From Taste of the Nation:
Taste of the Nation Los Angeles 2011 takes place on June 12, 2011 in Culver City, CA’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, to 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 VIP admission, including access to the VIP Tent and Valet Parking ($200 at the door), and are available through the Taste of the Nation Los Angeles blog.
100% 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 our 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 at 2:30 p.m. featuring fantastic travel and culinary experiences; and wrapping the day 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, 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 / BLD, Hatfield’s, ink., Jitlada, Joe’s Restaurant / Bar Pintxo, LA Market by Kerry Simon, La Seine, Le Saint Amour, Lexington Social House, Lotería! Grill, LQ@SK, Lucques/AOC/Tavern, Lukshon/Father’s Office, M Café, Michael’s Santa Monica, MoChica / Picca, Osteria Mozza, Patina, Playa / Rivera, Public Kitchen & Bar, Ray’s & Stark Bar, Red O by Rick Bayless, Short Order, Simon LA, STREET, The Bazaar by José Andrés, The Foundry on Melrose, Whist Restaurant, WP24
PASTRY
Fōnuts, Madame Chocolat, Pazzo Gelato, Scoops / Scoops Westside, 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, 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, Singha Beer
SPIRITS
1886 Bar at The Raymond, Basement Tavern, Brown-Forman, La Descarga, Pour Vous, Sotto featuring Julian Cox, The Spare Room / Plymouth Gin
NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES
Acqua Panna, Intelligentsia Coffee & Tea, 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.
About Taste of the Nation Los Angeles 2011
Taste of the Nation Los Angeles will be held on June 12, 2011 from 1– 4 p.m. at Media Park – 9070 Venice Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232. Tickets for the event are $25 for children 12-18 years, $100 for adults ($125 at the door), and $150 for VIP admission, including access to the VIP Tent and Valet Parking ($200 at the door). Visit http://tasteofthenationla.org/blog/, become a fan of Taste of the Nation LA on Facebook, and follow Taste of the Nation on Twitter to learn more.
About Share Our Strength
Share Our Strength®, a national nonprofit, is ending childhood hunger in America by connecting children with the nutritious food they need to lead healthy, active lives. Through its No Kid Hungry® Campaign—a national effort to end childhood hunger in America by 2015—Share Our Strength ensures children in need are enrolled in effective federal nutrition programs; invests in community organizations fighting hunger; teaches families how to cook healthy, affordable meals; and builds public-private partnerships to end childhood hunger, at the state and city level. Working closely with the culinary industry and relying on the strength of its volunteers, Share Our Strength hosts innovative culinary fundraising events and develops pioneering cause marketing campaigns that support No Kid Hungry. Visit Strength.org to get involved.
