Plugs — Sam Rogers

L.A. food, drink, and leisure recs from a produce liaison + LINKS

Plugs is The Angel’s recs column. Every week, you’ll get six picks—a restaurant, a bar, a shop, an ingredient, a person, and a treat—from someone in Los Angeles who knows what they’re talking about, plus a selection of Angel-curated links. (Plugs are for paid subscribers of The Angel only. However, if you’re in the restaurant industry and want a free subscription, hit me up. :))

#46 is Sam Rogers, a produce liaison for top chefs in Los Angeles and the writer of

Sam Loves The Market

on Substack. Sam’s career in agriculture began at Bard College, where she dedicated her thesis to family farms in the surrounding Hudson Valley, then took her back to her hometown of Los Angeles to work for the local, sustainable grocery delivery startup Good Eggs. Then came the job that changed everything: farmers’ market liaison for the Joint Venture Restaurant Group (i.e., Jon & Vinny’s, Animal, Son of a Gun), a gig that led her to develop deep-seated relationships with best-in-class California farmers. Sam followed that up with a similar role for the Gjelina Group and now operates as a freelance produce liaison, not to mention L.A.’s predominant produce writer. She’s a delightful fixture at the Santa Monica Farmers Market—always popping out from corners, noshing on everything from herbs to plums, and chatting up farmers and chefs. And her Substack is essential reading for anyone who loves the market and wants to learn more about the farmers producing our top-notch produce and how to pick the most perfect fruit and veg. You can read Sam’s latest (a two-parter!) on the elusive stone fruit king Andy Mariani of Andy’s Orchards here and here. And here are her L.A. Plugs!

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Restaurant — Otafuku (but really my own house)

I always feel funny answering this question. I have a favorite restaurant for any mood, which is never really consistent. The one that comes to mind and has a place in my heart is Otafuku in Gardena. There's something undeniably magical about this spot. Helen Johannesen, with her incredible sense of things, introduced us to this place back when our kids were itty bitty, and now, oddly enough, it has become our mutual family restaurant and meeting place. 

But to be completely honest… my favorite restaurant is probably my own house? Don't get me wrong—I can't cook to save my life. But I'm a genius and married a chef (who happened to be with the Gjelina group for nine years). I could go on and on about this… but there's so much more to talk about!

Dinner at Sam's house. Photos by Sam Rogers.