Let’s immediately dispel the stereotypes about Los Angeles. Sure, there are juice bars and vegan-friendly cafes aplenty, but the City of Angels has been on the culinary map for quite awhile, showcasing some of the best talent in the country. Seasons are fluid – it’s actually just one season pretty much all of the time – sunny and 70 – so great produce is a yearround thing. There are amazing ethnic enclaves, Mexican, Korean, Chinese and Japanese come to mind, but also more burger joints and donut shops than I’ve ever seen in one place.

This week, Steve spends a week in L.A. and speaks with a few professional eaters about what’s going on right now.