In 2007, after deciding to “make the best pasta in America,” Evan Funke left his native California and his post at Spago to study pasta-making in Bologna. When he returned to Los Angeles, he opened Felix, which serves the city’s best cacio e pepe. His Roman restaurant, Mother Wolf, came in 2022, and his eponymous Funke, in Beverly Hills, came shortly after. Now he’s expanding eastward, bringing Mother Wolf to Las Vegas and a new restaurant, Tre Dita, to Chicago. From trips back to Italy to stops at his new restaurants, Funke is constantly flying. Here, he answers our questionnaire about what he packs, eats, and buys while traveling.
Last flight you took?
Los Angeles to Bologna. I needed tortellini in brodo.
Favorite airline?
Lufthansa.
What do you wear to the airport?
My uniform. I get patted down by T.S.A. no matter what I wear.
How long before your flight boards do you get to the airport?
Two hours minimum, because LAX sucks.
Check bags, or carry-on only?
Always check. I rarely go on vacation, and even if I do, it’s a working vacation, so there’s always knives or pasta tools in my bags.
What’s in your carry-on?
Laptop and noise-canceling headphones.
T.S.A. PreCheck, or regular?
Clear.
Favorite airport?
Copenhagen. The 7-Eleven there serves beer in a glass and hot, melty, crispy sandwiches.
What do you buy in the airport terminal?
As little as possible.
Items you can’t fly without?
Lip balm and Evian.
First class or coach?
Business.
Window, middle, or aisle seat?
Aisle forever.
How do you pass the time on the plane?
I find it impossible to work or sleep on a plane. Being in the air is a torture chamber, and if I must, I will suffer through a few movies.
Do you buy Wi-Fi?
I yearn for the days when there was no Wi-Fi on the plane, when I was completely unreachable.
Favorite airplane snack?
Dried mango.
Do you eat plane food?
Only when necessary.
Best plane food you’ve ever had?
“Best plane food” does not exist.
Best drink to get on a flight?
Ginger ale.
Do you talk to the people sitting next to you?
Absolutely not.
Shoes on or off on the plane?
On 100 percent. Gross.
What do you do when turbulence hits?
Watch everyone else freak out.
Worst part of the flight?
The entire thing.
First thing you do when the plane lands?
Text my wife that I didn’t die.
Advice for travelers?
AirTags in the luggage. You’ll thank me later.
