Can you tell which LA restaurants have outside investors just by the vibes? Karen Palmer joins Luca Servodio for “Does It Taste Like Private Equity?”, a guessing game exposing the money behind favorites like RVR, Prime Pizza, HomeState, Kismet and more. With Gen Z calling out “PE slop,” we debate whether outside investment actually makes restaurants worse, and why some independent-looking spots have institutional backing while seemingly corporate chains don’t. (For this game, “private equity” is shorthand for a broader mix of private equity, venture capital and other outside investment.)

Plus, Karen discovers standout omakase inside the Bicycle Casino, Luca revisits the reimagined Alta Adams, and we discuss Skywalker Grill and Folks Pizzeria. In Chef’s Kiss / Big Miss: Langer’s wins the 2026 LA Times Gold Award, backyard Peking duck, Sang Yoon’s customizable fast-food burgers, and Eric Ripert’s Buddhist approach to kitchen culture.

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