Dine & Grind Podcast

In this episode of  Dine & Grind , Daniel Shemtob sits down with Francesco Bacco, founder of Pizza Fling . Francesco shares how setbacks became fuel, from losing his dream of becoming a professional basketball player due to injury, to moving to Los Angeles without speaking English, to losing work during the pandemic and the Palisades fire. Each challenge ultimately pushed him to take a leap an...

Alex Canter , fourth-generation member of the family behind the legendary Canter's Deli , joins Daniel on Dine & Grind for a candid conversation about legacy, reinvention, and what it takes to keep an iconic institution alive. Alex opens up about growing up inside the business, the realities of running Canter's and how to honor tradition while also building something sustainable for the future...

In this episode of Dine & Grind , four-time James Beard Award winner and host of Bizarre Foods , Andrew Zimmern , sits down with Daniel to share the raw, untold story behind his rise. He opens up about his struggle with severe addiction and homelessness, and how he rebuilt his life from rock bottom to become the food icon he is today. In this episode, Andrew reflects on the moment everything c...

In this episode of Dine & Grind , Daniel sits down with Don Fox , the CEO who helped transform Firehouse Subs from a small 65-store regional brand into a powerhouse with more than 1,200 locations nationwide.  Don shares the unlikely story of how he entered the restaurant world, the moment he realized Firehouse had something truly special, and the leadership lessons that shaped the brand's expl...

In this episode, host Daniel Shemtob sits down with the multitalented Aisha Tyler —comedian, actor, director, and founder of an award-winning ready-to-drink cocktail brand Losophe . Aisha shares how she went from working as a teenage dishwasher and bartender to becoming a Hollywood powerhouse and innovator in the craft cocktail and spirits industry. She opens up about the relentless drive, creativ...

Welcome to Dine & Grind —the podcast where culinary creativity meets real-world entrepreneurship. In this episode, host Daniel Shemtob sits down with trailblazing chef and innovator Chris Sayegh , the visionary behind The Herbal Chef and one of the earliest pioneers of plant-medicine-infused fine dining. Sayegh shares how he fused Michelin-level techniques with cannabis and other plant medicin...

In this episode of Dine & Grind , host Daniel Shemtob chats with Chef Rashida Holmes —the force behind Bridgetown Roti and a three-time James Beard Award nominee—about carving her own lane in the culinary world. From her Brooklyn-and-Barbados roots to building one of LA’s most celebrated Caribbean food brands, Rashida opens up about resilience, identity, and community. She shares how family fl...

In this high-energy episode of Daniel Shemtob sits down with powerhouse entrepreneur Ellen Bennett — founder of the iconic apron and kitchen gear brand Hedley & Bennett , author, TV personality, and all-around culinary industry game-changer. Ellen shares her incredible journey from her early days as a line cook in Los Angeles to building one of the most recognizable culinary lifestyle brands i...

He went from sleeping in a warehouse to winning Top Chef and now he’s running some of LA’s hottest restaurants. In this episode of Dine & Grind, Daniel sits down with Chef Charbel Hayek , founder of Ladyhawk and Laya, to talk about his journey from Beirut, Paris to LA. Charbel opens up about the hustle behind his success and the mindset that helped him won Top Chef and achieve success in the r...

In the second episode of Dine & Grind, we sit down with Ike Shehadeh, founder of Ike’s Love & Sandwiches, to unpack the wild journey behind one of America’s most creative sandwich empires. From turning leftovers into legendary sandwiches, Ike shares how following your passion and selling only what you love, can build a brand that lasts decades. 0:00 Daniel's first time Meeting Ike 3:00 Tur...

Chef Nancy Silverton joins Dine and Grind to talk openings, closures, creative grit, the MozzaPlex in LA, and why her closet and personal style mirrors her kitchen.