Natalie ComptonThe summer may be winding down, but Los Angeles food events are just warming up. The next few months will see tons of ways to eat and drink while standing. Here are the highlights.
Los Angeles Magazine Burgers Bourbon + Beer
If burgers are your jam, Los Angeles Magazine has your back. The magazine's first annual Burgers Bourbon + Beer event is promising “gourmet bites from local burger masters” like The Cannibal, Everson Rocye Bar, Simmzy’s and a less obvious yet still exciting choice, Jitlada. At $65 a ticket, the event is obviously pricier than running to In-N-Out for a burger, but brown bagging bourbon at fast food restaurants is usually frowned upon, making the L.A. Mag option a more attractive option for whiskey lovers. Four Roses, Michters, Buffalo Trace and Whistle Pig (rye, not bourbon) will be on site for the meaty occasion. On the beer side, there will be a variety of brews from Golden Road.
When: Aug. 24
Where: The Victorian, Santa Monica
lamag.com/lasocialevents/bbb
L.A. Food & Wine highlights include street drinking, pretty bites and A-list participants.; Credit: Natalie B. Compton
L.A. Food & Wine
The L.A. Food & Wine festival is back for its sixth year of bringing people wine glass–holding necklaces and caviar bumps. The four-day festival kicks off with an event with Emeril Lagasse inspired by his new Amazon series, “Eat The World.” Grand Avenue makes for a stunning backdrop for the big tasting events, which may help justify the $115 to $175 price tags. For wine people, LAFW probably offers the most bang for your buck with more than 100 wineries participating (you're going to want to take an Uber). If you don't want to trek downtown, Friday's Power Lunch Series may be for you. The lunches will be held at spots in Venice, Hollywood and Century City.
When: Aug. 25-28
Where: All over L.A.
lafw.com
FYF Fest will feature food as trendy as the band lineup, including poké, artisanal ice cream and ramen.; Credit: Mary Costa Photo for Mainland Poke Shop
FYF Fest
FYF Fest may not be a literal food or drink event, but the music festival is featuring a pretty solid edible lineup this year, as we've mentioned before. If you still have money to blow after buying your general admission tickets, there's plenty of Instagram-approved food like ramen, gourmet bagels, donuts … stuff to keep you dancing all day long. Maybe you want to sneak in a Fritzi Dog by Neal Fraiser before Kendrick Lamar, or down some Mainland Poke while you wait for Grace Jones.
When: Aug. 27-28
Where: Exposition Park
Night + Market chef Kris Yenbamroong will host an event with Jonathan Gold at the L.A. Times' The Taste on Sept. 4.; Credit: Natalie B. Compton
Los Angeles Times' The Taste
The Los Angeles Times' editorial staff is getting put to work this Labor Day weekend at the paper's annual food and wine event, The Taste. In addition to standard food festival tasting opportunities (i.e., the Sunday Block Party), The Taste will host roundtable discussions on topics like new Filipino cuisine and the artisan grain movement throughout the event's three days. Cooking and cocktailing demos will be coming from industry staples like Kris Yenbamroong (Night + Market), Katie Emmerson (Gwen) and Duff Goldman (Charm City Cakes). Individual event tickets start at $100, but if you're an L.A. Times subscriber, you're eligible for a $25 discount.
When: Sept. 2-4
Where: Paramount Pictures Studio
events.latimes.com/taste
Caroline Styne, left, David Lentz and Suzanne Goin host L.A. Loves Alex’s Lemonade to raise money and awareness of childhood cancer causes.; Credit: AB Images, Stephanie Keenan for LA Love's Alex's Lemonade
L.A. Loves Alex’s Lemonade
While most food events lean toward hedonistic bacchanalia, L.A. Loves Alex’s Lemonade has a good cause behind the high-profile chef-driven extravaganza. Suzanne Goin, her business partner Caroline Styne (the Lucques Group) and David Lentz (the Hungry Cat) host the philanthropic endeavor that has raised millions of dollars since it started. The event primarily brings in top-tier talent from Los Angeles, but there are a handful of out-of-towners like Dominique Crenn and Jonathan Waxman. Is it cheap? No, but $95 of the $195 ticket price is tax deductible, kids under 12 years old get in free, and all of the proceeds go to the mission of raising money and awareness of childhood cancer causes. For those who want to ball out for a cause, $1,200 buys a meet and greet ticket with VIP perks.
When: Sept. 10
Where: Royce Quad at UCLA
alexslemonade.org
KCRW’s “Good Food” Pie Contest
Is there anything more wholesome than a pie contest? KCRW is hosting some good old fashioned fun for its eighth annual pie contest hosted by the station's own Evan Kleiman. If you have the baking chops to compete, sign up to be judged by L.A. chefs and food writers. Pie categories include cooked custard, cream/chiffon/mousse, fruit, Cuban, nut, savory and vegan. For those who can't bake, eat. There will be plenty of opportunities for pie tasting and on-site food trucks plus something called an artisan marketplace.
When: Oct. 2
Where: The Fowler Museum
events.kcrw.com/events
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