Southern California food lovers have come to expect to have their appetites sated, their knowledge slaked and their thirsts quenched every Labor Day holiday as the Los Angeles Times puts on a weekend long food festival called The Taste.
Featuring some of the region’s most glittering culinary stars, the fourth annual series of events at Paramount Pictures Studios back lot include a festive opening night party moving on to the weekend soirées called Field to Fork, Cocktail Confidential, Flavors of LA and Labor Day Picnic.
In the midst of all the festivities, there are scheduled panels on sustainability, mixology and craft cocktail demonstrations and cooking classes with some of the top names in the business, and participation from dozens of restaurants, wineries and spirits brands.
Close to 10,000 people descended on the lot to raise a glass– or two or three – to LA’s food and cocktail scene.
It was a festive atmosphere as people waited in line to taste dishes from stellar group of restaurants, a massive list that included STK, supperclub, MexiKosher, The Counter, The Blvd at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel, Drago Centro, City Tavern, Farmshop, Hamasaku,, Riva Bella, Mr. Chow, Pinches Tacos, 9021PHO, Bagatelle, Border Grill, Chipotle, L&E Oyster Bar, BOA Steakhouse and Doug Haus.
Among the favorites: beef, turkey and/or vegetarian burgers from The Counter and sliders and signature truffle fries from STK, whose yummy smell permeated the area and left guests clamoring for more. Yes, we spotted many people going in line for second helpings of these popular dishes.
Many of the spirits companies went all-out in decorating themed booths, like Hornitos Tequila, Stella Artois, Svedka vodka and Don Julio tequila. Other participating spirits makers were Bulleit Bourbon, Chopin Vodka, Herzog Wine Cellars, Mionetto prosecco, Gosling’s Rum, Double Cross Vodka, Francis Ford Coppola winery, Baileys and Columbia Crest.
In the midst of eating and drinking and just generally taking in the festive scene, guests had many opportunities to take fun photo booth shots, courtesy of Cadillac– which had some hot new four wheeled models on display with metallic paint jobs that sparkled in the night– and Svedka, which gave out white sunglasses with gold lenses to wear in the pictures, along with some branded T-shirts.
Logix sponsored a flip book booth where people were encouraged to dance around with costumes and their choice of backgrounds, including the Hollywood sign, and the beach. What better way to burn off all those calories and take away a great souvenir of a fantastic festival.
