Overview of How Long Gone — Episode 920 (Guest: Jessica Koslow)
This episode of How Long Gone (hosts Chris Black & Jason Stewart) features Jessica Koslow, chef-owner of Squirrel in Los Angeles. The conversation is a freewheeling mix of restaurant stories, operational details about launching Squirrel’s dinner service, bread/starter talk, menu development (and a few dish deep-dives), neighborhood and clientele observations, and the realities of running a modern restaurant (staffing, to‑go/delivery strategy, product lines like jam). The tone is informal, jokey, and conversational — alternating between trade detail and pop-culture banter.
Guest snapshot
- Jessica Koslow — founder/chef of Squirrel (LA), known for a beloved casual-to-refined breakfast/lunch program that recently expanded into dinner.
- Background: pastry training, worked at Bacchanalia and Star Provisions (Atlanta); moved through DC and New York before returning to LA; strong focus on ingredient-driven cooking and maintaining creative control.
Key topics discussed
Opening and running Squirrel
- Dinner was recently introduced; three weeks in at the time of recording and feeling successful.
- Location choice: moved to Pasadena for more peace and better commute balance; prefers being ~5 minutes from work but chose quality-of-life.
- Dining room vibe is important — outdoor seating and the feel of the place were emphasized as much as the food.
Staff and service model
- Squirrel employs ~62 people (vs ~42 when it was AM-only); dinner added ~20 staff with some crossover.
- AM (casual, counter, coffee-focused) and PM (refined, table service, wine/cocktails) are different tones and require different staff skill sets.
- Many employees aspire to move from AM to PM, but restaurant must train and manage expectations.
Menu design and seasonal changes
- Menu evolves with seasons and weather (e.g., heavier dishes for winter, lighter/ceviche/ mackerel/ grilled fish for warm weather).
- Examples: black cod (previously beurre blanc) adjusted for heat; new mackerel preparations and ramp pasta planned with seasonal sourcing.
- The dinner menu is chef-driven and intended primarily for in‑house dining; some items aren’t suitable for delivery.
Bread, starters, and baking
- Loss and recovery of Squirrel’s sourdough starter during COVID; starter provenance stories (e.g., Walton Goggins starter) and how starters adapt to local water/flour/humidity.
- Bread production is physically demanding and a major operational consideration (heavy dough, specialized equipment).
Delivery and to-go strategy
- Launching a separate delivery/takeout menu tailored to travel well (to be available on Uber Eats) rather than simply mirroring the dine-in menu.
- Post‑COVID, a significant portion of revenue often comes from takeout/delivery, so it’s important to design offerings for both experiences.
Product lines and partnerships
- Jam is a standout product for Squirrel with national demand; hosts discuss a potential “How Long Gone” flavor concept (keep it simple — high-quality fruit-based jam).
- Discussion of possible branded collaborations and constraints of management deals (hotels/franchises can restrict creative control).
Food culture, neighborhood & clientele
- Discussion of LA neighborhoods (Pasadena, Silver Lake, West Hollywood), clientele differences, and how restaurants can subtly design spaces/menus to attract a preferred crowd without overt exclusion.
- Celebrity dining and tipping were joked about — general commentary that hospitality professionals notice customer behavior/data.
Miscellaneous food obsessions
- Fries: pride in making house fries vs buying from third‑party suppliers (Cisco) — texture differences, consistency, and cost/effort tradeoffs.
- Onion rings: underrepresented dish; conversation about batter types (quinoa, masa) and appeal.
- Squid "squimps": example of a dish evolution — squid stuffed with a shrimp-based chorizo alternative (to avoid pork for certain diners).
Notable quotes & moments
- “Dinner service has to be squarely dinner.” — on preserving the in‑house dining experience.
- On starters: origin matters less over time — “once you start feeding it every day…it takes on the environment it’s in.”
- On expansion deals: “You kind of give away your poetic and creative license” when you do certain management/corporate partnerships.
- The hosts’ recurring humor and provocation (celebrity tipping, ketchup grievances, biscuit culture) provide color and humanize the business-side conversation.
Main takeaways for listeners
- Restaurants must balance creative ambitions and practical economics: menu items, staffing, bread/bakery processes, and delivery all demand different operational solutions.
- Seasonal and environmental factors (weather, local produce) crucially shape menu decisions — what sells or feels right can change week to week.
- Maintaining creative control is important for chefs who build a brand around a particular voice or food identity; some partnership opportunities aren’t worth the creative compromises.
- Small product lines (jams, breads) can become meaningful revenue and brand extension but require thought around production and distribution.
Actionable items / recommendations
- If you’re in LA: try Squirrel for dinner (host recommendations: outdoor seating, the asparagus with makrut lime was called out highly).
- Food entrepreneurs: design separate menus for delivery/ dine-in to protect the dining-room experience and preserve quality.
- For home bakers: starters are influenced more by local water, flour and care than mythical provenance — use that as reassurance if you start one.
- Food lovers: support local bakeries and small producers for high-quality bread rather than trying to recreate expensive/time-consuming processes at home.
Sponsors & episode extras (brief)
- The episode includes sponsor reads for Squarespace, Rocket Money, Quince, Home Depot, and Two Good Coffee Creamers; those segments are interspersed with the interview.
This summary captures the main threads of an episode that’s half restaurant trade discussion, half casual banter — useful both for listeners who want chef/restaurant insights and for those who enjoy the hosts’ humor and cultural riffs.