Restaurants

CHEFS ❤️ LA

Mona Day Chefs, Dine, Food & Wine Events, Restaurants

 Photo Credit:  Nicholas Gingold | Craft Media Solutions

To honor firefighters, first responders, and community heroes for their efforts during the recent wildfires, Chefs ❤️ LA hosted a fundraiser at Lawry’s The Prime Rib Beverly Hills on Thursday, February 27, 2025.

Brad Metzger, President of Brad Metzger Restaurant Solutions and Founder/Producer of LA Chef Con, and Jacqui Leanza, Managing Partner of Brad Metzger Restaurant Solutions joined Tiffany Stith, COO of Lawry’s Restaurants, Inc., and Ryan Wilson, CEO of Lawry’s Restaurants to put the event together.

The line up of L.A.’s top chefs included Curtis Stone, Michael Cimarusti, Suzanne Goin, Nyesha Arrington who all volunteered their time and talent pro bono.

The evening was hosted by Somebody Feed Phil creator Phil Rosenthal, Nine-time James Beard Award-Winning journalist Ruth Reichl, Los Angeles Times food columnist Jenn Harris, Brad Metzger, Jacqui Leanza, and auctioneer Billy Harris.

The VIP Michelin Experience Hour featured eight Michelin Chef Tastings and an elegant Eight-Course Tasting Menu for 262 guests. 

It showcased seven signature dishes from culinary icons including William Bradley, Josiah Citrin, Michael Cimarusti, Jordan Kahn, Niki Nakayama & Carole Lida-Nakayama, Jon Yao, and Curtis Stone, along with Astrea Caviar, six premium wines, and three craft cocktails that included Chef Michael Voltaggio’s Marcado 28 Tequila and Chef Elizabeth Falkner’s T’MARO Amaro.

Chef Daniel Boulud and his team prepared a delicate Mushroom Consommé to substitute for their Lobster Bisque for  those with shellfish allergies, while Chef Suzanne Goin crafted an alternative to her signature salad for guests with pork or dairy restrictions. 

The all-star lineup of chefs included Daniel Boulud, Jonathan Waxman, Ludovic Lefebvre, Nyesha Arrington, Suzanne Goin, Tiffany Dela Pena, Timothy Cardenas, Burt Bakman, Jeremy Fox, Katianna & John Hong, Andreas Roller, Clemence de Lutz + Sherry Yard.

Billy Harris led the Live Auction offering unique experiences that included: New York Culinary Getaway, a luxury NYC experience with stays at 1 Hotel, exclusive dinners at Le Bernardin and Peter Luger, and an insider’s tour with Andrew Friedman, Ultimate LA Taco & Tequila Experience, a private taco crawl with Bill Esparza and Chef Michael Voltaggio, Wynn Las Vegas Luxury Package, a premier getaway with top-tier accommodations and exclusive tastings from Wynn’s celebrated chefs, Michelin-Starred San Diego Culinary Getaway, a four-night stay at the newly reimagined Lafayette Hotel with exclusive tastings at Addison, Juniper & Ivy, and more, Los Angeles Luxury Staycation with oceanfront stays at Casa del Mar and Shutters, with VIP dining experiences at Funke, Bestia, Lulu, and Majordomo.

 Los Angeles Deputy Fire Chief Jaime Moore, CAL FIRE Division Chief Anthony Jones, CAL FIRE Prevention Specialist Chloe Castillo, U.S. Army Veteran, CAL FIRE Division Chief Matthew Edmiston, and Ventura County Fire Andy Vansciver attended as Guests of Honor. 

Co-Event Producer Jacqui Leanza managed the development of the CHEFS ❤️ LA website, managed the ticketing platform, addressed dietary restrictions and allergies, and oversaw charity and sponsor relations.

All event VIP Tickets as well as Dinner Tickets sold out within fifteen minutes on Saturday, February 1st,  underscoring the public’s desire to support wildfire relief.

The evening’s Live Auction alone raised over $104,000. The evening’s final tally exceeded over $850,000. All proceeds benefited World Central Kitchen and Restaurants Care, which provides critical support to hospitality workers affected by the wildfires.

 For more information, and to donate or find ways to support World Central Kitchen or Restaurants Care, please visit www.WCK.org or www.RestaurantsCare.org 

YUME

DST Chefs, Dine, Restaurants

Yume Calabasas celebrated the grand opening of its second location in historic Old Town Calabasas on February 10 to showcase the new venue and its offerings. 

Like the original location in Studio City, the new location offers a modern twist on traditional Japanese cuisine with an emphasis on intentional sourcing of ingredients locally and from Japan. The menu includes a selection of classic sushi and sashimi, as well as a dedicated Kushiyaki menu, along with new signature menu items available only at this location. 

Appetizers include Oysters on the Half Shell served with a choice of uni, caviar, or onion and Yume sauce, a house special ponzu sauce. Sunomono is a refreshing Japanese cucumber salad with shrimp, octopus, or crab. There is charred Miso Eggplant.  Similar to a spring roll, Seafood Cigar filled with shrimp or avocado is deep fried.  Crispy Rice comes with a choice of spicy tuna, spicy shrimp or avocado with truffle oil.  Agedashi Tofu is fried tofu with daikon radish & dashi.

The sushi menu includes Unagi, freshwater eel; Engawa, seared halibut fin and delicacies like Santa Barbara Uni. 

Rolls include classics like California Roll; Spicy Tuna Roll; Creamy Salmon Roll with Soy Paper; and Spicy Miso Sea Bass Handroll with Soy Paper. 

Specialty rolls include a Green Dragon Roll, with eel & blue crab with avocado, takuan, sesame seeds, and nori rolled in seaweed paper; Citrus Roll, with spicy tuna, avocado, lemon, garlic chips, cucumber and soy paper; and a Vegan Roll with asparagus, gobo, shiitake mushrooms, avocado, roasted bell pepper, crispy onions and ponzu olive oil. 

Sashimi specials include Halibut Sashimi with Yume Sauce or Fresh Truffle; Octopus Sashimi with Yuzu; Salmon Carpaccio with Mushrooms; and Albacore Sashimi with kogashi soy butter. 

The Kushiyaki section offers two grilled skewers of Negima – chicken with green onion, tare sauce, or lemon & salt, and Chilean Sea Bass with onion or sea salt. 

Rounding out the menu are hot dishes like Grilled Jumbo Shrimp served with sweet spicy sauce and Escabeche shrimp or whitefish with jalapeno, cilantro, onion, and sweet vinegar. 

Signature menu items exclusive to the new location include Kanpachi Crudo with Japanese amberjack with cilantro miso sauce; Hirame Orange Crudo, halibut sashimi with orange marmalade and yuzu vinaigrette; Crispy Whole Red Snapper, a deep fried whole snapper served with a sweet and spicy soy sauce; and Artisan Sushi Block which includes six pieces of pressed sushi with seaweed or soy paper. 

The sushi selection includes Torotaku, Serrano Yellowtail, Truffle Salmon, Yuzu White Fish, Garlic Albacore and Spicy Tuna.  

The beverage menu aims to make the new location not just a dining destination, but also a vibrant hub for nightlife.  It features Japanese-inspired cocktails, rare sakes, Japanese whiskies and other spirits available only at this location. 

Yume’s new location features a sleek, modern design featuring a solid walnut sushi bar with walls alternating venetian plaster walls and custom handmade wallpaper with a gold fish decal design. The light gray onyx cocktail bar with orange accents draws inspiration from the gates of Fushimi Inari in Japan. The 100-seat dining room features a sushi bar and spacious lounge area for cocktails before or after dinner. There is also a 40-seat private dining room with its own bar and private entrance at the back of the restaurant. 

Yume, which means ‘dream’ in Japanese,  opened its first location  in Studio City in 2020, and has been a neighborhood staple ever since.

For more information, please visit https://www.yumesushibar.com

Manhattan Beach Food & Wine

Mona Day Chefs, Dine, Food & Wine Events, Restaurants

The upcoming Manhattan Beach Food & Wine Festival kicked off with a preview event at the Westdrift Manhattan Beach hotel on Monday September 30, 6:30pm. 

Participating chefs and wineries shared their excitement with a preview of their Festival offerings. The featured delicacies included an heirloom tomato salad, a mushroom crostini, carne asada on a homemade tortilla, breaded  pork and shortrib on Romesco sauce, a tuna poke from the Strand House, and a  gingery, more Japanese take on the same dish served in a cone from Wolfgang Puck catering. 

Desserts included meringues, macaroons and assorted chocolates flavored with botanicals like rose and lavender.  Of course, there were plenty of libations from wineries, distilleries and non-alocolic beverages to wash it all down.

The inaugural Manhattan Beach Food & Wine Festival is planned as a spectacular two-night strolling culinary extravaganza with an Opening Night celebration on Friday October 11,  and a Grand Tasting on Saturday October 12. The festival  will showcase the industry’s top tastemakers and connoisseurs to celebrate an all-star lineup of chefs, restaurants, wineries, spirits, cocktails,  breweries, and non-alcoholic beverages, along with live entertainment. 

The culinary extravaganza will feature a lineup of 50 of the Best Chefs representing not only the local cities of Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, El Segundo, Los Angeles, but state-wide from Solvang, Palm Springs, San Francisco and beyond – from across  North America, from Denver, New York, New Orleans, Vancouver, and Mexico. 

The venue is a 40,000-square-foot outdoor space in Manhattan Village located at the end of the Veterans Parkway Greenbelt Path.  The venue features a beautifully landscaped trail that runs through Manhattan Beach to Hermosa Beach.

For more information on the Manhattan Beach Food & Wine, please visit www.ManhattanBeachFoodandWine.com.

Parkers’ Lighthouse Celebrates 40 Years

Mona Day Chefs, Dine, Restaurants

The iconic waterfront dining destination Parkers’ Lighthouse in Shoreline Village, Long Beach is celebrating its 40-year anniversary.

Established in 1984 with a focus on fresh grilled fish, Parkers’ Lighthouse with breathtaking views of the Queen Mary and the Long Beach skyline, the restaurant has been a beloved Long Beach fixture,  popular with  both locals and visitors. 

The restaurant’s unique dining spaces include a wrap-around outdoor deck, a lively bar and lounge as well as an elegant main dining room with balcony seating.  Known for its fresh seafood, with a focus on fresh grilled fish, innovative dishes and exceptional service, the restaurant underwent significant renovations in 1999 and 2010, transforming its atmosphere and expanding the menu to include a variety of culinary offerings beyond seafood. 

Inspired by the Pacific Ocean, the menu reflects the Southern California lifestyle, featuring shareable appetizers, sushi and sashimi, mesquite grilled fish, steak and homemade desserts.  The bar offers award winning wines, beers, spirits and specialty cocktails.

The Queensview Steakhouse  located at the top of Parkers’ Lighthouse with  a spectacular 360° view of the waterfront offers a supper club dining experience with live music and an upscale menu that includes prime steaks, chops, lobster and freshly grilled fish. 

The restaurant is now celebrating its big anniversary with the introduction of new throwback menu items designed to take diners back on a nostalgic culinary journey. 

Each month through the end of 2024, the restaurant will feature a rotating selection of popular dishes from its storied past, so guests can enjoy new appetizers, entrées and desserts that harken back to the restaurant’s early days.  These specials will be available for a limited time each month. 

The August specials  featured appetizers Tuna Poke Nachos, Crispy wontons topped with Wasabi Aioli, Toasted Sesame  Seeds, Wakame Seaweed and Curly Scallions that were served in 1999.  Entrées included Penne with Rock Shrimp served in 1999 served with a Creamy Rossa Sauce, Basil and Parmesan.  And dessert featured a decadent Mud Pie from 2010.

The throwback menu items are a tribute to our history, giving customers a chance to savor the flavors that have made the restaurant a cherished Long Beach destination for four decades, and the restaurant’s thank you to the  guests who have supported it through the decades, bringing back memories and creating new ones.

For more information visit ParkersLighthouse.com and connect with Parkers’ Lighthouse via Instagram, Facebook or X.

Parkers’ Lighthouse is located at 435 Shoreline Village Drive, Long Beach, CA 90802.  

Concern Foundation Block Party

Mona Day Chefs, Dine, Food & Wine Events, Restaurants

The culinary extravaganza of Concern Foundation’s Annual Block Party, will return to  Paramount Studios in Hollywood for its 49th run on Saturday July 13, 6:00 pm.

Themed Mission Concern – Conquering Cancer: The Final Frontier, this year’s event  is expected to draw over 4,000 guests for a stroll through the streets of Paramount’s back lot, with an array of gourmet tastings of signature dishes and beverages. 

Live entertainment across multiple stages will include performances by the Tom Nolan Band on the Main Launch Pad, D’ City Sound & Events presented by the Hirsch Family Foundation, and the Vibrato Intergalactic Cantina featuring the Jason Goldstein Sextet with Lilli Passero and other special artists. 

Other fun experiences include Brian Kramer Photography Digital Photo Studio sponsored by Northern Trust, Casino Style Gaming for Prizes presented by Agua Caliente Casinos, Photo Booth by SnapItStudio.com, Specialty Lounge areas provided by Souza Insurance, Shuttle Services at the event sponsored by Motev,  Spa Services provided by Fairmont Spa Century Plaza, and Glamour Makeovers by the Beauty Bus Foundation. 

Los Angeles magazine, the Concern Foundation’s Media Sponsor for 17 years, will be back wil its own Los Angeles Magazine Street hosting the The Best of LA 2024®.

Other highlights include live and silent & Live Auctions featuring exclusive items and packages, and unique experiences. 

This year’s formal program will honor the Stanley and Joyce Black Family Foundation with a tribute titled Three Generations – A Legacy of Community Leadership for outstanding contributions to the community.

The evening will raise  funds for Concern Foundation’s mission of providing support for cancer research, focusing its funding in the areas of immunology, immunotherapy, genetics, and cell biology  to achieve a better understanding of cell function and mis-function in the human body. 

For more information and tickets, please visit Concern Foundation 49th Annual Block Party Tickets & Sponsorships.

HOLLYWOOD UNDER THE STARS

Mona Day Chefs, Dine, Fashion, Food & Wine Events, Restaurants

St. Vincent Meals on Wheels will present its third annual Hollywood Under the Stars gala fundraiser at the iconic Paramount Studios lot on Saturday  June 22, 6:30pm. 

The event will kick off with a VIP Hour hosted by Chef Bret Thompson and Pez Coastal Kitchen followed by a dozen renowned Angeleno chefs presenting gourmet tastes and signature cocktails and the music of the  10-piece live band de Bois All Stars. 

Presenting the tastings will be Chef Gino Angelini of Angelini Osteria,  Chef Mihir Lad of Arth Bar + Kitchen, Chef Keith Corbin of Alta Adam, Sam Marvin of Echo & Rig, Nika Shoemaker-Machado of Georgia’s Restaurant, Chef Gloria Chicas of Room Service Neighborhood, Francesco Zimone of L’antica Pizzeria da Michele, and Chef Raphael Francois of Tesse.

Desserts will be served by this year’s 2024 Sweet Angels Bertha Mae’s Brownie Co., Läderach Chocolate, Lark Cake Shop, and Malibu Meringue, and Uncle Tetsu.

A silent auction will feature prizes like a one-night stay at Pechanga Resort with a $100 gift card, The Pasadena Experience at Deluxe 1717, Skirball Cultural Center Member for a Day, La Mirada Theatre tickets, The Huntington Library admission, Architecture & Urban Design consultation, The Broad VIP passes, Universal Studios general admission passes, Hollywood Wax Museum tickets, Disneyland VIP Park Hopper tickets, Current/Elliott Men’s Collection $1,500 Shopping Spree Online, In-N-Out Burger gift cards, Roclord Studio portrait photography package, Hollywood Museum tickets, Dolby Theatre tour vouchers, Signed RAMS helmet, Signed Clippers team hat, Academy of Magical Arts VIP Passes, Terrenea Resort 2-night stay with ocean view, gift basket from Melissa’s Produce, Raising Cane’s Dog Basket, and a $500 gift certificate to Jean George Restaurant at the Waldorf Astoria.

Longtime Food is Love fundraising partners Blu Jam Café and Muddy Paw Coffee will gift a freshly baked morning sweet and rich roasted ground coffee pack. 

The evening will honor award-winning actor Ian McShane (of American Star, John Wick: Chapter 4; Deadwood; Game of Thrones; and the upcoming John Wick prequel Ballerina opposite Ana de Armas)  along with his wife Gwen Humble McShane for their decades-long support and donations to the St. Vincent Meals on Wheels Circle of Angels campaign. 

Corporate and community sponsors include Delta Dental, US Bank, Albertsons Foundation, Toyota Motors, and dedicated supporters like Rick Llanos & Nelly Llanos, and media sponsor, Times Direct, this evening promises to be a celebration of compassion and community. 

For more information and tickets please visit www.svmow.org/hollywood. 

Newport Beach Wine Festival

Mona Day celebration, Chefs, Dine, Food & Wine Events, Restaurants

Balboa Bay Resort will kick off the summer season with the return of its  three-day event, the Newport Beach Wine Festival over the Memorial Day weekend May 24-26. Set against the picturesque waterfront backdrop of the luxury resort, the Festival will offer an impressive lineup of the resort’s suppliers of its premium wines and spirits. 

The three-day event Festival kicks off on Friday evening, May 24th with a 4-Course Justin Winery Limited Release Wine Dinner at 6:30 pm, with a reception 6:00pm in the Club’s Lighthouse Room with its sweeping views of Newport Harbor.

Prepared by Executive Chef Prabeen and his culinary team, the dinner will highlight the first releases from Justin wines outside Paso Robles,  Sonoma County Chardonnay and Russian River Valley Pinot Noir with a wine pairing discussion lead by Master Sommelier Joseph Spellman. 

On Saturday, May 25th, 1:00pm – 5:00pm, the Wine & Spirits Festival will showcase a Grand Tasting of over forty of the resort’s favorite wine and spirits vendors including DAOU, Whispering Angel, Flecha Azul, Macallan, and others. It will also feature bountiful buffet stations, complemented by live music.  The event will take place in the Library, Commodore Room, Lighthouse and Bayfront Lawn, extending onto the boardwalk and Bayfront Lawn overlooking the marina, yachts, and Lido Island with breathtaking bay views. 

On Sunday MAY 26, 10:00am-2:00pm, the final day of the Wine Festival weekend will conclude with a specialty Veuve Clicquot Champagne Brunch in the Lighthouse Room.  The extravagant buffet will feature fresh seafood and caviar along with traditional brunch favorites, a carving station, an omelet station, and live music. 

Guests reserving a room for the Wine Festival over Memorial Day Weekend a 10% discount on guest room rates and a 10% discount on festival tickets. 

Balboa Bay Resort has partnered with luxury electric vehicle brand Lucid Motors to offer complimentary chauffeur rides from its Fashion Island studio  to address the limited parking.

Proceeds from the Festival benefit the Balboa Bay Club Scholarship Fund, that provides scholarships to exceptional graduating high school students in the Newport-Mesa Unified School District.

For more information, please visit www.balboabayresort.com and www.balboabayclub.com.