According to screenshots posted on social media by both Addison and Gusto co-owner Arturo Enciso, at 2:55 p.m. the same day the article published, Addison had texted a number associated with the business \u2014 not either owners\u2019 personal cell, but rather a business line Enciso said is not used frequently.<\/p>\n
\u201cAny further info on the Cafe Cuate project in DTLB?\u201d the text read.<\/p>\n
Addison did not indicate he was planning to publish an article, nor did he provide a deadline, both of which are common practice when requesting information or a statement from a source.<\/p>\n
Busy running his business, Enciso replied about four and a half hours later, saying the company had not announced anything publicly and that negotiations were still underway regarding the space. The story had already been published.<\/p>\n
The following day, Enciso texted Addison again, this time to express his disappointment that the article ran without the knowledge of or input from the business owners.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe would appreciate it if you\u2019d be considerate of our privacy and remove this article \u2026 out of common courtesy,\u201d he wrote. \u201cWe will gladly share details when we finalize them for your coverage.\u201d<\/p>\n
Addison refused, calling Enciso\u2019s text \u201caudacious\u201d and saying removing the story would \u201cviolate journalistic ethics.\u201d He went on to say \u2014 correctly \u2014 that permits for the project are public record and fair game to be reported on regardless of input from the business.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s never accountable for any of it. Now he\u2019s not a writer, he\u2019s a reporter, then maybe he\u2019s not a reporter, he\u2019s a photographer, and then maybe he\u2019s not a photographer, he\u2019s a foodie. Or he\u2019s a blogger. It\u2019s always different titles that he can just keep changing and editing his way out of it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2014 Arturo Enciso, co-owner Gusto Bread<\/p>\n
Enciso took to social media on March 18, posting screenshots of the conversation and expressing his frustration with having the announcement publicized prematurely. Addison responded with a post in his Facebook group, Long Beach Food Scene, defending his story.<\/p>\n
More than a few commenters agreed with Addison.<\/p>\n
\u201cI respect that situations like this can be sensitive, but I hope that his long-standing contributions, intentions, and the positive impact he’s had on so many local businesses continue to be recognized,\u201d the Lucky Chopsticks representative said in a comment on that post.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was a great article for the business so it is odd that there is so much drama. You are a food news writer, that writes about interesting new food stories in Long Beach,\u201d another commenter wrote. \u201cYou aren’t writing commercials or ad campaigns or marketing pieces that need to be presented and approved by the business owner. You are a journalist and this is news.\u201d<\/p>\n
But many commenters were less understanding. The food group is typically awash in praise for the food writer, but the comment section quickly turned on him. Addison turned off commenting on the post.<\/p>\n
That night, Addison sent a string of texts to Enciso: \u201cDude, what are you doing? You blocked me from your shitty post on IG and now you\u2019re saying I received messages I didn\u2019t in my own group? I\u2019m not copping to something I didn\u2019t fucking do wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n
The next day, however, the story was deleted, along with Addison\u2019s Facebook post. He later posted an acknowledgement, which was subsequently edited twice after dozens of commenters called out the fact that no variation of the words \u201csorry\u201d or \u201capology\u201d was included in the post.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/IMG_0778-1.PNG\")
A screenshot of Addison’s edited post.<\/p>\n
The comments on that post were turned off shortly thereafter.<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t take [the post] as an apology to me or the business, I saw it as an apology to his Facebook group,\u201d Enciso told the Watchdog, noting that the post did not indicate to whom or for what Addison was apologizing.<\/p>\n
Carl Dene, who co-owned Michael\u2019s on Naples and Michael\u2019s Downtown for 18 years, recalled a time when Addison posted a story about his restaurant being sold. When the story was published, the deal had not been finalized, so Dene asked Addison to remove the story. Addison removed it without question, Dene said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was kinda weird that he wouldn\u2019t take it down, I\u2019ll be honest with you,\u201d Dene said of Addison\u2019s initial refusal to remove the Gusto story.<\/p>\n
\u2018I am not a journalist\u2019<\/p>\n
A perplexing aspect of Addison\u2019s operation is the inconsistent manner in which he describes himself. He is on record numerous times over the years, including as recently as February, saying, \u201c… I am not a journalist; I am a writer.\u201d Yet, when challenged, he falls back on \u201cjournalistic ethics\u201d as a defense.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/BRIAN-ADDISON-IS-NOT-A-JOURNALIST.jpg\")
Screenshots of Addison stating he is not a journalist.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s never accountable for any of it,\u201d Enciso said. \u201cNow he\u2019s not a writer, he\u2019s a reporter, then maybe he\u2019s not a reporter, he\u2019s a photographer, and then maybe he\u2019s not a photographer, he\u2019s a foodie. Or he\u2019s a blogger. It\u2019s always different titles that he can just keep changing and editing his way out of it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Addison has no formal journalism training. Originally from Big Bear, he moved to Orange County for college. He attended Cal State Fullerton from 2001 to 2006 where he received a bachelor\u2019s in psychology, according to his LinkedIn profile<\/a>. He then attended Cal State Long Beach and graduated in 2010 with a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing.<\/p>\n Addison, now 42, has worked for and contributed to numerous publications. His first journalism role was with the Long Beach Post, a news organization he has worked for \u2014 and been terminated from \u2014 on three separate occasions under three different owners.<\/p>\n Addison\u2019s LinkedIn shows he is still active with LA Streetsblog, though he has not had a byline on the organization\u2019s site since March 2024. His LongBeachize blog, originally founded by Long Beach graphic designer and communications professional Baktaash Sorkhabi as a \u201ccommunity organization and news website\u201d covering \u201ctransportation, land-use governance, planning, open space, sustainability and well-being,\u201d used to be a sister site with Streetsblog. It\u2019s unclear if that relationship has continued since Addison shifted the focus of the website to food. He has also published articles with LA Weekly<\/a> and Eater LA<\/a>, but not in years.<\/p>\n Each of his three stints at the Long Beach Post ended with Addison being fired, according to sources familiar with the circumstances. The first time was for conduct unrelated to his work that was nevertheless judged to be unethical and incompatible with his editor position at a news organization.<\/p>\n The second was for securing interviews with subjects under the pretense of writing a story for the Post and then publishing the story on his own blog, which he maintained during his employment with the knowledge and permission of his employer.\u00a0<\/p>\n The most recent termination was for multiple violations of the standards of ethical journalism, including editing factual errors in stories after publication without issuing a correction or adding an editor\u2019s note, and making up quotes attributed to the subject of the story, then later asking the subject if the quote sounds like something they\u2019d say.<\/p>\n Dene confirmed Addison created quotes on his behalf and then ran them by him before publishing. It\u2019s unclear if Addison has made up quotes that were never approved by the subject.<\/p>\n It was also discovered he routinely allowed the subjects of his stories, including restaurateurs, real estate developers and other influential members of the business community, to read and give feedback \u2014 or approval \u2014 on the piece before it was published. This practice, called \u201cprior review,\u201d is common in public relations and advertiser-sponsored content writing, but is strictly forbidden in newsrooms.<\/p>\n One former colleague, who asked to remain anonymous, said Addison bypasses the basic journalistic process in favor of speed when working on a story.<\/p>\n \u201cThe story is what people tell you, not what you think and then try to get them to confirm it,\u201d the coworker said. \u201cWe were always like, \u2018Brian, what the fuck? Why are you doing it this way?\u2019 He never really took to the journalistic strategies that are obvious or industry standard.\u201d<\/p>\n Enciso said multiple aspects of Addison\u2019s now-deleted Gusto story were incorrect.<\/p>\n \u201cHe [made] stuff up about what this project is,\u201d Enciso said. \u201cIt\u2019s fabricated.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2018Courtesy of Business\u2019<\/p>\n One of the ways Addison generates income is by selling advertising on his page. One form of advertising is sponsored posts: \u201cCollaboratively crafted articles that align with our editorial standards while highlighting your brand or message,\u201d according to his website.<\/p>\n While sponsored posts are not inherently unethical, the way Addison uses them raises questions. Many newsrooms sell sponsored posts, and when they go up, they are clearly identified as such. But on Addison\u2019s website, there is no way to know which posts are sponsored and which are not.<\/p>\n \u201cFraming yourself as someone who\u2019s showcasing something because of some kind of external arrangement versus someone who has found something worth sharing \u2026 is drastically different,\u201d said one Long Beach bar manager who asked to remain anonymous.<\/p>\n \u201cNot to disparage other small businesses, but I\u2019ve seen overwhelmingly positive, one might call it glazing, reviews, of \u2026 restaurants that are doing nothing fun or new and half their food is like fucking Sysco shit,\u201d the bar manager said. \u201cHe\u2019ll write two or three articles sometimes about really sort of uninteresting, basic concepts. I have to assume there is some kind of an arrangement or some kind of benefit that he\u2019s getting from those establishments.\u201d<\/p>\n One of the most significant revelations from the Gusto incident was how Addison uses photos \u2014 more specifically, how he uses photos to which he does not have the rights. Enciso noticed that a photo in the Gusto story, which was credited to Addison, looked familiar. He quickly found the original on Yelp.<\/p>\n The image in Addison\u2019s story was heavily edited to remove objects and people as well as adjust the lighting and color. Multiple matching reflections, however, indicate the image is the same despite its alterations.\u00a0<\/p>\n When publicly called out, Addison admitted to altering the image, claiming it was a \u201cmistake\u201d and that he had intended to replace it with a similar picture he took himself but ran out of time on his self-imposed deadline. He did not explain why he spent time editing the image if it was meant only as a placeholder.<\/p>\n Enciso said images in Addison\u2019s other Gusto-related stories were also used without permission.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s never once asked us for photos or anything,\u201d Enciso said. Despite that, Addison had numerous exterior shots captioned with \u201ccourtesy of business.\u201d<\/p>\n After the blowout, Addison deleted images from other Gusto-related stories, but did miss one. The exposure calls into question every photo Addison has marked as a \u201ccourtesy.\u201d<\/p>\n A review of his website by the Watchdog found Addison regularly publishes photos taken from Yelp as well as images that match those on company websites and social media accounts. In a recent article about Belmont Shore restaurant South of Nick\u2019s, Addison published six photos from five Yelp reviews. In all cases, the photos are captioned as \u201ccourtesy\u201d of the business or individual.<\/p>\n Yelp\u2019s terms of service, however, clearly state the photographer, not the platform nor the business, retains ownership of the images.<\/p>\n Addison\u2019s loose ethics around photo use brought up sour memories for Diana Vu McDonough, owner of the popular fried chicken restaurant Lacquered, which she opened with her husband Scott eight years ago. In early 2022, Vu McDonough, who was an active member of Addison\u2019s Facebook group, saw a post from another member about a Popeyes chicken sandwich.<\/p>\n The popular Cajun-inspired restaurant chain opened a location just up the street from Lacquered, which features a fried chicken sandwich as its specialty. Vu McDonough took the woman\u2019s photo and made a meme comparing the Popeyes sandwich to her own.<\/p>\n Addison quickly took to his Facebook group to denounce the local restaurateur for \u201cstealing the image.\u201d But his post was deleted after Vu McDonough accused Addison of owing her money for food from years prior.<\/p>\n In a recent interview with the Watchdog, Vu McDonough said the reaction to the post was swift.<\/p>\n \u201cHis whole mob came at me. It was weird and I felt very attacked,\u201d she said, adding that Addison had also blocked her from the group. \u201cSo they\u2019re talking shit about me and I can\u2019t even fucking defend myself.\u201d<\/p>\n Vu McDonough said Addison\u2019s supporters, who dubbed themselves his \u201ccronies,\u201d sent her dozens of hate messages as a result of the posts. She said that is the power of Addison within the food community: If he has a problem with you, so do scores of others.<\/p>\n The Gusto incident, Vu McDonough said, highlighted Addison’s hypocrisy: calling her out for using a photo in a social media meme while simultaneously publishing photos on his website that do not belong to him.<\/p>\n Amid the Gusto chaos, Addison also demonstrated that he can turn the temperature in his group down when he wants by turning off the comments if he doesn\u2019t like what people are saying. He does not, however, always extend that courtesy to business owners when the comments turn negative toward them.<\/p>\n \u201cIn the end, we don\u2019t want to hurt our businesse. You gotta put your business first, you gotta work with people you don\u2019t like.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2014 Diana Vu McDonough, owner of Lacquered restraurant<\/p>\n Fellippe Esteves, co-owner of Ubuntu, detailed two such experiences. The first came in August 2021 when a customer commented that they went to the restaurant for breakfast, saying the food was good, but that they were uncomfortable because workers were not wearing masks \u201ceven if it is pretty much outside. I don\u2019t think I will go back anytime soon.\u201d<\/p>\n Esteves said the post had hundreds of negative comments and he had to plead with Addison to remove it or, at the very least, turn off commenting. After some time, comments were turned off, but the damage was already done, Esteves said.<\/p>\n The next incident occurred in September 2024 after a customer complained that the bike rack outside Ubuntu\u2019s Downtown location was removed. After some back-and-forth, with Esteves explaining the situation, he finally said customers don\u2019t want to \u201cwatch smelly homeless right at the patio trying to steal bike parts.\u201d<\/p>\n That snippet of the conversation made its way to the group and racked up more than 500 hundred comments. Again, Esteves asked Addison to remove the post or turn off comments. This time, the answer was a flat no.<\/p>\n \u201cI asked him why he was allowing this. I had like 500 freaking comments and he said \u2018feel free to defend yourself. The comments are open,\u2019\u201d Esteves said. \u201cHe didn\u2019t do shit. He let them drag us through the mud.\u201d<\/p>\n Esteves compared his situation to Addison\u2019s \u2014 while he was left out to dry, Addison was simply able to turn off the comments at his leisure, even delete posts and allegedly remove people from the group, when they didn\u2019t go his way.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy don\u2019t you go and respond to everybody just like you told me to do?\u201d Esteves said.<\/p>\n \u2018Outright unethical\u2019<\/p>\n In December of last year, Addison lambasted the Long Beach Post for a story written by Jacob Sisneros about the sale of popular tiki bar The Bamboo Club.<\/p>\n According to Addison, the Post \u201cforced\u201d the story on the owner, who requested to hold off. Despite the fact that both the owner and buyer were interviewed for the story, Addison said the way the Post approaches small businesses is \u201cegregious\u201d and \u201coutright unethical.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThere was zero need for them to rush this story or force it out when business transactions are on the line,\u201d Addison wrote in a post to his food group. \u201cAnd this charade that they are ‘community-centric’ is, at this point, absolutely absurd.\u201d<\/p>\n Commenters on Addison\u2019s Gusto post were quick to use his own words against him, pointing out that they also applied to his current situation. They also noted that, unlike Addison, the Post had interviewed the owners.<\/p>\n This was not the first time Addison had publicly attacked the Post and its sister publication, the Long Beach Business Journal, after his termination.<\/p>\n \ud83d\udcf8<\/p>\n Brandon Richardson is an editor, photographer and reporter for the Watchdog. If this work is important to you, please thank him.<\/p>\n In a December 21, 2021 post in his group<\/a>, he asked followers of his page not to share a piece published the same day in the Long Beach Business Journal regarding the expansion of popular Downtown restaurant Ammatoli into a vacant unit next door. Like Addison\u2019s Gusto article, the Business Journal article, written by freelance writer Matt Miller, was based on signs posted in the business\u2019s window.<\/p>\n In the comments, in a reply to another poster<\/a>, Addison wrote an open edict to other food writers: \u201cWait for people to tell what they\u2019re doing. Don\u2019t make presumptions. And a sign going up is not a story unless you know what\u2019s going on. And if you didn\u2019t speak to someone from the restaurant, you\u2019re making up things. Don\u2019t do that. Just don\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cChefs aren\u2019t elected officials or corporate entities,\u201d Addison continued. \u201cNo need to hold their feet to the journalism fire unless we\u2019re talking something far more serious than a\u2026 Than a dining room expansion.\u201d<\/p>\n Miller declined to comment for this story.<\/p>\n In a November 10, 2022 post, Addison again blasted a Business Journal article published the day before.<\/p>\n The story, which I wrote, outlined concerns of Downtown business owners such as crime, construction and unhoused residents. The issues themselves were not news, as they had been well documented for some time, but one of the owners at Beachwood Brewing laid out just how dire the situation was in an email to the Downtown Long Beach Alliance, which was then forwarded to more than a dozen city officials.<\/p>\n \u201cThat email was intended for city leaders; not public consumption,\u201d Addison told his followers. \u201c… it was a private email that eventually forwarded [sic] to public officials.\u201d<\/p>\n The DLBA, a city-contracted business improvement district, is subject to public records requests under the California Public Records Act the same as city officials, meaning the email was always public record.<\/p>\n Addison went on to write that Beachwood is \u201cnot closing; not now or any time soon.\u201d The location was shuttered within the year.<\/p>\n \u2018You gotta work with people you don\u2019t like\u2019<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LBP-Sponsored-Post.jpg\")
A screenshot of an article published by the Long Beach Post, which clearly identifies the article as being sponsored by Miller Children’s and Women’s Hospital.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/BRIAN-ADDISON--PHOTO-THEIF.jpg\")
Screenshots of two Instagram stories posted by Gusto Bread showing Addison’s edited version of a photo he took off Yelp.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/BRIAN-MISSED-ONE.jpg\")
Screenshots of Addison’s Longbeachize website.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/YELP-ISN-T-PUBLIC-RECORD.jpg\")
Screenshots from Longbeachize.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-2026-03-29-at-1.11.33---PM-1.png\")
A screenshot of an Instagram post by @lacqueredrestaurant.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-2026-05-12-at-9.13.10---PM.png\")
A screenshot of Addison’s LinkedIn account.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-2026-03-29-at-1.12.17---PM.png\")
A screenshot of a post by Addison in his food group on Facebook.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/BRIAN-MAKES-JOKES.jpg\")
Screenshots of Instagram stories posted by Addison promoting tee-shirts following the fallout with Gusto.<\/p>\n