The First Annual Los Angeles Food and Wine Festival kicked off with a bang on Wednesday, October 12 and continued until October 16 all over Los Angeles. The Lexus Grand Tasting Event at L.A. Live, spanning 2 days, was no exception to the excitement. Star studded with celebrity chefs, over 300 wines, and the Lexus Tasting Lab, patrons of the event found themselves at the height of decadence and luxury with an all you can drink and eat feast from some of the nations top chefs and wineries.
How the Stars Shine So Bright
The Lexus Grand Tasting included celebrity chefs such as Tyler Florence of Wayfare Tavern and the Food Network, Todd English of Olives and Beso, Casey Thompson of Brownstone Restaurant, Top Chef season 3 and Top Chef All-Stars, and many more. Gourmet tasting plates ranged from Hasty Torres, of Madame Chocolate’s, chocolate dipped marshmallows and other chocolate confections to Mark Peel, of Campanile’s, mussels and andouille sausage to Michael Mina’s smoked squab shabu shabu. Alongside the 30 celebrity chefs presenting at this years event, guests also found themselves amongst notable chefs as fellow patrons like chocolatier Martin Howard, Top Chef: Just Desserts season 2 competitor Amanda Rockman, Top Chef season 2 and Top Chef All-Stars competitor Elia Aboumrad, and Top Chef Masters winner Floyd Cardoz to name a few.
Don’t Forget the Drinks
Accompanying the feast, the Lexus Grand Tasting also included over 300 wines from purveyors as well as a beer corner serving Stella Artois, Hoegaarden, and Leffe. The Lexus Grand Tasting Event also featured a Lexus Tasting Lab of specialty cocktails with the use of smoke and alcoholic jello cubes, as well as a cooking demo by Chef Todd English and book signings with pastry chef Johnny Iuzzini and Chef Nancy Silverton of Mozza.
Photography provided by Natalie M. Woyshner