The melting pot of Los Angeles is especially mirrored within the metropolis’s meals. And that’s offered an avenue for Alex Cottrell to make a reputation for himself on-line because the L.A. Strive Man.
His L.A. Strive Man collection — which will be discovered on Instagram (@latryguy) and on YouTube — follows Cottrell as he tries numerous eateries throughout South Los Angeles and surrounding communities.
“I grew up consuming in Arkansas, consuming soul meals and fried fish, fried that, no matter,” Cottrell, a local of Little Rock, tells The Hollywood Reporter.
“I really like, I really like L.A., I really like the town. You already know, it’s been an exquisite, great journey.” Cottrell says about his new dwelling. Again in 2020, after the COVID-19 pandemic hit the nation, lockdowns compelled Cottrell to shutter an ice cream store that he ran again in Arkansas. Happily, he discovered a job in gross sales which allowed him to maneuver to the West Coast, alongside along with his cousin. “They [his new employer] gave me a chunk of paper, and it had an entire bunch of cities on there. It stated, you recognize, New York, Chicago, all over the place,” Cottrell stated. “And I noticed L.A., I used to be like, nah, I gotta do L.A., it’s gotta be, you recognize, as a result of I’ve at all times been all in favour of leisure and stuff like that.”
Upon arriving in Los Angeles, Cottrell and his then-girlfriend hung out savoring the native meals scene, which sparked an thought to begin a present targeted on reviewing eating places in South Los Angeles and past. “She was like, man, you must do one of many movies like them TikTokers, as a result of we [ate at] plenty of cool locations … I in all probability did TikTok for a month. I obtained like 20,000 followers.”
His newfound recognition led Cottrell to creating extra content material below the deal with of L.A. Strive Man, which gained him much more followers. Nevertheless, his new style for the town affected his waistline, which just about compelled him to desert his efforts. He quickly “stopped as a result of I used to be getting fats,” he laughs. “And, you recognize, I began my Instagram account in February of final yr. I began YouTube in April of final yr, and it’s been up ever since.”
What shocked him have been some feedback that painted a caricature of South Los Angeles. “I begin happening to all these totally different cities south of the ten [freeway], and I’m not from right here. So I didn’t know the place I used to be. I began studying the feedback. Everyone [was] like, ‘Man, you risking your life for a chunk of hen.’”
Cottrell feels that he’s in a position to make clear eating places that deserve extra consideration. “I feel anyone can come down and get some good meals, you recognize. I imply, it’s not prefer it was again then. I imply, again then, I feel stuff was tough,” he says, including that he appears like South L.A. stereotypes are outdated. “These days, in case you a daily dude and also you popping out attempting to get some meals, you’re not going to have a problem.”
Alex Cottrell on the TikTok 2024 Oscar viewing get together at Bar Lis in Los Angeles.
Gonzalo Marroquin/Getty Photos for TikTok
Along with his new attain — he at present has almost 200,000 followers on Instagram and 631,000 subscribers to his YouTube channel — Cottrell connects along with his followers to find the subsequent restaurant to strive. “I get plenty of DMs, a whole lot and a whole lot and a whole lot of DMs from folks and eating places and stuff, [wanting] me to come back by. So typically I’ll skim by means of there. If one thing stands out, I’ll do it.”
“It’s all love all over the place I’m going, all people’s completely happy to see me. You already know, we out having enjoyable. I’m not out right here disrespecting no person or doing nothing silly for clicks,” he continues. “We legit simply have enjoyable, eat meals, meet nice folks. And it’s changed into a lot greater than you recognize, what I believed it was going to be. It’s been completely insane.”
L.A. Strive Man has even led to collaborations with some manufacturers similar to Well-known Dave’s BBQ restaurant and California Pizza Kitchen and filming with celebrities similar to rapper Ty Dolla $ign, One on One actor Robert Ri’chard, Good Burger actor-comedian Kel Mitchell and former Lakers ahead Matt Barnes. “I simply did a video with Matt Barnes yesterday, you recognize. I imply, we sat down, we chopped it up. He’s obtained a spot [We Dat’s Chicken & Shrimp] down in Gardena.”
Going ahead Cottrell has just a few dream movie star bookings in thoughts. “I gotta get Denzel [Washington] on the present, for positive. I really feel like I’ll study a lot simply sitting down with him,” he says. “Cardi B, as a result of she appears cool, you recognize? I imply, GloRilla? Glo, yeah, she appears cool.” Visitors to this point have reached out to him instantly to seem on L.A. Strive Man, he says. “Like all of the folks I’ve collabed with, I’ve by no means needed to attain out to no person for nothing. Like, all of them hit me like, Yo, like, you recognize, you must go to this spot. Alright, let’s go collectively.”
One native quick meals chain that Cottrell reviewed and beneficial, Tam’s Burgers, has since gained consideration for being featured in rapper Kendrick Lamar’s video for the hit single “Not Like Us”.
“I feel the Kendrick state of affairs was dope,” says Cottrell, “with regards to unifying the town. Doesn’t matter the place you’re from, everybody got here collectively due to Kendrick at an iconic L.A. burger joint.” Cottrell additionally recommends these two L.A. spots as amongst his favorites: Hungry Joe’s Jamaican Restaurant in Inglewood, for oxtails, and Hawkins House of Burgers in Watts.
Cottrell additionally says that his collection has introduced in enterprise for eating places he’s showcased. “I went to a spot in Inglewood, StormBurger. I went there earlier than, it was empty, empty. I simply stopped by, you recognize, and I did the video. And the road [since] has been loopy.” He does admit that not all the response to L.A. Strive Man has been constructive, although. “I say I get many of the adverse suggestions from the folks [where] I’m going someplace, you recognize, [and] I say it’s good. And, you recognize, I run into folks on the road on a regular basis. They like, ‘Man, I went there. That was trash. Man, that was horrible.’”
Cottrell’s platform has additionally allowed him to start to journey to different cities similar to New Orleans and develop an idea for his personal TV present on which he goals to shine a highlight on unknown cooks in the USA. “So many individuals out right here, so many people who find themselves at all times coming as much as me, telling me, ‘My mama make the perfect this. My daddy make the perfect this. My auntie obtained the perfect. I wish to pull up and see what y’all speaking about, man, you recognize. So I’m on the lookout for the perfect folks, the perfect undiscovered cooks with extraordinary talents. I imply, so I wish to put common individuals who’ve by no means had a restaurant,’ says Cottrell, who’s additionally an actor and has appeared on collection similar to 2016’s DJ Canine Type and 2020’s The Every day.
With regards to different meals bloggers and on-line reviewers similar to Detroit native-turned-L.A. resident Keith Lee, Cottrell isn’t solely supportive of his fellow foodie but in addition needs to collaborate with him. “I feel so far as Keith Lee goes, I feel it will be dope to collab with him on one thing in the future,” Cottrell says. “He’s extra chill and does his factor. My factor is extra like leisure. I really feel like I’ve plenty of power. I’ve plenty of enjoyable.”
But, for probably the most half, Cottrell is just residing out his Hollywood goals whereas having the ability to give a glimpse in to the group and metropolis that has turn out to be his second dwelling. “It’s enjoyable, you recognize? I feel it’s cool that we have now this group, you recognize? I imply, folks come as much as me, they’re like, ‘Man, I really like this. I don’t like this. I really like this.”