&#8220;Takedowns&#8221; are a series of amateur chef competitions that take place all over the United States, with various foods as the centerpiece. The event is coming to Los Angels for the first time on January 31st at El Cid. Want to compete? Email matt@thetakedowns.com to get a slot. Here&#8217;s some more details: We&#8217;ll provide the…

Taco Take Down Los Angeles ~ Call For Cooks

align

caption

credit

creditUrl

originalHeight

originalWidth

srcset

height

width

core/image

core/paragraph

Janette Villafana is an award-winning bilingual multimedia journalist. Her heart lies in community-based reporting, and her work is highly centered on showcasing and uplifting community voices, with a significant focus on the Latino community. She developed her beat at L.A. TACO, covering street vending communities in Los Angeles. Past work has been featured on NBC, LAist, Latino Rebels, and more. She is currently featured at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History in Washington in an exhibit titled “¡De última hora! Latinas Report Breaking News.”

Janette Villafana

L.A. TACO STAFF

Cannabis flower products are lined up inside a glass case at Green Qween on Sunday, June 30, 2024. Every cannabis product in the store is open to public view, giving guests a sense of transparency that illegal cannabis dispensaries don't tend to offer.

Weed

The 4/20 Guide to Underground Parties and Events in L.A.

One of L.A. TACO&#8217;s co-founders, Hadley Tomicki is a writer and editor on food, travel, and culture whose work has appeared in the Los Angeles Times, New York Magazine, UrbanDaddy, High Times, and many other places.

Hadley Tomicki

How Photographer Alanna Airitam Got In With Black Outlaw Motorcycle Clubs For Her Show ‘Black Diamonds’ at La Luz De Jesus Gallery

Events

Join L.A. TACO At Homage Brewing, January 29!

a portrait of scientist Francois Tissot in his CalTech lab, next to some vials of liquid and science equipment

‘Lead Contamination: An Old Foe Rises from the Ashes of the Eaton Fire,’ Live With Francois Tissot At Caltech’s Earnest C. Watson Lecture Series

You Showed Up 5,000 Deep On For L.A. TACO’s First Event at The Broad

Nya Manneh is a 22-year-old Master&#8217;s student from Minnesota studying at the University of Southern California. She is passionate about writing stories that highlight underrepresented voices and meeting new people from all walks of life.

Nya Manneh

a crowd of people gather outside at nighttime

This DIY Underground Art Gallery Fights to Survive In a Changing Neighborhood

Explore

Footer - NEW

Legal Footer

Main - NEW

Mobile

Become a subscriber today to get unlimited access

Thanks for reading!

This is member's only content.

Members get unlimited access to all of our stories, along with incredible perks like free tacos, invites to our events, access to our mobile app, and much more!

Become a Member of L.A. TACO

Register to continue

Please register for L.A. TACO

L.A. TACO

Memo Torres is the Director of Engagement and multimedia journalist for the James Beard award-winning L.A. Taco. He is also the host of the Daily Memo and writes for Apple Maps’ ‘Where Memo Torres Eats in L.A.’ You can see him on Netflix&#8217;s Taco Chronicles and Pressure Cooker.  You can hear him on KCRW’s ‘Good Food’ occasionally. He was a finalist for the Ruben Salazar Award for Latino journalists and a former third-generation landscaper.

Memo Torres

Izzy Ramirez is a Los Angeles-based staff reporter with L.A. TACO, documenting immigration enforcement and state power as it unfolds on the ground. Their work centers real-time alerts and long-term public archiving throughout the Southern California region.

Izzy Ramirez

Erwin Recinos is a seasoned visual artist with an eye for capturing life as a working commuter aboard public transportation in and around Los Angeles. For 20 years now, Recinos has been documenting the urban landscape, street culture, and Hispanic communities of Los Angeles utilizing his daily routine and the city of Los Angeles as an inspiration. Recinos also works with popular food and event websites such as LATACO.com and Eater LA to capture the cuisine and culture that is so important to the city of Los Angeles and across Southern California.

Erwin Recinos

News

Daily Memo: At Least 15 Latinos Have Been Deported to the Congo As ICE Escalates In Southern California

Jared Cowan is a photographer who also writes and podcasts extensively about L.A. filming locations. He is the co-founder of My Valley Pass, through which he leads film tours of the San Fernando Valley and Pasadena. Jared is also the co-editor of the recent book &#8220;World Film Locations: Los Angeles Volume 2&#8221; and the editor of the upcoming &#8220;World Film Locations: Philadelphia.&#8221;

Jared Cowan

Film

The L.A. Locations Behind 10 Infamous Movie Death Scenes

Update: ICE Re-Detains Plaintiff Out On Bond in Landmark Case Challenging L.A. ICE Raids, Sends Him Back To Adelanto

Will Barboza is a writer from Los Angeles who specializes in covering fan communities and nerd culture. His articles have appeared in VICE, Playboy, IGN, and other online outlets where geek-centric stories are told.

Will Barboza

Sports

Four Shops Turning the San Fernando Valley Into America’s Trading Card Capital

Taco Madness

Semi-Final Round of TACO MADNESS Voting Is Now Open! Meet the ‘Final Cuatro’

Abraham Marquez is a freelance writer from Inglewood and a member of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ). He is a 2021 USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism Fellow. He writes about social movements, sports, politics, and immigration. Instagram: @abemarquez02

Taco Take Down Los Angeles ~ Call For Cooks

Stay in touch

More from L.A. TACO

Daily Memo: At Least 15 Latinos Have Been Deported to the Congo As ICE Escalates In Southern California

The L.A. Locations Behind 10 Infamous Movie Death Scenes

Update: ICE Re-Detains Plaintiff Out On Bond in Landmark Case Challenging L.A. ICE Raids, Sends Him Back To Adelanto

Four Shops Turning the San Fernando Valley Into America’s Trading Card Capital

Semi-Final Round of TACO MADNESS Voting Is Now Open! Meet the ‘Final Cuatro’

Controversial Israeli Chef Expands Miznon Across L.A.