Michele Stueven
The Los Angeles Wine & Food Festival, hosted by Tastemade, returned bigger and better for its second year of culinary delights at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica over the weekend. The three-day festival was also a feast for the eyes with elaborate and colorful revolving build-outs and activations with that signature energy the media company that sprouted in Santa Monica is known for.
The festival brought together the buzziest chefs from LA and elsewhere: Stephanie Izard, Brooke Williamson, Michael and Bryan Voltaggio, Claudette Zepeda of Leu Leu, Kat Turner from Highly Likely, and Rose Previte from the newly opened Maydan. Food Network star Michael Symon of Lola made an appearance, as well as Ellen Bennet, star of Tastemade TV’s Kitchen Glow Up.
Kat Turner, Highly Likely (Michele Stueven)
The event welcomed more than 3,000 attendees over the weekend, with chefs preparing close to 1,000 samples at more than 30 booths each day.
The Voltaggio brothers were slinging Sloppy Joes, and Turner was handing out shaved celery salad with smoky peanut vinaigrette and pickled currants, as well as free samples of her hot sauce. Nakul Mahendro from Badmaash served up tender butter chicken and rice, and there was smoked short rib pastrami from Michael Reed at Poppy & Seed. Nearby, James Bailey of Majordomo put a finishing touch of MSG mist on his smoked pork lettuce wrap with kimchi.
There was plenty of wine and spirits flowing, and for dessert lovers, Eastside Cheesecakes brought Cider and Silk cheesecake shooters, and The Brique Toastery served colossal cut brioche French toast with peanut butter, coconut maple syrup.
The festival helps support Event Zero Inc., a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating a positive environmental and social impact in the events industry.
Take a tour of the food festival in our photo gallery.
Voltaggio Sloppy Joes (Michele Stueven)