The fifth annual Los Angeles Food & Wine (LAFW) festival kicked off last night with a foodie celebration hosted by chef Curtis Stone and DJ’d by Mike D of Beastie Boys fame. It was a suiting opener for the four-day event that features a stunning breadth of acclaimed chefs, winemakers and sommeliers participating in tastings, power lunches, cooking demos and special dinners located across L.A., from Beverly Hills to Hollywood, with main events taking place directly in front of the iconic Walt Disney Concert Hall.
The festival has pared down its programming this year, but still features the calibre of celebrity chefs (like Alex Guarnaschelli and Michael Chiarello) and local favorites (like Redbird, one of the hardest restaurants in L.A. to get a reservation at) that are worth the often hefty prices. There’s around 20 individual events happening today and Saturday, with tickets ranging from $50-$350.
You can catch Crave on Grand Avenue tonight, where we’ll be attending the “Lexus Grand Avenue Night Market” hosted by celeb chef Tyler Florence, a kind of street-food bazaar featuring small bites from over 30 participating restaurants, including tastings from culinary masters like Charles Phan (The Slanted Door) and Jet Tila (Pakpao Thai), as well as some of our local favorites, like Alvin Cailan (Eggslut) and Perry Cheung (Phorage).
Also on our itinerary, we plan on stopping in for an enjoyable Boozy Brunch hosted by Lexus Culinary Master, Michelle Bernstein, giving us ample time to prepare to the grand finale, “Lexus Live on Grand, featuring The Roots” where tastings from over 30 chefs and 100 wineries will be accompanied by a live performance by, you’ve got it, The Roots!
In other words, we’ll be fasting all afternoon to make room in our bellies for what we hope will be some of the greatest bites of food we’ll ever experience in our lifetime. Add a little Questlove, stir, and you’ve got a weekend that was made for your sensorial edification.
Tickets are available to purchase by visiting LAFW.com or by calling 855-433-LAFW (5239).
