Dish It Up: The crazy guy who does the weird stuff

Chef Davin Waite, owner of The Whet Noodle, holds two of his ramen noodle creations.

Dec. 10, 2018 6 PM PT

Chef/owner Davin Waite isn’t afraid to play with his food. “At the end of the day, how big is your box of crayons?” he ponders.

The boundary-pushing chef has been named to PACIFIC magazine’s Chain of Gourmand two years running, earning praise from other local chefs. And, the unconventional food at his sushi/izakaya pub, Wrench and Rodent, in Oceanside has earned him a reputation among diners and fellow cooks as being the most adventurous chef in town.

We recently sat down with the eccentric chef to talk food and the following topics:

The Oceanside scene
Places to eat around Oceanside
When you could afford to take risks
Availability of really cool product to play with
Putting love on the plate every step of the way
Have a supportive wife and partner in the restaurant industry
Working with family
Being generous with time
Influence of veganism
Illusion of abundance
Plant component on dish shouldn’t be an afterthought
Getting stoked about pickling and fermentation
Sustainability and banana-skin tacos
The sharing of information
New plant-based restaurant, The Plot

Dish It Up is a collaboration between PACIFIC and Facebook group Eating and Drinking In San Diego.

Listen and subscribe to Dish It Up and sister podcast Kiss My Glass on Apple iTunes, Google Play and Soundcloud. And, if there’s something you want to hear about in an upcoming podcast, whether it be a food-related topic or specific guest, please feel free to let us know at lifescool@pacificsandiego.com.