The First Must Visit Restaurant Opening of 2026

Marcus Jernmark is a 3 Michelin star chef from Sweden who has planted a dining flag on Pico Blvd. as the good times and openings roll along in Los Angeles. Jordan and Max ate at Lielle, Marcus' $150 tasting menu destination, and sat down with the chef to talk his concepts, approach to cooking and restaurants, wine rules, and yes, even Swedish meatballs.

Jordo went chubby and Max blew the big game episode. Plus, the reason Shake Shack actually loses to In-N-Out, weight loss drug life, the porno home, kids ruin the guac, fancy cocktail bars are missing this one thing, and all the sandwiches, cheese, cakes, halftime shows, and ranch dressing drips.

Sophie Dalah joins Jordan and Max to go head to head in a big game recipe showdown against Bubbles, putting their chef minds to the test.

Jordo and Max are back answering audience questions, and it's all IQ issues, reservation bummers, a New York trip, sake recs or a lack thereof, no pizza for the big game, too much of a single restaurant, merch is coming, and the Substack is very live.

Jordan and Max are back and dropped their first video podcast on Substack.  SUBSCRIBE TO MAD FOOD WORLD TO SEE & HEAR THE FULL EPISODE

It's a Q&A to wrap it all up with Jordo and Bubbles giving final thoughts on the recent LA Times 101 Best list, westside eats, the impossible biz of restaurants, finishing the year strong with recent openings, Max's top 3 cooking tips for 2026, and the new pod and project are revealed. THE SUBSTACK IS HERE with all sorts of new content and access.  Keep riding with us, show love, and stay connected as we continue this food thing. 

Eggnog - that's the name of the game, as nine of the best booze minds in Los Angeles compete, with Shapiro's favorite bartender Max Reis pouring all the creamy holiday cheer down Jordan's throat, for him to decide the best nog in the land. Original takes on the spiked Christmas treat from Providence, Vandell, Birdie G's, Death & Co, Rustic Canyon, Bar Benjamin, Idyllwild Tavern, Oxalis, and Mírate/Daisy Margarita are the participants in this blind, hyper-lactose competition. But Jordo doesn't go at it alone, Bubbles & Beautiful are along for the ride as a nog champion is crowned.

Jordan and Max break it all down, from a shocker in the top spot to the 3 Michelin star Spanish hatred. Plus, the paper's neopotism picks, strange disregard for a phenom, continued Budonok disrespect, the hall of fame inductee to appease Jordo, sushi snubs, and Bill Addison finally exposed himself (but not like Max). 

Plus lots of booze talk including holiday gifting, Max & Helen's wait times and other diner options, a short Little Fish review, decanting bubbles, a Chinese LA Christmas, the perfect restaurant reservation time, Jordan's top 3 Grateful Dead shows, food text threads, not cutting pizza, New Orleans and New York are on the horizon, and Thanksgiving reviews.

Addison by William Bradley is the OG of this local three Michelin star dining thing, and Jordan and Max have travelled to Del Mar once again to dine and sit with Will to talk the past, present, and future of California gastronomy in the Caramel Valley. And it's all chef collabs, an Addison makeover is coming soon, the one ingredient, the best season, calling everyone chef, temperatue changes, the story of eggs and rice, cheesy nicknames, Max the inspector, Jordan knows a thing or two, and William's ultimate goal.