Gab Chabran

California

Associate Editor, Food and Culture at LAist

Associate Editor of Food and Culture at @LAist Previously @nytimes @lataco @eaterla @remezcla @kcet @thrillist

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Articles

Yes, eating is my job: LAist food editor gives his top tips for dining out

5 days ago | laist.com | Gab Chabran

Recently, I’ve been subject to a little bit of scrutiny. No, not because of my opinions about a particular food or restaurant. Most of the time, people keep those for themselves. Cowards! (I’m kidding)Instead, the line of questioning concerns what it takes to be a professional eater and how I make it work so I don’t burn out, pig out, or turn into a cheeseburger as part of my job.
Sloooow dough and why it’s making delicious bread in LA

5 days ago | laist.com | Gab Chabran

Flash back to the pandemic, when everyone you knew made sourdough bread because all they had was time on their hands. That new obsession birthed a million loaves of bread. There was a whole rabbit hole to fall into, including how to source a sourdough starter, the length of fermentation, consistency, taste and crumb. People began showing pictures of their home-grown loaves, and naming their sourdough starters as if they were their children.
The ultimate way to reheat pizza? We talked to LA’s top pizza makers

1 week ago | laist.com | Gab Chabran

As a food writer, I eat a lot of pizza. Like, a lot. And now that L.A. is having a pizza renaissance, with all sorts of creativity and styles, there’s even more to try. (As I have argued, L.A. is currently producing the best pizza in the world.)But while my love for pizza knows no bounds, my stomach has other ideas. I’m only good for about a slice or two these days if I want to avoid a blown-out palate or extreme sluggishness.
I ate all the fried food at the LA County Fair. Here’s what happened

1 week ago | laist.com | Gab Chabran

LAist relies on reader donations to power our nonprofit newsroom. Support LAist by giving now . That dream event for a food writer, the L.A. County Fair, starts today at the Pomona Fairplex, and runs through May 26. What better way to test your palate — and stomach — than scarfing down fried food in all its rainbow variety? So earlier this week, I went to the fairgrounds to attend the media food preview. I was accompanied by a cadre of local food influencers I recognized from Instagram and TikTok.
Mother’s Day is coming! Plan ahead with these brunch spot picks (and make Mom happy)

2 weeks ago | laist.com | Gab Chabran

LAist relies on reader donations to power our nonprofit newsroom. Support LAist by giving now . Mother’s Day is Sunday, May 11, just a few weeks away. (Wait, wasn’t it just Easter and Passover? Yes, it was. Oh how time flies.)It's an opportunity to honor our mothers and maternal figures, and express our love and gratitude for them. And clearly, the way to do that is through brunch.
Heading to Dodger Stadium? The best places nearby to eat, drink and be merry

3 weeks ago | laist.com | Gab Chabran

Editor's note: We first ran this guide at the beginning of last year’s World Series Championship season (yes, we are still gloating). We noticed plenty of you are still using it, though, so we've updated it for 2025. In the immortal words of Vin Scully: "It's time for Dodger Baseball."If you are heading to Dodger Stadium, you might be looking for sustenance before the umpire calls “play ball.”See it as fuel to get through the traffic and trek to your seats.
$10,000 Grant Available for Restaurants Affected by LA Fires

1 month ago | pbssocal.org | Gab Chabran |Suzanne Levy

The program is being put together by the California Restaurant Foundation, which aims to disperse almost $2.5 million to help more than 200 restaurants. This article was originally published April 10, 2025 on laist.com. Restaurants and food trucks that have been seriously affected by the fires can now apply for grants of $10,000 to help them get back on their feet.
$10,000 grant available for restaurants affected by LA fires

1 month ago | laist.com | Gab Chabran |suzanne levy

Topline: Restaurants and food trucks that have been seriously affected by the fires can now apply for grants of $10,000 to help them get back on their feet. The program is being put together by the California Restaurant Foundation, which aims to disperse almost $2.5 million to help more than 200 restaurants. How to apply: Head to www.restaurantscare.org/resilience-la-fire to apply between April 9 and April 26.
Best fries in SoCal? Oh, you have some strong opinions

1 month ago | laist.com | Gab Chabran

When it comes to fries in this town, passions run deep. The sheer mention of In-N-Out French fries can be considered a call to arms. (Of course, there are specific measures one can take so they don’t suck quite as much). Larry Mantle, host of LAist 89.3’s AirTalk, asked listeners to share their picks for best fries during a recent call-in segment — and the board lit up.
You may love cocktails — but would you pay $100 for a margarita?

1 month ago | laist.com | Gab Chabran

When I told people I was going to try a $100 margarita, I was immediately met with a reaction that I can only describe as shock and awe. “Is it really $100?” “Why would anyone pay that much?” “Is this really what you call working?”I’d learned about the uber-fancy cocktail on offer at upscale restaurant Providence from Caroline Pardilla, cocktail writer and author of Margarita Time, which I'd recently written about.