Gab Chabrán
covers what's happening in food and culture for LAist.
Published December 24, 2025 5:00 AM
Roy Choi at LAist's Cookbook Live event
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Topline:
Roy Choi sat down at an LAist Cookbook LIVE event to discuss his first cookbook in over a decade, The Choi of Cooking.
What he had to say: The James Beard winner opened up about his unconventional path into cooking, how a drunk night led to Kogi BBQ, and why restaurant pricing has become a barrier to food access and cultural exposure.
Why this matters: Choi remains one of L.A.'s most influential culinary voices, and his critique of chef culture and restaurant pricing runs counter to industry norms. In a city grappling with the cost of living and food insecurity, his call for "$42 pasta" to come down isn't just provocative — it's a challenge to the industry's definition of value and its service to its communities.
Cookbooks have always meant more to me than a list of recipes — they're storytelling objects. They carry memory, culture, voice, and visuals and they help us create memorable moments with the people we love.
That's the spirit behind Cookbook LIVE, an LAist live event series co-produced with the James Beard Foundation, that I've had the joy of hosting. Over three evenings, we brought together top cookbook authors and food-lover audiences for nights of culinary connection and exploration.
To close out the series, I sat down with James Beard Award winner and L.A. icon Roy Choi in November. His newest book, The Choi of Cooking — his first in over a decade — reimagines some of his go-to dishes with a lighter, more veg-forward twist. It's a book that reflects where he is now: still rooted in the flavors that made him a chef, but thinking about how we eat for the long haul.
During our conversation, Roy walked us through some of his favorite recipes and opened up about the journey that shaped him: growing up in kitchens filled with his mother’s "future food”, finding cooking later in life, surviving New York's toughest restaurants, and building Kogi into something cosmic and communal. It was an evening full of honesty, laughter, and real talk about food justice, access, and the myths we still cling to about chefs.
Below, I've pulled together a handful moments in the conversation have stuck with me — moments that resonated long after we left the stage.
Roy Choi in his own words
On his journey into cooking
Chef Roy Choi and LAist's Gab Chabrán discuss "The Choi of Cooking" before a sold-out crowd at Cookbook LIVE
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"The beginning of my chef career — entering the hardest kitchens before I even knew how to cook.
I found cooking a little bit later in life, in my mid-20s. A lot of cooks get into the kitchen very young. I grew up in a restaurant, but I wasn't really focused on being a cook. I was just in the restaurant as a restaurant kid.
I didn't really get into it until my late 20s, and so I felt like I had to make up time before I even knew how to cook, I was going to jump into the hardest top kitchens in the world and just figure it out on the fly.
Those kitchens were in New York City .... in 1997, I worked in the number one, number two and number three kitchen in New York City. Four stars on all restaurants. And I was not ready for that at all.
By the time I was done with those kitchens, I was just at a point where I should have been when I entered. But it built my palate, it built my work ethic, my technical skills and my sensory aptitude of everything."
On growing up in his parent's kitchen and "future cooking"
"My mom cooks for like 300 people and there are three of us in the room. She doesn't know how to alter the recipe . . . the recipe's built for 50 pounds of chicken. So she's still doing it to this day.
I grew up always in a house that smelled like cooking all the time. There was always food on the stove or on the table or in the laundry room. But that food wasn't for eating, it was for the future.
My mom was a futurist. Everything she was cooking was for the future, and what I was eating in the moment was from the past.
It never stopped. It was relentless — almost like maintaining a sourdough starter or working a 24-hour shift . . . soy sauce steeping, kimchi fermenting, garlic being roasted. On another level when you're 16, 17 and you bring friends over — you gotta explain it.
With a beef bone broth soup . . . it takes three days to cook that soup. You have to decide on Thursday that you're going to eat it on Sunday. You have to think of the soup today."
On starting Kogi and what it unlocked
Roy Choi, left, hands out food from his Kogi BBQ truck in Maywood in January 2024.
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Allen J. Schaben
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Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
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"We started from a drunk night. It was a drunk night eating tacos in Koreatown, and my partner said, 'What if we put Korean barbecue in this? It'd be delicious.' And that's how it started."
When we started Kogi, when we were out on the streets, it was all of the ladies of the lot. That's why my name is Papi Chulo. All the tías embraced me . . . Kogi wouldn't exist if we didn't get the pass from the tías.
To me, Kogi is very cosmic. It never gets old. We've been around 17 years now . . . In 17 years, it's never felt like it needed to change. There are not many foods that live within this lexicon of timelessness . . . I've been very fortunate to crack the code on one of them."
On food justice and the reality of price
The chef's new book "The Choi of Cooking"
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"We still have to figure out why so much food goes to waste and why so many people are hungry . . . we have to move the priority of that dilemma upwards... build, like, a TikTok eating culture around the disparity in food justice.
I would like food to be a lot more affordable. The chef world is getting out of control. $42 for a pasta is ridiculous; a pasta without lobster shouldn't be $42 just 'cause it was handmade.
Price is the number one coded message within the disparity within food. It's the hidden thing. It's the secret message, the secret handshake and the dirty secret that no one wants to talk about. If you charge $42 for that pasta, it's going to just automatically exclude a whole sector of society and close the door on anyone being able to affect change in the future because they'll never be exposed to it."
On the fallacy of the restaurant chef
"A myth about being a chef or a restaurateur . . . that we got our shit together is a big fallacy.
You guys write about [chefs] like they're gods . . . like they're elves . . . the word 'genius' is thrown around a lot around chefs. That's so untrue, man. Chefs are hardworking people. A lot of chefs that you think have everything put together are literally figuring it out as you see them.
I don't believe that we're perfect, that we're geniuses and that we're gods and otherworldly. It's a job and a profession that requires you to get down on your knees, on your elbows, fingers in the dirt and really cook. You're more a sailor than you are a god or an elf."
Post-fire donations include items made 'with love'
Makenna Sievertson
covers the daily drumbeat of Southern California — events, processes and nuances making it a unique place to call home.
Published February 4, 2026 2:17 PM
Cantor Ruth Berman Harris said she's planning on keeping the challah cover for communal celebrations and holidays.
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Topline:
The Pasadena Jewish Temple and Center burned down in last year's Eaton Fire, taking with it nearly all of the special and ceremonial items housed inside. Since then, many supporters have donated items large and small, including prayer books, clothes and candlesticks.
Among the donations is a hand-woven challah cover that serves not only as a symbol of faith, but — in this case — evidence of recovery.
Why it matters: Cantor Ruth Berman Harris told LAist the challah cover, made and donated by Karen Fink of Van Nuys, will be used for communal celebrations and holidays to give it an extra layer of “kavod” — of holiness. Challah covers are a traditional sight on a table prepared for a Shabbat meal, where both the bread and a cup of wine are blessed before eating.
The gift: Fink said her weaving guild was already making items for survivors of the L.A.-area fires. When someone suggested she make a challah cover, she got to work.
“I just always like to think about who it's going towards, what it's going to be used for, that it should be used well and loved,” she said.
Despite best efforts, the campus and nearly everything in it was destroyed.
“I had a colleague calling me and asking me what I needed, and I wasn't able to say,” Berman Harris, one of the spiritual leaders of the synagogue, told LAist. “I don't think I was able to say what I needed for about a year.”
In the months that followed the fire, people from around the world stepped up to replace what was lost, including prayer books, clothes and candlesticks. Several donated challah covers, a decorative cloth that’s placed over the braided bread before being blessed and eaten on Shabbat.
A parking sign at the Pasadena Jewish Temple and Center after the Eaton Fire.
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And while much of the community’s focus is directed toward larger items that need to be replaced — the buildings included — smaller, ceremonial items can make a big difference, too.
Karen Fink, a Van Nuys resident, donated a hand-woven challah cover that she made for the temple. Her weaving guild was already making dish towels for L.A. fire survivors.
“You've got so many things that need to be done and replaced,” Fink said.
“I just always like to think about who it's going towards, what it's going to be used for, that it should be used well and loved,” she continued.
‘Love through the threads’
On Jan. 7, 2025, as the flames closed in on the Pasadena Jewish Temple and Center, Berman Harris rushed through smoke and falling embers to rescue all 13 sacred Torah scrolls, pieces of parchment with Hebrew text used at services, including weekly on Shabbat.
Berman Harris now works out of an office building in Pasadena, a few miles away from where the center stood.
More than 400 families gathered to worship at the temple before the fire. About 30 families lost their homes, and 40 others were displaced, she said. The congregation has been gathering at the First United Methodist Church in Pasadena.
The Pasadena Jewish Temple and Center, which burned during the Eaton Fire, in January 2025 (top) and in January 2026 (bottom).
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“The silver lining of when you go through a traumatic loss is that you don't realize A, how strong you are and B, how not alone you are,” said Berman Harris, who has been a part of the congregation for 14 years.
She said the temple has received many gifts to help them rebuild, but Fink’s challah cover will be used for communal celebrations and holidays to give it an extra layer of “kavod” — of holiness.
Challah covers, usually embroidered with Hebrew words and symbols, are a traditional sight on a table prepared for a Shabbat meal, where both the bread and a cup of wine are blessed before eating. The decorative cover is a symbolic way of honoring the bread, while the wine is being blessed first.
“Because you say the blessing over the bread last,” Fink told LAist. “It gets to have this lovely cover so it doesn't get embarrassed.”
Fink said she used one of her more intricate patterns, featuring white and blue threads in a repeating pattern of the Star of David.
The challah cover woven by Karen Fink when it was fresh off the loom.
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She said it took a couple of hours to wind the thread, about a day to get the project set up on her small loom and another three days to get through the top six rows of stars.
Once the challah cover was complete, it took a few months to get it to Berman Harris, but Fink said she wanted to help in a way that felt more personal than mailing a check.
“They were able to get their Torah scrolls out,” Fink said. “But all the other things that maybe aren't required, but are helpful in enhancing the spirit of Shabbat, the spirit of a synagogue, you know, that was all lost.”
Starting to settle
Berman Harris said the donations have not only helped rebuild their ritual spaces, they were gifted “with love.”
“They're not things you buy on Amazon,” she said. “These are things that you cherish because you can feel the love through the threads.”
Cantor Ruth Berman Harris showing off the handmade challah cover Karen Fink weaved for the congregation.
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The synagogue has received other challah covers that they’ve distributed to families in the congregation.
On the anniversary of the fire, Josh Ratner, senior rabbi at the temple, told LAist’s AirTalk program that Jewish people have overcome “so much” throughout history.
People embrace inside a tent on the grounds of the Pasadena Jewish Temple and Center during a commemoration of the one-year anniversary of the Eaton Fire on Jan. 6.
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“I think that that gives us some firm foundation to know that we can recover from this as well,” he said. “And not just recover, but really our [history] … is one of rebuilding even stronger than before.
“Each time there's been a crisis, we've been able to reinvent different aspects of Judaism and to evolve."
Students carry lanterns they created as symbols of hope as they enter the grounds of the Pasadena Jewish Temple and Center during a commemoration of the one-year anniversary of the Eaton Fire.
Jacob Margolis
covers science, with a focus on environmental stories and disasters.
Published February 4, 2026 1:23 PM
A mule deer fawn watches it's mother drink water at a feral cat feeding station behind the Descanso Beach Club in Avalon, Catalina Island.
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Allen J. Schaben
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Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
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Topline:
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife has approved a plan to kill and sterilize roughly 2,200 mule deer on Catalina Island as part of a large-scale restoration effort. The project — proposed by the Santa Catalina Island Conservancy — also includes plans to monitor fauna, such as the Island fox and monarch butterflies, and increase biodiversity by removing invasive vegetation and seeding native plants.
Mule deer removal: Professionals will likely use drones, thermal technology and dogs to detect the deer before shooting them, primarily at night. Some deer will also be caught, sterilized and tracked in an effort to draw out any last deer. The efforts are estimated to be completed by 2032.
The history: Nearly a dozen mule deer were introduced to the island beginning in the 1920s. Attempts to relocate deer off the island in 1948 failed.
The opposition: In a letter to the CDFW, Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn said she opposed the plan to "systematically slaughter the deer over the next five years,” given the “deep public connection to these animals.”
It has worked before: Roosevelt elk and mule deer — introduced to Santa Rosa Island for recreational hunting — were successfully eliminated in 2011, giving native flora an opportunity to recover. On Santa Cruz Island, the removal of cows, sheep and pigs by 2007 gave the native and formerly endangered Santa Cruz Island fox an opportunity to recover.
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Destiny Torres
is LAist's general assignment and digital equity reporter.
Published February 4, 2026 1:04 PM
The Santa Ana City Council approved a $75,000 agreement with the digital lending service Hoopla.
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Photo Courtesy of the City of Santa Ana
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Topline:
The Santa Ana City Council approved a $75,000 agreement with the digital service Hoopla to offer digital lending for movies, music, audiobooks and E-books through its library department.
Why it matters: The agreement comes as the federal government pulled back $2.75 billion in funding by slashing the Digital Equity Act. And last October, the Federal Communications Commission ended e-rate discounts to libraries and schools for digital lending programs, which included hotspots and school bus Wi-Fi.
Read on … for how the move could improve digital equity.
The Santa Ana City Council approved a $75,000 agreement with the digital service Hoopla to offer for digital lending for movies, music, audiobooks and E-books services through its library department.
The deal comes as digital equity programming becomes more at-risk of losing funding. The federal government pulled back $2.75 billion in funding by slashing the Digital Equity Act. Last October, the Federal Communications Commission also ended e-rate discounts to libraries and schools for digital lending programs, which included hotspots and school bus Wi-Fi.
The city first purchased Hoopla services in 2022. Brian Sternberg, Santa Ana’s library services director, told LAist the service has become increasingly popular with residents. Over the last year, Hoopla usage has been up 109%, with 4,435 people borrowing 24,340 items, according to Sternberg.
“The great people of Santa Ana deserve the same services, programs and collections that would be afforded anywhere else in the county,” Sternberg said. “That's my goal, to find ways to deliver that to our residents.”
What is Hoopla?
Hoopla offers a variety of popular content like movies, television shows, music, audiobooks and e-books.
“Netflix, Amazon Prime, HBO, Max … the way those models are set up, there's not a good way for public libraries to purchase that content due to cost and just due to the way those content deliverers are structured,” Sternberg said.
Digital equity programming can extend beyond educational material, he added.
“There are kids, and they want to see Spider-Man,” Sternberg said. “And we want to be able to offer that, especially for our residents who might not have all the financial means to sign up for all these 10 different subscriptions. They're all like, $15, $20 a month.”
Hoopla provides content in English and Spanish, and there’s content for all age groups, Sternberg added.
The company uses a “pay-in-advance” model, which means the library is buying digital “credits” that are then used whenever a borrower checks out an audiobook, E-book or other content.
“They have different scales,” Sternberg said. “If you want the newest popular movies, it's this particular price point.”
How else is Santa Ana addressing digital inequities?
Sterberg said Santa Ana libraries are still lending out Wi-Fi hotspots for three weeks.
The library also carries its “Library of Things” where residents can borrow baking tools, video games, musical instruments, cameras and more.
The Main Library and Newhope Library are still closed for major renovations but are expected to reopen by the end of this year. Residents can still visit the library at the Delhi Center and the outdoor library at Jerome Park.
Yusra Farzan
covers Orange County and its 34 cities, watching those long meetings — boards, councils and more — so you don’t have to.
Published February 4, 2026 12:47 PM
A police drone in Huntington Beach. Santa Ana's city council voted to approve a purchase of the same drones.
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Topline:
Santa Ana became the latest city in Orange County to approve the use of drones as first responders after a heated debate.
What the police department says: Santa Ana Police Chief Robert Rodriguez told the council the drones will help the department improve response times.
Community concerns: But some on the City Council and in the audience expressed concerns with the vendor, Axon Enterprise Inc., which contracts with the Department of Homeland Security.
Why it matters: As Orange County’s only sanctuary city, Santa Ana has grappled with a deep mistrust in the police department as the federal government ramped up immigration raids and ICE detentions last summer.
After a heated debate, Santa Ana became the latest city in Orange County to approve the use of drones as first responders.
Santa Ana Police Chief Robert Rodriguez told the council the drones will help the department improve response times.
“It will reduce the air support costs associated with the Orange County Sheriff's Department helicopter contract. That contract currently right now sits about approximately half-a-million dollars a year,” he said. “It will provide responding officers with valuable information before they arrive on scene, which enhances community and officer safety.”
But some on the City Council and in the audience expressed concerns with the vendor, Axon Enterprise Inc., which contracts with the Department of Homeland Security. As Orange County’s only sanctuary city, Santa Ana has grappled with a deep mistrust in the police department as the federal government ramped up immigration raids and ICE detentions last summer. As immigrant families already contend with a fear of coming outside, the increased surveillance, they said, would make them even more afraid.
Ultimately, the council voted 4-3 to allow the city manager to enter into an agreement with Axon Enterprise for a three-year period, joining cities like Newport Beach, Irvine and Huntington Beach, which all have drone programs.
Details of the program
The drones will cost the city around $700,000, which will come from a state grant.
All data collected from the drones will be the property of the city and will only be released in accordance with state and city laws. The drones will also be the latest in surveillance technology purchased by the police department after it approved the purchase of 57 license plate readers last year.
How will the drones be deployed?
The three first-responder drones will be docked across the city at fire stations. When the police department receives an emergency call, the drones will be deployed within minutes, arriving before first responders. The live video stream, the police department says, will allow officers “to coordinate their actions more effectively and gather information in direct support of the department’s de-escalation strategy.”
In addition to the first-responder drones, the city will also purchase two patrol drones to use indoors and in tight spaces “to identify potential dangers.”
“ I'm not gonna make any promises here right now, but we are more than likely not going down the facial recognition route," he said. "For all intents and purposes, our drones will be a flying body, you know, use it deployed on actual calls for service where somebody's called the police. We're not randomly gonna be using it to surveil people or just fly around looking for crime.”
Community concerns
Carlos Perea, who sits on the Police Oversight Commission, and Tanya Navarro, organizing director with Chispa OC, both expressed concerns with the drone program.
“The vendor selected for this agreement, Axon Enterprise, profits from surveillance and policing infrastructure that is deeply entangled with systems of immigration enforcement and detention. Axon and its subsidiaries maintain contracts with ICE and other federal enforcement agencies at a time when immigrant communities across the country are experiencing unprecedented levels of surveillance, raids, and violence,” Perea wrote in an email to the City Council.
Navarro called the drone program “reckless” for public safety and fiscally.
The language in the policy, she said, “gives police broad latitude to decide when and where drones fly, including over protest, public gathering,and community events. This is exactly how tools get justified for emergencies and then become normalized in everyday surveillance.”
