Who am I?
I’m Austin Tedesco. I lead podcast and video partnerships here at Substack. Before this I was an NBA editor at ESPN, a line cook at Cool World (RIP) and a strategist at another tech company.
I’ve never really liked writing much. But I’ve always liked making restaurant recs (and quietly judging yours). It’s the thing I’m most opinionated about, and the thing I’m best at.
What is a banger? And what is a jam?
You know it when you see it. This started as a running bit with friends that every good song was either a banger or a jam. Like, “Hey Ma” by Cam’ron, jam. “I’ve Got Friends In Low Places” by Garth Brooks, banger. “Hit ‘Em Up Style” by Blu Cantrell, banger. “Can’t Get You Out Of My Head” by Kylie Minogue, jam. Since then it’s become a shorthand for all kinds of recs, which is primary function of this blog. Some weeks I’ll do a big round up of food and restaurant takes. Other weeks you’ll get an essay, a list, home-cooking tips or some other gimmick I’ve cooked up. Things are grounded in an LA and New York focus and expand from there.
What else goes on over here?
Before my friends would go on trips, I’d send them a Google Doc. Here’s where to eat, here’s what to avoid, here’s how to spend a perfect afternoon, that kind of thing. It was fun for me, and the reviews from them were consistently positive.
I’ve moved those Google Docs over here and blown them out a bit. There should be a new one every few months.
And?
A paid subscription gets you:
The weekly recs for restaurants, food, films, fashion and other stuff
Professional help securing difficult restaurant reservations. (I have my ways).
A Reckless Spender membership gets you all of that, plus personalized recommendations.
A free subscription gets you whatever goes above the paywall, though sometimes I get the urge to do full free pieces like these.
