Recap of THE TASTE 2013 - Chefs & Launches

Hollywood CA (West Hollywood Today)

Photos & facts by Karen Ostlund

THE TASTE 2013 showcased LA's brightest culinary stars, food, beverages & tech launches during Labor Day weekend’s 3 days celebration.

Cadillac CTS & ELR 2014 lounge at Paramount Studios

Los Angeles Times'  4th annual food and wine festival, THE TASTE, shined at Paramount Pictures Studios over Labor Day weekend.
The three-day eat-drink activity featured five distinct events hosted by The Times editorial staff, Russ Parsons, Jonathan Gold, Noelle Carter, Betty Hallock and Jessica Gelt, and the city's most esteemed tastemakers, Chefs Michael Cimarusti, Sang Yoon, Nancy Silverton, and Cocktail Chef Matthew Biancaniello.

Beatles tribute band "Britain's Finest" was convincing
opening night.

During the weekend, thousands of people descended on the Paramount lot to raise a glass to LA's food and cocktail scene with tastings from their favorite restaurants, cooking and mixology demonstrations led by the town's top talent, as well as thought-provoking panels moderated by the Times staff.

 

 

 

At Opening Night Presented by Don Julio, Friday, August 30th, revelers rubbed elbows with The Times hosts and their co-hosts, along with LA's most beloved chefs and food personalities, from the iconic Chef Susan Feniger (STREET, Border Grill) to rising stars like Chef Chad Colby (Chi Spacca).

Evan Kleiman is a chef, author, radio host KCRW's
Good Food

 

Beatles tribute band “Britain's Finest” dazzled the crowd with their spot-on rendition of "A Hard Day’s Night".  Attendees enjoyed  tastings and libations from the truffle-topped corn agnolotti from Chef Ian Gresik of Drago Centro, to Thai shrimp ceviche from Chef David LeFevre of Manhattan Beach Post/Fishing With Dynamite.

L & E Oyster Bar

After enjoying an evening under the stars, Parsons (Times Food Editor & Columnist) and Cimarusti (Chef/Owner of Connie & Ted's, Providence) returned to kick off Saturday's events with Field to Fork, a tribute to the joys of cooking and eating seasonal dishes that included a dynamic panel discussion on "Fish or Famine: Sustainability & the Seafood on Your Plate.

Book signing Russ Parsons & Sherry Yard eating
fried jam-filled donuts

 In between bites from  favorites like Farmshop and Canelé, and sips of wine taken during the session's two tasting seminars, guests also enjoyed demos led by Alma's rockstar Chef Ari Taymor, Chef Ray Garcia from Fig, and LA's pastry queen Sherry Yard (Helm's Bakery), who wooed the audience with freshly fried raspberry jam-filled donuts.

Rocksugar's Thai Basil Cashew Shrimp

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ray Garcia, Chef of  FIG Santa Monica

 

The daytime affair set the pace for Gold (Times Restaurant Critic) and Yoon's (Chef/Owner of Lukshon, Father's Office) celebration of Southern California's culinary melting pot with the sold-out Flavors of LA event.
An epicurean crowd turned out to savor global eats, from Yoon's lip-numbing dandan noodles at the popular Lukshon booth, which he demoed that evening, to Chichén Itzá's grilled shrimp with creamy habanero sauce.

Host Jonathan Gold w. his book
Counter Intelligence: Where to eat in the real LA

Appetites were further whetted by demos from Brooke Williamson (Hudson House/The Tripel), Bryant Ng (Spice Table), Josef Centeno (Baco Mercat/Bar Ama), and a mixology demo with Robin Chopra (Corazon y Miel). The Gold-moderated panel "The Power of Pop-ups" with Gary Menes (Le Comptoir), Craig Thornton (Wolvesmouth) and Nguyen Tran (Starry Kitchen) rounded out the evening with insights into how the phenomenon has changed the LA dining scene.

Labor day block party, daytime in front of Cadillac
cooking stage

 

Sunday, September 1st day session launched into full swing with the family-friendly Labor Day Block Party hosted by Carter (Times Test Kitchen Director) and Nancy Silverton (Chef/Owner of Osteria Mozza, Pizzeria Mozza).

The crowds cooled off with honeydew "fluff" from Monterey Park's Fluff Ice and freshly shucked oysters from L&E Oyster Bar, and put on their culinary thinking caps during demos led by Nancy Silverton, Fred Eric (D'Elish, Fred 62) and Evan Kleiman (KCRW's Good Food), who showcased her pie prowess with a soulful cherry tomato pastry.

Meals by Genet:
 Dorowot, Spicy Ethiopian chicken stew

Energy was also found in Carter's "Going Whole Hog" competition barbecue panel with Ryan Chester (The Rub Co.), Sylvia Curry (Lady of Q) and Neil Strawder (Bigmista’s Barbecue).

Labor Day block party also featured face-painting fun for the kids, and Times Columnist Steve Lopez's Firehouse Cook-off crowning Cruz Macias from LAFD Station 87 in Granada Hills the king of the cooking brigade.

Matthew Biancaniello w Jessica Gelt & Betty Hallock

 

September 1^st,  same Sunday evening, Hallock (Times Deputy Food Editor) and Gelt (Times Food & Night Life Writer) teamed up with Matthew Biancaniello for a final toast to LA's  culinary scene with a celebration of the shared inspirations inside LA’s best bars and kitchens.

Michael Voltaggio, top chef from
Bravos Top Chef 2009

In addition to plates and tastes from popular restaurants like Chi Lin, Cliff's Edge and Jitlada, the Cocktail Confidential event brought together the city's most dynamic chef and bartender duos, including John Sedlar and Julian Cox (Rivera), Octavio Becerra (Acabàr) and Josh Goldman (Soigné Group/ Acabàr), Kuniko Yagi and Brandyn Tepper (Hinoki & the Bird), and Michael Voltaggio and Gabriella Mlynarczyk (ink.), who engaged the thirsty throngs with cooking and mixology demonstrations showcasing the fusion of haute cuisine and craft cocktails.

Cocktails Confidential by Christiaan
Rollich, barman of Suzanne Goin
Caroline Styne's restaurants

Biancaniello furthered the conversation with a demo featuring his bartending contemporaries Serena Herrick (Allumette), Christiaan Rollich (Lucques/A.O.C./Tavern) and Brady Weise (1886).

Sysco lounge, Luigi's famous La Porchetta Italiana

 

 

 

 

 

Stella Artois beer launched a new Cidre, (4.5 % alcohol) - which is a crisp  Belgian recipe cider,  crafted with handpicked apples, enhanced by peachy, apricot notes, complimented by the woody finish.

Stella Artois new Cidre with same
alcohol as beer

Stella Artois Cidre Pear boasts a refreshing pear flavour enhanced by oaky notes, accenting Pear Cidre’s medium-bodied and crisp taste.

Stack Wines, bottle divides in 4 wine
glasses (drinkstack.com)

 Stack Wines (Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay and Merlot) offered new quality wine without the hassle of a bottle, corkscrew, or stemware. STACK is a bottle of wine separated into four wine glasses with seal. Each glass contains 187ml of wine and a 4-pack has the same volume, 750 ml, as a traditional bottle.

Mionetto Prosecco introduced IL Ugo! &
 IL Spr!z cocktails

Mionetto Prosecco also introduced a new Italian aperitif as

“IL” SPR!Z®  (yes, spelled that way)- Crafted from the classic Spritz recipe of the Veneto, made with premium frizzante semi-sparkling wine and natural aromas and flavors of blood orange and select herbs .

“IL” Ugo! is the  Italian semi-sparkling cocktail, also from Mionetto, crafted with elderflower blossom and wildflowers.

Svedka Vodka Launch, Orange Cream Pop
w/ vanilla & Strawberry Colada
w/coconut

 

The new Blackberry Q10 & Z10 (Verizon, Sprint & T-Mobile) were to be found at THE TASTE’s only technology booth -  besides Cadillac, and UBER.com – UBER offered a $20 credit,  for new users, to avoid driving under the influence after all  wine & cocktail tasting.

Tech booth: Blackberry-Q10

 

 “You can peek at new incoming messages or notifications from virtually any other app. - Just a simple swipe of your finger reveals all the conversations you’re having over email and social media”, said Blackberry’s rep.

BlackBerry Hub smartphones surprised people  how well it keeps your personal information separate from your work information, with help of two different screen buttons. This eliminates the time and hassle of flipping back and forth between apps to have conversations on social media and text messages.

Like most BlackBerry operating systems before, BlackBerry 10 uses a red notification light to alert you to when you have received a new message from one of the accounts that you link it with like Facebook, Twitter, text messages, BlackBerry Messenger, and emails.
All of your messages are listed in as a flow of information with your most recent ones at the top of the BlackBerry Hub, and you can also take a  peek at your upcoming calendar entries.

Tender Greens: Salami & Kale salad

Michael's on Naples:
 Fiori di Zucca and Salsiccia w eggplant

Los Angeles Times THE TASTE was produced in association with Best Events and event sponsors included Cadillac, Don Julio, Sysco, Icelandic Glacial, Stella Artois and Svedka.

 

 (THE TASTE is a supporter of the LA Times Family Fund Summer Camp Campaign and the Cal Poly Pomona Collins College of Hospitality Management.)