OUR STORY
A CULINARY EXPERIENCE COMPANY
Sidewalk Food Tours was inspired by a deep love of food, history, and the unique stories of different neighborhoods in different cities. The first Sidewalk Food Tour was launched in NYC, and since then, the Sidewalks family has grown to include tours in Chicago, San Francisco, Paris, New Orleans and now LA.
Our goal is to provide exceptional walking food tours of Los Angeles so you can revisit these neighborhoods with confidence and enjoy the array of culinary options they have to offer. We want you to feel as if you’re exploring the city with a close friend who’s showing you all their favorite local hideaways.
We’re self-proclaimed foodies. We’ve made it our mission to eat our way through LA, doing a lot of delicious research (and some not so appetizing) to bring you the best food options the city has to offer. There is no better way to learn about the history and culture of a neighborhood than to eat its food. The food and the people who prepare it tell the story of a neighborhood. Join us on a real foodie adventure as we eat our way through our favorite neighborhoods and uncover the best off-the-beaten-path food spots in LA.
We look forward to having you join us on a Sidewalk Food Tour of Los Angeles and can’t wait to show you the sights. Happy eating!
Bon voyage!
SIDEWALK FOOD TOURS OF LOS ANGELES
OUR TOURS
EXPLORE NEIGHBORHOOD DELIGHTS
Savor the sights, sounds, and flavors of LA on a Food Tour of Los Angeles! Your expert tour guide leads you on a walking adventure through this extraordinary city, sharing stories of early settlers, Hollywood’s heyday, and the transformation of LA’s culture and food scene.
On your food tour, you get to enjoy tastes from unique LA eateries, including the best bakeries, authentic ethnic eateries, and renowned establishments creating a buzz in the foodie universe. Along the way, your tour guide introduces you to the city’s unique history, evolving food culture, and fascinating architecture. At the end of your tour, with your newfound knowledge of LA’s best hidden gems, you’ll feel like a true Angeleno!
MEET THE TEAM
JOSHUA HIRSCH
OWNER
On a six-hour historical tour of Lower Manhattan, Joshua’s stomach began to grumble as the guide pointed out some delicious food spots. It was then that he had an “aha moment.” He decided to include his favorite food places on a history and culture walking tour, so folks wouldn’t be hungry while discovering the city!
He wanted his tours to tell the story of the neighborhood through its food and the people who prepare it. The rest, as they say, is history. Sidewalk Food Tours, a culinary experience company, was born. He has since expanded into six delectable cities. His goal is to expand to every major U.S. city you travel to, so you can experience its food and culture on a Sidewalk Food Tour.
CHIEU HIRSCH
PARTNER
We are honored to have Chieu Hirsch on our team. She plays an integral part in the company’s overall success. Her family bravely refuged to the U.S. from Vietnam in the 1980s. She brings years of business experience, previously working for Sprint, Principal Financial, Morgan Stanley, and Hartford. In addition to her business acumen, she is extremely passionate about feng shui, astrology, food, and culture. She loves meditation, traveling, and hiking to beautiful mountaintops. Spending quality time with her eight nieces and nephews is what brings her the most joy.
ROBBIE BRUENS
Robbie is a comedian and filmmaker who also eats food from time to time, a habit he developed during childhood and can’t seem to kick. He loves to find the best spots to eat and drink in every city he visits and share these discoveries with anyone curious about such matters.
He also has a degree in History and will talk your ear off about the past if you let him.
SCARLET CUMMINGS
GUIDE
Scarlet grew up in Los Angeles and received a BA in film and art history from UC Berkeley. She loves sharing downtown LA’s delicious food, stunning architecture, and fascinating history with visitors and locals alike. Scarlet is an actor and standup comedian, and an avid traveler, bibliophile, and language enthusiast.
MONICA CERESETO
GUIDE
Monica is a professionally trained chef and people lover that was born and raised in Los Angeles. She’s worked it all from low brow delis to Michelin starred restaurants to food styling for advertising campaigns to programming and testing smart ovens! When she isn’t cooking or touring she’s checking out local comedy shows and taking long walks in LA.
Favorite cocktail: Mezcal Negroni
Favorite LA restaurant: The Apple Pan
JESS CASHIN
GUIDE
Jess comes from a background working for years in the travel industry, and what was her first move whenever scoping out a new city? Book a food tour! From Rabat to Reykjavik, Lisbon to Beijing, and many places in between, she’s always found that one of the best ways to get to know a city is through its food, so she’s thrilled to now be giving food tours in her adopted home of Los Angeles (though she remains a Bostonian at heart – she’ll defy you to find a chowder that meets her standards!)
Favorite cocktail: Margarita in summer, Old Fashioned in winter
Favorite LA restaurant: Melrose Umbrella Co.
CHRIS SUZUKI
GUIDE
Chris is a fifth generation native of Los Angeles, having studied art, history, and theatre in college he has been leading tours around Los Angeles and its museums for almost ten years. Living in downtown LA, he started leading tours at the Getty Villa, later moving to the Marciano Arts Foundation, and currently also leading private tours of Los Angeles museums for ArtMuse LA . He loves getting to share his hometown, its amazing stories and incredible food with guests from all over the world.