Long Beach’s Most Influential Food Voice: A Day With James Tir of LB Food Coma

If you’ve spent any time exploring Long Beach’s food scene, there’s a good chance you’ve come across LB Food Coma—the platform that’s helped introduce thousands of locals (and visitors) to hidden gems, beloved neighborhood staples, and the stories behind the people who make this city taste the way it does.

In our latest episode, I spent the day with James Tir, the creator behind LB Food Coma, to talk about how he went from working in family restaurants and grinding in real estate… to becoming one of Long Beach’s most recognizable voices in food culture.

This isn’t just a foodie feature. It’s a story about discipline, identity, and what happens when someone decides to build something meaningful—brick by brick.

“Do you ever eat anything without filming it?”

James laughed when I asked him this, but his answer was honest: not often.

Food has become more than a passion—it’s his lens for storytelling, culture, and community. These days, he’s visiting three to four restaurants a day, balancing the demands of content with staying healthy and sustainable.

And that right there is part of why he’s been able to build what he’s built: not because it’s glamorous, but because it’s consistent.

From design… to tax prep… to real estate

Before LB Food Coma, James described his early adulthood as “wayfinding.” He tried:

• industrial design (including a job at a skateboarding company)

• tax prep (hated it)

• real estate (10 years of grueling work)

He loved the people side of real estate—networking, meeting clients, being out in the world. But he said something that really stuck with me:

Real estate can be hard… and then it can become boring.

When he transitioned into commercial real estate, he realized it felt soulless. The money was good, but it didn’t light him up.

Food was always there—he just didn’t realize it would become the path

James grew up around food. His parents ran a doughnut shop. His aunt owned a Cambodian restaurant where he worked as a teen—starting as a busboy, eventually learning how to cook the entire menu.

By graduation, he swore off the food industry.

And yet, like a lot of things we try to outrun… it found its way back.

Through real estate, he was constantly in restaurants (meetings, client lunches, networking). He also had early exposure to Long Beach food journalism through relationships in the community. Over time, food storytelling became the thing he kept coming back to.

The moment that changed everything: the “Cambodian Cowboy”

One of the coolest stories James shared was about discovering a Cambodian BBQ vendor in North Long Beach—a guy in a cowboy hat running a smoky metal setup in a parking lot.

James described it as Cambodian-Texan fusion and said, “This can only exist in Long Beach.”

He and another food writer decided to spotlight him—James amplified him on Instagram, the writer covered him on a larger platform—and that vendor went from local legend to major visibility across LA.

James said it plainly: that moment changed the guy’s life.

And it also shows the power of what James does: food coverage isn’t just content—it can be a catalyst.

“Consistency beats perfection.”

This may have been the biggest lesson of the day.

James doesn’t chase perfection. He posts every single day. He treats the work as iterative—improving by doing, over and over, instead of waiting until it’s flawless.

His breakthrough moment came from an unlikely place: TikTok.

A video featuring a takoyaki vendor hit 11 million views, and that was the moment he realized, “Okay… I can do this full-time.”

But even then, he didn’t pivot into viral-chasing. He doubled down on what he already believed:

Engagement + consistency + community = growth over time.

Why culture matters (and why “regional” beats “pan”)

James is passionate about cultural specificity. He’s not interested in “everything for everyone” concepts—he’s drawn to food that represents real regional identity.

He talked about how often people treat cuisines as monolithic, when they’re not:

• Mexican food isn’t one thing (it’s regional)

• Southeast Asian food gets blurred together (Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, etc.)

• Cambodian culture is rarely highlighted at the level it deserves

His Cambodian heritage gives him that perspective—and it fuels a mission that’s bigger than restaurants:

helping people understand depth, history, and tradition through food.

Cambodia Town deserves more love

When I asked what he wished more people knew about Cambodia Town, his answer was immediate:

He wishes people knew it existed.

Long Beach gets associated with downtown, hotels, and a handful of popular destinations—but Cambodia Town is a defining part of the city’s identity, and it’s still overlooked.

James said he wants more guides, more entry points, and more visibility—so people can discover Cambodian cuisine in a way that feels approachable.

What’s next: Olympics, citywide tours, and maybe a cocktail bar 👀

James is thinking long-term, and one of his biggest goals is helping Long Beach be ready for the Olympics—so visitors have real reasons to explore beyond downtown.

His vision includes:

• creating a guided tour experience (starting in Bixby, expanding citywide)

• activating destinations across Long Beach

• eventually opening his own concept—possibly a cocktail bar

(And yes, he said it: he’d love investors.)

Redefining success: “Happiness over stress”

To close, I asked James what success means to him now.

His answer was simple—and honestly, powerful:

If he’s happy and relaxed, he’s successful.

He said he’s rarely stressed day-to-day anymore because he’s doing what he enjoys, waking up excited, and building a life that feels aligned.

And really… isn’t that the point?

Want more stories like this?

If you love Long Beach for its food, culture, and community—and you want more local spotlights, neighborhood conversations, and real stories behind the places we love—this series is for you.

And if you’re someone who wants to collaborate, be featured, or work together on local storytelling, we’d love to hear from you.

Follow along and stay connected with:

• LB Food Coma

• Beatrix Whipple

• The Whipple Group

(And if you’re reading this on our website—drop a comment: What Long Beach spot do you think deserves more love?)