10 things we learned this week from Allan Mustafa aka Seapa aka MC Grindah and Gabriel Pryce aka. the owner of Rita's in Soho

To listen to this week's episode, click the link here, which will take you straight to wherever you normally listen to your pods. If you enjoy the episode, please leave us a review and a rating and tell your friends. Those who’d like to see the ep in all its glory can now watch all our episodes on YouTube. Again, please like, subscribe and comment if you like the episode as it helps more people find the episodes and enables us to continue doing what we do!

The Studio Podcast: 10 Things We Learned When We Sat Down with Allan Mustafa

From Kurdish comfort food to Chai-fuelled Marseille foodie trips, here's what we learned when Allan 'Seapa' Mustafa (aka MC Grindah) pulled up a chair on The Go-To Food Podcast. Spoiler: he’s passionate, picky, and will passionately defend profiteroles till the end.

1. Kurdish risotto is a real thing (sort of).
   When Ben panics that he has cocked up Allan’s favourite dish, kofte selek, Allan calms him down by sweetly claiming that there is indeed a similar hybrid dish already – Kurdish risotto.

2. Food was the centre of his upbringing.
   From communal eating at big family dinners to watching his parents and grandparents cook, food has always been tied to memory, culture, and identity for Allan.

3. His go-to casual dinner spot is Song Que in Hackney.
   He’s obsessed with their mixed beef bún bò Huế – though when trying to be healthy, he’ll get the chicken pho (before ruining it with satay and beef wrapped in betel leaves).

4. When celebrating, he likes it loud and low-key.
   Blowout meals don’t mean fine dining – he shouts out places like One Club Row and Mountain for food that’s stylish, satisfying, and unpretentious.

5. Marseille is his dream foodie weekend escape.
   With its North African influence and laid-back vibe, Allan maps out a perfect 48 hours: chai lattes, bakery stops, street couscous, swims in rocky coves, and scooter rides along the coast.

6. He has an encyclopaedic knowledge of where to eat in Marseille.
   From Bonnie’s (run by a Glaswegian ex–Black Axe Mangal chef) to Shainadine (a legendary Tunisian spot full of local character), his tips are gold.

7. He's a chai latte guy – not a coffee drinker.
   Though he longs for that coffee culture vibe, he stays loyal to chai or hot chocolate, especially in places where asking for a matcha might get you strange looks.

8. His dream meal starts with Kurdish kofte selek.
   This hearty, comforting stew is his go-to starter and a nod to his cultural roots and his father’s homeland.

9. Czech food holds a special place in his heart.
   And then its quickly onto a dish that reminds him of his mum - Czech roast duck with pickled cabbage and dumplings has become his ultimate main – a dish he lovingly claims with “communist pride”.

10. He’ll fight you over profiteroles.
    Don’t @ him – profiteroles are elite, and they’re his non-negotiable dessert pick. Pastry, cream, and chocolate? End of discussion.

---

Want the full story?
🎧 Listen to the full episode of The Go-To Food Podcast with Sabrina Ghayour wherever you get your podcasts.

Mise en Place: 10 Things We Learned When We Sat Down With Gabriel Pryce of Rita’s…

From fried chicken raves and food stalls at Glasto to gallbladder scares in Mexico City, Gabriel Pryce has seen some things. We sat down with the co-founder of Rita’s to talk slice shops, second chances, and why a sandwich is never just a sandwich.

---

1. He was a child actor in Casualty. Gabe's first “performance” was a chaotic hospital scene involving a ferret named Lancelot—clearly a sign of things to come.

2. Rita’s began as a pop-up inspired by a fried chicken sandwich. What started as a riff on American diner classics turned into a decade-long evolution into one of Soho’s most beloved neighbourhood restaurants.

3. He’s obsessed with slice shops. Gabe’s passion for pizza-by-the-slice—especially New York-style—is deep. He even had a short-lived concept called Hot Slice, and he’s still chasing the dream of a proper slice shop in London.

4. He once traveled to Mexico City to research tortas—and ended up in hospital. A research trip for a sandwich concept ended with a gallbladder scare, a missed flight, and a hard lesson in pushing your body too far.

5. He had a near breakdown working a food stall at Glastonbury. One of his worst days in hospitality involved collapsing in a tent at 4am, haunted by hangovers, 5am queues, and bad fried chicken.

6. He believes in the power of food writing to push the industry forward. Gabe has written about everything from cultural appropriation to the politics of lunch—because sometimes a sandwich isn’t just a sandwich.

7. He almost left hospitality entirely. After closing the first iteration of Rita’s, Gabe found himself heartbroken, burnt out, and working in a bike shop before deciding to give restaurants another go.

8. His perfect weekend ends in New York with a Brooks Headley burger. If he could be anywhere on a Sunday night, he’d be at Superiority Burger in a big-collared shirt, listening to Tom Waits - or something like that.

9. He’s always writing scripts on the side. Whether or not they get made, Gabe is constantly writing, which feeds both his creativity and his deep love of storytelling.

10. He doesn’t believe in guilty pleasures. Whether it’s a fancy lamb’s tongue dish or a nostalgic chicken roll, if it brings joy, it deserves a place on the menu.

---

Want the full story? Listen to the full episode of The Go-To: Mise en Place with Santiago Lastra. Now streaming wherever you get your podcasts.