Usually when you attend a food event, you have to wait in line for each bite and try to maneuver through the crowd while juggling plates and wine glasses. Instead, the people behind the All Star Chef Classic decided to let the guests relax while food is brought to them. And to keep the diners occupied, let them watch the chefs cook. And that was how the Kitchen Stadium was born.
The Kitchen Stadium seats 250 fans around a central kitchen. Its adjunct, The Chef’s Tasting Area, will have more traditional stations with strolling tastings. The strolling events have been carefully planned to avoid the those long lines and plate juggling. Seven events will span the four-day All Star Chefs Classic. There will be four seated Masters Dinners, although two of them are already sold out (One of them sold out while I was writing this post, so get your tickets fast!), two strolling events, and a sold out Kids Cooking Class.
Chefs from around the world with gather at LA Live in downtown LA, including Alain Ducasse (Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athenee – Paris), Anita Lo (Annisa – New York), Gastón Acurio (Astrid & Gastón – San Isidro, Peru), and Pablo Salas (Amaranta – Toluca de Lerdo, Mexico). Amongst the outstanding local talent will be Bricia Lopez (Guelaguetza), Jessica Koslow (Sqirl), David LeFevre (Manhattan Beach Post), Jon Shook (Animal), José Andrés (The Bazaar), Sherry Yard (Helms Bakeries), and Ludo Lefebvre (Trois Mec).
Events with tickets available:
Thursday, March 10 – Noche de Masters Dinner Doors: 6pm, Dinner starts at 7pm at Restaurant Stadium™ This multi-course dinner will be prepared by four top chefs, including “acclaimed modernist chef José Andrés and Food Network mainstay Aarón Sánchez, who specialize in Mexican and Spanish cuisine.”
Friday, March 11 – American Masters Dinner presented by Mercedes-Benz Doors: 6pm, Dinner starts: 7pm at Restaurant Stadium. A six-course dinner featuring American flavors will be presented by James Beard Award-winning chefs Johnny Iuzzini, Naomi Pomeroy, Sean Brock, Jamie Bissonnette, and Wylie Dufresne.
Friday, March 11 – Global Grand Tasting presented by Melissa’s Produce VIP: 6:30pm, General Public: 7:30pm at the Chefs’ Tasting Arena. A new addition to the All-Star Chef Classic, this tasting features flavors from all over the world created by more than 20 featured chefs. Participants include Anita Lo, Aarón Sánchez, David LeFevre, Sang Yoon, Bricia Lopez, Jon Shook, Vinny Dotolo, Mary Sue Milliken, and many more.
Saturday, March 12 – Grill & Chill presented by DCS & Stella Artois. Early Access: 6:30pm, General Public: 7:30pm. Chefs’ Tasting Arena. For the last several years, Grill & Chill has been our favorite event. It is run flawlessly, it has a relaxed, happy vibe, and everyone always has a fantastic time. “This event brings together 20 of the world’s best chefs for a nighttime celebration to honor the universal pleasures of open flame cooking.” There are also “chilled” bites inside and plenty of desserts to satisfy your sweet tooth
Not only will you enjoy world-class dining at All Star Chef Classic, you will have the opportunity to meet all of your favorite culinary stars. It is also a fantastic deal, if you consider the cost of fine dining these days. You can sample specialties from some of LA’s finest restaurants, including unlimited drinks, for the price of one dinner out. Plus, the chance to taste food prepared by world-renowned chefs from countries like Paris will probably never come around again. For more information on the event and to purchase tickets visit their website.
