# My Food Reviewer - Stephanie Garofano | Tosh Show

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBrWOotYyo8
Recap page: https://rapidrecap.app/video/dBrWOotYyo8
Generated: 2025-07-22T13:38:07.486+00:00

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## Quick Overview

Daniel Tosh interviews Stephanie Garofano, a 'super taster' food blogger and entrepreneur, who discusses her unique palate, her journey from Ukraine to becoming a food reviewer, and her new meringue business, Malibu Meringues, while Tosh also pitches a reality dating show to find a partner for his wife's cousin.

**Key Points:**
- Stephanie Garofano, a 'super taster,' can discern every ingredient in food and finds some strong flavors, like hard alcohol and certain Ukrainian dishes, overwhelming.
- She immigrated from the USSR (now Ukraine) to San Diego, initially changing her name from Restlava to Stephanie to fit in, but now embraces her unique identity.
- Garofano launched Malibu Meringues, a new business offering gluten-free, fat-free, high-protein meringues in flavors like raspberry, toasted marshmallow, and coffee, aiming for placement in stores like Erewhon.
- She prefers to give positive reviews, stating, 'my whole thing is just to showcase talent and innovation and chefs,' and avoids reviewing mediocre places, even accepting free meals if the food is excellent.
- Daniel Tosh plans to launch a reality dating show titled 'Who Wants to Be a Member of My Family' to find a suitable partner for his wife's cousin, Panda, with specific criteria including age (35-45), height (taller than 5'9"), liberal social views, and a desire for children.
- Garofano dislikes salads but enjoys them at specific places like Lodge Bread, All Time, and Tartine, and prefers lunch or 'linner' (eating at 4 PM) over traditional dinner reservations.
- She believes Yelp is 'corrupt as [__]' due to alleged threats to restaurants to pay for good reviews, but still uses it for quick information like addresses and phone numbers.

**Context:** The episode features Daniel Tosh hosting his 'Tosh Show,' where he first discusses personal topics, including the challenges of hiring employees and his unique approach to dating, before introducing his guest. The main segment is an interview with Stephanie Garofano, a food blogger known as a 'super taster,' who shares her background, culinary insights, and entrepreneurial ventures.

## Detailed Analysis

Daniel Tosh opens the episode by discussing the difficulties of hiring and finding a partner, revealing his plan to launch a reality dating show called 'Who Wants to Be a Member of My Family' to select a husband for his wife's cousin, Panda. He outlines strict criteria for potential candidates, including an age range of 35-45, being taller than 5'9", holding liberal social views, being employed, and wanting children within a year or two. Tosh then introduces Stephanie Garofano, a food blogger and 'super taster' who immigrated from the USSR (now Ukraine) to San Diego. Garofano explains her 'super taster' ability, which allows her to discern every ingredient, making her sensitive to strong flavors like hard alcohol and certain traditional Ukrainian 'war food' dishes. This sensitivity led her to explore fresh cuisine and become a fantastic cook. She discusses her food review philosophy, emphasizing positive reviews to 'showcase talent and innovation and chefs,' and her preference for fine dining and 'linner' (early dinners) over traditional dinner times. Garofano also shares details about her new business, Malibu Meringues, which offers gluten-free, fat-free, high-protein meringues in various flavors, aiming for distribution in high-end markets like Erewhon. She expresses strong opinions on Yelp, calling it 'corrupt as [__]' due to alleged pay-for-review practices, but acknowledges its utility for basic information. The conversation also touches on her favorite Los Angeles restaurants, including Shabuya in Calabasas for sushi and All Time for breakfast, and her dislike for Red Vines, which she describes as 'chewing on rubber' with no flavor.

### Host's Personal Segment

- Daniel Tosh discusses the difficulty of hiring and finding a partner, leading to his pitch for a reality dating show titled 'Who Wants to Be a Member of My Family'
- Tosh outlines specific criteria for his wife's cousin's future partner, including an age range of 35-45, being taller than 5'9", having liberal social views, being employed, and wanting children within one to two years
- He confirms with his wife's cousin, Panda, that she has given him 'all power' in selecting her future husband, with the only hard no being cultures that eat horses.

### Guest Introduction & Background

- Stephanie Garofano, a food blogger and 'super taster,' is introduced, revealing her real name is Restlava and she immigrated from the USSR (now Ukraine) to San Diego
- Garofano explains her 'super taster' ability, which allows her to taste every ingredient, making her sensitive to strong flavors and leading her to prefer fresh food over traditional Ukrainian 'war food'
- She describes herself as a 'fantastic cook' who started cooking and watching Food Network at a young age due to her picky eating habits with her mother's cooking.

### Food Philosophy & Preferences

- Garofano's review philosophy focuses on showcasing 'talent and innovation and chefs,' leading her to primarily give positive reviews and avoid mediocre places
- She enjoys fine dining, considering it her 'first love,' and prefers 'linner' (eating at 4 PM) to avoid reservations and crowds
- Her favorite Los Angeles restaurants include Orson Winston (Japanese Italian mix) and Shabuya in Calabasas for sushi, along with All Time for breakfast and specific places for salads like Lodge Bread and Tartine.

### Malibu Meringues & Entrepreneurship

- Garofano discusses her new business, Malibu Meringues, which developed from her love for meringue while making macaroons for a college Italian market venture
- The meringues are described as gluten-free, fat-free, and high in protein, with flavors like raspberry, toasted marshmallow, and coffee, aiming for a 'California casual lifestyle' brand
- Daniel Tosh tries the meringues, finding the raspberry intense and the marshmallow less so, but ultimately not his preference due to texture and dislike for marshmallows.

### Industry Insights & Opinions

- Garofano believes Yelp is 'corrupt as [__]' due to alleged threats to restaurants to pay for good reviews, but uses it for quick information like addresses and phone numbers
- She asserts that America has the best food because chefs from all over the world open restaurants there, bringing diverse culinary experiences
- Garofano's children are 'bougie eaters' who enjoy sushi and caviar, but she restricts their fast food to In-N-Out and Shake Shack, telling them other places have 'rats'.

