Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken of Border Grill (Photo by Elise Thompson)
Once again, the LA Times is presenting its annual Food Bowl–an entire month of activities celebrating Los Angeles’ food scene while raising funds and awareness for food waste and hunger and promoting sustainability and waste reduction. Now, they could have taken things easy and chosen September, April June or November, or February, the shortest month, but The LA Times is going for it with 31 entire days filled with 250 food events! Here are our recommendations for some of the panels, films, classes, and markets, because try as you might, you can’t attend them all.
Monday, April 30th, 2018 Doors Open: 6:30-10:00 p.m..
LOS ANGELES TIMES FOOD BOWL LAUNCH PARTY: THINGS IN A BOWL
The bowl theme is taken advantage of in many forms during May, even including an actual bowling tournament. This kick-off will feature meals served in a bowl. But don’t expect the predictable soups and chili. Chefs of this caliber can get pretty creative. Enjoy dishes at this strolling event from top restaurants like Chengdu Taste, DTLA Cheese, Honey Kettle, Locol, Night +Market, and Scopa, as well as a debut of the new bar concept at City Market South from Chef Antonia Lofaso. Guest Chef Yoshihiro Narisawa, whose Tokyo restaurant, Narisawa, is often named one of the 50 Best Restaurants in the world, is all about farm/ocean/forest-to-table. He will be promoting his credo of “Bring nature to the plate,” by launching his Satoyama Exhibition at the event. The Bowl’s launch party takes place at Chef Steve Samson’s Rossoblu, an LA Beat favorite, so we can’t wait. This year’s Gold Award, (awarded to Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken), and Restaurant of the Year Award (to be announced) will also be presented. $95 includes food and beverages BUY TICKETS HERE.
Tuesday, May 1, 2018 7:00 PM
JOSE ANDRES: CHANGING THE WORD WITH FOOD
You all remember what a hero José Andrés was feeding people in hurricane-decimated Puerto Rico last year? This pioneer of Spanish food and tapas in LA, he was named one of Time’s “100 Most Influential People” and awarded “Outstanding Chef” by the James Beard Foundation. His “Philly Cheesesteak” from The Bazaar by José Andrés is to this day one of the best small bites I have ever eaten. On Tuesday, May 1st, at 7 PM José Andrés will join Jonathan Gold and guests actress and vegan foodie Zooey Deschanel, guerilla gardener Ron Finley, Susan Feniger of Border Grill, Nyesha Arrington of Native, and Tim Kilcoyne of Scratch at The Wiltern for a conversation on the power of food. In addition to the conversation, some of L.A.’s finest sous chefs will rise to the challenge to prepare a dish that could be scaled up for thousands of people. Guests will be served a hearty dish created by L.A. Kitchen and World Central Kitchen. $15 – $50. BUY TICKETS HERE.
Thursday, May 3, 2018 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM
MOLE & MESCAL
Panxa Cocina, Long Beach’s home to Southwestern/Modern Latin cuisine, will be hosting Mole & Mezcal, a 3-course dinner featuring a menu of Chef Arthur Gonzalez’s renowned moles paired with Bar Manager Greg Goins’ colorful cocktails created with both old-world and new-world mezcals. $45. BUY TICKETS HERE.
Saturday, May 05, 2018 12 NOON – 3 PM
6-TASTE THAI TOWN FOOD TOUR
Put on your comfy shoes for a six-block Thai food crawl and historic tour of Thai Town in Hollywood. A tour guide (who is sadly not Jonathan Gold) will take you to five of Jonathan Gold’s favorite spots where you will dine family-style in a progressive meal while learning about Thai cuisine and culture. Bet you 50 bucks that Jitlada and Sapp Coffee Shop will be on the schedule. Many dishes contain shellfish and/or fish sauce and/or gluten and cannot be adapted for individuals with food allergies. $80-100. BUY TICKETS HERE.
Sunday, May 06, 2018 12 NOON Pie tasting begins at 3:30 PM.
KCRW’s GOOD FOOD PIE CONTEST
What could be more fun than a good old-fashioned pie contest? Queen of homemade pies and host of KCRW’s “Good Food” will preside over the competition, which will pit (see what I did there?) both home cooks and professional bakers against each other. A collection of chefs and food writers will be on hand at UCLA’s Royce Quad to judge entrants in the nine pie categories, including cooked custard, vegan, apple, and kid’s (pies made by kids, not pies made out of kids). You will have a chance to test the entries, and also enjoy music from KCRW on-air personality Anne Litt, an artisan food marketplace, food trucks, kids’ activities and baking demos. FREE.
