Industry Only at The Cheese Store

Grammy-winning producer benny blanco drops by the Cheese Store to talk shop with Dom. They get into his early days bouncing between instruments (and cuisines), the thrill of landing hits for Britney and Katy while getting evicted, and how his real passion might actually be grocery shopping. There’s studio gossip, steak techniques, and a lot of opinions about soft cheese. Plus, benny shares his dea...

The guys are joined by two-time winner of Food Network's "Great Food Truck Race" Daniel Shemtob– chef, entrepreneur, founder of The Lime Truck and Snibbs footwear—for a sprawling conversation about resilience, hospitality, and making cool shit that actually helps people. We talk about losing everything in a wildfire, rebuilding with purpose, and the weird overlap between pasta shapes and slip-resi...

The Starchild hangs up his platform boots to talk meatballs. Paul Stanley drops by the Cheese Store for an unexpectedly moving conversation about the parallel crafts of rock and roll and cooking—both requiring that indefinable quality that can't be taught: genuine passion. Fresh off Kiss's final bow after 50 years, Stanley reflects on his second act as a home cook, and how that which start...

Dom and Andy dive into May madness—the whirlwind of food festivals, celebrity golf tournaments, and A-list events that somehow keep happening without them. They cover Antonia's Tournament of Champions win, the best lobster pasta on a Sardinian beach that requires police escort to access, and Dom's master plan to curate the next generation of rising chefs. Plus: summer travel intel from Positano to...

Chef Mei Lin drops by the Cheese Store for a conversation that spans from cutthroat cooking competitions to the delicate art of letting wontons speak for themselves.. The Top Chef winner and Daybird founder reflects on her evolution as a chef—from building intuitive muscle memory on shows like Tournament of Champions to finding a new groove with 88 Club, her elegant, straightforward Chinese restau...

New landlords can hike the rent, but they can’t kill an L.A. institution—at least not while Marc and Med are around. The duo behind Genghis Cohen (and Dom’s favorite restaurant La Dolce Vita) drop by to explain why they’re uprooting 42-year-old Chinese-American icon Genghis Cohen and hauling its fish-tank, neon, and NYC aura exactly 2 blocks south on Fairfax . Along the way we get a crash-course i...

Avish Naran, founder of L.A.'s cult-favorite Indian sports bar Pijja Palace, joins Industry Only at The Cheese Store for one episode in two locations. First, a live taping from Pijja Palace, the restaurant where it all began, followed by a basement hang in the tasting room of The Cheese Store, as is tradition. In part one, Avish talks about building a restaurant that seemed too weird to succee...

Dom and co. finally makes it to the San Gabriel Valley—for lobster, pork knuckle, and a good hang that included friend of the show Jay Seals, who joins the guys to debrief the chaotic journey to Henry’s Cuisine, break down their dream pop-ups, and trade East Coast food memories for new-school LA classics.

The one and only tattooed, Top Chef winning, Michelin-starred Chef Michael Voltaggio joins the guys in the Cheese Store basement to talk tequila, legacy, and the state of L.A. dining. They cover the creative stretch from Bazaar to the backyard taco crawl, what it means to stay curious after decades in the game, and why the next chapter of hospitality might look a lot like the first one. Also: the...

Back to the basement to wrap up the season with part two of our conversation with Wolfgang & Byron Puck on the past, present, and future of Wolfgang Puck. Wolfgang and Byron share their experiences "learning in the fire" of high-end kitchens (including Wolfgang's short-reign as The Omelette King), why hospitality is at the center of everything they do, and the amazing chefs that have contribut...

Surprise! Season Two's not done yet. Dom & Andy welcome Wolfgang & Byron Puck to the basement for the first of a two part conversation on the past, present, and future of Wolfgang Puck. We dive into the early days of Spago and its team of future Hall of Famers, how Wolfgang landed the Oscars party, and the staying power of truly good, classic dishes. Plus Byron reveals his early talent for...

Don't miss the season finale of the Industry Only at The Cheese Store with Dom and Andy! But don't go too far, we have something special up our sleeve for next week. In this week's episode, the pair take listeners through a culinary tour of Los Angeles, naming their favorite new restaurants and where Dom recommends going for top-tier VIP service. Plus discover LA local's treasured spots through Do...

Dom & Andy sit down with acclaimed restaurateur Marissa Hermer (Olivetta, The Draycott) to celebrate the opening of Chez Mia, Marissa's new West Hollywood restaurant. They talk about the importance of having a neighborhood spot, the similarities between California and the South of France, Marissa's colorful design philosophy, and why describing a caviar dish as a "French Kiss" might be a bad i...

Dom and Andy are joined by someone who actually knows how to do podcasts, Darin Bresnitz of the Snacky Tunes podcast. They discuss what they've learned in the trenches of the LA restaurant scene, including the best neighborhood spots, celebrity haunts, and the "boom and bust" of the media cycle (which, as it turns out, is not just limited to restaurants - sorry, Leo). Plus, Darin offers his perspe...

Dom and Andy sit down with Bricia Lopez, one of the driving forces behind L.A.‘s iconic Oaxacan restaurant, Guelaguetza for a conversation about how Mexican culture shapes and leads L.A.‘s identity– from groundbreaking cuisine and mezcal culture to music, fashion, and sports. Learn how Bricia has transformed traditional Mexican cuisine and culture into thriving L.A. parties, what Las Vegas means t...

In honor of the World Series, Dom & Andy pit the NYC and LA culinary scenes against each other. The guys answer some important questions, like is Pink's better than Gray's Papaya's? Does New York have better Sichuan food than LA? And will Dom survive wearing a Yankees hoodie in Beverly Hills? Plus we recap recent trips to Chicago, Mexico, and Vegas and all the best food along the way. 

Dom & Andy sit down for an illuminating conversation with one of LA's most insightful culinary figures– Rob Gentile, the acclaimed chef behind Stella in West Hollywood. Rob shares his journey from growing up in a traditional Italian immigrant household in Toronto to becoming a culinary sensation in Los Angeles. With a deep love for authentic Italian ingredients and regional dishes, Rob breaks down...

We’ve got something a little different today as Dom and Andy welcome writer, comedian, and podcaster Soren Bowie, known for his work on American Dad, Cracked, and his podcast Quick Question with Soren & Dan. The guys discuss the art of a good sandwich, Soren’s worst culinary habits, and why you should embrace turkey in everything. Plus, Soren shares insights into the world of TV writers’ rooms...

Dom and Andy sit down with luxury event caterer and Bites & Bashes founder Crystal Coser to pull back the curtain on the high-stakes world of VIP catering. They dive into how Crystal’s Korean heritage shapes her menus, the art of impressing Rihanna at a Super Bowl party, and what to do when the 200-cap event you’re catering suddenly includes 2,000 hungry festival-goers. Follow Crystal on IG: w...

The one-of-a-kind Jerry Greenberg, restaurateur & co-founder of SUGARFISH, Nozawa Bar, and KazuNori joins the guys to talk about why Matū’s new Lock, Stock, & Barrel menu is a lot like eating with Jerry himself, what a 27-restaurant tour through Argentina taught him about cooking steak, and why Jerry always waits in line at his own restaurants, even with a hurt achilles. Check out Matu on...

In the Season Two debut of Industry Only at the Cheese Store, hosts Dominick DiBartolomeo and Andy Wang sit down with Chef Michael Cimarusti of Providence, LA’s two-Michelin-starred institution. The guys talk with Michael about evolving as a chef, the importance of sourcing high-quality sustainable ingredients, and the big plans he has for celebrating 20 years of Providence in 2025. You can find m...

Dom & Andy have a conversation about how Dom sources new products for The Cheese Store overseas, what it's been like working with the incredible team at Leopardo, and what restaurants in town they're loving or excited to see open. Plus Andy recounts the time Los Angeles turned on Bobby Flay and Dom has controversial opinions about the city's geography. We're going on hiatus for...

Dom & Andy sit down with the exceptionally talented Sean Macdonald to talk about his restaurant design philosophy, making elevated food in small kitchens, and how a Canadian came to LA and opened two of the hottest restaurants in the city one after the other. Reach out to us via email at industryonlyatthecheesestore@gmail.com. We'd love to hear from you. Find Sean: www.instagram.com/seanym...

Dom & Andy react to a headline about the quality of pizza in Los Angeles and dive in to the origin of how the right mix of slightly insane chefs, some good old fashioned competition, and a "no business" philosophy helped Andy's Industry Only parties become one of the best hangs in the city.

Dom & Andy sit down with Adrienne Borlongan, founder of Wanderlust Creamery and author of The World of Ice Cream, to talk about ice cream as a cultural touchstone, how mixology was a perfect stepping stone to Wanderlust, and what lessons she learned from the viral success of Wanderlust's White Rabbit experiment. Get The World of Ice Cream and find out more about Wanderlust at https://www.w...