A Fat on Top of a Fat

Award-winning food writer and Food Network judge Troy Johnson never wanted to write about food. A born-and-raised San Diegan, he came up as a latchkey kid in the '80s making pizza rolls and Top Ramen that smelled, in his words, like "MSG, salt, and self-love." As his mom likes to say, he didn't learn to cook out of passion but in self-defense. In this episode, Chef Claudia Sandoval sits down with her friend Troy to trace the memories and detours that made him: a childhood where food was survival rather than romance, a poetry degree that somehow became his sharpest tool on Food Network, and the leap from underground music writing to food writing, where he gave himself a culinary education one flashcard at a time. Together they dig into what it means to build something where you're from: why Troy refused to leave San Diego for LA or New York, how food is really just the entry point to story, and the origin of his 13-year partnership with Guy Fieri. Plus, the truth about what TV chefs actually make, and the definitive answer to the internet's biggest question: Does Guy Fieri actually eat? New episodes every Wednesday. You can find Troy Johnson on Instagram @heytroyjohnson and San Diego Magazine @sandiegomag Follow along ⁠@bitefullypod⁠ and ⁠@chefclaudiasandoval⁠ on Instagram Host & Executive Producer: Claudia Sandoval | Producer: Shei Yu | Executive Producer: Saadia Khan | Sound Designer & Editor: Lou Raskin | Theme Music: Lou Raskin | Other Music: Epidemic Sound | Cover Art: Mike Fennessy Bitefully is an Immigrantly Media Production. If you like what you hear, write a review at Bitefully and subscribe to Immigrantly Uninterrupted for ad-free episodes. For advertising inquiries, contact us at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices