Vespertine vs. Providence. NYT’s Chez Panisse Backlash. And Jacaranda’s Daniel Patterson & Sarah Lewitinn on Betting Big on Fine Dining.

<p>This week on The LA Food Podcast, we finally tackle one of the biggest destinations in Los Angeles dining: <strong>Vespertine &amp; Providence.</strong> </p><p>After revisiting Jordan Kahn&#39;s boundary-pushing tasting menu and making our long-awaited first trip to Michael Cimarusti&#39;s three-Michelin-star seafood temple, we compare every course, every experience, and ask whether Michelin got the rankings right. We also rank the Southern California Michelin restaurants we&#39;ve visited so far and debate which are truly worth the pilgrimage.</p><p>Then it&#39;s Chef&#39;s Kiss / Big Miss, where we unpack <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/21/dining/restaurant-review-chez-panisse.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer">the New York Times&#39; controversial <strong>Chez Panisse</strong> review</a>, <a href="https://www.weareravenous.com/restaurant-experiences-tableside/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer">whether restaurants have become too obsessed with spectacle over hospitality</a>, <a href="https://lamaterial.com/p/luxury-ice-imported-japan-la" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer">LA&#39;s bizarre luxury ice trend</a>, why <a href="https://www.eater.com/trends/975087/restaurants-lean-into-bespoke-handmade-elements-during-ai-flyer-backlash" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer">handcrafted restaurant marketing is making a comeback in the AI era</a>, and Taco Bell&#39;s attempt to survive the &quot;Diarrhea Lettuce Summer.&quot;</p><p>Finally, Luca sits down with <strong>Daniel Patterson</strong> and <strong>Sarah Lewitinn </strong>of <a href="https://jacaranda.la/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer"><strong>Jacaranda</strong></a>, one of LA&#39;s most exciting new restaurants, to discuss turning an intimate supper club into one of the city&#39;s hottest reservations, why they&#39;re betting on ambitious fine dining in 2026, hospitality without pretension, and what modern restaurants can learn from both the music industry and Michelin-starred dining.</p><p></p>