Why Chili's and Red Lobster Matter

Today's guest on Special Sauce, the New York Times' insanely prolific Melissa Clark has written or co-written a ridiculous, astounding total of 46 cookbooks. She wrote a column for the paper for 5 years between 2007 and 2012 before going on staff there in 2012. And get this! She has published more than a thousand recipes in the Old Gray Lady. How does she do it? We find out how on today's episode of Special Sauce.  Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Donald Trump's ICE raids have had a devastating effect on the Los Angeles taco community. On this episode of Special Sauce we talk to the great website lataco.com's editor in chief Javier Cabral about his site's comprehensive coverage of this still unfolding tragedy.  Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Serious eaters have watched with horror and dismay as President Trump has tasked ICE agents with carrying out his grand mass deportation scheme. Why are we so upset? Because this cruel scheme has impacted the lives of millions of farm workers all over the country. Here to offer his invaluable perspective on all these genuinely existential issues facing immigrants, both documented and undocumented, is Antonio De Loera-Brust, Communications Director for UFW. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

On this episode of Special Sauce we talk to avocado farmer Norm Kachuck and Los Angeles Times reporter Daniel Miller about the crisis facing California avocado growers as they try to compete with Mexican avocados.  Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

The late, truly great Marcella Hazan taught many of us what real Italian food is and how to cook it. And yet many people, including me, didn't know much about this remarkable woman. But now there's a terrific documentary about her life and work, 'Marcella'. We talk to Pete Wells of The New York Times and the director of 'Marcella', Peter Miller, about the many aspects of her life that have gone unnoticed until now.  Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

The The New York Times's national food correspondent Kim Severson gives us the 411 on meat's improbable comeback. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

It's only 450 Square Feet, but L.A.'s Now Serving Cookbook Store is so much more than a place to buy food books. Its co-founder Ken Concepcion explains how his tiny bookstore became home base for Serious Eaters in LA. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Is being an international pizza consultant the world's best job? Anthony Falco explains all. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

On this episode of Special Sauce we talk to Meghan McCarron and Adam Chandler about the surprisingly important role casual sit-down dining chains like Chili's and Olive Garden play in Americans' lives. I know, I know, I was skeptical, too.  Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

On this episode of Special Sauce, we revisit our extraordinary conversation with the great Mexico City-based chef Lalo Garcia and the journalist Laura Tillman, who chronicled his extraordinary journey from undocumented migrant farm worker to world-famous chef. Given everything that's happening right now in the world of immigration, we thought this episode might resonate anew.  Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices