Darin crosses the 405 to chat with Zarah Khan , the new(ish) Executive Chef of Rustic Canyon . She talks about cooking dinner for her family as a teenager, the first time she met Chef Jeremy Fox, and her time as a self-proclaimed Seattle “Pizza Rat”. Then we head back to 2018 for an experimental performance from Coleman Zurkowski , recorded live at the Dangerbird Records studios in Silverlake. He plays some songs off his debut album, ZERO , and chats about making a name for himself for his work ...
Apr 16, 2023•1 hr 23 min•Ep. 553
Darin chats with Cream Co. Meats ’ CEO, Clifford Pollard , about his game changing butcher company. Clifford shares how he got his start in the San Francisco dining scene, talks about his approach to working with farmers, and what he likes to listen to when he’s breaking down animals. Then we dip into the archives for performance from Triple Hex , who swung by in 2016 to share their new full length LP, Bust For Life , that resonated with fans of Bauhaus, 70s NYC rock n roll, and Factory Records....
Apr 09, 2023•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 552
Darin turns on the disco ball for Jumbo Time Wines as co-owner Jonathan Yadegar swings by to talk shop about his burgeoning wine label. Jonathan shares stories about the sip of wine that changed his life, how he got the business started, and his curated playlist that pairs perfectly with a bottle of his chilled red. Then we dig into the archives for a psychedelic performance from New York rockers, Sun Voyager . They swung by in 2018 to chat about their recent release and play live tracks from th...
Apr 02, 2023•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 551
Darin heads to Ojai to chat with Heather Stobo and Lisa Casoni , the founders of Beato Chocolates . They talk about the creative spirit of the area, how they became gallery curators, and their creation of their delicious art project turned chocolate bar. We then jump into the archives and land in October 2018 to revisit our dance party meetup with Morgan Wiley and Ria Bouttier, the duo behind tropical disco house outfit 88 Palms . Snacky Tunes: Music is the Main Ingredient, Chefs and Their Music...
Mar 26, 2023•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 550
Darin sits down for a cultural chat with Kashy Khaledi , proprietor and owner of Ashes and Diamonds Winery . They chat about Kashy’s start in the world of magazines at Grand Royal, his foray into the music industry, and the launch of his own wine label. In the second half of the show, we dig into the archives for a performance from Anni Rossi . An American singer, violist and keyboardist from Minnesota, she is notable for her unique style of playing the viola and singing, often at the same time....
Mar 19, 2023•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 549
Snacky Tunes is on the continent for an all new episode of delicious food and fantastic music. Darin’s first stop is Amsterdam, where he chats with Kevin Kearny & Amber Leugs of the newly opened Stacks Diner . They talk about the road to opening, American food in the Netherlands, and what’s on the nightly soundtrack. Then it’s over to Spain for a hang with Sergio Díaz De Rojas , whose new album, Muerte en una tarde de verano , was released on March 10th. He shares the inspiring influence of ...
Mar 12, 2023•1 hr 17 min•Ep. 548
Austin’s very own Birdie’s stops by for a chat on this episode of Snacky Tunes . Tracy Malechek-Ezekiel ( Chef and Co-owner, Birdie’s ), Arjav Ezekiel ( Wine Director and Co-Owner, Birdie’s) and their son, Remy sit down with Darin for a chat about the local dining scene, their new approach to running a restaurant, and who gets to pick the playlist at their fine-casual spot. Then we dig into our archives and rustle up one of our favorite performances from December 2013, when singer-songwriter Cas...
Mar 05, 2023•1 hr 24 min•Ep. 547
Darin talks music and Irish bars with Liam Craig , the Director of Music for NYC’s legendary cocktail bar, The Dead Rabbit . Liam chats about the bar’s decade long legacy, the modern shifting of music & bar culture in Ireland, upcoming Irish bands at SXSW, and legal Poitín from Dublin being served in NYC. Then we dig into the archives for a dream pop performance from Brooklyn’s Gingerlys . The Dead Rabbit’s Playlists Taproom Daytime Taproom Evening Taproom Late Night Parlor Evening Seisiún S...
Feb 26, 2023•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 546
Influential food writer and LA scene maker, Andy Wang , sits down with Darin to chat about the local culinary scene, the community building through Industry Only LA, and some of the stories he’s been covering across the nation. Then singer-songwriter Rachel Grae stops by for a chat and live performance in advance of her national tour. She talks about using writing as therapy, her dad’s best recipes, and what she is most looking forward to being on the road. Snacky Tunes: Music is the Main Ingred...
Feb 19, 2023•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 545
To kick off Valentine’s Day, Darin sits down with Valerie Gordon of Valerie Confections to chat about her lifelong dedication to giving the perfect gift. She reminisces on the early days of the business and shares the details on her new headquarters located in beautiful Glendale. In the second half of the show, we feature a live in-studio performance by Diane Birch , whose 2016 album is the self-produced Nous . Written and recorded mostly in Berlin, Nous draws on musical influences as varied and...
Feb 12, 2023•1 hr 28 min•Ep. 544
It’s a Philly thing on this episode of Snacky Tunes, as Darin sits down with Omar Tate (CEO & Co-founder) & Cybille St.Aude-Tate (COO & Co-founder) of Honeysuckle Provisions and Honeysuckle Projects . They chat about their shared history, their store in West Philadelphia, and what community means to them. In the second half of the show, we dig into the archives for a performance with Miwi La Lupa . Singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist from Buffalo, NY now living in New York ...
Feb 05, 2023•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 543
Darin is happy to welcome back Michael Whiteman , President of Baum + Whiteman International Restaurant Consultants , for his annual sit down and chat about culinary trends. 2023 is shaping up to be a big year, with AI making menus, Mortadella making a comeback, and the rise of “Hybrid Meats”. Snacky Tunes: Music is the Main Ingredient, Chefs and Their Music (Phaidon), is now on shelves at bookstores around the world. It features 77 of the world’s top chefs who share personal stories of how musi...
Jan 29, 2023•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 542
On today’s episode, Darin sits down with Chris Bleidorn (Executive Chef/Co-Owner), Aarti Shetty (Co-Owner) of Birdsong & Birdbox in San Francisco. The couple chats about how they met, their road to opening up their first restaurant and their pandemic pivot, which lead to the viral, fried chicken sandwich sensation, known as “ Claude the Claw ”. Then we open the archives for a 2016 interview and performance from Michael Daves . He stopped by to celebrate the release of his seminal album, Orch...
Jan 22, 2023•1 hr 20 min•Ep. 541
Darin welcomes Chef Selassie Atadika , who joins him from Ghana, to chat about her world travels, her legendary pop ups and her incredible truffles, which she sells through Midunu Chocolates . She has been gracious enough to share a special discount code for listeners SNACKYTUNES10 for 10% their order. Her playlists, created with DJ Fui , that pair perfectly with her chocolate are available on Spotify and Apple Music. We also dip into the archives for an acoustic performance from POP ETC . Snack...
Jan 15, 2023•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 540
With the new year comes new openings! We sit down with Kyle McClelland , the chef & culinary director of Saltie Girl , to chat about the launch of their new LA outpost of the Boston restaurant. He chats about their legendary tin fish collection, their sustainable approach, and how they adapted to their new West Hollywood address. After that, we dig into the archives for a classic performance from our buddy, Fletcher C. Johnson , who recently launched a new podcast called Listening to Fletche...
Jan 08, 2023•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 539
For the final episode of 2022, Darin sits down with some old buddies from Brooklyn for an end of year check in. Laura O'Neill , Co- Founder of Van Leeuwen Ice Cream , and Ben Van Leeuwen , CEO and Co-Founder of Van Leeuwen Ice Cream, chat about their early days of the business, their constant creative push for new flavors, and their legendary collabs. Then CEO of CREEM Magazine , John Martin , joins us for a walk down memory lane about Munchies, the rebirth of CREEM, and what a modern day brand ...
Dec 18, 2022•1 hr 28 min•Ep. 538
We sit down with restaurateur, Avish Nara , to talk about his LA hit spot, Pijja Palace . He talks about his rule breaking approach to the menu, the recent accolades bestowed upon him and how he hopes to create a new type of sports bar. Then we hit the archives for a live in-studio performance by CJ Fly , rapper and founding member of the hip-hop collective Pro Era . Snacky Tunes: Music is the Main Ingredient, Chefs and Their Music (Phaidon), is now on shelves at bookstores around the world. It ...
Dec 11, 2022•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 537
It’s the holiday season and that means we’re getting ready to celebrate L.A. Times' 101 Best Restaurants List , coming out on December 6th. Darin sits down with the paper’s food critic, Bill Addison , to talk about this year’s curation, the city’s current dining scene and then he shares some of the music he’s listening to while he’s cooking for friends & family. Then we dive deep into the archive for a classic performance from one of our Brooklyn favorites, Au Revoir Simone . Snacky Tunes: M...
Nov 27, 2022•1 hr 28 min•Ep. 536
Darin welcomes back Chef Brian Dunsmoor to chat about the opening of his new restaurant, Dunsmoor . He discusses American culinary history and how he applied different aspects of it to both the menu and overall feel to the concept. Then we pull up a classic performance from Eli “Paperboy” Reed , who shares some stories and sweet soul music. Snacky Tunes: Music is the Main Ingredient, Chefs and Their Music (Phaidon), is now on shelves at bookstores around the world. It features 77 of the world’s ...
Nov 13, 2022•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 535
We sit down Josh Donald and Kelly Kozak, co-founders and co-owners of Bernal Cutlery to chat about their legendary knife store and the community they’ve built around it. We talk about their humble beginnings and they share some of the music they listen to while at the grinding stone. We then dig back into the archives when Greg welcomed the band Belle Mare to the show for a beautiful performance of select songs. They talked about their experience recording at the legendary Electric Lady Studios ...
Nov 06, 2022•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 534
We sit down with ChowNow ’s CEO and co-founder, Chris Webb to talk about his lifelong appreciation for food, the start of his company and where he sees the independent restaurant community heading. Then we head back to Brooklyn for a dip into our archives for a performance from Loose Buttons . A troupe of native New Yorkers, they have been together since 2012 and have played around New York City and Miami a heck of a lot. Snacky Tunes: Music is the Main Ingredient, Chefs and Their Music (Phaidon...
Oct 30, 2022•1 hr 20 min•Ep. 533
On this very special episode of Snacky Tunes, we dedicate the entire episode to our conversation with Tom Gozney , Founder and Product Inventor of Gozney Home Pizza Ovens . He stops by the show to chat about the release of the The Tom Gozney Signature Edition Roccbox that celebrates his 15-year odds-defying journey from substance abuse. We talk about his salvation through pizza, the building of his first ovens, and he shares advice for those who are also struggling with their own issues. To mark...
Oct 23, 2022•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 532
We sit down with Chef and Founder of Edible Beats , Justin Cucci , to chat about his lifelong love of restaurants and being born into the industry. He shares stories of growing up in the Waverly Inn, making his way to Denver and looking out for the future of his employees by making them owners. Then we are treated to the old soul, three-time Grammy nominee Roddie Romero . Showcasing the modern day Louisiana Sound, Roddie’s been performing Cajun and Creole music live since he was in middle school...
Oct 16, 2022•1 hr 24 min•Ep. 531
Jing Gao, Founder and CEO of Fly by Jing , swings by the show to celebrate the launch of their Chili Crisp Vinaigrette . She shares the story of the search for her culinary roots, the launch of Fly by Jing and how she keeps pushing the company in new, delicious directions. Then we dig deep, way deep, into the archives for a legendary performance from We Are Augustines , who stopped by the studio to celebrate CMJ in 2011. Snacky Tunes: Music is the Main Ingredient, Chefs and Their Music (Phaidon)...
Oct 09, 2022•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 530
To ring in October, we have an all new episode of Snacky Tunes , and we kick things off with Nick Muncy , founder and creator of Toothache magazine . We chat about the origins of the publication, his pursuit of Michelin-level pastry arts and how to balance years-long project. Then Kendall Powell & Blair Howerton of the Austin / Brooklyn quintet, Why Bonnie , join us to talk about their new album, 90 in November . They share live songs off the new record, talk to us about cooking in the Texas...
Oct 02, 2022•1 hr 22 min•Ep. 529
In this episode, we are heading to France to talk with legendary Proprietor & Master Blender Alexandre Gabriel of Maison Ferrand . We step back in time to when he was a small boy, learning how to distill from his grandfather & how those lessons of preserving the essence of the land carries through towards today. Alexandre tells us how he found Maison Ferrand and expanded into other spirits bringing the same love & dedication to craft. Then we step into our archives with an interview ...
Sep 25, 2022•1 hr 24 min•Ep. 528
For this all new, mega episode, we go coast to coast, starting with author & chef, Jess Damuck , whose new cookbook, Salad Freak , is out now. She talks about the stories behind the salads, working with the legendary Martha Stewart and the perfect songs to play while prepping in the kitchen. Then we head over to the Rockaways to chat with the visceral duo, Sky Creature . They talk about coming off their biggest tour this year, what they eat on the road and share some special tunes recorded w...
Sep 18, 2022•1 hr 34 min•Ep. 527
We welcome restaurateur visionary David Rodolitz who has been in the New York City hospitality industry for 20+ years and has owned and operated various food & beverage establishments, from James Beard nominated restaurants, to fast-casual concepts, iconic bars and nightclubs. David founded VCR Group which is a modern-day hospitality company composed of kind operators with a simple focus of creating the most consumer-centric experiences for our guests. VCR creates, develops, and operates tho...
Sep 11, 2022•1 hr 20 min•Ep. 526
We celebrate Black Business Month by sitting down with the founders of Prosperity Market , Carmen Dianne (FOUNDER, CEO) and Kara Still (FOUNDER, COO). We chat about their celebration of community, how they put the market together and what tasty tunes you can expect at their pop ups. We then tune into our archives for a tasty performance from BOYTOY , for their summer fun surfer sounds. Snacky Tunes: Music is the Main Ingredient, Chefs and Their Music (Phaidon), is now on shelves at bookstores ar...
Aug 28, 2022•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 525
We sit down with Philadelphia hometown-hero, Amanda Shulman , to chat about Her Place Supper Club . She shares with us stories of cooking supper for her family in high school, how she wound up cooking family meal with Marc Vetri’s father, and her inspiring approach to running her own spot. Then we share some California vibes from the archives with a live performance from Matt Costa . Snacky Tunes: Music is the Main Ingredient, Chefs and Their Music (Phaidon), is now on shelves at bookstores arou...
Aug 07, 2022•1 hr 21 min•Ep. 524
