From tacos to hot dogs, some of the most popular and iconic Los Angeles food started with street vendors. In this episode of our Emmy-nominated docuseries, Hungry For More, we highlight the stories of street vendors in Los Angeles - cooking what they love, and driven by the need to provide for their families. Survival for street vendors in LA has gotten increasingly difficult due to strict and overly complicated permitting laws. Yet these micro-entrepreneurs continue their fight to activate spaces and provide affordable and delicious meals to their community.
From roasted duck noodle soup to steamed rice rolls and weekend dim sum, Chinatown is home to unbeatable comfort food by small mom-and-pops built by generations of hard-working immigrant families. But between the pandemic, a sharp rise in AAPI hate crimes, and plans for a new high rise mega jail pushing small businesses out of their neighborhood - New York’s Chinatown has been a battleground of gentrification, racism, and classism. In this episode of Hungry For More, we highlight the people and organizations fighting to preserve the mom-and-pop shops that have made New York's Chinatown so special.
The food industry would not exist without immigrant Back of House restaurant workers. From line cooks to dishwashers - they play a crucial role in any satisfying restaurant experience. However, even though they are considered essential, they are often excluded and ineligible to receive any government aid or support due to their citizenship status. In this episode of Hungry for More, we highlight the Los Angeles organization No Us Without You. Started by founders Damian Diaz and Othón Nolasco, their mission is to provide aid and food security to the undocumented workers fulfilling thankless roles in the hospitality community. We hear first hand from the back of house workers working to support their families, and restaurants like Casa Vega, cultivating a positive work environment for generations of their hard-working immigrant staff.