Extra Spicy

“Chinese Protest Recipes” is an antiracist zine from chef and activist Clarence Kwan, who insists food and cooking are political. Kwan joins hosts Justin Phillips and Soleil Ho to discuss his project, the recipes and anti-Black racism within Asian communities. Plus: some tea is spilled about Drake, Kwan’s fellow Torontonian.

Send us your questions about food, life and everything you’re obsessed with at sfchronicle.com/spicy. | Unlimited Chronicle access: sfchronicle.com/pod

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Food photographer Oriana Koren talks about their work researching and documenting Black contributions to American cuisine, including their notable feature on underground chefs in South L.A. As a Black, non-binary professional, they talk about the politics and power behind the camera — including the extra work it took them to establish a career in food media.

Plus: Co-host Soleil Ho got an orb.

Send us your questions about food, life and everything you’re obsessed with at sfchronicle.com/spicy. | Unlimited Chronicle access: sfchronicle.com/pod

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While AB-626 legalized the permitted sale of home-cooked food, most California counties have not developed a permitting process, creating a legal gray area. Katie Valenzuela, an incoming Sacramento city councilmember who helped work on the bill, joins Justin Phillips and Soleil Ho to discuss the origin and iterations of the new policy, how it affects racial and class equity, the role of the pandemic, and the importance of being civically engaged. Read a transcript of the full interview, and send us your questions about food, life and everything you’re obsessed with at sfchronicle.com/spicy. | Get full Chronicle access: sfchronicle.com/pod 

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Located in Napa Valley’s St. Helena, the highly acclaimed Restaurant at Meadowood was destroyed on September 28th by the massive Glass Fire, which scorched close to the 67K acres in Sonoma and Napa counties. Under the leadership of executive chef Christopher Kostow, the decades-old resort restaurant earned accolades for its artistic, garden-to-table cuisine. The owners of Meadowood Napa Valley, which housed the famed restaurant, have since vowed to rebuild the property. But amid the news of its destruction, former employees and local fine dining chefs explore a range of emotions regarding its lasting legacy.

On this episode, hosts Soleil Ho and Justin Phillips look into what it took for The Restaurant at Meadowood to earn its place as an international fine dining destination and the highly-disciplined, intense work environment that some former employees say was necessary for success, while others claim was an abusive workplace culture.

You'll hear from San Francisco chef Traci Des Jardins, sommelier Alexis Davis Iaconis of Brick & Mortar Wines, chef Ricky Odbert of Six Test Kitchen and more.

Read the story and send us your questions about food, life and everything you’re obsessed with at sfchronicle.com/spicy. | Unlimited Chronicle access: sfchronicle.com/pod

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Serena Dai, the new senior features editor for The San Francisco Chronicle, talks about her first impressions of the Bay Area food scene and why food writing continues to fascinate her. Dai worked closely with co-host Soleil Ho to produce The Chronicle’s Top 87 Restaurants list and explains why food accolades are here to stay, even amid a global pandemic that has upended the industry.

Fun fact: Dai, a veteran food editor and reporter, hasn’t eaten a single avocado since she moved here from New York City a few weeks ago, and she’s very concerned about it.

Read a transcript of the conversation with Serena Dai, and send us your questions about food, life and everything you’re obsessed with at sfchronicle.com/spicy. | Unlimited Chronicle access: sfchronicle.com/pod

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With more than a dozen California wineries damaged and even more threatened by smoke tainted grapes, this season might prove to be calamitous for the wine industry. Chronicle wine critic Esther Mobley talks about the wineries impacted by fire, the economic toll of the one-two punch of the coronavirus pandemic and wildfires, and what the future of Wine Country might look like as climate change makes fires more frequent and more intense. Read a transcript of the full interview and send us your questions about food, life and everything you’re obsessed with at sfchronicle.com/spicy. | Unlimited Chronicle access: sfchronicle.com/pod

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Matt Horn, the pitmaster and proprietor behind Horn BBQ, talks about his journey from cooking in a backyard in Tracy and putting on a roaming Bay Area pop-up to opening a highly anticipated brick-and-mortar space in Oakland.

Horn’s Texas-style barbecue has become the stuff of legend, earning him regional and national acclaim, as well as a spot on this year’s Top 88, The Chronicle’s list of top Bay Area restaurants. Hosts Soleil Ho and Justin Phillips break down why Matt Horn's barbecue — from his tender smoked brisket to his extraordinary attention to detail — has always been worth the wait.

Read a transcript of the conversation with Matt Horn, and send us your questions about food, life and everything you’re obsessed with at sfchronicle.com/spicy. | Unlimited Chronicle access: sfchronicle.com/pod

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 As the coronavirus pandemic keeps stress levels elevated, Brenda Buenviaje, chef and owner of an eponymous restaurant mini-empire, shares her coping strategy: producing YouTube cooking videos with her son. Plus: Buenviaje discusses having a French Soul Food menu in the Bay Area, while Justin and Soleil explore the concept of comfort food.

Read a transcript of the full interview, and send us your questions about food, life and everything you’re obsessed with at sfchronicle.com/spicy. | Unlimited Chronicle access: sfchronicle.com/pod

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Palestinian chef Mona Leena Michael went from heading up Oakland’s Middle Eastern restaurant, Dyafa, to putting up a Mana’eesh pop-up once the coronavirus pandemic struck. Michael talks about how the Alameda County health department shut her operation down due to an anonymous complaint — even during a global health crisis that has rendered many food industry workers like her unemployable.

Plus: Michael shocks co-host Soleil Ho by saying that she’s “elevating” Palestinian cuisine.

Read a transcript of the conversation with Mona Leena Michael, and send us your questions about food, life and everything you’re obsessed with at sfchronicle.com/spicy. | Get full Chronicle access: sfchronicle.com/pod

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Baseball players are mostly steakhouse guys, but Mark Canha of the Oakland A's is a self-proclaimed food influencer.  Canha talks about his unlikely turn as a Bay Area food influencer and how he connects with his fans via his food-centric Instagram account, @BigLeaugeFoodie. Canha is rethinking the types of restaurants he eats from amid the coronavirus pandemic and talks about how food has kept him connected with his loved ones while living in isolation during the season. Plus: Canha gives listeners social media tips to get the most likes on Instagram posts.

Read a transcript of the conversation with Mark Canha, and send us your questions about food, life and everything you’re obsessed with at sfchronicle.com/spicy. | Get full Chronicle access: sfchronicle.com/pod

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