Spring Forward into Food Festivals
With daylight savings time behind us and Spring upon us there’s no better time to get outside to enjoy your food al fresco!
Here is my list of the top food festivals coming up in Los Angeles and the surrounding areas to keep you busy until May — along with discounts only available on EatDrinkLA!
If you’re looking for something a little highbrow, then check out Masters of Taste at the Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena on Sunday, April 3rd from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM. The tickets are $125 a person but 100% of the proceeds will be benefiting Union Station Homeless Services. So since you’re doing it for charity you might as well go for the VIP experience for $225 which includes early festival admittance at 3PM, access to VIP lounges & seating, and special access to limited release tastings. Think of it as the price of dinner for 2 at one of the fine restaurants that will be represented such as Alexander’s Steakhouse, Birch, Redbird, and more! Be sure to use the code EATDRINKLA at checkout and you can help yourself to 10% off!!
Do you have $5000 burning a hole in your pocket? Then consider spending it on a private jet ride to Pebble Beach alongside some of L.A.’s most notable chefs while you tipple champagne and nibble caviar. The $5000 ticket price also includes access to all events including the private parties plus ground transportation provided by Lexus. A 10,000 value, the package is available by calling 1.866.907.FOOD.
Now for the rest of us 🙂 If you have to choose between the events taking place March 31st through April 3rd, I would recommend something you can only do at this particular festival, like The Culinary Olympics at Pebble Beach IX: The Ment’Or Cooking Demo & Dinner. Dubbed the “Culinary Olympics,” the Bocuse d’Or is the culinary arts’ most respected international cooking competition that takes place every year in Lyon, France, but for $100 you can experience it for yourself!
If you’re looking to get the most bang for your buck, go with the Lexus Grand Tasting. Labeled the most spectacular opportunity for maximum culinary indulgence you’ll have access to over 300 wines and some of the top 30 celebrity chefs for $225 per day.
The Palm Desert Food & Wine Festival
This is what I like to call the approachable food festival because just like Palm Desert the chefs are warm and laid back. Hence my easy photo-opp moment with Ricardo Zarate from the Los Angeles preview event 🙂
Presented by Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa, the 6th annual Palm Desert Food & Wine Festival taking place April 8th-10th is bringing together chefs from over 40 restaurants including fan favorites like Cat Cora, Suzanne Tracht, Ricardo Zarate, and the always lovable Aarti Sequeria (from Food Network’s Aarti Party). Grand tasting tickets are $100 a person and can be purchased here or for just $300 more you can go for The Grand Experience Package which will give you VIP access to all the events including reserved seating for the James Beard Gourmet Luncheon on Friday, April 8th.
Taking place April 15th-16th in Lantern Bay Park in Dana Point, the California Wine Festival brings together hundreds of wines paired with cuisine made by regional O.C. chefs. Advance tickets purchased here will save you $11 off the door price for 3 hours of eating and drinking while you gaze onto the Pacific ocean and think about all the exercising you’ll have to do to burn off your month of debauchery!
