Where Are They Now? Revisiting the Flavor-tastic World of Bossie's Kitchen

The best kind of Flavortown vibes come from cultures colliding. And no one knows that better than Bossie's Kitchen.

The Santa Barbara, California, restaurant was featured on Season 36 of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives and earned serious praise from host Guy Fieri. But there's only so much flavor shown in each episode, and Bossie's menu is packed with unique dishes you just won't find anywhere else.

We caught up with chef-wife duo Lauren Herman and Christina Olufson to see how life's been since the show aired in 2022 and what new dishes they've come up with in the last couple of years. And we've got an update on that infamous rooftop cow.

Both Los Angeles locals, it sounds fated how Christina and Lauren almost met each other many, many times. They both attended Le Cordon Bleu’s California School of Culinary Arts in Pasadena, California, at the same time, though in different programs. Christina studied baking and pastry, while Lauren studied full culinary. But the two eventually met while working together as cooks in LA in 2008. Their first date was in Santa Barbara, and they moved to Santa Barbara in 2016. In 2019, they opened Bossie's together because "it just made sense."

"And also one of the only ways we actually get to see one another," said Christina. "Otherwise, we operate on different schedules.

"Honestly, at the end of the day, working together has made our relationship better and stronger," she added. "But it’s also not for everyone!"

What makes Bossie's menu so special is quite literally what Christina and Lauren bring to the table — and they love that about each other.

"Christina is from a biracial background; her mom is from South Korea, while her dad was born and raised in Los Angeles," said Lauren. "Her family dinners, celebrations, holidays were always a mix of traditional American and Korean food. A backyard barbecue likely had hamburgers and hot dogs, kalbi (grilled Korean-style short ribs) and japchae (a Korean noodle dish with lots of veggies, mushrooms and sesame oil)."

"Lauren grew up cooking French and Basque recipes with her mom, who is an amazing home cook!" said Christina. "Lauren started with flipping pancakes, making oatmeal cookies and pie crust for Thanksgiving pumpkin pie — and made with a cinnamon-roasted pumpkin — and graduated to things like steak au poivre and leg of lamb.

"Both of us were lucky enough to have been raised in Los Angeles and have always loved exploring the cultural diversity of the city through its food," she added. "Where else can you so casually have Armenian food for lunch and Taiwanese for dinner?! It feels normal for our menu to be sort of a mix-and-match of our childhood, professional experience and travels. It’s just how we like to eat."

And no dish better reflects that than Bossie's pot pies, which were featured on the show.

"Yes, our pot pies have always been one of our most requested menu items — doughnuts too!" said Christina. "We used to offer different weeknight specials, with pot pies every Wednesday. Since the show, we decided to offer them every night!"

Another dish that earned serious praise on the show was the shrimp and lemongrass curry. It's not currently offered, but they're working on an updated version, so it will be back soon.

"Since the show, we've continued to change the menu seasonally and as ingredients are available from the local farmers market," said Christina. "Right now, Lauren’s braised brisket has been very popular, as is the Korean fried chicken sandwich or any of the gochujang rice bowls."

The latter is a dish they're incredibly proud of. Amid emergency surgeries, family emergencies and unexpected temporary restaurant closures over the past couple of years, this dish is proof that things have a way of working out.

"The gochujang rice bowls were a long time in the making but finally made it to the menu," said Christina. "We drive to the Korean markets in LA to stock up on gochujang and gochugaru, and any other produce or snacks that we can’t find in Santa Barbara.

"We’re on the mend and working toward reopening for all lunch and dinner services we previously had," she added.

Beyond the menu, the building itself is a unique landmark in Santa Barbara. The art deco stunner doesn't look like all the other Spanish red-tiled roofs around town. The couple spent more than five years looking for the perfect spot, and when they walked into this 1,200-square-foot space, Lauren said they knew it was the one.

The giant cow on the roof definitely helped with first impressions.

Bossie, as the cow was named, was installed for the building's previous businesses: Live Oak Dairy and McConnell’s Ice Cream. "We named the restaurant after her because she was such an iconic landmark of Santa Barbara," said Christina. "Anytime someone asked where the restaurant was located, the easiest description was 'the cow building.'"

Bossie topped the building from the 1940s through 2020, when she collapsed off the roof and shattered into hundreds of plaster pieces with decades of paint layers like rings on a tree. Apparently, it had also been a tradition since the 1970s to paint Bossie the colors of Santa Barbara High School before prom and homecoming, or before their rival football game with neighboring San Marcos.

"We tried [to get a new cow] for several years, but ultimately the building owner doesn’t want the liability of local high school students climbing the roof to paint," said Christina.

That makes sense. The high school has its own Bossie now. And the spirit of OG Bossie lives on in the restaurant's branding. It's one of the many ways Bossie's Kitchen stays true to itself and its heritage while also remaining a vital connective tissue in the community.

"We look forward to fully getting back on our feet to serve the neighborhood that we love," said Christina. "We're working on new menu items and specials, and exploring ways to continue to grow our business!"

Stream every episode of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives on Max and discovery+. Keep up with Bossie's Kitchen on Instagram @bossieskitchen.sb.