James Beard Foundation’s 4th Annual Taste America Announces Local Star Chefs for Los Angeles Event

Taste America Los AngelesTickets are now on sale for the James Beard Foundation’s Taste America national epicurean tour, which will visit ten American cities this fall. Spanning six weekends between September 23 and November 5, 2016, this year’s program will stop in Boston, Charleston, Chicago, Kansas City, Los Angeles, New Orleans, Phoenix, Portland, OR, San Francisco, and the Twin Cities. Each city will enjoy a special evening that starts off with a walk-around tasting reception from a lineup of celebrated local chefs, followed by a one-of-a-kind, four-course dinner crafted in collaboration with a Taste America All-Star and a Local Star chef.

Los Angeles’ weekend-long celebration will kick off on Friday, September 23, 2016 at Vibiana with A Night of Culinary Stars, an exclusive dining event benefiting the James Beard Foundation. The evening will begin with a reception filled with cocktails and hors d’oeuvre from local chefs and restaurateurs, including Nyesha Arrington (Leona, Venice), Josef Centeno (Orsa & Winston, Los Angeles), Jeremy Fox (Rustic Canyon, Wine Bar and Seasonal Kitchen, Santa Monica), and Bruce Kalman (Union, Pasadena). Afterwards, guests will be seated for an extraordinary dinner prepared by James Beard Award–winning chef and Taste America All-Star Scott Conant (Impero Caffé, New York City), along with Local Star Curtis Stone (Gwen, Hollywood), James Beard Award-nominated pastry chef Hedy Goldsmith (Sweet Hedy, Los Angeles), and Host Chef Neal Fraser (Redbird, Los Angeles) who will collaborate to create a unique and unforgettable one-night-only menu. Aida Mollenkamp (Founder, SaltAndWind.com) will serve as guest emcee for the festivities.

Scott ConantOn Saturday, September 24, 2016, free in-store consumer events will take place at Sur La Table® located at 1000 Westwood Boulevard in Los Angeles. Activities of the day will include cooking demos by All-Star and James Beard Award-winner Suzanne Goin, book signings, culinary treats from local producers and artisans, as well as product demos and tastings from our national sponsors. Reservations for the free cooking demos will begin two weeks prior to each event at jbftasteamerica.org. Visit Los Angeles’ event page for the full schedule and more details.

The full 2016 Taste America program calendar is as follows:

  • 23-24 Los Angeles: All-Star Scott Conant*/Phoenix: All-Star Amanda Freitag*
  • 30-Oct.1 Kansas City: All-Star Gavin Kaysen*/New Orleans: All-Star Alex Guarnaschelli*
  • 14-15 Chicago: All-Star Missy Robbins***
  • 21-22 Portland, OR: All-Star Stephanie Izard*
  • 28-29 Twin Cities: All-Star Jose Garces*/Boston: All-Star John Besh*
  • 4-5 Charleston: All-Star Dan Barber*/San Francisco: All-Star Anita Lo**

*Notes James Beard Award Winner
**Notes James Beard Award Nominee
***Notes James Beard Award Semifinalist

The James Beard Foundation is proud to donate a portion of the evening’s proceeds to the Taste America Scholarship Fund. Local culinary students in the ten participating states are invited to apply for this culinary scholarship between April 1 and May 15, 2017, via jamesbeard.org. Candidates will be reviewed by the JBF Scholarship Selection Committee, chaired by Ungaro.Taste America Dessert Prep

The James Beard Foundation’s Taste America 2016 is made possible by the generosity of our sponsors and partners, including premier national sponsor New Orleans Tourism Marketing Corporation; supporting sponsors Breville®, Sodexo, and TABASCO®; retail partner Sur La Table; national media partner Saveur; and digital media partner The Daily Meal®. Additional support has been provided by Chefwear, Hansgrohe and VerTerra Dinnerware. Local partners in Los Angeles include VOSS artesian water with special thanks to Emily Shoop Design, Entropy Collective, Gamma Nine Photography, and Vibiana.

Tickets for the Taste America Los Angeles are NOW on sale at jbftasteamerica.org/events/los-angeles

About the James Beard Foundation (JBF)

Founded in 1986, the James Beard Foundation celebrates, nurtures, and honors America’s diverse culinary heritage through programs that educate and inspire. A cookbook author and teacher with an encyclopedic knowledge about food, the late James Beard was a champion of American cuisine. He helped educate and mentor generations of professional chefs and food enthusiasts, instilling in them the value of wholesome, healthful, and delicious food. Today JBF continues in the same spirit by administering a number of diverse programs that include educational initiatives, food industry awards, scholarships for culinary students, publications, chef advocacy training, and thought-leader convening. The Foundation also maintains the historic James Beard House in New York City’s Greenwich Village as a “performance space” for visiting chefs. For more information, please visit jamesbeard.org. Get food news, recipes, and more at the James Beard Foundation’s blog, or subscribe to the free digital newsletter Beard Bites. Follow the James Beard Foundation on FacebookTwitter, Instagram, Pinterest and Livestream.

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