The 2026 Food Media Boom: Bubble or Breakthrough? Plus, Yang's Kitchen's Chris Yang's Next Big Bet.
About this episode
The episode discusses the booming food media landscape in 2026 and features an interview with chef Christian Yang about his restaurant and new kombucha brand.
The LA food media landscape is exploding in 2026, and it’s getting harder to keep up. From the return of Gourmet to the rise of Caper Media , RAVENOUS , and LA Material , new outlets are reshaping how restaurants, culture, and criticism are covered. In Part 1 of this episode, Luca and Father Sal break down the biggest food media launches of the year, debating which platforms actually have staying power, what business models might work, and why food media still struggles to scale beyond local audiences. On Chef’s Kiss / Big Miss, they get into the dilution of Wagyu in America, the rise of African diaspora fast-casual concepts , a $300 steakhouse cocktail , and a fast food chain leaning hard into RFK Jr.–era food politics. Then in Part 2, chef Christian Yang of Yang’s Kitchen joins the show to talk about building one of LA’s most distinctive restaurants and launching his new kombucha brand, Joimo , as he expands from hospitality into CPG. -- Presented by mva.wine - the uncharted side of wine.
People in this episode
Hosts: Luca, Father Sal
Guest: Christian Yang
Topics covered
- food media
- restaurant culture
- business models
- Wagyu dilution
- African diaspora fast-casual
- CPG expansion
Keywords
- food media boom
- restaurant criticism
- Wagyu
- fast-casual
- kombucha
- LA food scene
- Caper Media
- Gourmet
Sponsors
mva.wine
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Yang’s Kitchen, Gourmet, Caper Media, RAVENOUS, LA Material
Products: Joimo
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