Food and Loathing | Covering the Las Vegas Food Scene

Meet the future of Las Vegas food journalism, as we interview 11-year-old food writer Kingstyn Majors, and get his take on the profession and the local restaurant scene. Trust us, this kid is amazing!  Other interviews this week include Chef Adam Rios of Al Solito Posto, Sparrow + Wolf's Brain Howard (discussing the upcoming Fauna collaboration), Bryan Bass of Bottled Blonde, Durango Social Club's...

Fresh from the drama surrounding the closings of Table 34 and Bramare, Chef Joe Valdez has taken over the kitchen at Basilico, the modern, elegant Italian restaurant in the Evora Apartment complex on S. Buffalo, between Sunset & Russell. Joe explains what he's kept and what he's changed since assuming the Executive Chef role. Also: news of a big James Trees birthday event, Big B's Barbecue's West...

Matt Meyer, the chef who knows all about dry-aging, sits down with Al for the centerpiece interview this week. Al also talks with Christina Ngyuen about the decision to close her pioneering Chinatown restaurant District 1. Gemini talks collaboration dinners with Bruce Kalman as he participated in just such an event in Oklahoma City. No Butcher and Sparrow + Wolf are in the news, and Al shares his...

Al, Gem and Rich sit down in the gorgous Bourbon Steak dining room at the Four Seasons for a conversation with executive chef Josh Smith and his upcoming guest collaborator James Trees. He's the first guest chef for what will be a series of collaborative dinners called "Chef's Corner." That first one is set for July 10. Also in this episode, restaurant visits to Ai Pazz (the new Italian place at t...

Al, Gemini and Rich feast on the food and hospitality provided by Todd Clore, the chef/owner of Henderson mainstay Todd's Uniquie Dining. Todd shares why he left The Strip to open one of the suburbs' first fine dining destinations more than 20 years ago. Also: STK's Stephen Hopcraft unveils new menu items, Lotus of Siam's Penny Chutima talks about her mother's James Beard Award from years ago, and...

The home of over-the-top burgers and "Bam-Boozled" milkshakes, about one year after closing its spot in the Cosmopolitan, is back in business in the Arts District. Billy Richardson, CEO of parent company Gen3 Hospitality, grabs a seat in the corner booth to share the Holsteins story with Al, Rich and guest co-host Bob Barnes. Bob also offers up a beer report -- because that's his claim to fame. Ge...

Superstar chef and humanitarian Jose Andres has opened another Las Vegas restaurant, and Al gets the lowdown from CEO Sam Bakhshandehpour on the pan-Mediterranean menu at Zaytinya. Natalie Young is also here, talking about her new Arts District place, Echo Taste & Sound. The big interview is with Ethan Spiezer at the new outpost of Solamete Pizza on West Sahara. Also: The Happy Hour Report looks a...

A classic upscale steakhouse right across from The Aztec on Las Vegas Boulevard? There is a method to that apparant madness, and Mae Daly's owner Richard Femenella explains it to Al, Gemini and Rich. Executive Chef Tomas Espino also joins the conversation, and brings a fantastic sample of Mae Daly's fantastic cuisine. Also: another wine dinner at Joe's, Chef Leticia Mitchell is bringing Leticia's...

The full team is together again, with Gemini Zooming in to Al and Rich from Oklahoma City. Also on the show: From the Arts District, we have Chef Bruce Kalman at Soulbelly and Gen 3 Hospitality's Stacia Stephens at Holsteins. Chef Steven Piamchunter tells us about the food at the new Thai spot Blue Orchid. Football legend Emmitt Smith talks butter cake. Boulder Station's Lakeita Ahern talks about...

Diane Mina, the founder of Diane's Bloody Mary, is hosting a Bloody Mary brunch this weekend at her husband Michael Mina's Aria restaurant, Bardot Brasserie. She talks to Al about convincing Michael to invest in her mix. Also: Chris Clifford talks about his efforts to bring a new, restaurant-heavy development to Henderson, and the challenges he's facing from both the city and a few of his neighbor...

Rang's Concina Moderne is a small place in a strip mall on West Charleston near Jones. And it serves up Italian and Spanish dishes, but with an Asian flare courtesy of its namesake, Chef Rang Tan. Al, Rich and Rob Kachelriess sit down with Rang in the restaurant, enjoy some of her signature dishes, and get the story on the place she and her husband opened last year. Also: Restaurant reports on Pis...

This week's episode was recorded at The Legends Oyster Bar, which recently celebrated its 5 th anniversary. Rich and Al have a nice long chat with founder/chef Jack Jarukasem, and devour several items from the menu. The guys share their recent experiences at William B's Steakhouse, Coco Donuts, Sorellina, Doberman Drawing Room, La Mona Rosa, Tony Luke's and The Empire Strips Back, as they try to h...

Al and Rich throw out the format for this episode, which they recorded at Vegas Unstripped at The Palms. Basically, they just walk around the big event and talk to the best chefs in Las Vegas. We begin with a bit of news and the latest Happy Hour Report. And then it's walking and talking!

This episode focuses on two programs that give back to the community, and check in with a couple of celebrity chefs. The entire episode was recorded at the brand-new Blooming Bistro, where young people in recovery are training for careers in and around the hospitality industry. Later, we speak to Monica Garcia about the Love Yourself Foundation's upcoming event at the Beverly Theater, focusing on...

It's the premier of a new feature on the podcast: the Food and Loathing Happy Hour report, thanks to our new collaboration with the site Happy Hour Vegas run by Andrew Morgan. Each week, Andrew and Al take a few minutes to run down a few of the valley's best happy hours. Like Neon Feast, they're organized by category. To kick off the new feature: Steakhouse happy hours. Also, Al talks to Metro Piz...

Al and Gemini take the podcast sky-high this week, recording at the Chef's Table in Rivea by Alain Ducasse, which is located at the top of the W hotel.  They're there to speak to MGM resorts International's Chef Justin Fredericksen about the entire MGM culinary team being honored at the upcoming Chefs For Kids gala. But while they were in the restaurant, they chatted with Rivea GM Mark Thomas, and...

Rich is in Europe. Gemini is in Oklahoma. Al is in Vegas. And they have a BIG show that's jam packed with interviews.  Don't believe us?  How about these names: DW Bistro's Bryce Krausman; Elizabeth Blau, Nina Manchev and Lorena Garcia at the Women's Hospitality Institute's Leadership conference at Wynn Las Vegas; Alessandro Capuano and Morgan Basile talking about Bottiglia's Brunch Club; Mariena...

Al and Gemini recorded this week's show at P.O.P.S. Philly Steak, and talked with second-generation owner Christina Walton. But she's not the only guest. You'll also hear from Stubborn Seed's Jeremy Ford, pizza makers Sam Faccini and Tony Gemignani, Slice Out Hunger's Scott Wiener, Prime Steak's Sean Griffin and a Clark County rep telling us about the Tacos and Tamales festival. All that, plus new...

Al and Rich steer the ship this week, for an episode that revolves around an interview with Chef Noe Alcala of the brand new Lucia Mexican Grill in Virgin Las Vegas. We also have interviews with Circa's Valari Esposito, Josh Dunson of Ocean Prime, Forte's Nina Manchev and Brandon Clark of Stew's Sticks. There's also lots of news, and dining reports from Nanny's Café, NASCAR, Snooz, Ada's, Ocean Pr...

On this week's episode, Al pays a visit to Bourbon Steak's new executive chef, Josh Smith, to find out what he has in mind for the Michael Mina steakhouse at the Four Seasons Hotel. We also chat with Clique's Mustafa Abdi about the beginning of pool season at the Durango resort, catch up with All'Antico Vinaio founder Tommas Mazzante to discuss their current and future Vegas locations, and talk Ve...

Al and Rich are again on location -- this time at the luxurious private dining room at Tamba, the new upscale Indian/Asian restaurant at Town Square. General Manager Oliver Morowati shares some cutting-edge appetizers and how the place, under the care of Michelin-recognized Chef Anand Singh, focuses on live-fire cooking four ways: the Josper charcoal oven, the tandoor, the mangal grill and the Chi...

This week's episode was recorded at Winnie & Ethel's Downtown Diner, and includes a nice long interview with the proprietors, Mallory Gott and Aaron Lee. Other interviews this week include Keri Kelli and Chef Krystal Meza of Evolve Brewing by Aces and Ales, Ken Heck sharing details of Hot Noods in The El Cortez, Aroma Latin American Cocina's Steve Kestler talking about his upcoming collaborative d...

Meet Ellie Parker, the new executive chef at Main St. Provisions in The Arts District. Al paid her a visit this week, and you'll hear that extended interview at the center of this week's episode. You'll also hear from Mimmo Ferraro about the new Happy Hour and pre-theater menu at Ferraro's, and learn about the next Ferraro's wine dinner. And we have restaurant reports from Ciao Vino, Nora's, Windy...

Al's back, but it's James Beard semi-finalist DJ Flores who's front and center this week, along with his Director of Bar Lou Lopez. They tell Gemini all about their plans for a pair of projects in The Arts District. Other interviews this week include Bryce Krausman, who shares details about the final party at DW Bistro, as well as Steve Jerome and Alexandra Lourdes talking about their new Italian...

It's just Gemini and Rich this week, as Al got sick, got better, then lost his voice just in time for the show. But he did have a nice conversation with Sylvia Welsh of The Composer's Room on E. Sahara. That includes a detailed explantion of just what The Composer's room is. Also: the man synonamous with competitive eating, Joey Chestnut, came to Las Vegas and won another crown: his second victory...