What do you usually eat for breakfast?
Its the same blend.
I just love it.
I dont really have breakfast.
I just do an early lunch.
Like today, and many days, Im doing these light stir fries.
And when I say light I mean I dont usually use meat.
I make it all from scratch.
And then do you do a more leisurely dinner?
It definitely depends on the day.
I was doing like, full boeuf bourguignon, braised meats, ribsstuff that took hours and hours.
I just loved the house smelling like food.
I would wake up and think about what wines I would pair with that dish, you know?
Like, Ooh, Im gonna make a cheese plate.
That was what got me through the whole thing.
But I have a couple of wine clubs and we all get together and we cook for each other.
So that happens once a week or twice a week.
I read that you are an expert at preparing snack plates.
Could describe your perfect snack plate?
And always a fresh baguette.
My other all-time go-to is a really nice French butter with a beautiful Calabrian anchovy.
You like a lot of the tinned fish, right?
I use a lot in my cooking and there are so many different levels of quality.
If youre going to eat it just plain, youve got to get a really good one.
In my SmashHeim recipe, it calls for American cheese and theres really no substitute for that.
It just melts perfectly.
Although my friend in Sonoma is developing a cheddar cheese that kind of melts like that.
But I love tacos in Los Angeles.
That meat is definitely not grass-fed organic beef or pork.
It was just a revolution for me, in wine and food.
Being like, Oh!
I dont even have to season this piece of steak.
I dont have to put any sauce on it.
Thats how I think you should be eating, with produce, too.
Another thing I absolutely love from the book is this concept of an acid head.
Could you briefly describe that philosophy?
Sometimes you want that dank, sweet molasses, but other times I just want this bright freshness.
Like, I had broccoli today.
I wanted to taste the broccoli, I didnt want to coat it with sweetness.
But acid, its like salt.
It sort of brings out the flavors.
Theres nothing worse than a wine with no acidity.
At my wine companyLas Jarasthats the number one thing.
Its all part the chemical reaction that happens to your body that I love.
Do you ever route your tours based on cities that you want to eat in?
Oh, my god.
Yeah, a lot of the times.
When we shot season two of Master of None, we were like We want to shoot in Italy.
Just because we love it.
Aziz and I went traveling there on vacation many, many times before we shot there.
And we want to shoot season four in Japan.
I mean, its just an idea, but we love the food so much.
But I got to hit Atlanta for the fried chicken.
I have to go to Texas to get Franklins barbecue.
So those are likeits a must.
Have you been there?
I have been there.
I used to live in that area.
What did you order there, and did you do the dessert room?
Do you know about the secret wine there?
I do.
Its a whole fucking thing.
The food is like your classic steakhouse.
So we have a whole dinner, and then we start again.
And then we do a tour of the cellars, which is like, unbelievable.
Were like kids in candy shops.
Are any hidden culinary gems in any of the airports youve been to?
I mean, does Barcelona count?
Are you talking about American?
Oh, anywhere!
Yeah, its so interesting.
We just went to Spain and in Barcelonaall we want is pan con tomatelike tomato bread and Jamon Iberico.
I hate to say that, but like it wason, you know, they justdoit.
And they have amazing coffees everywhere.
I love, love, love Spanish airports.
They really care about the food there.
They do a mushroom burger.
Have you tried any of the tech meats?
Yeah, I was.
I did a couple events withImpossible Burgerbecause I was truly blown away by it.
Its all about getting that real nice sear, getting that caramelization.
So, you trick yourself.
But, you know, if you put enough good ingredients on it, Im pretty impressed.
The dairy-free stuff has come a long way, too.
I have vegan ice cream sandwiches in my freezer.
Are there any retro dishes that you wish would make a comeback?
I love prime rib places like Lawrys and that kind of stuff.
I wish someone would make a steakhouse in downtown L.A. that was old school.
Duck a lorangeall that stuff is kind of my favorite food.
Getting that ice-cold horseradish vodka just makes you feel really good.
Do you have a favorite Portland restaurant?
If I had to pick, it would beKachka.
That place isI couldnt believe it.
So it just felt so soulful to be there.
Plus getting that ice-cold horseradish vodka just makes you feel really good.
Is that how you cook at homethat sort of continuous using of ingredients as theyre available?
Im so glad you said that.
I kind of fought to put that in, because we didnt shoot it.
Well get a farmers market box or something and well have some squash left over.
They eat very simply.
Its not these big tomato sauces all the time.
Are there any other dishes you make that are kind of in that genre?
I always keep some old rice in the fridge sealed up really nice.
Or steak and eggs.
Ill just make a soft scramble and toss the meat back in with some avocado and some tomatoes.
Its amazing to me.
How do you make your soft scramble?
Can you describe your perfect shrimp cocktail experience?
That was my first food that I fell in love with as a kid.
I went to Ocean City, Maryland lot.
They had really good shrimp, and I just remember adding extra horseradish to my my sauce.
I like it really spicy and, of course, I like the shrimp really flavorful.
In my recipe, you add some spices just to kind of give the broth a little boom.
I like it like steakhouse style.
I love it served in a martini glass with them hanging off and a little parsley and a lemon.
Its just this classic cold, beautiful thing.
What do you usually drink with it?
I mean, definitely start with a gin martini, dry, with an olive, for sure.
What kind of gin do you like?
I love Raj, Fords, and St.Georgethose are my three right now.
Also, that Monkey 47 is really good, too.
Do you have any other benchmark dishes like that?
Oh, thats a good question.
I always love to get the really simple thingssame with taco places.
And you go to a restaurant with shit bread, you know they dont care.
Theres no love in that food.
I always think about that.
The basics are very important to me.
Yeah, Im that way with glazed donuts.
Yes.I love simple stuff, you know, its really the way to go.
I wanted all this stuff.
Take the chicken parmesan, for example.
That is a very inexpensive dish.
You get like two chicken breasts.
That costs under five dollars.
You make your own tomato sauce.
That also costs under five dollars, and then a little mozzarella cheese, which is under five dollars.
Then you just follow my recipe, which is perfect.
To me, thats big part of the book.
I cant even go to a steak house because I cook better steaks.
I know how to do it now.
I think things like the chicken parm, and even the salad stuff.
It feels elevated and its very cheap.
This interview was edited for clarity and brevity.
