Time to Plan Your Plate!
The much anticipated two-night culinary celebration 3rd Annual Manhattan Beach Food & Wine will return to its new home at westdrift Manhattan Beach on Friday, September 25 and 26 at 7pm, with a Delta VIP early entry pass at 6pm.
Each evening will feature a Grand Tasting with an all-star lineup of 23 top chefs and restaurants, wineries, premier spirits, handcrafted cocktails, craft breweries, and non-alcoholic options; live entertainment and brand activations add to the fun. Both Tastings begin at 7pm, with a Delta VIP early entry an hour earlier at 6pm.
The Greater Los Angeles chef roster includes event host Neal Fraser (Redbird • Vibiana), Vartan Abgaryan (Momed), Kasra Adjani (Google), Yoshiyasu Aiba (Sushi Roku in Manhattan Beach), Deau Aprapornnoparat (Holy Basil), Jose Baca (westdrift in Manhattan Beach), Brendan Collins (BOA Steakhouse in Manhattan Beach), Shaun Dry (Rock’N Fish in Manhattan Beach), Susan Feniger (Alice B. • Border Grill • Socalo), Marco Gagliardi (Josephine), Ray Garcia (Broken Spanish Comedor), Jeffray Gardner (Marsatta Chocolate in Torrance), Anthony Greco (Porto’s Bakery), Joel Hammond (Uchi West Hollywood), Ray Hayashi (Ryla in Hermosa Beach), Imran Khan (Fitoor), Ludo Lefebvre (Petit Trois), David LeFevre (Fishing with Dynamite • MB Post • The Arthur J • Ryla • AttaGirl in Manhattan Beach and Hermosa Beach), Lord Maynard Llera (Kuya Lord), Christy Lucchese (Wife and the Somm), Raphael Lunetta (Lunetta), Alice Mai (AttaGirl in Hermosa Beach), Jayro Martinez (Top of the V in Anaheim), Chris Park (The Strand House in Manhattan Beach), Wendy Pomerantz (Bertha Mae’s Brownie Co.), Michael Reed (Poppy + Rose • Poppy & Seed), Ligia Rossi (République), Steve Samson (Rossoblu), Alan Sanz (Mirate • Daisy Margarita Bar), Frank Ryan Saporito (Wife and the Somm), Rudy Suazo (Maple Block Meat Co.), John Sungkamee (Emporium Thai • Emporium Thai Market), Oscar Torres (Verse), Dustin Trani (J. Trani’s • The Majestic • Trani’s Dockside Station), Sherry Yard (Bakery by the Yard in Manhattan Beach), and Culinary Careers Students (C•CAP).
Talent from outside California includes Dean Fearing (Fearing’s in Dallas, TX), Ben Robinson (Bravo’s Below Deck in Fort Lauderdale, FL), Aarón Sánchez (Johnny Sánchez in New Orleans, LA), and Alex Seidel (Mercantile Dining & Provisions in Denver, CO).
Wineries include Accolade Wines, Ascension Cellars, Au Bon Climat Winery, Bianchi Winery & Tasting Room, Cambria Winery, Cantara Cellars, DeLiese Cellars, Eberle Winery, Four Brix Winery, Giessinger Winery, Halter Ranch Vineyard, Mystic Hills Vineyard, Navarro Vineyards, Opolo Vineyards, Rancho Ventavo Cellars, Vinemark Cellars, and Wedell Cellars.
Poured alongside will be small-batch spirits like Jackson McCrea Whiskey and an array of craft brews, and cocktails by regional mixologists, and non-alcoholic innovators.
The event will be held at its new home at westdrift Manhattan Beach that sits on 26 acres, a convenient three miles from LAX. The 393-room luxury resort features a nine-hole golf course, a resort-style pool, CrossFit-inspired fitness center, and the JUTE Coastal Bar + Kitchen.
Although the hotel provides self and valet parking options along with street parking, guests are encouraged to use transportation services as the event serves alcoholic beverages. The hotel will be offering event packages, inviting guests to stay, sip, savor for a memorable weekend.
The event beneficiary is C•CAP, a workforce development nonprofit that provides underserved teens pathways to pursue careers in the restaurant and hospitality industry. Long co-chaired by chef Marcus Samuelsson, C•CAP operates in 186 schools across the United States.
This year’s event partners include Delta Air Lines as the official Airline, westdrift Manhattan Beach as the official host hotel, San Pellegrino as the official water, Chef Works as the official hospitality apparel, Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Cove as the official kitchen appliance, and Southern California Restaurant Design Group as the official commercial kitchen designer.
For more information on this year’s 2026 Hotel Packages www.ManhattanBeachFoodandWine.com.
Follow Manhattan Beach Food & Wine for the latest updates on:
Facebook: @ManhattanBeachFood&Wine
Instagram: @mbfoodandwine
TikTok: @mbfoodandwine