Meet Mike Robinson | Drummer & Podcaster

We had the good fortune of connecting with Mike Robinson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Mike, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I started Food on Tour as an Instagram account for fun while I was on the road playing shows. I’m constantly seeking out the best and most convenient food near venues and always had friends texting me to either ask for suggestions or share something they found while touring. It was my attempt at turning into an actual resource for my friends while they were on the road.

Once Covid hit, I had a ton of free time and limited social interaction, so I decided to try it as a podcast. I’d make some cocktails at home and interview a different friend of mine via Zoom about their favorite places to eat in the city of their choice while they’re on tour. This turned into a 30-something run of episodes that reached far beyond just my friends. I’ve had musicians I admire and even chefs on for episodes.

I took a VERY long break from producing episodes, as I became a dad and had zero time for anything outside of work and family. Now that my son is older, I’m able to take some extra time for myself and Food on Tour is back as a weekly podcast. I’m extremely excited and can’t wait to see how it’s received in it’s new format.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
As a touring drummer, I get to do a lot of very cool stuff for work, however, there is also more downtime in live music than most people would ever expect. I decided a long time ago to fill that downtime with as much food and local culture as I feasibly can. One of my favorite things ever is sharing a meal with my friends, especially while traveling, and if I can create a space where all my touring friends can go to find good food close to where they are while on the road, it feels like I get to live that meal with them in a way. I get so much joy from sending a recommendation and receiving that text message like an hour later where they say “oh my god that was incredible”. Or when someone has a great meal on the road and thinks to share it with me… I think that’s just the coolest thing. We all spend lots of time away from the comfort of our homes, missing our families and our friends, and these moments provide a lot of relief and joy for many of us.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Okay, so first I’d make sure they stay as close to me as possible. I live in Highland Park so our days would start there. If we could do this around Halloween, that would be best – You’ll see why shortly.

I’m not really the best with creating an itinerary for this sort of thing, but in terms of food I’d make sure we hit Rosty in Highland park. They have incredible Peruvian wood fired chicken. I feel like that place goes so overlooked in the neighborhood. Coffee at Go Get Em Tiger or Kumquat most mornings and finish off a few nights with some wings and Guinness at Griffins of Kinsale in South Pasadena. It’s one my favorite bars and they pour of the best Guinness in town!

Let’s say at this point it’s the day of Halloween. We’d head straight to South Pasadena and see the Halloween film locations, probably with the intermittent Guinness break at Griffin’s. South Pas on Halloween is one of my favorite days of the year. The whole town is filled with Halloween fanatics, dudes dressed as Michael Myers, and everyone is walking around going from site to site taking pictures.

I’m assuming there’s a good show or some type of event at Lodge Room for Halloween, so a dinner and some drinks at Checker Hall would be a must before the show. Post-show I’d probably take my friend to Gold Room or La Cuevita for some drinks.

All that’s on my mind when friends or family visits is food so I’d try and take them to all of the following at some point: Oinkster, Mid East Tacos, Houston’s, Eagle Rock Italian Bakery & Deli, Ozzy’s Apizza, Waxpaper, Heights Deli, Damon’s, and so many more.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My wife, hands down. She works extremely hard all while being an incredible mother and partner. Without her support and dedication to our family and her own work, I wouldn’t be able to do so much of what I’m able to do today.

Website: https://foodontourpod.com

Instagram: @foodontourpod

Image Credits
Amanda Laferriere
Drew Cottrell