This week's episode of The Sporkful podcast is up! Listen through the player, Stitcher, or Apple Podcasts. (And please subscribe!)

When actor Ty Burrell attends Hollywood parties, he faces a tough choice: eat or schmooze.

"I actually opt for the food," Ty tells Dan in this week's episode. "When the food comes out, [my wife and I] sit quietly and eat."

These days Ty's career is flying high, with his role as the clueless but lovable dad "Phil Dunphy" on the hit ABC sitcom Modern Family. (And he's about to launch his own food podcast, Mouth Feelings!)

But Ty still remembers his early days as a struggling actor, when he lived out of his van and poached breakfasts from hotel buffets, pretending to be a guest.

So when he sees free food at a fancy party or on the set of his show, he's still tempted to take some for later.

"You’d be surprised how much satay you can get in your pocket," he jokes with Dan. "I get made fun of all the time. … I can’t turn down free food."

Listen in to the full episode to hear Ty's take on which Hollywood parties have the best (and worst!) food.

Plus, Ty talks about getting his kids to eat slower, why he prefers to cook outside, and how Utah's arcane liquor laws actually benefitted his two Salt Lake City bars.

This week's episode of The Sporkful podcast is up! Listen through the player, Stitcher, or Apple Podcasts. (And please subscribe!)

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Interstitial music in this episode from Black Label Music:

- "Sun So Sunny" by Calvin Dashielle

- "All Thumbs" by Kenneth J. Brahmstedt

- "Hound Dog" by Jason Mickelson

- "New Old" by JT Bates

Photo: FlickrCC/Disney ABC Television Group; FlickrCC/UC Irvine; courtesy of Ty Burrell