The Masters of Taste outdoor luxury food and beverage festival returns for its eighth annual event, taking place on Sunday, April 19 from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. once again on the field of the Pasadena Rose Bowl Stadium, with 100% of the proceeds directly benefiting Union Station Homeless Services, a non-profit organization providing more than 50 years of homeless services and housing for thousands of neighbors.
The 2026 host chefs include husband-and-wife team Chef Thomas and Chef Vanessa Tilaka Kalb of Agnes Restaurant & Cheesery. As the founders of the celebrated Old Pasadena restaurant and cheese shop, the Tilaka Kalbs have a devoted following for their Californian comfort food rooted in classic American regional cooking.
Masters of Taste 2026 is expected to bring more than 3,000 food and beverage enthusiasts together for one afternoon, featuring tastings from no less than 100 top culinary masters and restaurants, and desserts prepared by L.A.’s top sweet masters. There will be signature handcrafted cocktail tastings from over 25 spirit brands and top cocktail bars, select wineries, local craft breweries, cold-pressed juices, cold brew coffee, live entertainment, and more.
The 21+ event includes a VIP Hour that will be held from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m., and general admission will be from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Early bird tickets are available now only through the official Masters of Taste App on the AppStore or Google Play. Tickets are on sale now, and for more information on Masters of Taste 2026, visit https://mastersoftastela.com/tickets.

Courtesy Masters of Taste
Another culinary event for a cause, The Taste of the Nation and the No Kid Hungry Dinner, Night Out for No Kid Hungry! will take place on Saturday, April 11, at Rolling Greens in Downtown Los Angeles.
The event will bring together more than 50 of the best chefs, restaurateurs, tastemakers, and mixologists from around the country to serve guests bites, craft cocktails, and desserts all in support of No Kid Hungry, a national campaign to end childhood hunger in America.
Participants include Netflix’s BBQ Showdown Judge and James Beard Pitmaster Kevin Bludso, Master Chef Ludo Lefebvre, Michelin Star restaurants including Osteria Mozza and Kali Restaurant, and multiple James Beard Award winners and finalists.
The fundraiser offers two styles of savoring by attending, either The Tasting, a sampling event similar to the popular Taste of the Nation event, or The Dinner, an intimate, multi-course sit-down experience. Guests attending The Dinner will experience a one-time-only multi-course meal. Award-winning Los Angeles chefs will pair up with culinary stars like Dominique Crenn and Michael Mina. The bites will range from Jitlada’s southern Thai cuisine to Heritage Barbecue’s classic backyard, Texas-style BBQ dishes. The night concludes with an after-party hosted by chefs Duff Goldman and Michael Voltaggio. Click here for tickets and pricing.
What’s Popping Up is a column in the L.A. Weekly that explores everything new in food and drink

Courtesy No Kid Hungry
