If we could design an ideal show on the vitality of L.A.'s food scene, it would be a little like our website.
It may feature gratuitous shots of Evil Cooks chef Alex Garcia setting a giant trompo of octopi arms on fire with a flamethrower of Ramstein-ian proportions. It would involve Estrano chef Diego Argoti in stunner shades and a Cheech and Chong shirt, talking about his penchant for making noise. It would definitely have Nigerian chef Tolu ‘Eros’ Erogbogbo giving a cryptic welcome and not be afraid of throwing a Zapotec abuela who has come from Mercado Tlacolula to a Mid-City backyard into the whole punky, funky estofado.
In other words, it would look a lot like Rebel Kitchens Southern California, the new documentary food series produced by PBS SoCal and Life & Thyme.
Its stated mission, according to a press release, is to "document global food culture, follows the chefs, cooks and entrepreneurs who are revolutionizing what it means to run a restaurant... innovators experimenting with new culinary experiences from food pop-ups to backyard dining halls."
In other words, the kinds of places we love in and around L.A. There will be five episodes, which will stream for free in an early special release this Thursday, August 22 on PBS SoCal and its app. New episodes will drop every Thursday on PBS SoCal's YouTube channel. The episodes begin broadcasting on television starting Sept. 24.
Each episode will focus on a different chef, including Ile Bistro's Erogbogbo, Korean chef Jihee Kim of Chinatown's modern Korean concept Perilla, metal stalwarts Alex and Elvia Garcia of Evil Cooks, Estraño's Argoti, and the aforementioned backyard Oaxacan chef, Doña Tenchita. It's like the pages of L.A. TACO come to life. Kinda. Sorta.
Anyway, take a look at the trailer and tune in if you like what you see!
