Highlights of LA Times’ The Taste 2017

Teri Williams

7 years ago

Thousands of culinary enthusiasts explored Los Angeles Times’ eighth annual food festival, The Taste, over Labor Day weekend. The festival, which celebrated the flavors of the world in Southern California style, was hosted by The Times Food staff – Amy Scattergood, Jonathan Gold, Jenn Harris and Noelle Carter – and brought together acclaimed chefs, master bartenders and award-winning restaurants at the Paramount Pictures Studios backlot.

Over the course of three days and five events, attendees were able to enjoy unlimited food

tastings and pours from wine, beer and spirits purveyors, while sitting in on a number of engaging cooking and mixology demos, seminars and panel discussions.

The celebrations kicked off on Friday with Opening Night, The Taste’s most intimate soiree featuring a focused collection of tastings and distinctive cocktail and wine offerings. The following afternoon, Times Food Editor Amy Scattergood hosted Field to Fork, a celebration of California’s incredible bounty and the brilliant flavors of seasonal cooking. Saturday Night’s Dinner with a Twist was a cocktail party in true LA style on a Hollywood backlot, with the city’s dining and cocktail culture taking center stage. The final day of The Taste kicked off

with Sunday Block Party, where great times and good food were on the agenda – fitting for a city that loves to dine leisurely on a Sunday afternoon. The weekend closed out with a bang with Flavors of LA, an evening spent exploring an eclectic collection of the city’s best and most talked about culinary stars.

Throughout the weekend, key sponsor activations brought additional interest to The Taste, which was presented by JetBlue Plus Card and produced in association with Best Events. Activations included branded pop-up bars by Ketel One Vodka offering a fresh herb and garnish bar and Bulleit Frontier Whiskey setting up shop inside a converted trailer. JetBlue Plus Card also offered the only official photo booth on site, while Essentia provided much-needed hydration with chilled water bottles for all guests.

One member of the Great Taste team attended the Saturday afternoon event called “Field to Fork,” and was able to experience the buzzing activity firsthand. Some delicious and memorable highlights included a build-your-own hand roll station by Blue Ribbon. Preux &

Proper presented a beautifully plated octopus tentacle, which proved to be well-seasoned and agreeably tender. Other items at the event included housemade gnocchi, handmade meatballs, hamachi crudo with edible flowers, and beers by Stella Artois. The ambience was spectacular, with several trendy seating areas for guests, in addition to beautiful backdrops thanks to the Paramount Pictures backlot.

For more on the event, visit latimes.com