Fried chicken and sweet potato pancakes from Nighthawk, one of the featured vendors (via Instagram)
Dozens of local chefs, mixologists, brewers and winemakers will be featured at a new festival in Pasadena this Sunday.
The inaugural Masters of Taste will debut on the field at the Rose Bowl this Sunday, April 3, offering the chance to sample delicious small plates from 40 noteworthy L.A. restaurants. You’ll also get to sip craft cocktails from some of the city’s top bartenders and bars, along with craft beer, wine, and from SoCal and beyond. Billed as a ‘luxury food and beverage festival, you’ll also get to enjoy plenty of decadent sweet treats, do a bit of shopping, and catch some live music throughout the afternoon. Plus, as an added bonus, all proceeds from the event will benefit Union Station Homeless Services, a non-profit that helps individuals and families in need across the San Gabriel Valley.
Some of the chefs featured at the festival include Brendan Collins of Birch, Neal Fraser of Redbird, Bernhard Mairinger of BierBeisl Imbiss, Tia Baker of Sol Mexican Cocina, Raymond Alvarez of Toca Madera, Yoya Takahashi of the popular sushi spot Hamasaku, and Carolos Tomazos of the recently opened Inotheke. There will also be NPR-inspired sandwiches from Wax Paper. You’ll also get to sample sweets from the likes of Copenhagen Pastry and Filipino-inspired desserts from Crème Caramel, and Sprinkles for the cupcake lovers.
The event will also feature quality cocktails from Erik Lund of Alexander’s Steakhouse in Pasadena, 1886 Bar’s head barman Peter Lloyd-Jones, and spiked breakfast cereal cocktails from the newly-opened Nighthawk. Beer will be provided by L.A. and SoCal brewers, including Iron Triangle Brewing, Indie Brewing Company, Alosta Brewing Co., Bootlegger’s Brewery, as well as Elysian Brewing and Goose Island. Featured local wineries will include Anglim Winery and Ascension Cellars of Paso Robles, and Ventura’s Four Brix Winery. There will also be plenty of non-alcoholic options like cold-pressed juice, Kyoto iced coffee, kombucha and more.
Tickets to the 21+ event are a little more than some food festivals, but include unlimited food and drinks. General Admission is $125 from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. And if you want to step up your feasting game, VIP admission at $225 includes a VIP “Power Hour” from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. before the crowds arrive, as well as private lounge seating and concierge dining service, so you can save yourself from, ugh, waiting in lines.
More info can be found here and tickets can be purchased here.