Episode Details

Darin sits down with Lien Ta—restaurateur, organizer, and one of the guiding lights of L.A.’s hospitality community. From Here’s Looking At You to Regarding Her, Lien shares her five essential rules for building community with intention, generosity, and just a little bit of magic. It’s a heartfelt, honest conversation about showing up, paying attention, and creating space for connection—both inside a restaurant and far beyond its walls. If you've ever wondered how to turn a dining room into a neighborhood, this one’s for you.

Our Altadena community needs your support! We are requesting Comprehensive Testing and Remediation at AAM Following the Eaton Fire. Despite some surface testing for ash, soot, and char, the interior testing completed by PUSD to date is insufficient given the scale and nature of the fire. Nearby soil has already shown confirmed lead contamination, and numerous reports of hazardous toxins, including lead, were detected indoors near the Eaton Fire—even in buildings that had already undergone remediation.

Please help us by signing the petition and keeping everyone aware of the ongoing situation!

[00:00:00] Darin Hello and welcome to five rules for the good life. I'm your host. Darin Bresnitz. Today, we sit down with one of my favorite people in the Los Angeles food scene, Lynn Ta. You may know her from some of her incredible restaurants, All Day Baby. Here's looking at you and as one of the magnetic forces behind regarding her. Today, she shares her five rules about how to build a community. We chat about what it means to. Show up for others. How to build something bigger than yourself. The art- of bringing people together and why she loves magic. So let's get into the rules. Lynn, so good to see you. Always a bright spot in my day when we get to sit down and have a conversation.

[00:00:45] Lien Ta Oh, likewise, Darin. Thank you for having me.

[00:00:47] Darin When I think of the L.A. Food community, few people sit at the top in my mind like you do. What is it like to be a part of the LA food community and what does it mean to you?

[00:00:57] Lien Ta I actually have to say that I did not expect to be at the top of a community. It certainly wasn't my intention when I set forth to opening a first restaurant in 2016. But how it feels is it's a privilege, it's an honor. If I am truly there, then I take it quite seriously. It's important to me that I actually act out this role or these values of mine, and it feels good.

[00:01:19] Darin It should feel good. And the last few months, how the last few years have really shown how important community is in the restaurant space. Now, I think when you open a restaurant, community is a big part of what you're building as well with here's looking at you and all day baby, how have you considered building community while you build a new restaurant?

[00:01:37] Lien Ta I think the goal of opening a restaurant is so lofty as it is. Once you get your doors open, you start to realize, one, you're building a community within the four walls of your restaurant with your staff and the kinds of folks that you're h