Welcome to the Track & Food podcast. Host Jamie Mah is a writer, bartender and sommelier in beautiful Vancouver, BC. Join him as he takes a deep dive into everything food and culture happening in the city and around the globe.

Recently, I sat down with my good friend James Iranzad (Gooseneck Hospitality) for a long-overdue catch-up, beginning with a piece that caught both our attention: Substance Abuse, a column by Ed Elson in the Simply Put newsletter. Elson’s provocative thesis suggests that the dramatic decline in alcohol sales isn’t primarily about health consciousness, GLP-1 drugs, or cannabis legalization — it’s about screen addiction. Together, we broke down his argument, and discussed what it means for the hospitality industry.

Next up: North America’s 50 Best Bars returned to Vancouver last month, turning a spotlight on the city’s growing international reputation as a beverage destination. What did the event meant for the local scene? Who showed up? And what does this continued investment in our city signal about where the global industry thinks we sit on the map?

Then, we run through the results of the latest editions of Canada’s 100Best Restaurants and the Vancouver Magazine Awards to talk about who made it, who moved up, and who got overlooked; as well as which patterns we’re seeing across the lists — regionally, stylistically, and in terms of what the judges seem to be rewarding.

Finally: Earlier this month, a temporary pop-up plaza was constructed next to Bells & Whistles in what appeared to be an accelerated timeline, prompting a report by CTV News. Iranzad gives his account of how the application came together, what the original vision was, and where the project actually landed.

Midway through our discussion, James Langford-Smith (Pamplemousse Jus, June) calls in to fill us in about what’s happening at the winery, and what consumers can look forward to from his latest vintage.

This is a fun one as always. Do enjoy!