Here in Los Angeles there is a valued relationship between the food on our plates and the ground from which it comes. From weekly stops at favorite farmers' markets to digging in at a local community garden, the bounty of the land and its role in our eating lives has a profound meaning for many Angelenos, and Americans. Local Chefs are eager to share how they use the market to influence their menu, like Grace and BLD's Neal Fraser and Ford Filling Station's Ben Ford, while some, like Border Grill and Ciudad's Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger have partnered with the LAUSD to help reinforce the importance of garden-based learning and to be conscious of what we eat. The politics of eating has become a local focal point, thanks to Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's championing a Food Policy Task Force this summer as we celebrated 30 years of farmers' markets in L.A. more ›

LAist looks back fondly on that sleepy morning a few years back when we reluctantly rolled out of bed and sat down to a breakfast made for us by celebrated chef Emeril Lagasse. Lagasse was the perfect gentleman, making us two different dishes so we could have our choice of flavors, and he did his trademark "Bam!" spicing right before our very eyes. But, before we could eat, the press was right there in our face, asking us prying questions. They even shoved a microphone in our face as we took our first bite, and let out a muffled "mmm!" of approval. Ah, what a day! more ›