Finally a Feed Me party in SF.
Feed Me West Coast is back.
Welcome to the second edition of Feed Me West Coast.
For all of you who live in San Francisco or want to fly there next week, I’ll be throwing a party at Bar Part Time next Thursday, January 29th. There will be free drinks and merch. You can RSVP here. Thank you Notion for helping to make this happen.
Today’s letter includes: Mayor Daniel Lurie on housing and martinis, a conversation with the publisher of L.A. Taco, Jack Mankiewicz on the novelty buildings of Los Angeles, a newsletter about the powerful gay men in SF, a Jony Ive sighting at Cotogna, and a private chef job in Woodside that pays $200k.
I’ve been covering the revival of food media companies over the last few weeks on Feed Me, and I realized many of them are based in New York, and many of them are focused on the glossier, sexier parts of the industry.
For today’s West Coast edition of Feed Me, I spoke to Alex Blazedale, the publisher of L.A. Taco. The outlet has been busy reporting on topics many food publications shy away from: ICE raids, the plight of undocumented restaurant workers, and the structural realities underpinning Los Angeles’s food economy. We talked about the new food media boom, why independence matters, what’s lost when coverage avoids discomfort, and finding hope in Los Angeles.
There’s a new wave of new food media companies launching right now. How do you see that from where you sit? What do you think gets lost when food media moves away from reporting on labor, housing, policing, and local power?
“I’m loving the rise of new media startups, both in local and food media, and am a big believer in a bit of a correction from influencers to journalists. New media startups are able to metabolize the best things influencers do when it comes to food — enthusiasm, beautiful but real-looking media, and a strong personality behind the coverage — and marry that to actual journalistic standards.
People want the personality, excitement, passion, and slick editing of a content creator, but they also want critique and integrity. I’m excited for an era when journalists and experts can reach larger audiences and explore the food scene in fun, exciting ways.At the same time, I hope some of these startups realize that ignoring the broader issues in food makes them less relevant over time. We’ve been told many times, often by smart, savvy operators, to ‘stick to tacos,’ and, from a pure short-term economic perspective, we’d have more advertisers and partners if we ignored the social and political issues embedded in everything we consume. But where would that leave us at the end of the day? We’d like to build something that goes beyond great food and gives people more than they were expecting.”
I’ve been following all of your coverage of ICE and the restaurant industry over the last few months. Why do you think so few other food outlets have been covering this layer of the city the same way?
“It’s not just food outlets; we have seen relatively little coverage of one of the most impactful periods in our city’s recent history from many media outlets. A big reason is structural. Many food outlets depend on advertising and relationships with the industry, which makes this coverage uncomfortable at best. Reporting on ICE raids, labor issues, and undocumented workers risks alienating owners, sponsors, or even readers who’d rather not think about it while scrolling for dinner plans.
For us, it’s unavoidable. These stories were already circulating in kitchens, WhatsApp threads, Instagram group chats, and neighborhoods. Because we have deep relationships with chefs and cooks, it becomes clear very quickly that this isn’t a niche issue — it’s foundational to how Los Angeles functions right now and is affecting wide swaths of the city every day. Ignoring it would have felt dishonest.
Our structure matters here. We’re member-supported, we don’t answer to advertisers, and we don’t rely on restaurant access to have credibility or power in the industry.”
What has made you feel the most hopeful about Los Angeles over the last year?
“The way communities have come together has been inspiring; you can feel the deep desire of our city’s residents to have a better home. It was a brutal year, starting with the fires and ending with the ICE siege that caused so much pain and suffering to so many people, and shows no sign of slowing down. But there is hope.
Los Angeles went through an incredible period of growth from about 2006 to 2017. Long-term residents could be proud of the city as it became a global center of cuisine and culture, and while prices went up, it wasn’t out of control. Creative people could afford to live here, and the city felt safer, cleaner, and more livable. COVID hit L.A. hard, and it still hasn’t fully recovered, but we’re finally seeing signs of life returning, even as we are seeing our neighbors disappeared daily.What ultimately gave me the most hope was watching neighbors and friends band together to resist the ICE siege and defend Los Angeles against what felt like illogical and unjustifiable federal overreach. Seeing people still care deeply about this city, despite how hard it can be to live here, reminds me why L.A. is worth fighting for — and covering!”
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