Kelly Dobkin Is Taking Food Media Back to the Future | THE LA FOOD PODCAST INTERVIEWS

<p>Why do restaurants have lines before anyone’s tasted the food? When did restaurant merch become streetwear? And why does getting dinner sometimes feel like homework?</p><p>This week, Luca sits down with Kelly Dobkin, the food writer behind Of All Places and a former editor at Eater, Zagat, and Thrillist, to unpack the forces shaping LA restaurant culture. We get into Eater’s wild early days, the awkward relationship between food writers and chefs, and why Kelly is betting on Substack after years in traditional media.</p><p>Then, we talk restaurants becoming brands before they even open, the power of a really good sign, and the dining inconveniences Kelly would happily leave behind. Plus: millennial restaurant nostalgia, au poivre everything, toast-flavored ice cream, and the LA restaurants she’s loving right now.</p><p>Read and follow Kelly:<br>• <a href="https://ofallplacesla.substack.com/">Of All Places LA</a><br>• <a href="https://ofallplacesnyc.substack.com/">Of All Places NYC</a><br>• <a href="https://www.instagram.com/kellydobkin/">Kelly on Instagram</a></p><p>Stories discussed:<br>• <a href="https://ofallplacesla.substack.com/p/meet-the-designer-behind-some-of">Meet the Designer Behind Some of LA’s Coolest Cafe Branding, A-Frames, and Interiors</a><br>• <a href="https://ofallplacesla.substack.com/p/las-coolest-new-ice-cream-brand-is">LA’s Coolest New Ice Cream Brand Is Turning Toast, Burnt Rice, and Tomatoes Into Dessert</a></p><p></p>