The Eat Sheet: 'Walking Dead' Producer Gale Anne Hurd Takes THR’s Taste Test

Producer Gale Anne Hurd, who got her start as an assistant to beloved schlockmeister Roger Corman and whose blockbuster-heavy resume ranges from The Terminator and Aliens to Armageddon, has run Vertical Wine Bistro in Old Town Pasadena as a passion project since 2008. The restaurant just welcomed a pedigreed new chef, Laurent Quenioux — formerly of Bistro LQ and most recently seen at a series of buzz-generating pop-up dinners at downtown L.A.’s Starry Kitchen. It’s a big month for Hurd, whose hit AMC zombie-apocalypse show The Walking Dead will air its second season finale this Sunday, March 18.

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GALE ANN HURD’S THR TASTE TEST

Current Fixation
“Grits with cheese, from spending so much time in Georgia on The Walking Dead.

Known For Cooking
“I make a not-too-terrible omelet.”

Destination Dinner
“Restaurant Arzak, a three-star Michelin award-winner in San Sebastian, Spain. Their menu is constantly evolving, and everything Juan Mari and Elena Arzak prepare is truly exceptional. It’s worth the trip to dine there.”

Go-To Take-Out
“Zankou Chicken.”

Adventurous Bite
“Crocodile at Carnivore Restaurant in Nairobi, Kenya.”

Simply Won’t Eat
“Calf’s liver. I’m just not a fan of how it tastes.”

Favorite Snack
“SeaSnax Classic Olive roasted seaweed snack. It’s strangely addictive—that’s their tag line, and it’s true.”

Dietary Regimen
“Every now and again I try to stick to the Eat Right For Your (Blood) Type Diet, and fail abysmally.”

Preferred Company
“My husband, writer/director Jonathan Hensleigh, and my daughter, Lolita De Palma.”

Pet Peeve
“Restaurant staff that act as if they’re doing you a favor by waiting on you.”

Big Wish
“I support independent restaurants over chain restaurants, but it’s the chains that seem to be doing stronger business in the recession. I hope the trend reverses.”

Embarrassing Experience
“I asked the server to cut my pizza at Terroni. Apparently that’s a no-no. The manager told me in a very loud voice that I was an adult and therefore fully capable of slicing my own pizza.”

Guilty Pleasure
“Red velvet cupcakes.”

Last Meal
“Parisian pastry chef Pierre Herme’s Death by Chocolate.”