With its landing dates approaching fast on Friday, Sept 25 and Saturday, Sept 26, the Manhattan Beach Food & Wine Festival is adding attractions to make the festival more compelling.
With much of the action centered around Westdrift hub, you can make it a full stay-and-play weekend of partying with a room just steps from the festival’s networking energy of guests, celebrity chefs, and winemakers and mixologists.
In a major announcement, the festival has revealed that Bravo’s Chef Ben Robinson will be traveling from Florida exclusively for the festival, making his California food and wine festival debut joining Manhattan Beach Food & Wine’s stellar line-up.
With more recently added events, the festival’s weekend calendar is also filling up and rounding out the weekend.
In more related news, we hear the Reserve Club reservations for Tables of Four are already sold out for Friday, with only a few tables left for Saturday.
For more information and tickets, please visit please visit
Orange County’s highly anticipated food wine and spirits experience RELISH will return for its second annual celebration on October 2-4 at VEA Newport Beach. The three-day weekend culinary extravaganza is a luxury destination event that highlights the coastal charm and culinary sophistication of the Newport Beach region featuring celebrated chefs, master sommeliers and top spirits experts. With a star-studded lineup that includes celebrity chefs Geoffrey Zakarian, Scott Conant, Sherry Yard, Kat Turner, Afrim Pristine and Katie Chin, RELISH promises food and beverage enthusiasts an unforgettable, world-class epicurean weekend.
The weekend kicks off Friday at VEA Newport Beach with the Opening Night Cocktail Party & Grand Tasting, an evening of chef-curated hors d’oeuvres, interactive food and drink pop-ups, hand-crafted cocktails and award-winning wines. The kick-off preview of the weekend’s festivities provides guests to previous and and amingle with some of the nation’s top culinary and mixology talent and share the excitement of the weekend ahead.
The celebration continues with RELISH After Hours, a private, after-hours setting for those seeking to continue the extraordinary evening. Guests will enjoy lively music, one-on-one opportunities with celebrated chef talent, and a curated selection of premium spirits, wines, and artisanal cocktails.
Saturday starts your day with Fashion + Food at Bloomies with an exclusive opportunity to meet Chef Geoffrey Zakarian and Chef Scott Conant at ANQI at Bloomingdale’s South Coast Plaza. In this luncheon experience, guests will take their taste buds on a gastronomic adventure while learning the artistry behind world-class food and drink in an intimate environment.
Saturday afternoon continues with The Art of Cheese & Wine at The Park Club, a tasting journey through exceptional artisanal cheeses guided by acclaimed Maitre Fromager Afrim Pristine, a leading authority on cheeses.
Also on Saturday afternoon, you can master your knife skills with a privatehands-on training at a Knife Class with Wolfe Cutlery with limited attendance.
For dinner, join Chef Geoffrey Zakarian, Chef Scott Conant, and Pastry Chef Sherry Yard for the RELISH Culinary Icons Dinner at The Park Club, an exclusive one-night-only gastronomy. Savor an intimate, multi-course dining that showcases the chefs’ signature flavors and creativity.
Sunday starts with the RELISH Sunday Brunch, a celebration of culinary creativity, where sweet and savory flavors come together in imaginative and unexpected combinations. Featuring Sherry Yard, Kat Turner, Afrim Pristine, and more, it promises to be a feast for the senses.
The event concludes with RELISH Wellness, a revitalizing retreat to nourish both body and mind, that combines mindfulness and refreshing cuisine alongside immersive activities led by wellness experts creating balance, intention and renewal. As a restorative close to the weekend, it promises to leave guests feeling invigorated, inspired and connected.
RELISH partners and premier sponsors include VEA Newport Beach, The Park Club, Moët & Chandon, Veuve Clicquot, Visit Newport Beach, Kaiser Permanente, South Coast Plaza, Travel Costa Mesa, Bloomingdale’s, Golden Eagle Vodka, Le Creuset, Salumi Levoni, Expedia Travel, Melissa’s Produce, Bouchaine Vineyards, ZD Wines, Austin Hope Wines, Riboli Family Wines and more.
For individual tickets and event packages please visit www.relishfoodwine.com. For the latest event updates, chef spotlights and behind-the-scenes glimpses, follow @relishfoodwine on Instagram.
The Rotary Club of South Pasadena will host the 12th Annual Taste of South Pasadena on Tuesday May 19 from 5–8pm, inviting guests to sip, stroll, and savor bites from local restaurants while raising funds for community charities. Dubbed Eats on the Streets, you can stroll the scenic event walking route or hop on the free shuttle service to make the most of your tasting tour. The family and dog-friendly strolling event will make for a relaxing evening on the town exploring the city and its culinary offerings with friends and neighbors.
The all you can eat event is a culinary celebration featuring more than 20 spectacular tasting stations presenting bites from popular local restaurants and bakeries along Fair Oaks Avenue and Mission Street in the heart of South Pasadena. They include longtime neighborhood favorites like Gus’s BBQ and Griffin’s of Kinsale to newer additions like Handel’s Ice Cream and The Giddy Ostrich. The event will be anchored at local favorite Canoe House.
Guests over 21 will also enjoy wine and spirits experience featuring the popular Wilson Creek from Temecula, Vandella Wines all the way from Napa, Xolo Tequila as seen on the hit Netflix TV series “The Lincoln Lawyer”, and the iconic San Antonio Winery, an L.A. institution since 1917.
You will also enjoy live world guitar music by the Carbe and Durand Duo of the international group Incendio, and at the other end of the event by world-renowned street busker and local favorite Katie Ferrara at the Metro Rail Plaza.
Major event sponsors providing generous support include Priority One Credit Union, Inspirational Sponsor, Charity On Top State Farm South Pasadena.
Last year’s Taste of South Pasadena focused on Eaton Fire relief raising over $40,000; 100% of the proceeds were used to purchase items for more than 500 fire survivors who lost their belongings in the January 2025 fires, and helped replace personal and family items including furniture, home goods, musical instruments, record albums, and even an antique quilt.
This year’s proceeds will support Eaton Fire Relief, local high school scholarships, the South Pasadena Interact Club, and the Corazón House Build in Mexico.
For more information about the South Pasadena Rotary Club please visit southpasadenarotary.org; and for more information on event and tickets, please visit https://www.tasteofsouthpasadena.com.
The Los Angeles edition of America’s beloved, live-fire, open-air culinary experience Heritage Fire will take place at Westin Bonaventure Hotel & Suites in Los Angeles on Sunday, October 6 at 4:15pm, with an early VIP access at 3:30pm.
The all-inclusive, walk-around tour will feature a lineup of local chefs grilling globally inspired, heritage-breeds al fresco. The offerings include a wide array of meats and heirloom vegetables from the region’s top family farms and local purveyors to educate consumers and offer hands-on experience with ethically sourced food sourced straight from the farm to the table. The feast will be complemented by a variety of beverages from local wineries.
The all-star cast of top chefs from Los Angeles and beyond will include Phi Martin of Black Cat BBQ, Ben Diaz of Cork Fire Kitchen, Javier Lopez of 71Above, Uyen Le of Bé Ù, Marcos & Nayomie Mendoza of Cuernavaca’s Grill, Alex & Elvia Garcia of Evil Cooks, Daniel Castillo & Nick Echaore of Heritage Barbecue, Owen Jay Hankle of Smoke&Ashes, Robert Liberato of STK Steakhouse, Jackson Kalb of Jemma Hollywood, Lucy Haro of Qusqo, and more.
Free-flowing drinks will be available from Two Times Oak, Clink Different, El Jimador Tequila, Franciscan Estate, Freemark Abbey Napa Valley, Frey Ranch Farmers + Distillers, Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey, Westward Whiskey, Garrison Brothers Distillery, Glenfiddich, J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines, Polemonium Wines, Diplomatic Rum, Rums of Puerto Rico, and Una Vodka. Non-alcoholic drinks include of LaCroix Sparkling Water. The event will also feature permanent jewelry by Link x Lou and a produce stand by Farm Lot 59.
Tickets include unlimited curated dishes, beverage pairings, live entertainment and more. The evening culminates with guests voting for the ‘Best Bite of the Day’ and the announcement of one Heritage Hero champion. Attendees must be 21+ to attend.
Project by Project will hold its annual fundraiser Plate by Plate at the Wallis Annenberg at California Science Center in Los Angeles on Saturday September 14, 6 – 10pm.
Asian American community’s top chefs, restaurants, leaders, beverage and culinary brands, leaders and influencers will gather to celebrate 24 years of philanthropy and service within the Southern California Asian American community.
The general admission ticket will include samples of signature dishes from over 25 restaurants. They include Marco Polo, Wildwonder, Kazu Nori, Brique, Farmhouse Kitchen, Masarap cafe, Yoboseyo Suprette, Emporium Thai, Jemma Hollywood, One Hot Minute, Sunmerry Bakery cafe, Yoju, Turok’s Cheesecakes, 626 Hospitality, Flouring, Alexander’s Steakhouse, Chubby foods, Meet Fresh, Easy Tomorrow, Carasau Restaurante, Rakkan Ramen, Intercrew LA, Banh Khot Lady, Mochima, and Cafe Dulce.
Drinks include Suntory, Pacific International Liquor, Krikori Rice Whiskey, Asahi, The Plug, Only Hydration, and Matchako.
A VIP ticket will include one hour of early access to the event, as well as an exclusive VIP-only lounge access.
Live entertainment to amp up the fun include peformances by violinist Jessica Chen and Cellist Henry Chen, lyra performers Ruby and Shelbee, dance by Miss Shu Mai, a magic show by Anna DeGuzman, and caricatures by James.
A silent auction will invite bids on gift cards from museums, entertainment parks, restaurants, and liquor brands.
And if you want still more fun, you can attend the highly celebrated after-party.
The theme for this this year’s event is Food Insecurity in AAPI Communities, highlighting the issue’s impact on access to healthy, culturally relevant food. Event proceeds benefit this year’s beneficiary partner Thai Community Development Center.
The three local chapters of Project by Project in Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco select a local AAPI non-profit partner annually to develop a year long partnership to consult, raise awareness and funds. For the past 26 years, PbP has championed philanthropic endeavors and partnered with over 50 AAPI non-profits in the three local communities with outreach, public awareness, and fundraising efforts in 19 campaign themes – from mental health, domestic violence, sustainability, homelessness, to even voter engagement and education access. The annual tasting benefit is one of PbP-LA’s signature events of the year.
For more information and tickets, please visit https://www.projectbyproject.org/ and https://www.platebyplate.org/los-angeles
The Omni Hotel downtown is offering a Jazz Brunch at its Grand Café on Sundays 10 AM – 3 pm.
They say you eat with your eyes as much as with your mouth, and that is part of the allure of buffets, and this bountiful Omni brunch spread certainly accomplished that.
For starters, there is large platter of assorted cheeses. A Greek yogurt parfait topped with fruit and granola was one of my favorites. The yogurt was so creamy, I was sure it had added cream, but the server assured me it didn’t.
Time to move on to fruit and vegetable salads.
Now come hot chafing dishes of your traditional breakfast items: bacon, sausages, scrambled eggs with roast potatoes, and egg white frittata, and French toast. You could also ask the chef to make you a fresh custom omelette.
The star of the buffet is a platter of chilled seafood that included peeled shrimp, fresh oysters, crab legs, and lox, all set up in a show stopping – or rather line stopping presentation.
And if that much seafood wasn’t enough, there was also another platter of grilled seafood that also included crawfish with corn and potatoes. Had I eaten crawfish before, I wondered. Hmm, couldn’t recall, so if I had, it must have been quite a while ago.
Now, it was time to move on to more substantial entrees. There was southern fried chicken with biscuits and gravy. There was also salmon, and another station with sliced prime rib and roast vegetables.
For the finishing touch, to fill up any nooks and crannies still remaining in your appetite, there were trays of an extensive assortment of desserts, and to wash it all down were drinks, including a mimosa flight of orange, pineapple, or cranberry. And of course, there was coffee and tea brought to you by attentive servers.
When we visited, Los Angeles was under a record heat spell that weekend, and the brunch had been temporarily moved from its usual Grand Station restaurant to its sister restaurant Noe, also at the Omni.
On a cooler day I would have definitely used the venue to put in a few more steps towards my daily quota walking around the Plaza, and also work off some of the calories that were probably outside the daily quota. I would have definitely ventured down a level below to the beautiful outdoor stage venue with its fountain backdrop that is home to Grand Performances, the free outdoor summer concert series. It never fails to bring back fond memories of some of the spectacular past performances there.
Or, I could have made a fuller day out of it by continuing on to the adjacent Museum of Contemporary Art, the Central Library, or The Broad or Walt Disney Concert Hall, all within walking distance.
But on this hottest day of the season in the city, it was just nice to be able to get out and spend a few hours just staying inside keeping cool, not doing anything more strenuous than sipping on the mimosa, looking out onto the outdoor patio and its sculptures beyond.
The Los Angeles Times will again host Food Bowl, its annual culinary festival celebrating Southern California’s evolving food scene at the Paramount Pictures Studios Backlot. Cookbook authors and renowned chefs from hundreds of restaurants will delight foodies with cooking demonstrations, cookbook signings and unlimited tastings from top restaurants, with libations from wineries, breweries and distilleries, against a backdrop of live music and DJ sets.
Friday, Sept. 20, 8 – 11 p.m, with VIP early entry at 7 p.m kicks off the weekend celebration. Food Bowl will honor The Times Restaurant of the Year, Baroo, and Gold Award honoree, Mariscos Jalisco, with a special awards presentation hosted by The Times Food team. Baroo and Mariscos Jalisco will also serve special bites for VIP ticket holders, prior to general admission entry. The L.A. Times Food Stage will feature talks, demonstrations and cookbook signings by award-winning chefs and social media food stars, including Josh Scherer, of The Mythical Cookbook and Tue Nguyen of Di An. The VIP lounge will feature exclusive tastings from Michelin-starred chef Jordan Kahn of Meteora and James Beard award-winning chef Dave Beran of Pasjoli and cocktails from Level 8 by Beverage Director Melina Meza.
Participating restaurants include Amiga Amore, Azizam, Ban Ban Burger, Baroo, Bee Taqueria, Cento, Chao Krung & Tuk Tuk Thai, Checker Hall, Crudo e Nudo, East Side Cheesecakes, Evil Cooks, Guelaguetza, Guzzu Bento-ya, Hatchet Hall, Holey Grail Donuts, HomeState, III Mas Bakery & Deli, Jitlada, Luv2eat Thai Bistro, Mariscos Jalisco, McConnell’s Fine Ice Creams, Mírate, Paradise Dynasty & Le Shrimp Noodle Bar, Perilla LA, Pink Taco, Rita’s Deluxe, Ronan, Saltie Girl, Saucy Chick Goat Mafia, Si! Mon, SoulPhil, Spoon & Pork, Sushi Nikkei, Villa’s Tacos and Wife and the Somm.
Saturday, Sept. 21, 7 – 10 pm,with VIP early entry at 6 pm. Saturday’s festivities will include unlimited tastings from more than 40 restaurants, demos and cookbook signings from Tamron Hall and Lish Steiling of A Confident Cook and Owen Han of Stacked: The Art of the Perfect Sandwich, plus a cooking demo from William Tew of Cathay Pacific and Adrienne Borlongan of Wanderlust Creamery Presents: The World of Ice Cream, with a signing to follow, presented by Cathay Pacific & Hong Kong Tourism Board. Saturday’s VIP lounge will honor the top two restaurants on The Times 101 Best Restaurants of 2023 list, with bites from Michelin-starred chef Jon Yao of Kato and James Beard-award winning chef Justin Pichetrungsi of Anajak Thai, plus specialty cocktails from the Mírate bar by Beverage Director Maxwell Reis.
Participating restaurants include 626 Hospitality Group, Bar Chelou, Baroo, Bistro Na’s, Borekas Sephardic Pastries, The Brothers Sushi, Budonoki x Mini Kabob, Burritos La Palma, Chichén Itzá, Cobi’s, Donna’s, DulanVILLE, El Ruso, Evil Cooks, Fluffy McCloud’s, Heng Heng Chicken Rice, Holbox, Holy Basil, Hui Tou Xiang, Jeff’s Table, LaSorted’s, Lei’d Cookies, Little Fatty & Fatty Mart, Love & Salt, Moo’s Craft Barbecue, OyBar, Pizzana, Poltergeist, Ponchos Tlayudas, Steep LA, Stella, Trophies Burger Club, Tsubaki, Wanderlust Creamery and XUNTOS.
Sunday, Sept. 22, 12 – 3 pm, with VIP early entry at 11 am. Food Bowl’s finale will feature an afternoon of tastings, music and live demos for all ages, including cookbook signings and demonstrations by award-winning chefs Nancy Silverton of The Cookie that Changed My Life, and Sara Kramer and Sarah Hymanson of Kismet: Bright, Fresh, Vegetable-Loving Recipes, plus author and social media star Yumna Jawad of The Feel Good Foodie Cookbook). Sunday VIP guests will also enjoy bites from chef Drew Rosenberg of CUT Beverly Hills and chef Jesus “Chuy” Cervantes of Damian with specialty cocktails from Level 8 by Beverage Director Melina Meza.
Participating restaurants include All About the Cinnamon, Amphai Northern Thai Food Club, Apollonia’s Pizzeria, Ayara Thai, Baar Baar, Baroo, Brique French Toastery, The Brothers Sushi, Camphor, Ceci’s Gastronomia, Cha ReDefine, Dino’s Famous Chicken, DOMESTIC, El Ruso, Evil Cooks, Grá, Hamasaku, Janté Cheesecakes, LaSorted’s, Lucky Bird, Lustig, Maison Matho, Mayura Indian Restaurant, Ocean Prime Beverly Hills, OyBar, Petit Trois, Petramale Pizza, Pop’s Bagels, Socalo, Steep LA, Stir Crazy, Tacos 1986, Voodoo Vin and The Waterfront.
L.A. Regional Food Bank is returning as the charity partner of Food Bowl. VIP tickets, provide early entry, access to exclusive food and drink offerings in a VIP lounge and onsite parking.
For more information and tickets, please visit lafoodbowl.com.
Manhattan Beach Food & Wine founder Shelby Russell recently announced the launch of the inaugural Manhattan Beach Food & Wine at a press event conference at the Westdrift Manhattan Beach hotel.
The inaugural 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 gourmet festival will bring together 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 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, letting guests walk or bike to the event. Although Manhattan Village will offer complimentary parking, guests are encouraged to use rideshare services.
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 all-Star Chef Lineup has already enlisted impressive talent that includes:
Event Host Chef Neal Fraser: Redbird, Vibiana – Downtown Los Angeles, CA
A VIP Power Hour will be held from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm and Regular Admission will be from 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm. The event is strictly 21+ event as the event is serving alcoholic beverages.
This year’s event beneficiary is Careers through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP). Long co-chaired by chef Marcus Samuelsson, C-CAP is a workforce development nonprofit that provides underserved teens pathways to pursue careers in the restaurant and hospitality industry. Annually, C-CAP provides culinary, job and life skills in 186 schools across the United States across the entire state of Arizona, as well as in Baltimore, Camden, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York City & Long Island, Newark, Philadelphia, suburban Maryland, and Washington DC.
