Taste of the Nation Los Angeles 2011 takes place on June 12, 2011 in Culver City, California’s Media Park, showcasing 46 of the city’s top chefs, restaurants, and, for the first time ever, bars, mixologists, and local craft breweries.
The city’s premiere tasting event features restaurants and chefs ranging from Michelin-star rated Patina to lauded newcomer Public Kitchen & Bar. Joining will be some of the year’s most highly anticipated restaurants, such as Michael Voltaggio’s ink. and Food & Wine Best New Chef 2011 Ricardo Zarate’s Picca.
This year, Taste of the Nation Los Angeles spotlights even more local culinary and beverage talent through the addition of individual dessert and bar booths for bakeries such as Fōnuts and Pazzo Gelato and bars such as 1886 at The Raymond, Basement Tavern, The Spare Room, and La Descarga.
Additionally, 2011 marks the first ever Taste of the Nation Los Angeles Craft Beer Tent, sampling out drafts from Duvel, Brewery Ommegang, The Bruery, Eagle Rock Brewery, and Firestone Walker.
Tickets for the event are $25 for children 12-18 years, $100 for adults ($125 at the door), and $150 for
100 percent of ticket proceeds from Taste of the Nation Los Angeles 2011 will benefit Share Our Strength’s support of Los Angeles area food banks. Games and silent and live auctions will help raise additional funds to feed local children, with fantastic items including the first opportunity to book the eight omakase seats for dinner and drink pairings one evening at Michael Voltaggio’s ink. upon opening in July/August 2011.
The day kicks off with a soundtrack provided by food blogger Bill Esparza, aka @streetgourmetla, and his bossa nova trio Cachaça Nova. Comedians Randy and Jason Sklar will emcee the day’s festivities, including the 2 p.m. Creekstone Farms Chef Showdown in which two amateur chefs go head-to-head in a cook-off featuring Creekstone Farms Premium Beef, judged by Chef Mary Sue Milliken (Border Grill, Top Chef Masters), Pulitzer Prize-winning food writer Jonathan Gold, and comedian Kathy Griffin. A live auction will take place at 2:30 p.m. featuring fantastic travel and culinary experience, and the day will wrap up with the annual Waiter Race.
Generous support for Taste of the Nation Los Angeles is provided by partners and sponsors such as Fōnuts, Creekstone Farms Premium Beef, American Express OPEN, Culver City, Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute, LA Specialty, California Olive Ranch, and Infiniti USA.
The full list of participants includes:
Restaurants
A-Frame, Border Grill, Campanile, Chaya Restaurant Group, Church & State, City Tavern, Comme Ça, craft, Culina, Modern Italian, Farmshop, FIG Restaurant, Go Burger, Grace /
Pastry
Fōnuts, Madame Chocolat, Pazzo Gelato, Scoops / Scoops Westside, and Sprinkles
Wine
Baker Lane, Bethel Heights Winery, Dierberg Estate Vineyard & Star Lane Vineyard , emanuel tres wines, Grassini Family Vineyards, Husch Vineyards, La Fenêtre Wines, Martian Ranch & Vineyard, R. Stuart Winery, and Winegrowers of Dry Creek Valley
Beer
Brewery Ommegang / The Golden State, The Bruery / Steingarten LA, Duvel, Eagle Rock Brewery / Verdugo Bar, Firestone Walker / Library Ale House, and Singha Beer
Spirits
1886 Bar at The Raymond, Basement Tavern, Brown-Forman, La Descarga, Pour Vous, Sotto featuring Julian Cox, and The Spare Room / Plymouth Gin
Non-Alcoholic Beverages
Acqua Panna, Intelligentsia Coffee & Tea, and S. Pellegrino
Taste of the Nation Los Angeles is proud to benefit the following organizations, which share Share Our Strength’s goals of feeding and educating communities, as well as reforming and improving food policy at the state, local, or national level: Los Angeles Coalition to End Hunger & Homelessness, Los Angeles Regional Foodbank, California Association of Food Banks, California Food Policy Advocates, Center for Community & Family Services (Cooking Matters), and St. Joseph’s Center.
