shadow of his brother most of his life, and now he is building an empire of his own. For decades, when people thought of El Bulli, it was synonymous with Ferran Adria. But those who knew the inner workings of that project were well aware that it was Albert who was responsible for its success all along.

Outside of the LeBron era, being a sports fan in Cleveland has been as enjoyable as a root canal. Thankfully, there's a great mustard war going on that makes an otherwise dreadful ballpark hot dog relatively gameworthy. Still reeling from Bourdain's death, I discuss some recent revelations that shed light on his possible motives for suicide. My brother will be my guest on the next episode, and we're talking really good coffee. I mean, REALLY GOOD COFFEE.

EAT. RACE. WIN. is a behind-the-scenes adventure into the biggest annual sporting event in the world: The Tour de France. Yes, even bigger than the Super Bowl. The show follows Chef Hannah Grant, who takes us on her race within the race as she sources performance food for Australia's pro cycling team, Orica-Scott. Hannah shows us exactly what it takes to perform at the edge of human endurance for 21 days of racing - the hardest bike race in the world.

The recent deaths of Anthony Bourdain and Jonathon Gold have left a void in the world of food writing and entertainment. Today I pay homage to both, but stress the importance of living in the moments they left behind. While it’s often thought to be unhealthy to live in the past, I wonder if it’s more unhealthy to live in the present, given the current climate.

It’s been over two years since I turned my back on the craft brew scene. In doing research for the show, I found that the landscape had changed drastically. The numbers are staggeringly high. What made the biggest impression on me, however, was the growth of home brewing. As of last November, there were an estimated 1.2 million people making beer at home. And while I know that a lot of you have dabbled in the craft of brewing beer at home, I think that if you truly love the taste of handcrafted beer, the time has never been better to get your feet wet and brew something delicious in your kitchen.

Even for viewers who've never read or heard of food critic Jonathan Gold, City of Gold offers a thoroughly entertaining introduction to a talented writer and brilliant career. In this documentary, Pulitzer Prize-winning food critic Jonathan Gold shows us a Los Angeles where ethnic cooking is a kaleidoscopic portal to the mysteries of an unwieldy city and the soul of America.

After a controlling owner pushes him too far, chef Carl Casper quits his position at a prestigious Los Angeles restaurant. As he tries to figure out what his next step should be, he finds himself in Miami. Carl joins forces with his ex-wife, best friend and son to launch a food-truck business, and the venture provides a chance to reignite his passion for cooking, as well as his zest for life and love.

Through the years, I’ve been more than unkind to Guy Fieri. I’ve come to the realization that I have no reason to be that way. He’s done nothing wrong, is living his dream, staying positive, and making a career out of helping small business owners flourish. In this episode, my public apology. I still don’t understand the hair, the cloths, the catchphrases, and everything else - but that’s not what makes the man.

Nancy Silverton was the subject in Season 3 of Chef's Table on Netflix. In this episode, we discuss her impact on the LA food scene and her obsession with creating the perfect pizza.

Amazon buys Whole Foods, cooking lobster the original way - over the grill, and introducing a new segment 'Cooking With the Devil'.

This week we're discussing the book Eat Bacon, Don't Jog by Grant Petersen. In it, he destroys 30 years of conventional health wisdom and offers a common sense approach to weight loss and fitness. The main point of Eat Bacon, Don't Jog is the real reason we need to drop carbs from our diet and instead embrace fat. On top of that, he sees no real health benefit in jogging. High intensity workouts that hurt like a bitch are what really help. The jogging thing I struggle with, as it was jogging that helped me to get into the shape I’m in now, and shave off the excess fat I was lugging around. It is for this reason that I like to refer to the book as Don’t Jog, Eat Bacon. They’re both very dear to me, but one more than the other. We also return to the kitchen to cook a quick 15-minute meal - Chicken with Chilaquiles and Green Salsa.

Life is full of changes, and all we can do is roll with them and ride the trail that life carves out for us. In this episode I talk about the changes happening all around us and the meat company I dreamed of starting, but never did. It was a novel idea that never caught fire, but I learned a lot in the process. There's also talk of the national discussion about an immigrant ban and Jose Andres legal battle with Donald Trump over his restaurant that also never happened inside of the Trump International Hotel. Sometimes you simply have to stand up for what is right. We also cook from Anthony Bourdain's Appetites Cookbook, making Vietnamese Do Chua Salad with Nuoc Mam Cham dressing.

When you suddenly become a parent, cooking for children presents a whole new set of challenges. In this episode, I talk about how I have made the transition from cooking strictly adult food to cooking for kids while doing my best to expose them to new things. I also show you how easy it is to brew and ferment your own kombucha at home.

After getting her degree and finding her way to the Wall Street trading floor, she settled into a career in finance. After a few years, her passion for food proved to be too much and she gave up Wall Street to attend culinary school. A decade later, she’s an Iron Chef, an Iron Chef America host, restauranteur, cookbook author, and the host of her own cooking show on Food Network. Meet Judy Joo. She took the path less chosen.

More useless food studies | Bobby Flay is making Food Network interesting again | Why prisons should hire Hells Kitchen rejects | Meatless Mondays | The Nutrition Spectrum | The Secret Power of Protein

We are joined on the show by Debbie Rose of Fine Sconehenge Baking Company. Debbie is dedicated to baking only the finest all-natural and handmade desserts for her customers. Her products are known for their simple flavors. You can taste the nuts, the berries, the oats because the sugar doesn’t overwhelm you. Nothing contains high-fructose corn syrup - they use only the highest quality ingredients, no preservatives, and NO MIXES! Fine Sconehenge Baking Company chooses to make a perishable product without artificial preservatives or other ingredients because we believe in the principles of purity and freshness in food.

I felt it was necessary to bring the show back today for two reasons - the first reason being an explanation of why I ended the show when I did in the Fall of 2012. The second reason being to catch you up with the fallout after that day, and how my life, as a foodie, has gotten me through the subsequent days, weeks, and months that followed. Life as a chef, a cook, a foodie, or gourmand holds weight. It grounds us. It neutralizes all of the negative things around us. It makes us whole. For me, in the months that followed my departure from this podcast with episode 100, it helped me prepare for closure. And in doing that, helped me prepare for my future life. It became, in essence, the best therapy I could have ever asked for. I'm living that life today, and I'm here to share that with you in this episode. I'm an open book today on a day that means so much, in so many ways. This is an audio Thank You card to every single one of you who stood by me during a very difficult time during my life as a foodie.

This project has always had an end point, and that end point is here. Since we started this journey together in the early Summer months of 2007, I have set out to learn as much as I could about food, food culture, and the truth behind what we put on our tables every single day. And my goal has always been to share what I've learned with you. Through it all, I hope I've helped make a difference at your dinner table, challenged you to try new things, and entertained you along the way. Don joins me today as we put the audio portion of this journey to bed. This is not the end, as the multitude of video projects we have in place will continue our exploration of restaurants, recipes, and other features I am excited to bring to the table on YouTube. I'm grateful to every single one of you for listening, for your input, support, and for creating one of the most tight-knit communities on Facebook. I'm very proud of what we've accomplished and what we continue to do. The podcast may be over, but our life as foodies will never die.

With his new book being released next week, Ludo Bites: Recipes and Stories from the Pop-Up Restaurants of Ludo Lefebvre, we were able to visit with him, and eat some favorite dishes from his many pop-ups at a recent event at Quiksilver in Fashion Island, Newport Beach. We also were given a chance to screen a new short film that Ludo appeared in for Quiksilver titled "Chef and The Sea" which was filmed several months ago when Ludo and Krissy hosted their pop-up in the Big Island of Hawaii.

Michelle Obama has turned into a health food nazi // A Home Brew Review: Don's IPA // Mama's Italian Fish Stew from Dom DeLuise // Radiation fallout from Fukushima hits the Bluefin Tuna population // The case for a leaner, meaner global fishing industry // FACTS: farm raised vs wild caught // Farm raised Bluefin Tuna from the Croatian Coast // Chef Eddie Shephard's new eBook is eye candy for the iPad // Waterzooi from Sean Paxton, The Homebrew Chef

Welcome to Season 6 of My Life as a Foodie // The bitch came back // Michael Phelps will retire next week. Will he retire his diet? // For a bunch of foodies, we sure don't spend a lot on food. // Beer Review - Stone Smoked Porter with Vanilla and Chipotle Peppers // Foie Gras is officially banned in California, but nothing's changing // Jose Andres tells it just like it is // Chick-fil-A supports anti-gay-marriage groups, Cat Cora gets hammered and drives home // Chris Cosentino's Dirty Vegetables // Grilled Eggplant Cannelloni with Ricotta and Proscuitto // Adam Carolla exposes the lyrics to the Roach Coach Song - and they're not pretty

NYC's mayor Bloomberg bans servings of soda over 16 ounces // sah'tea from Dogfish Head - 6 out of 5 stars. It really is that good. // Around the world in 80 dogs, courtesy of Bon Appetit // Eating healthy is actually far cheaper than eating poorly, despite what you've heard. // Thomas Keller tells locavores to stuff it. He's got a restaurant to run. // Do we really need all-you-can-eat restaurants anymore? // Mario Batali to celebrity food judges: "Who the f**k are you, and why are you judging my food?" // Bourdain leaving Travel Channel for CNN in 2013

There's a new episode of Dude Food available on our YouTube channel. I'll show you how to make beef sausages at home, perfect for the start of the grilling season. You can watch the episode in HD on the web site at mylifeasafoodie.com, and I urge you to subscribe to our YouTube channel as well.

There's a new episode of Out To Lunch available on our YouTube channel. This week, I visit The Bruery Provisions in the Orange Circle here in downtown Orange. You can watch the episode in HD on the web site at mylifeasafoodie.com, and I urge you to subscribe to our YouTube channel as well.

The hot dog truck hooker // Evil Cousin IPA from Heretic Brewing // How I raised by metabolism, got my life back, and stayed a foodie // Chris Cosentino no longer wishes to be on TV // The good and bad thing about Food Network // Add another food writer to Bourdain's shit list // Cosentino's book "Beginnings" is available now, and it's not what you expect.

Servers in LA restaurants are most likely not lifers // The Linkery and San Diego in general are getting everything right // SHIFT from New Belgium // Lapin Aux Olives (rabbit with olives) // Mad Cow Disease rears its ugly head, yet again // The Michigan DNR hates freedom and heritage breed hog farmers. Ugliness ensues.

Imagine a farm-to-table lunch spot in the heart of the craft beer movement of San Diego, with an amazing beer list (constantly updated), proudly serving their house cured charcuterie using locally sourced ingredients from farms and producers that they also feature on a chalk board in the dining area. Imagine that. Then visit The Linkery and experience it for yourself.

Jiro Dreams of Sushi is a must-see documentary. No sh!t. // BEER REVIEW: Bud Light Platinum // The drinking club with a running problem // IN THE KITCHEN: Sandra Lee's French Pork Chops are mmm-mmm-bad! // Jamie Oliver's Chicken Nuggets Experiment // FOOD REVIEW: McDonald's Angus Supreme Burger

Drinking and driving is for chumps // Braised corned beef with IPA mustard // "G'Knight" from Oskar Blues (formerly "Gordon") // Colcannon // Andrew Zimmern going into politics? // "Food Blogging for Dummies" Seriously? // Marilyn reviews The Olive Garden causing food bloggers to shit their cage // Samuel Adams 26.2 Brew hits the Boston Marathon

How the Taste Awards has affected the future of the show // Just Outstanding IPA from Kern River Brewing // Sam Calagione drops the boot on Beer Advocate beer snobs // Everything you wanted to know about healthcare // Black Truffles - are they worth the expense? // Hello Kitty Dreams Restaurant opens in Beijing // The chicken nuggets school lunch fiasco // Bobby Flay and Giada DeLaurentiis are the new "Regis and Kelly" // This man walks into Heart Attack Grill . . . .

This week on Out To Lunch, we visit Watermarc Restaurant in Laguna Beach for some off-the-charts gourmet burgers and fries. When Don tells you that he's taking you for a "light lunch" it's a good idea to give thought to what he considers a "light lunch." Burgers with toppings like duck confit, brie, caramelized onions, bacon, gorgonzola horseradish cream, and aioli are hardly for the "light" crowd.

In this episode of Out To Lunch we visit 101 Noodle Express located at 5408 Walnut Avenue in Irvine, California. This chinese eatery is open everyday from 9 am to 10 pm, specializing in noodles, dumplings, xiao long bao (which are soup dumplings that squirt hot soup all over you if bitten into too quickly - just ask Don), and an assortment of other types of chinese soups with regular or hand torn noodles.

All of you in the Facebook Group (link) make me so proud. You get it. You truly get it. // Why the nose to tail movement makes sense // Kim Jon Il was a foodie. Who knew? // More Brown Than Black IPA from The Alchemist / Ninkasi / Stone Brewing // Applebee's parody: "Cheese on Queso on Fromage Menu" // Chipotle CEO wants your kids to get to work so he doesn't have to hire illegals // In The Kitchen: Cold Pig Ear Salad // McDonald's in Germany pisses of Burger King // Food Illness Mystery Solved: The FDA has been hiring state inspection agencies all this time.

As this year comes to a merciful end, we take a look back at the year in food culture, recapping the big stories, and sharing some stories and features that we didn't get a chance to talk about on the show. There is, of course, our annual clip montage at the end - some of my favorite moments of My Life as a Foodie in 2011.

Wolfgang Puck is a P-I-M-P // Burly Gourd Milk Stout from The Bruery // Striking the perfect balance - eating well, staying fit // IN THE KITCHEN: Asparagus Soup // Heston Blumenthal - the best TV chef not on TV in the US // Bacon Lube is wrong // Horse meat ban being lifted?

Prohibition, My Life as a Foodie style // The Melt - the only exciting thing Chiefs fans can look forward to // Stone's Vertical Epic 11.11.11 // The food, the love, the magic of Debbie Lee // In The Kitchen: Hangover Stew // Mario Batali made a boo-boo. Can we get on with life now? // David Chang might be the Korean Steve Jobs // Veggie Grill's 5th Anniversary, and how you can grab $500 of free food

Shut the F**K up and cook! Top Chef Arrogant Quote of the week // 4 Calling Birds - Belgian Strong Ale from The Bruery // Mario Batali defends his restaurant's clientele as not being the "greedy one percent" // The diversity of Spanish cuisine // Making Extrameduran Cold Tomato and Bread Salad // Modern Cuisine, and the effects of Spanish influence // The state of California wants you to eat shitty french fries

A modern take on the possession of Regan MacNeil // Join me on The Baub Show this Sunday, October 30th at 5:30 PST // Antigoon Belgian Pale Ale from Brouwerij De Musketiers // Chicken Fricassee with Belgian Ale // Sesame Street introduces a new character focusing on child hunger // Oh no they didn't! Top Chef Magazine? // Those punks at Occupy Wall Street are taking food bank donations now // Death Row Meals may soon be a thing of the past // The White House Restaurant in Anaheim is haunted // So is the Queen Mary in Long Beach (visit the MLaaF web site for proof)

LA Beer Week is here, and we kicked it off in style recently at Deconstructed LA with Firestone Walker and the culinary genius of Sean Z. Paxton. It was a night of heavy hitting beers, and heavy hitting food. Join me as I share audio from the evening, and recap some of the magic Chef Paxton shared with us that night, followed by a sit down interview with the star of the show himself.

Deconstructed LA with Firestone Walker and Chef Sean Paxton http://www.FWDeconstructed.com // A delicious fig appetizer that tastes like the smell of a humidor // Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier - my all time favorite // Making your own Bratwurst at home // Training for the Long Beach Marathon, fueled by . . . McDonalds?!?! // New study finds that a family that eats together results in fewer substance abuse issues // Visiting Guisados for tacos in Los Angeles with Don //Tainted cantaloupes cause Listeria outbreak // Are the foodborne illness numbers for real? If so, we're in trouble.

Smithfield tries to educate us on pork // My Life as a Foodie, now playing in Zambia // Google purchases Zagat, subsequently giving Yelp the middle finger // Batch 300 from The Bruery // Stocking a kitchen - the essentials // Paula Deen speaks out against Bourdain // Sandra Lee has a potty mouth and I kinda like it // Making pasta // Sexist coffee ads and the death of Home Economics

Catching up on unfinished business // Dogfish Head + Sierra Nevada = Life and Limb 2 // Why I've been away // Brazilian BBQ, Pao de queijo, and how to make your own // The restaurant business is not for everyone // Price of food increase // Grocery store strikes loom in California // Rachael Ray is a notoriously bad tipper? // Coming this Fall to ABC - The Chew

Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest is still going strong, unfortunately // 2009 Axel des Vignes Bordeaux Blanc // Your money meals // My money meal // Ludo Bites America comes to the Sundance Channel July 19th // Food Trucks have lost their charm for me // Bizarre foods have too

As we kick off the beginning of Season 5 of the show, we're joined by Marty Beckerman, author of a very funny book available now. "The Heming Way"

In-n-Out opens in Texas, and one woman loses her shit // The power of Facebook // Ovila from Sierra Nevada // The cost of eating local and sustainably grown food // Does being a foodie make you an elitist by default? // El Bulli: Cooking in Progress

The hate on "foodies" continues. Oh well. Deal with us, people. // Our first wine review - Chateau Penin Bordeaux Rose 2009 // Carnivore Heaven at Lindy and Grundy // Dinner at Animal Restaurant // Alan Richman's infamous rip in GQ on New Orleans makes HBO's Treme // Jon Bon Jovi's "Soul Kitchen" // Paula Deen reportedly has type 2 diabetes. Who knew? She did.

Eat Local, Buy California Grown Day // Ira Brill, from Foster Farms joins the show // Eric Ripert ensures that the fish he serves is not affected by radiation // Brewmaster for Goose Island serves Budweiser in a neighborhood bar // Report says that 1 in 4 meat samples tainted with drug-resistant bacteria // Irvine Farmers Market has renewed my faith in local produce

As easy to make as they are to completely screw up, french fries (otherwise known as chips in England, frites in France) is a side dish that goes with just about anything. A hamburger is lonely without a pile of fries next to it, and they're the perfect compliment to that steak we cooked in the last episode.