This week on Snacky Tunes , Darin sits down with Chef Jeff Okada-Ramsey , executive chef of Mizumi at the Wynn Las Vegas, whose global journey—from being in a band to slicing sashimi—has shaped a truly unique culinary voice. We talk about his sushi beginnings, deep dives into Japan’s kitchen culture, and what it means to bring that depth & discipline to the Vegas Strip. Then we head into the archives for a live performance from She Keeps Bees —one of our all-time favorites. Snacky Tunes: Mus...
Jun 01, 2025•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 642
On this episode of Snacky Tunes , Darin Bresnitz heads to the Lone Star State for a conversation with Alba Huerta , the award-winning bartender and owner of Julep in Houston. Alba shares how her childhood backyard parties shaped her hospitality style, her journey to mastering the craft of cocktails, and what it meant to win a James Beard Award while giving back to her local community through mentorship. Then it’s a trip into the archives with a visit from Samira Winter of the band Winter, record...
May 18, 2025•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 641
This week on Snacky Tunes , Darin brings listeners an all-new, all-live episode straight from the heart. First up is a powerful conversation with Chef Heena Patel of San Francisco’s Besharam . She reflects on her journey from India to the United States and how cooking her youth's bold, beautiful food has become a tribute to her family and heritage. It's an emotional and inspiring story of reinvention, culture, and courage. Then, singer-songwriter Mark Mallman joins for a live set and talks throu...
May 11, 2025•1 hr 22 min•Ep. 640
On this episode of Snacky Tunes , Darin sits down with Buddha Lo , executive chef and co-owner of Huso in NYC, and the two-time winner of Top Chef . Buddha shares how he started cooking in his family’s Chinese restaurant in Australia, his journey through London’s top kitchens, what drew him to New York, and how music plays a key role in shaping the vibe at his fine dining spot. Then we dig into the archives with a visit from 2:54 , who stopped by while on tour from London. We chat about their th...
May 04, 2025•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 639
This week on Snacky Tunes , Darin sits down with Marc Rose and Med Abrous of the iconic LA restaurant Genghis Cohen . In a heartfelt and candid conversation, they reflect on the emotional journey of deciding to close their original, legendary location and the hope and excitement of starting fresh in a new space. They discuss what it means to be woven into the cultural fabric of Los Angeles and the resilience it takes to keep a decades-old institution alive through change and upheaval. Later, we ...
Apr 27, 2025•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 638
This week on Snacky Tunes , Darin sits down with chef Jesús “Chuy” Cervantes , the force behind Damian and Ditroit Taquería in Los Angeles. From growing up in El Paso to cooking alongside Enrique Olvera, he shares his journey through kitchens, cities, and flavors—including the big moves that brought him from Brooklyn to DTLA. Plus, we talk about this week’s can’t-miss Pujol pop-up at Damian (pro tip: try the bar). Later, Darin pulls up a performance from the archive by the Big Ups (featuring for...
Apr 20, 2025•1 hr 22 min•Ep. 637
This week on Snacky Tunes , host Darin Bresnitz heads back to his hometown of Philadelphia for a delicious convo with chef and restauranteur Kelsey Bush . From growing up in Hershey to culinary school to working on a farm, Kelsey shares the journey that led her to feed none other than the reigning Super Bowl champs—the Philadelphia Eagles—serving up Pop-Tarts and pastries from her new restaurant, Loretta’s , at every home game this past season. Then, we dig into the archives for a dreamy live se...
Apr 06, 2025•58 min•Ep. 636
This week on Snacky Tunes , host Darin Bresnitz welcomes back Leah Ferrazzani , founder of Semolina Artisanal Pasta and now the heart behind Ferrazzani’s , her new café in Altadena. Leah shares what it’s been like shifting from the world of CPG to running a neighborhood spot, how she's been nourishing her community in the wake of the Eaton Canyon fire, and the sounds that set the tone inside her café. Then, we head into the archives for a performance from rapper False Prpht , who recounts the ch...
Mar 30, 2025•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 635
On this week’s episode of Snacky Tunes , host Darin Bresnitz sits down with the ever-talented Peter Som to celebrate the release of his new book, Family Style: Elegant Everyday Recipes . They chat about Peter’s early career in fashion, his roots in the kitchen cooking alongside his mother and grandmother, and how those formative family dinners sparked a lifelong love of food—even while working in couture. Then, we dip into the archives for a dreamy live set from Mahogany , who dropped by the HRN...
Mar 23, 2025•1 hr 19 min•Ep. 634
On this episode of Snacky Tunes , host Darin Bresnitz sits down with two of his favorite voices in the LA restaurant scene— Ari Kolender and Joe Laraja of Found Oyster and Queen Street . They dive into the inspiration behind Queen Street , the Charleston-influenced seafood spot that’s quickly become a local favorite, and what it’s like running two standout restaurants at the same time. Ari also shares insights from his new cookbook, How to Cook the Finest Things in the Sea , a must-have guide fo...
Mar 16, 2025•1 hr 20 min•Ep. 633
On this episode of Snacky Tunes, we welcome back our good friend Mike Traud to talk about the Chef Conference happening in Philadelphia from April 4th-7th. It’s a hometown hero kind of event, bringing some of the biggest culinary names and local legends to the City of Brotherly Love for a few days of food, conversation, and community. Mike gives us the inside scoop on the Noma Project joining the conference this year, the top-tier guest lineup, and the major industry issues shaping the restauran...
Mar 09, 2025•1 hr 21 min•Ep. 632
This week on Snacky Tunes, we sit down with Randy Clement of Good Neighbor Bar and West Altadena Wine & Spirits —part of the Everson Royce family of neighborhood spots—to talk about the Altadena area and how it was impacted by the Eaton Canyon fire. Randy shares what it was like being on the ground with his son, looking up houses as the flames still burned, the emotional weight of reopening for the community, and the long road to recovery. Then, we dive into the archives for a set from Frenc...
Mar 02, 2025•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 631
This week on Snacky Tunes, Darin’s back in Bed-Stuy, chopping it up with Chef Jilbert El-Zmetr about his brand-new restaurant, Laziza . From growing up in the family business to globe-trotting his way to Williamsburg, Jilbert shares the journey that led him to open a spot that blends killer mezze, vintage vibes, and a soundtrack straight from his personal vinyl collection. Then, we keep the Brooklyn love going, digging into the archives for a performance from Bad Credit No Credit . Also, a quick...
Feb 23, 2025•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 630
On this episode of Snacky Tunes , Darin heads down to San Diego to catch up with Chef Tara Monsod of ANIMAE and Le Coq . She shares her journey from growing up in LA to shaping a new kind of restaurant experience that blends her Filipino heritage with modern flavors. We talk about her culinary philosophy, the energy of her kitchens, and what makes a Saturday night at her spots something special. Then, we take a trip into the archives for a performance from Freelance Whales , the very first band ...
Feb 16, 2025•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 629
In this special installment of Snacky Tunes , Darin continues the conversation on how the Los Angeles culinary community is responding to the devastating L.A. fires. First, we welcome back Brad Metzger and Jacqui Leanza , who are behind one of the most incredible fundraising dinners— Chefs Love LA . The event features an all-star lineup including Ruth Reichl, Daniel Boulud, Nyesha Arrington, Billy Harris, Phil Rosenthal, Jeremy Fox, Curtis Stone, Jonathan Waxman, and more!!! The dinner at the le...
Feb 02, 2025•59 min•Ep. 628
In this episode of Snacky Tunes , Darin continues the conversation about the ongoing challenges faced by the Los Angeles restaurant community in the wake of the devastating fires. Over two weeks in, the fires continue to impact the city with little clarity on the road ahead. First, Darin welcomes back Charles Namba and Courtney Kaplan of Tsubaki , Ototo , and Camélia, who share their experiences navigating the crisis. The duo instead provides an honest look at how the fires have affected their b...
Jan 26, 2025•53 min•Ep. 627
In this heartfelt and timely episode of Snacky Tunes , host Darin Bresnitz delves into the early recovery efforts following the devastating wildfires that swept through Los Angeles, including the Palisades and Eaton Canyon areas. The culinary community, as always, is at the forefront of healing, offering food, love, and support to those in need. This week’s lineup features three incredible guests: Mary Sue Milliken: The renowned chef and co-founder of Border Grill discusses her work with World C...
Jan 16, 2025•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 626
We recorded this episode on Tuesday, January 7th at 12:30pm. A few hours later, Travis Hayden , chef of Bar Etoile , would lose his house to the Palisades Fire and my family would lose our house to the Eaton Canyon Fire. Our communities have been devastated, but also beyond supportive and full of so much love. We wanted to share the episode we had put together for the start of the year to have something normal and regular. On this episode of Snacky Tunes , Darin sits down with Julian , Jill , an...
Jan 12, 2025•1 hr 20 min•Ep. 625
This episode of Snacky Tunes features host Darin Bresnitz wrapping up the year with a heartfelt thank-you to all the guests, engineers, and PR teams who made the show possible. He also shares exciting news about the return of new episodes and newsletter content in the new year. In this episode, he sits down with two key figures in the LA food scene, Bill Addison and Jenn Harris , for a deep dive into the annual L.A. Times 101 list. They discuss the evolution of the restaurant community over the ...
Nov 24, 2024•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 624
Darin sits down with Xander Soren , the founder and Chief Wine Operator of Xander Soren Wines . They chat about his time at Apple, working on game-changing programs like GarageBand, his deep affinity for Japanese culture, and he shares some of his playlists that pair perfectly with his pinot. Then we dip into the archives when singer-songwriter Sarah Jaffe swung by to share stories and songs from the latest EP, SMUT. As the year rolls on, please consider supporting HRN . Your donations, whatever...
Nov 17, 2024•1 hr 25 min•Ep. 623
To kick off the holiday season, Darin is joined by Mackenzie Hoffman , Harley Wertheimer , and Caroline Leff of Stir Crazy , and Kat Turner and Cary Mosier of Highly Likely for a live roundtable chat at the Snacky Tunes Salon . They share their favorite seasonal traditions, what it means to host the community this time of year, and finally agree on if Die Hard is a Christmas movie or not. A huge shout out to our presenting sponsors for the event, Square and ChowNow , along with support from Jumb...
Nov 10, 2024•39 min•Ep. 622
Darin sits down with Andrew Lawson , the GM and co-owner behind LA’s latest hotspots, Ètra and Café Telegrama . They chat about Lawson’s roots growing up in LA, his game-changing years in NYC's restaurant scene, and how he teamed up with some stellar partners to create two of the most buzzed-about spots in Los Angeles. And for a little throwback treat, Darin digs into the archives to feature a performance from one of Brooklyn’s favorites, Erika Spring of Au Revior Simone and NAF. It’s a tasty tr...
Nov 03, 2024•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 621
On this episode of Snacky Tunes , Darin sits down with Ashley and Colby Frey of Frey Ranch Distillery , a farm-to-glass whiskey farm that's truly one of a kind. They dive into what it means to be fifth-generation farmers, the music they listen to while crafting their spirits, and how they bring a thoughtful, farming-first approach to their delicious bourbon, rye, and other spirits. It’s a lively conversation that captures the essence of their craft. Later in the episode, Darin digs into the arch...
Oct 27, 2024•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 620
Darin sits down with Steven Clarke , VP of Marketing at Golden Krust , the iconic Jamaican fast-casual restaurant celebrating its 35th anniversary. They chat about his journey into the family business, the enduring appeal of Jamaican cuisine, and how Steven balances his professional life with his passion for DJ'ing. Plus, the episode features a throwback to May 2015 with singer-songwriter Lily McQueen , who shares tracks from her EP and talks about her musical influences, life in the city, and h...
Oct 20, 2024•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 619
Darin sits down with our good pal all the way from Melbourne, Australia; Ben Shewry , whose new book Uses for my Obsessions : A (Chef’s) Memoir is a fantastic, unique look into his journey through the culinary world. He offers up a lot of personal philosophies, a lot of great stories, and shows how Fugazi helped him learn Thai cooking. We've also included a link to one of the playlists that is included in his book. And then we dip into the archives for a legendary performance from Sinkane , who ...
Oct 13, 2024•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 618
Darin is in the DC / Virginia metro area for an all new episode today. First up, he sits down with co-owner and executive chef of Ama , Johanna Hellrigl . She talks about being born into the restaurant industry, her coming up and cooking through the DC scene, and how Italian love inspired her new restaurant. Then we head down to Virginia to hang out with Jeff and Jake of Illiterate Light , whose new album Arches will be out November 1st. They perform some live songs from the album, talk about th...
Oct 06, 2024•1 hr 27 min•Ep. 617
Host Darin Bresnitz sits down with Mike Traud , the executive director and founder of The Chef Conference , which is coming to Los Angeles on October 21st at the ChowNow headquarters. They discuss why Mike chose to bring the conference to LA, as well as the diverse mix of topics this year; including kitchen leadership and mental health, and what attendees can expect to eat at the event. Tickets are on sale now, with a link available in the episode write-up. Then the show dives into the archives ...
Sep 29, 2024•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 616
Darin is joined by legendary chef Renee Erickson , who sits down to chat about her new cookbook, Sunlight & Breadcrumbs: Making Food with Creativity and Curiosity (Abrams; September 24, 2024; US $37.50; Hardcover), which is available for pre-sale now! They chat all about her creative process, how her restaurants are extended art projects, and how painting came back into her life during the pandemic. Then, we dip into the archives for a little post-punk performance by The Wants . They were cu...
Sep 22, 2024•1 hr 27 min•Ep. 615
On today’s episode, Darin sits down with producer and director Antonio Diaz , alongside chef Diego Argoti , to dive into the new PBS SoCal series, Rebel Kitchens SoCal , where Diego’s innovative restaurant, Poltergeist , is featured in one of the episodes. We chat about what it means to tie your art to your life, and of course, the incredible soundtrack you can expect to hear at Poltergeist over the next few weeks. Later on, we’re dipping into the archives to revisit one of our favorite performa...
Sep 15, 2024•1 hr 26 min•Ep. 614
On this week’s episode, Darin is delighted to be sitting down with Ben Hundreds and Kate Burr , two of the owners of The Benjamin Hollywood , one of LA's best new restaurants and instant clubhouse for everyone who likes a good martini and a great burger. They talk about their road to opening, why Ben took so long to open up his first restaurant and what one can expect on the soundtrack at any given night. Then we dip into the archives when singer-songwriter, Rodes Rollins , stepped into the stud...
Sep 08, 2024•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 613
