June 28, 2025 • 11 mins
Benny Boy Brewing and the Queer Food Foundation present the ultimate sandwich battle, where a mix of established and up-and-coming queer chefs will go head-to-head, slinging their boldest, most mouthwatering creations.
Sunday, June 29, 5-8 p.m.
1821 Daly St, Los Angeles, CA 90031
Sunday, June 29, 5-8 p.m.
1821 Daly St, Los Angeles, CA 90031
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
I want to introduce you to Vanessa Parrish. She's the
executive director and co founding member of the Queer Food Foundation.
She's with us via phone, and I hear that there
was some train issues with you, so I'm glad that
you are with us.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Welcome to the Fork Report.
Speaker 4 (00:16):
Hi, how are you?
Speaker 3 (00:17):
Yeah, so sorry about that, but I'm so excited to
be here.
Speaker 1 (00:19):
Well, we're happy to have you as well. You out
there on the East Coast.
Speaker 4 (00:25):
Yes, it's New York City Pride weekend, so you know
it's just as crazy as ever.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
Yes, as if the rest of the time is not
crazy enough in New York. But welcome you to the program,
and we're excited to talk about what's going on tomorrow
five to eight pm on Daily Street there here in
Los Angeles. So why don't you tell us first a
(00:51):
little bit about a Queer Food Foundation. People can find
out more also at Queerfoodfoundation dot org. But tell us
a little bit about the organization, and then the chef
a sandwich showdown of course.
Speaker 4 (01:05):
So the Criers Foundation, we are a nisan wide nonprofit
that specializes in feeding, funding and elevating queer feed workers.
And that's from Smallier's bartenders, farmers, food service workers. Our
big goal is making sure that people are supported, they're
getting equity pay, and they're also meeting and connecting with
(01:27):
each other because where everyone is spread out all over
the country, so we want to make sure that people
know where they can find their safe.
Speaker 1 (01:33):
Spaces and support, you know, and it's all across the country.
Is an important part of it because here on the
coasts we don't think of this the same way. Now,
it's not that there isn't still a fight to be had,
but we don't think in Los Angele know, my dear
friend Susan Finneger fought as a chef, you know, just
(01:56):
a sweetheart of a human being, she and her wife Liz,
but they're you know, here's a woman who fought against
even being a woman in the culinary industry and also
a gay woman on top of that, and the things
that she has struggled through and continues to help through
organizations as well. But we don't think of it the
same way. But this is for across the country where
(02:19):
the fight still continues to go on differently than it
does here on the coasts. So do you get a
lot of the dinner, you know, inside Middle America type.
Speaker 4 (02:28):
Folks right exactly, like you know in the South, like
you know, Los Angeles, New York, Miami have those, you know,
really nice bubbles of safety that we don't think about,
but there's a lot of cities and states that don't
have that whatsoever.
Speaker 3 (02:42):
You know, people fly in from all.
Speaker 4 (02:44):
Over just to go to Los Angeles Pride because they
don't have those type of places in their own hometowns.
So we definitely try to meet people where they are,
Like you know, Los Angeles, we do things like the
chef Dammich sow down to kind of elevate the queer
chefs that are already out and about, you know, and
then we also do other events in smaller regions to
just build their network that they're just getting started with.
Speaker 2 (03:06):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
I often joke when people get hot headed about certain
books displaying different types of families and the like being
in children's libraries, and I laughed and I said, well,
my eight year old does go to school, and you know,
those families exist and he sees them in real life.
Speaker 2 (03:25):
He doesn't have to open a book.
Speaker 1 (03:27):
When we have friends over and families over, they're all
kinds of families, So we get it. A little differently.
As you call them bubbles, I think is pretty appropriate.
So we've been chatting with Vanessa Parrish. She is the
executive director and co founding member of the Queer Food Foundation.
You can find out more Queerfoodfoundation dot org. They have
(03:49):
an event going on tomorrow, Sunday, June twenty ninth, from
five to eight pm at eighteen twenty one.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
Now is that Daily Street.
Speaker 1 (04:00):
Let's see Los Angeles, California at nine zero zero three
one and you can check that there at Benny Boy Brewing.
This is the Chef Sandwich Showdown. Tell us more about that, Vanessa,
Did we lose you?
Speaker 2 (04:13):
No? There you go? Thank you?
Speaker 3 (04:17):
Oh sure.
Speaker 4 (04:19):
We have four amazing queer chefs known from the Los
Angeles Long Beads community that are coming out to do
the best of the best and their sandwich durations. We've
got Charlie Ray from Long Beafs, Private chef Qloon Eliza
from UI's Studios are also amazing. Private chef Sammy Schwartz
(04:40):
from Slutty Sammy's. If you have not had a Slutty
Sammise sandwich, you have to go and get one.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
The name alone on the list.
Speaker 3 (04:51):
It definitely needs to.
Speaker 4 (04:52):
Be on the list, and then Journey Rain, who is
the chef and owner of Grits and Waffles in Ktown.
You've got four very different concepts of chefs coming to
battle it out, and then a few of them will
also be coming earlier, so if you want to grab
a bite just to support them, they'll be out there
all day slinging whatever they've got going on, and then
(05:15):
the actual chef sandwich battle will be from.
Speaker 3 (05:18):
Five to eight.
Speaker 1 (05:19):
That's you know, sandwiches is I mean, it's just it
is one of the perfect meals because it's like, you know,
we all love pizza because it's all your favorite things
on an edible plate, and a sandwich is kind of
the same thing. It's all these great things whatever your
heart desires between two edible plates basically, so you can
(05:39):
just eat it. What's your what's your favorite? I mean,
you've got great choices there on the East Coast. What's
your favorite go to sandwich?
Speaker 4 (05:48):
Yeah, you know, I really think it is a mont
of crystal on the menu.
Speaker 3 (05:54):
I'm gonna have to try it.
Speaker 2 (05:55):
Wow, goodness, so.
Speaker 4 (05:57):
Big ultimate brunch sandwich, you know what I.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
Mean, Absolutely it is. Yeah, it's one of mine too.
It's super decadent and it's a lot. But if I
see it on a brunch menu, I'm I'm going headfirst into.
Speaker 2 (06:11):
That as well.
Speaker 1 (06:12):
How does this event going on tomorrow? Is it's twenty
five dollars? And do they get this? Do they get
tickets on your website? I'm looking now for a link.
Speaker 4 (06:28):
Yeah, you can get the tickets on our website at
Pride twenty twenty five. It's going to be right there.
And the twenty five dollars you get a sampling of
all four sandwiches and you get to vote, you get
to crown the winner. So it's gonna be really awesome.
I can't actually I told this if I actually don't
even want to know what they're making, because I feel
that kind of ruins the element of surprise for me
(06:49):
because like I'm also a shop It's like I'm just
going to kind of dissect it. So I was like,
just at a mental fairness to my colleagues, I'm just
going to like go and see how everything tastes and support.
But yeah, please get the tickets online at our website
Queerfreefoundation dot org. You'll see right at that's the top
five twenty twenty five, It will be right there. Proceeds
(07:12):
do go to US at QSF for some of the proceeds.
So all tickets matter to help support our causes, keep
these type of events and community building in Los Angeles growing.
Speaker 1 (07:24):
You know, twenty five dollars is the ticket price twenty
one in Old and Over, But in LA and in
New York that's that's the cost of one sandwich.
Speaker 4 (07:37):
Right for.
Speaker 1 (07:40):
I'm like, twenty five bucks for a sandwich is like
average right now?
Speaker 4 (07:45):
So can you come get to grab a nice drink
from Benny Boy. You know, they're grateful to them for
hosting us, and they're really awesome.
Speaker 3 (07:52):
Patio space. I don't know if you've been.
Speaker 1 (07:54):
I know of it, but I have not been any
patio space in Southern California.
Speaker 2 (07:59):
I'm aware of love.
Speaker 1 (08:01):
I love anything where they have eating outside in Southern California.
I don't know why we don't do it more here.
It took it took uh the COVID for us to
start eating outside in southern California for some stupid reason.
Speaker 2 (08:15):
Yeah, oh, this is so nice.
Speaker 3 (08:18):
Whoever thought of its? Los Angeles? You all be doing it.
Speaker 1 (08:23):
Sometimes we get it backwards and again remind everybody where
the money goes to and about the Queer Food Foundation.
Speaker 4 (08:33):
Yes, so a portion of the proceeds of the tickets
we'll go to the Queer Food Foundation to help us
funds feed and elevate Queer workers and food and that
again goes to smallier's bartenders, bussers, your local chefs and restaurants.
We have resources as far as food banks. We also
had a hate Crime fund for restaurants that have may
(08:56):
have been affected by hate crimes. We have educational resources
and a multitude of partnerships all across the country. That's
the key people safe in equity and also inclusive in
their workspace environment.
Speaker 2 (09:10):
Well, it's a great cause. And I love the fact.
Speaker 1 (09:14):
When food it's just kind of the attitude of this
show that you know, food is the one thing that
kind of ties us all together. We all have to eat,
and that there's something magical about breaking bread with somebody
and it's always and people that work in the hospitality
industry are some of the most generous people on the planet. Obviously,
(09:37):
you talking about Benny Boy Brewery and the fact that
you know they're opening up their space for you to
do this event. I hear this stuff day in and
day out on this program that you know, these people
are constantly opening up their restaurants, their breweries, whatever it is,
for great causes, and this is yet another one. So
(09:59):
I wish you success.
Speaker 3 (10:00):
Wow, thank you so much.
Speaker 4 (10:02):
We always say comunity is a verb, you know, and
these are the type of moments to show what that means.
Speaker 2 (10:08):
That's funny.
Speaker 1 (10:09):
I say that about father too. The word father to
me is a verb you have. Do you have to
actually participate in things?
Speaker 3 (10:18):
Uh?
Speaker 1 (10:18):
Well, I wish you nothing about success on the event.
Please keep us posted when you have other events that
we can help get the word out. And as Pride Rep,
thank you. So wait, what do you do come July.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
July?
Speaker 1 (10:31):
First, you have fulled up the flags, everybody puts their
assless chaps away, and uh.
Speaker 4 (10:38):
Get we take a much seeded break, but we have
a big campaign that we call clear all year so
you know, we're the equity and advocacy and people need
to be said all year round. So we need to
take a few weeks off to regroup and then we
go right back at it again.
Speaker 1 (10:57):
Okay, Well, good to hear. Well, thanks for what you're doing,
and I'm glad that the train didn't keep you forever.
We were happy to have some time to spend with you.
Speaker 4 (11:06):
Well, yeah, thank you so much, all right.
Speaker 1 (11:09):
That, of course, was Vanessa Parrish. She's the executive director
and co founding member of the Queer Food Foundation. You
can find out more at Queerfoodfoundation dot org
I want to introduce you to Vanessa Parrish. She's the
executive director and co founding member of the Queer Food Foundation.
She's with us via phone, and I hear that there
was some train issues with you, so I'm glad that
you are with us.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Welcome to the Fork Report.
Speaker 4 (00:16):
Hi, how are you?
Speaker 3 (00:17):
Yeah, so sorry about that, but I'm so excited to
be here.
Speaker 1 (00:19):
Well, we're happy to have you as well. You out
there on the East Coast.
Speaker 4 (00:25):
Yes, it's New York City Pride weekend, so you know
it's just as crazy as ever.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
Yes, as if the rest of the time is not
crazy enough in New York. But welcome you to the program,
and we're excited to talk about what's going on tomorrow
five to eight pm on Daily Street there here in
Los Angeles. So why don't you tell us first a
(00:51):
little bit about a Queer Food Foundation. People can find
out more also at Queerfoodfoundation dot org. But tell us
a little bit about the organization, and then the chef
a sandwich showdown of course.
Speaker 4 (01:05):
So the Criers Foundation, we are a nisan wide nonprofit
that specializes in feeding, funding and elevating queer feed workers.
And that's from Smallier's bartenders, farmers, food service workers. Our
big goal is making sure that people are supported, they're
getting equity pay, and they're also meeting and connecting with
(01:27):
each other because where everyone is spread out all over
the country, so we want to make sure that people
know where they can find their safe.
Speaker 1 (01:33):
Spaces and support, you know, and it's all across the country.
Is an important part of it because here on the
coasts we don't think of this the same way. Now,
it's not that there isn't still a fight to be had,
but we don't think in Los Angele know, my dear
friend Susan Finneger fought as a chef, you know, just
(01:56):
a sweetheart of a human being, she and her wife Liz,
but they're you know, here's a woman who fought against
even being a woman in the culinary industry and also
a gay woman on top of that, and the things
that she has struggled through and continues to help through
organizations as well. But we don't think of it the
same way. But this is for across the country where
(02:19):
the fight still continues to go on differently than it
does here on the coasts. So do you get a
lot of the dinner, you know, inside Middle America type.
Speaker 4 (02:28):
Folks right exactly, like you know in the South, like
you know, Los Angeles, New York, Miami have those, you know,
really nice bubbles of safety that we don't think about,
but there's a lot of cities and states that don't
have that whatsoever.
Speaker 3 (02:42):
You know, people fly in from all.
Speaker 4 (02:44):
Over just to go to Los Angeles Pride because they
don't have those type of places in their own hometowns.
So we definitely try to meet people where they are,
Like you know, Los Angeles, we do things like the
chef Dammich sow down to kind of elevate the queer
chefs that are already out and about, you know, and
then we also do other events in smaller regions to
just build their network that they're just getting started with.
Speaker 2 (03:06):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
I often joke when people get hot headed about certain
books displaying different types of families and the like being
in children's libraries, and I laughed and I said, well,
my eight year old does go to school, and you know,
those families exist and he sees them in real life.
Speaker 2 (03:25):
He doesn't have to open a book.
Speaker 1 (03:27):
When we have friends over and families over, they're all
kinds of families, So we get it. A little differently.
As you call them bubbles, I think is pretty appropriate.
So we've been chatting with Vanessa Parrish. She is the
executive director and co founding member of the Queer Food Foundation.
You can find out more Queerfoodfoundation dot org. They have
(03:49):
an event going on tomorrow, Sunday, June twenty ninth, from
five to eight pm at eighteen twenty one.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
Now is that Daily Street.
Speaker 1 (04:00):
Let's see Los Angeles, California at nine zero zero three
one and you can check that there at Benny Boy Brewing.
This is the Chef Sandwich Showdown. Tell us more about that, Vanessa,
Did we lose you?
Speaker 2 (04:13):
No? There you go? Thank you?
Speaker 3 (04:17):
Oh sure.
Speaker 4 (04:19):
We have four amazing queer chefs known from the Los
Angeles Long Beads community that are coming out to do
the best of the best and their sandwich durations. We've
got Charlie Ray from Long Beafs, Private chef Qloon Eliza
from UI's Studios are also amazing. Private chef Sammy Schwartz
(04:40):
from Slutty Sammy's. If you have not had a Slutty
Sammise sandwich, you have to go and get one.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
The name alone on the list.
Speaker 3 (04:51):
It definitely needs to.
Speaker 4 (04:52):
Be on the list, and then Journey Rain, who is
the chef and owner of Grits and Waffles in Ktown.
You've got four very different concepts of chefs coming to
battle it out, and then a few of them will
also be coming earlier, so if you want to grab
a bite just to support them, they'll be out there
all day slinging whatever they've got going on, and then
(05:15):
the actual chef sandwich battle will be from.
Speaker 3 (05:18):
Five to eight.
Speaker 1 (05:19):
That's you know, sandwiches is I mean, it's just it
is one of the perfect meals because it's like, you know,
we all love pizza because it's all your favorite things
on an edible plate, and a sandwich is kind of
the same thing. It's all these great things whatever your
heart desires between two edible plates basically, so you can
(05:39):
just eat it. What's your what's your favorite? I mean,
you've got great choices there on the East Coast. What's
your favorite go to sandwich?
Speaker 4 (05:48):
Yeah, you know, I really think it is a mont
of crystal on the menu.
Speaker 3 (05:54):
I'm gonna have to try it.
Speaker 2 (05:55):
Wow, goodness, so.
Speaker 4 (05:57):
Big ultimate brunch sandwich, you know what I.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
Mean, Absolutely it is. Yeah, it's one of mine too.
It's super decadent and it's a lot. But if I
see it on a brunch menu, I'm I'm going headfirst into.
Speaker 2 (06:11):
That as well.
Speaker 1 (06:12):
How does this event going on tomorrow? Is it's twenty
five dollars? And do they get this? Do they get
tickets on your website? I'm looking now for a link.
Speaker 4 (06:28):
Yeah, you can get the tickets on our website at
Pride twenty twenty five. It's going to be right there.
And the twenty five dollars you get a sampling of
all four sandwiches and you get to vote, you get
to crown the winner. So it's gonna be really awesome.
I can't actually I told this if I actually don't
even want to know what they're making, because I feel
that kind of ruins the element of surprise for me
(06:49):
because like I'm also a shop It's like I'm just
going to kind of dissect it. So I was like,
just at a mental fairness to my colleagues, I'm just
going to like go and see how everything tastes and support.
But yeah, please get the tickets online at our website
Queerfreefoundation dot org. You'll see right at that's the top
five twenty twenty five, It will be right there. Proceeds
(07:12):
do go to US at QSF for some of the proceeds.
So all tickets matter to help support our causes, keep
these type of events and community building in Los Angeles growing.
Speaker 1 (07:24):
You know, twenty five dollars is the ticket price twenty
one in Old and Over, But in LA and in
New York that's that's the cost of one sandwich.
Speaker 4 (07:37):
Right for.
Speaker 1 (07:40):
I'm like, twenty five bucks for a sandwich is like
average right now?
Speaker 4 (07:45):
So can you come get to grab a nice drink
from Benny Boy. You know, they're grateful to them for
hosting us, and they're really awesome.
Speaker 3 (07:52):
Patio space. I don't know if you've been.
Speaker 1 (07:54):
I know of it, but I have not been any
patio space in Southern California.
Speaker 2 (07:59):
I'm aware of love.
Speaker 1 (08:01):
I love anything where they have eating outside in Southern California.
I don't know why we don't do it more here.
It took it took uh the COVID for us to
start eating outside in southern California for some stupid reason.
Speaker 2 (08:15):
Yeah, oh, this is so nice.
Speaker 3 (08:18):
Whoever thought of its? Los Angeles? You all be doing it.
Speaker 1 (08:23):
Sometimes we get it backwards and again remind everybody where
the money goes to and about the Queer Food Foundation.
Speaker 4 (08:33):
Yes, so a portion of the proceeds of the tickets
we'll go to the Queer Food Foundation to help us
funds feed and elevate Queer workers and food and that
again goes to smallier's bartenders, bussers, your local chefs and restaurants.
We have resources as far as food banks. We also
had a hate Crime fund for restaurants that have may
(08:56):
have been affected by hate crimes. We have educational resources
and a multitude of partnerships all across the country. That's
the key people safe in equity and also inclusive in
their workspace environment.
Speaker 2 (09:10):
Well, it's a great cause. And I love the fact.
Speaker 1 (09:14):
When food it's just kind of the attitude of this
show that you know, food is the one thing that
kind of ties us all together. We all have to eat,
and that there's something magical about breaking bread with somebody
and it's always and people that work in the hospitality
industry are some of the most generous people on the planet. Obviously,
(09:37):
you talking about Benny Boy Brewery and the fact that
you know they're opening up their space for you to
do this event. I hear this stuff day in and
day out on this program that you know, these people
are constantly opening up their restaurants, their breweries, whatever it is,
for great causes, and this is yet another one. So
(09:59):
I wish you success.
Speaker 3 (10:00):
Wow, thank you so much.
Speaker 4 (10:02):
We always say comunity is a verb, you know, and
these are the type of moments to show what that means.
Speaker 2 (10:08):
That's funny.
Speaker 1 (10:09):
I say that about father too. The word father to
me is a verb you have. Do you have to
actually participate in things?
Speaker 3 (10:18):
Uh?
Speaker 1 (10:18):
Well, I wish you nothing about success on the event.
Please keep us posted when you have other events that
we can help get the word out. And as Pride Rep,
thank you. So wait, what do you do come July.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
July?
Speaker 1 (10:31):
First, you have fulled up the flags, everybody puts their
assless chaps away, and uh.
Speaker 4 (10:38):
Get we take a much seeded break, but we have
a big campaign that we call clear all year so
you know, we're the equity and advocacy and people need
to be said all year round. So we need to
take a few weeks off to regroup and then we
go right back at it again.
Speaker 1 (10:57):
Okay, Well, good to hear. Well, thanks for what you're doing,
and I'm glad that the train didn't keep you forever.
We were happy to have some time to spend with you.
Speaker 4 (11:06):
Well, yeah, thank you so much, all right.
Speaker 1 (11:09):
That, of course, was Vanessa Parrish. She's the executive director
and co founding member of the Queer Food Foundation. You
can find out more at Queerfoodfoundation dot org
Popular Podcasts
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.