How Coachella Changed the Way Music Festivals Think About Food

Food talk

Nic Adler is the culinary director of Goldenvoice, the leading festival name behind weekend parties like Coachella and Pasadena’s incoming Arroyo Seco Weekend. That also means he’s been massively important in changing the dining landscape at this weekend’s hottest ticket, taking it from a desert wasteland of carnival fare and occasional hidden gems to a popular destination for discovering all sorts of new culinary talent. According to some, the food lineups are half the reason to go to Coachella these days — and that’s by design.

Adler sat down with the Snacky Tunes podcast to talk about how Coachella has changed the food model, and the ways in which other festivals around the country are following suit. Food is a big, important part of the cultural landscape (and many folks talk about restaurants the way they used to talk about bands), he argues, making the impressive lineup of returning names, new concepts, and roving multi-course dinners an essential part of the experience. Now’s the time to put it all together for thousands and thousands of fans.

Eagle Rock’s latest

It’s almost time (already) for Eagle Rock to enjoy Mia Sofia’s, the casual Italian newcomer by way of the folks behind Blair’s in Silver Lake. As you can see from their Instagram page and the below image, the room is closing to being finished, and word is the restaurant could be as close as a month out.

Posto Giusto

Anthony Bourdain talks eats at ... Trejo’s?

According to CNN, the latest season of Parts Unknown, Anthony Bourdain’s award-winning food and travel show, will debut on April 30. The ninth season lands first in Los Angeles, with CNN teasing that Bourdain will dine at Broken Spanish, Gish Bac, and, somehow, Trejo’s Tacos with Danny Trejo himself.

Food, identity, and media talks

The Chinese American Museum and AAJA are putting on a conversation with chefs Diep Tran, Ria Dolly Barbosa, Roy Choi, and Johnny Lee, alongside journalists like Amy Scattergood and Tien Nguyen. The plan is for the April 24 party at Pico House to not only feature conversations about covering identity and culture in the food media landscape, but will also feature some awesome food from the chefs in question. Tickets are $15.

More Angel Stadium drinking

There are some prime new players at Angel Stadium this season, including a craft beer bar from the Ballast Point team and another by way of St. Archer. Man, Anaheim is really doubling down on all their craft beer news lately.

Randy’s comes together

Signage is up for Randy’s Donuts at the Westfield Century City says a tipster, who sends in the below. The image keeps the basic classic look, but it’s unclear so far where they’re going to end up putting big brown doughnut you can see from your inbound LAX plane.