The Northwest Cider Association’s executive director, Emily Ritchie, is in town from Portland, fresh on the heels of the 2025 Cider Cup Awards! We sat down with her to learn about why Washington leads the nation in both apple and cider production, then dig into the juicy details on what makes a cider competitor-level. Plus Meg’s dreaming of a Jurassic Park for apples, Mark's shipping off to Big Apple country, and we get apple-cheeked on this year's Cider Cup winners—one of which is a perry! 🍎🍐
Check out the Northwest Cider Association
Follow Northwest Cider Association on Instagram
Mentioned in this episode:
Empyrical Cider
Press Then Press Cider Shop
Schilling Cider
Kingston
Greenwood Cider
Bauman’s Cider Company
Little Beast
Radiator Whiskey
Schooner Street
Gol Mok
Cockrell Cider Farm
Community Grocery
Field Bar
Mezzanotte
Musang
South Lake Union Market
Nata Seattle
The Masonry
00:00 Intro
03:29 NW Cider Award Winners
08:26 PNW is a Cider Mecca
23:10 This Week’s Restaurant News
32:43 Trends in Cider
36:45 Emily’s Cider Origin Story
40:35 Thanks, I Ate It
Fermentation gurus Michelle Pogostkin and Jaimon Westing join us to talk vinegars, misos, garums, and more. We learn about Michelle’s anthropology background, her fermentation lab internship at the legendary Copenhagen restaurant Noma, and how those experiences inspired her to start Symbiotic Cultures—their retail line of bottled/jarred koji-based ferments.
We also talk about how the lessons Jaimon learned as a young, fast-rising chef inform his approach today with Amino—the monthly (-ish) dinner pop-up that balances ancient fermentation techniques with modernist cooking—and how Jaimon and Michelle met and began their partnership. (Not, it turns out, as passing ships in the night at Noma, where they both worked within months of one another!)
Plus Mark and Meg lay off the workahol just long enough to get to a few great restaurants and tell you all about them.
Follow Symbiotic Cultures on Instagram
Mentioned in this episode:
Nell’s
Marvel Food & Deli
Oyster Cellar
Human People Beer Café
La Maria
Taurus Ox
Single Shot
Cornelly
Saars
The Penalty Box
Portland Syrups
Cheeky & Dry
Blue Beard
Glo’s
Ba Sa
Fainting Goat
El Maestro del Taco
Layers
00:00 Intro
6:00 What is Amino?
16:08 Noma
24:05 Meg’s Treat
30:15 This Week’s Restaurant News
37:23 Pop-up Vs. Permanent Location
50:43 Symbiotic Cultures Products Tasting
1:06:27 Amino Dinners
1:10:18 Thanks, I Ate It
1:28:31 Coming Up Next
Competitive barista Gray Kauffman joins us in the O.C. this week to drop some serious coffee science on our asses. Alongside being the new Coffee Education and Innovation Lead at Hitchcock Restaurant Group, Gray recently competed at the U.S. Coffee Championships, and they talk about how they did in the Olympics of Coffee, their background in food science, their previous gig in product development at Caffe Vita, and what it was like to travel to a coffee farm in the mountains of Colombia—the origin of the beans they used in the competition.
Plus Meg and Mark are always working for the weekend, but they’re not too weakened to tell you about what they ate on their lunch breaks! Dig in!
Mentioned in this episode:
Canlis
De La Soil
Lenox
Ananas Pizza
George’s Polish Deli
Rain Shadow Meats
Sankaku
Cafe Suliman
Narrative
Espresso Vivace
Slow Day
Cardoon
Chelsea Farms
Ginger & Scallion
Surreal
Devium Wine
Jude’s Old Town
The Shambles
Lenox
Taco Time
Ramie
Spice SPC Indian Grocery
DeLuxe Bar & Grill
Meyer Bar
00:00 Intro
4:26 How Gray Got Started
13:14 What’s the Barista Competition Like?
18:50 Milk Innovation and Coffee Mixology
22:51 Choosing Music and Beans for Competition
31:37 Meg’s Indian Bodega Treat
37:39 This Week’s Restaurant News
51:07 Evolution of Seattle Coffee Culture
59:52 Re-thinking Freshness
1:08:28 What’s Next for Seattle Coffee?
1:11:12 Mystery LaCroix Tasting
1:14:18 Thanks, I Ate It!
1:29:28 Coming Up Next
We’re having another amaro party, this time with Gillian and Joey Diedrick, the husband-and-wife team behind local amaro producer SennzaFinne. The lovebirds tell us about their creative approach in crafting SennzaFinne’s four season-themed amari, and how their fifth amaro—Always—fits into the mix. We also talk about how far the boundaries of an amaro can be pushed while still being recognizable as an amaro, and why the Seattle area is such a hotbed for the bittersweet botanical liqueur.
Plus Meg is in her auntie gardener era, Mark is in his raw scallops era, and we’re all in on bringing you the local restaurant news—and our favorite bites—of the week.
Mentioned in this episode:
Voysey
Bad Chancla
Folio
Homer
Richard’s Too Good BBQ
PopPop Pizza
Top Dead Center Cafe
Dordlofva
Outsider
Hamdi
Greenwood American Bistro
Fair Isle Brewing
Master Bing
La Marea
L'Oursin
DeLaurenti
Giddy Sloth
Pizza Paesano
Schilling Cider
Greenwood Cider Co
Stoneburner
Moxie Mule
0:00 Intro
06:42 What is SennzaFinne?
13:56 The History of SennzaFinne
24:33 Meg’s H Mart Snack
33:37 This Week’s Restaurant News
46:17 The Boundaries of Amaro
55:14 Thanks, I Ate It!
1:13:15 Coming Up Next Week
Yalla’s chef/co-owner Taylor Cheney joins us fresh off a trip to Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, and Italy with her life and business partner, Matt Mitchell. We talk about how serving dishes from another culture requires you to understand much more than just recipes, and the importance of engaging with people and places. She also gives us some international travel tips and tells us what new things are simmering at Yalla.
Plus Meg reps the Tacoma Night Market, Mark and Taylor rep the 1991 Bill Murray comedy What About Bob?, and we all rep the local restaurant news—and our favorite bites—of the week.
Mentioned in this episode:
Nils Frahm
Tacoma Night Market
Grit City Magazine
Koshary
Aura Bora
LaCroix
Polar
Waterloo
Cantina del Sol
Temple Pastries
Mixed Pantry
Rumba
Tacos Chukis
Sugar Hill
Maneki
Itsumono
TN Trang
The Attic
The Red Onion Tavern
The George Coffee and Pastries
Hellenika
Bang Bang Cafe
Tamari Bar
High Life
Baiten
Makoto
Corbeau
Woven
0:00 Intro
8:43 Catching Up with Yalla
17:35 Yalla Window’s Storied History
25:28 Meg’s Shell Station Mystery Treat
31:59 This Week’s Restaurant News
40:27 Why Travel is Important
48:08 Thanks, I Ate It!
1:07:11 Coming Up Next
We’re talking tasting menus, Washington wines, and restaurant biz literacy with Aaron Tekulve, chef/owner of Surrell! Aaron tells us how he took Surrell from a pop-up to one of Seattle’s most thoughtful and intentional dining experiences, and how he paces a tasting menu so diners don’t feel like test subjects. He also shares some wisdom about how to open a restaurant—including using key resources offered by the Small Business Administration and the Washington Hospitality Association.
Plus Meg concludes her cider sojourns (for now!), Mark celebrates another sojourn around the sun, and we all sojourn around the city for the current restaurant news—and best bites—of the week!
Check out SCORE business mentoring
Small Business Administration Seattle branch
Washington Hospitality Association
Mentioned in this episode:
Cottontail
Screwdriver
WigOut
Single Thread
Lauren Thompson
South Seattle College
Small Business Administration’s SCORE program
Washington Hospitality Association
Darby Winery
Cook Weaver
Latta Wines
Reynvaan Family Vineyards
Gasworks Brewing
Jak’s Grill
Lady Jaye
Zeigteist
Ben Paris
Finn River
Bushel & Barrel
Shadowland
Bruciato
Lucy’s Bottle Shop
Siembra
Aash Farms
Luka’s
Tacos Extranjeros
Maripili
Mioposto
0:00 Intro
4:05 Surrell
8:58 Michelin Stars & WA Wines
18:05 Surrell’s Origin
27:12 Meg’s Mini Mart Dubai Chocolate
33:51 Aaron’s Wine Tasting
38:50 This Week’s Restaurant News
49:31 In Defense of Tweezers!
53:22 This Week’s Restaurant News, Pt 2
57:30 Business Education & Financial Literacy
1:08:12 Thanks, I Ate It!
1:17:16 Coming Up Next Week
Spice Waala’s “chief feeding officer,” and all-around mathmagician, Uttam Mukherjee joins us for a fascinating cha(a)t! Uttam explains how he crunches the numbers on kathi rolls, the availability of legit Indian food in the U.S. and Seattle, and how to try out new menu concepts at your restaurant (and when to take the L). We also learn about the ways in which he and his wife/Spice Waala co-owner, Dr. Aakanksha Sinha, support their community through cheap and free meals.
Plus Meg’s got treats from working the orchard beat, Mark's still chasing that sweet ocean beat, and we all three beat feet on the street to bring you the freshest local restaurant news—and our most elite eats of the week.
Mentioned in this episode:
Pidgin Cooperative
Royal Room
Rockridge Country Market
Hitchcock Bakeshop
The Wayland Mill
Thai Siam
Resonate Brewery
Cloudburst Brewing
Bellevue Brewing Company
Kathakali
Indian-Nepali Kitchen
Cafe Suliman
Ken’s Market
Grann
Cafe Allegro
Monorail Espresso
Bar Miriam
Greenwood Cider Company
The Masonry
Pop Pop
Bob’s Java Jive
Señor Carbon
George Coffee and Pastries
Laurel
0:00 Intro
07:47 Spice Waala and Fried Chicken
15:35 Bhojan: Spice Waala’s Free Meal Program
17:33 Expanding Locations and Tracking Metrics
23:58 Google Review Ghosts
28:33 Meg’s Rockridge Country Market Treat
39:33 This Week’s Restaurant News
45:58 Misunderstandings of Indian Cuisine
57:50 How Can the City of Seattle Help Small Businesses?
1:04:38 Thanks, I Ate It!
1:20:51 Coming Up Next Week
Chef/owner Trinh Nguyen (Ramie, Sucres, Ba Sa, Pho T&N) joins us for a wide-ranging conversation on Vietnamese cuisine. Learn how she went from putting her college dreams on hold, in order to run her parents’ pho shop at age 19, to finally fulfilling her passion—serving cutting-edge Viet dishes—at Ramie. Are Seattle diners ready to explore the evolution of Vietnamese food the same way they’ve embraced the evolution of Italian, Japanese, Filipino, and other international cuisines? What barriers are still in place that need to be overcome?
We also talk about local seafood, as Trinh wonders why the PNW doesn’t cultivate a wider variety of native fish and shellfish.
Plus Meg’s reppin’ cozy cideries, Mark’s reppin’ live music, and we all rep the local restaurant scene with the latest news—and our favorite bites—of the week.
Places mentioned in this episode:
Little Jaye
Ba + Me
Woodshop BBQ
Temple Pastries
Menya Musashi
Mee Sum Pastry
Karoo Cafe
Copa Cafe
Hellinka
Cockrell Cider
Mezzanotte
Letterpress Distilling
Pidgin Cooperative
Taz
00:00 Intro
07:08 How Trinh Started
15:19 Ba Sa and Expanding Pho T&N
23:21 Ramie
33:20 Meg’s La Huerta Numero Dos Mystery Snack
39:49 This Week’s Restaurant News
53:19 Why Isn’t More Native Seafood Cultivated Here?
59:34 Ramie and Evolving Vietnamese Cuisine
1:11:39 Sucres
1:16:42 Thanks, I Ate It!
1:30:46 Coming Up Next Week
The Seattle Times food writer (and friend of the pod) Jackie Varriano swings by to talk neighborhood restaurants, the difference between a food writer and a food critic, and the perils involved when writers are responsible for their own food photography. She also tells us our new favorite Mitch Hedberg joke!
Plus Meg critiques the American theater, Mark loves documentaries, we list our favorite bites of the week, and we’ve got all the restaurant news that’s fit to podcast about.
Check out Jackie's writing at The Seattle Times
Restaurants mentioned in this episode:
Tamra
Moto
Taste of Yemen
Foundry Vineyards
Take 5 Urban Market
Blazing Grill
Stumbletown Sandwiches
Shark Bite Ceviche
Lupo
Kilig
Vindicktive Wings
Triangle Spirits
Giddy Sloth
Murphy’s Pub
Robin’s Restaurant and Market
Union Saloon
Events mentioned in this episode:
Souk
Seattle Jazz Fellowship
Ahame Oluo
Food and Country
00:00 Intro
07:59 Jackie’s Role at The Seattle Times
19:45 Meg’s H Mart Mystery Snack
24:56 This Week’s Restaurant News
33:45 What Food Writers Do and Don’t Do
46:42 Thanks, I Ate It!
01:08:23 Coming Up Next Week
We’re talking Italian American comfort food with Darkalino’s owner/entrepreneur Marcus Lalario and Chef Sean Russo! Marcus and Sean tell us about how their nostalgia for the classic “red sauce joint” inspired a menu update that reclaims corporation-brutalized dishes like chicken parm and sausage and peppers. Could Darkalino’s be Seattle’s entry in the West Coast trend of new restaurants treating old-school Italian American mainstays with a sense of both craft and approachable fun?
We also share our big love for Pioneer Square and discuss where it is in post-lockdown recovery. And Marcus gives us the details on the upcoming concert and event series he’s organized for Occidental Square, which he’s also restyled (unofficially!) as Brick Park.
Plus we chat about Meg’s must-read story in The Stranger about the Virginia Inn lease dispute, and—of course—this week’s restaurant news and our best bites of the week.
Follow Darkalino's on Instagram
Learn more about Brick Park events
00:00 Intro
02:48 Darkalino’s Tangletown vs. Pioneer Square
16:06 The Story Behind the Name “Darkalino’s”
20:04 Meg’s Grocery Outlet Mystery Snack
25:20 This Week’s Restaurant News
36:28 Pioneer Square
49:17 Thanks, I Ate It!
01:03:39 Coming Up Next Week
Chef/owner Jhonny Reyes chats with us about the inaugural year of Lenox—his stellar Afro-Latin/Nuyorican restaurant in Belltown—as well as his deep Seattle roots and what it's like to appear on Food Network TV shows Alex vs. America and Chopped.
We also talk about contending with the relentless economic challenges of today, discuss whether or not chefs and restaurants are overemphasizing their stories, and delve into some Belltown restaurant history.
Plus Meg closes on a veterinary ordeal with her adopted alleycat, Mark closes out the week with a pig roast, and there’s way too many restaurants closing in this week’s news.
00:00 Intro
06:54 Jhonny’s Origins
12:00 Big Love for Belltown and White Center
18:31 What is Lenox?
25:35 Meg’s Grocery Outlet Mystery Snack
31:19 This Week’s Restaurant News
43:57 How Can a Restaurant Contend with This Economy?
51:43 The Food Network Experience
58:37 Story vs. Food
01:04:04 Thanks, I Ate It!
01:20:50 Coming Up Next Week
Le Coin bar manager Matt Pachmayr, the principal of Chartreuse (our words, not his), joins us to talk about his Monday-night pop-up/industry party No Call No Show, learning to bartend with the legendary Murray Stenson, and—of course—all things Chartreuse.
We also chat about cocktail mentorship, Seattle’s unique bar culture, and whether or not there’s a boilermaker that could be considered The Seattle Handshake.
Plus Meg boosts her gardening game with a greenhouse, Mark boosts his wine knowledge with a trip to Woodinville, and we all boost the local restaurant scene with fresh news—and our best bites—of the week.
Follow No Call No Show on Instagram
00:00 Intro
04:30 Le Coin and the Streamline Tavern
09:44 Growing up Missourian
15:56 Bartending in Seattle
20:57 Working with Murray Stenson
26:23 Tasting Chartreuse Green V.E.P.
30:53 No Call No Show
34:44 Meg’s Grocery Outlet Mystery Snack
38:47 This Week’s Restaurant News
45:37 Thanks, I Ate It!
58:18 Coming Up Next Week
Filson’s current Chef Face (that’s his title!) and former pop-up scene fixture Chachi Thomas chops it up with us about growing up in southern California, starting and leaving the pop-up game, and crossing paths with notorious Hells Angel Sonny Barger.
We also talk about why Chachi decided not to open a brick-and-mortar, chew on Spice Waala’s Instagram post about what the City of Seattle can do to help small businesses thrive, and give love to Chachi’s favorite burger joint—and Mark’s first-ever job—in Bothell.
Plus Meg has a date night at the Seattle Symphony, Mark has yet another doppelgänger, and we all have the local restaurant news—and our best bites—of the week.
Check Out Filson Food and Recipes
00:00 Intro
11:53 Fontucky, Hell’s Angels, and Art Supplies
16:43 Chachi’s Pop-Up Origin Story
25:28 Meg’s Grocery Outlet Mystery Snack
29:45 This Week’s Restaurant News
39:33 Why Chachi Left the Pop-Up Game
50:48 Thanks, I Ate It!
01:07:23 Coming Up Next Week
No one brings the party like catering (and former popup) queen Lakea Osias! Chef Lakea pours wine and spills tea about the pros and cons of running a popup, learning different regional barbecue styles, and the fact that catering is a luxury service.
We also talk about the vital space that Wa Na Wari is for the Central District and Seattle’s Black community overall, wrestle with our nearly unanimous dislike of IPAs, hear about the only karaoke spot that makes Lakea nervous to sing, and—did we all just kill that bottle of pinot grigio already?
Plus Meg drops another mystery snack to taste, Mark drops a mystery electro-jazz style to check out, and we all drop the local restaurant news—and our best bites—of the week.
Contribute to JarrBar’s GoFundMe
Get More Info on Plate of Nations
00:00 Intro
07:11 Rose Temple and Wa Na Wari
12:00 IPAs and BBQ
19:47 Meg’s Grocery Outlet Mystery Snack
26:04 This Week’s Restaurant News
42:39 Getting Out of the Pop-Up Game
54:59 Thanks, I Ate It!
01:15:46 Coming Up Next Week
We’re talking amaro—and other Italian liqueurs!—with Skip Tognetti, co-owner of Letterpress Distilling in SoDo. Skip tells us about the ingredient-forward approach at Letterpress, explains the reason why limoncello attains certain shades of yellow, and possibly invents a new liqueur category, New World Nocino.
We also chat about Skip’s childhood memories of his grandfather’s liquor store in Rome, which European city has the best pizza, and the challenges of running a distillery in 2025, when alcohol consumption is down and tariffs are (maybe?) up.
Plus Mark and Skip break each other’s brains about the most acceptable way to pluralize the word amaro, Meg breaks with her family when it comes to Mexican chain food, and we all break the local restaurant news—and our best bites—of the week.
Follow Skip and Letterpress Distilling on Instagram
00:00 Intro
04:11 What Letterpress Distilling Makes
08:36 Limoncello FAQs
13:55 Amari v. Amaros
19:22 Skip’s Favorite Amari
23:58 Meg’s Winco Mystery Snack
27:56 This Week’s Restaurant News
37:01 Modern Challenges in the Distillery Business
47:07 Thanks, I Ate It!
01:06:36 Coming Up Next
Kate Opatz and Niko Ciel join us to talk about Laurel, their sunny (and diminutive!) new coffee shop/cocktail bar on East Olive Way—an aesthetic foil to Montana Bar, Kate’s quintessential dark, moody dive next door. Niko and Kate tell us about their concept for Laurel, their artistic inspiration in designing the space, and how they ensure that Laurel is as dialed in as a coffee shop as it is as a bar, and vice versa.
We also discuss the moving target that is How to Run a Successful Bar in Seattle in 2025, and whether or not there’s even an answer. Is there anything the city can do to ease barriers and encourage success? Or is it all just rolling with the punches?
Plus Meg discovers a weird new treat from Grocery Outlet to unbox on the show, Mark discovers that Nick Lowe can still play bangers at age 75, and we all discover the local restaurant news—and our favorite bites—of the week.
Follow Montana Bar and Montana Badlands on Instagram
Follow Nacho Borracho on Instagram
Check out Plymouth Housing, a permanent supportive housing organization in Seattle dedicated to providing stable housing and other crucial resources to adults facing homelessness.
00:00 Intro
03:30 Opening Laurel
10:30 First Cocktails on Tap in Seattle
14:39 Pre-News Tasting!
17:53 Restaurant News This Week
29:05 What Does It Take to Run a Successful Bar?
39:00 Thanks, I Ate It!
53:53 Coming Up Next
Friend of the pod Karuna Long (Sophon, Oliver’s Twist) stops by to chop it up! Learn about his journey from bartender to bar owner to chef/owner—and how the pandemic made him realize an opportunity to create more space for Cambodian culture in Seattle. Karuna also tells us about how his family briefly crossed paths with “donut king” Ted Ngoy, and why donut boxes are pink.
We also talk about Sophon’s James Beard Award nomination for Best New Bar, and the complicated feelings that come with recognition from an organization that has historically fallen short of inclusiveness.
Plus Meg goes to the opera, Mark goes to the Japanese-style vinyl listening lounge, and we all go report on the local restaurant news—and our favorite bites—of the week.
Follow Oliver’s Twist on Instagram
Check out the Seattle Humane Society
Check out the Tacoma Humane Society
00:00 Intro
10:46 Karuna’s Story
15:20 Donut King Ted Ngoy
17:26 Opening Sophon
19:49 Traditional vs. Modern Cambodian Food
21:56 Sophon at One Year
26:20 Creating a Cambodian Bar Program
29:19 Pre-News Taste Test
31:29 Restaurant News This Week
40:01 Sophon’s James Beard Award Nom
44:34 Chubby Brown Boys
47:17 Thanks, I Ate It!
01:00:55 Coming Up Next
Get to know Edgar D’Souza, the elusive but very real human being behind the SeattlePopups Instagram account—an essential source of info about the Seattle area’s thriving and super diverse pop-up scene. Edgar tells us why he likes to maintain a level of anonymity on the account, what compelled him to create an ongoing pop-up events calendar on IG, and where he sees the scene going next.
We also talk about how pop-ups and supper clubs can be pleasant, low-pressure social events, whether there’s a way past Seattle’s habit of risk aversion, and the ethics around treating chefs as star protagonists.
Plus Meg finally finds her favorite flavor of La Croix locally, Mark finally finds an everything bagel that doesn’t omit anything, and we finally find out and report on all the local restaurant news—and our favorite bites—of the week.
Follow Edgar on Instagram for info on Seattle area pop-ups
00:00 Intro
05:43 Edgar’s Professional Anonymity
07:41 Why Edgar Started Seattle Pop-Ups
09:34 What Is Seattle Pop-Ups?
11:51 Recent Pop-Up Trends
16:48 Pop-Ups as Social Events
18:46 Have We Reached Peak Bagel?
22:00 NiCola La Croix
25:01 Restaurant News This Week
35:59 The Future of Pop-Ups
39:10 Why Is Seattle So Risk-Averse?
43:04 Seattle’s Unique Pop-Up Scene
47:31 The Ethics of Celebritizing Chefs
53:21 Thanks, I Ate It!
01:05:32 Coming Up Next
In the Dinnernet’s two-guest premiere, we’re joined by José Garzón and Stef Hieber, co-owners of Garzón Restaurants (Bad Chancla, Latinx Street Food, Topless Tapas, Lola’s Supper Club, Chifa Baby), for a wide-ranging conversation about going from FOH to BOH, the benefits of Bad Chancla’s all-electric kitchen, karaoke sharks, bodega cats, and why Lynnwood is an actual dining destination.
Stef and José reminisce on meeting as coworkers at Barking Frog (including José’s first impression of Stef!) and give advice to new restaurateurs. José also tells us how he developed his killer Don Bronco pork chop sandwich for Lil Woody’s and gets our hopes up on seeing it again at Chubby Brown Boys, his upcoming collab with Karuna Long (Sophon) at Oliver’s Twist.
Plus Meg finds a way to celebrate Valentine’s Day with praxis, Mark figures out the best vantage point at Barboza, and we give you all the local restaurant news and best bites of the week.
Learn more about Garzón Restaurants
Learn more about funding opportunities through City of Seattle
0:00 Intro
3:38 Bad Chancla’s First Year
5:30 Stef’s Transition to Cooking
9:09 Beginnings at Barking Frog
15:00 This Week’s Restaurant News
17:02 Dan the Karaoke Shark/Bodega Cat
22:54 Advice from José
27:25 Chubby Brown Boys
29:38 Bad Chancla and the Electric Kitchen
35:07 Lynnwood Is a Dining Destination (Really!)
49:00 Thanks, I Ate It!
56:43 The Don Bronco Sandwich at Lil Woody’s
1:03:41 Venture Beyond Your Neighborhood!
1:08:25 Coming Up Next
Cultural anthropologist (!) Michael Wong (Asian Verified,The Stranger) chops it up with us about what makes something Asian Verified, why he switched from covering food on IG to covering it in print, and the problems with foodie influencer culture. And he’s got some tough-love content creation advice for small business owners who don’t know where to start.
We also talk about the ethics of content creation and the Keith Lee fiasco, along with the importance of thoughtfulness, research, and humility—whether you’re an influencer or a journalist. We shout out some food influencers who we think are doing it the right way, and…we might’ve called out a few who we think aren’t. It’s a spicy one, and we throw some elbows here—let us know what you think!
Plus Meg finally makes it to Buddy’s Chicken and Waffles, Mark finally gets into Led Zeppelin (?!), and we give you all the local restaurant news and best bites of the week.
Follow Asian Verified on Instagram
00:00 Intro
03:48 The Origin of Asian Verified
07:10 What Makes Something Asian Verified?
09:45 The Problem With Discussing Food Online
12:26 Instagram “Foodie” Culture
15:54 Content Creation Advice For Small Businesses
20:11 Restaurant News This Week
30:44 What Does Content Creator Mean?
32:09 Michael’s Equipment Setup
35:00 The Ethics of Filming People in Public
37:08 The Keith Lee Sushi Fiasco
45:00 Business Spikes Aren’t Necessarily Good
46:55 Negative Lists
51:22 Thanks, I Ate It
01:07:16 What’s Next
