MASTERS OF TASTE
LA’S TOP TASTEMAKERS HIT THE FIELD AT THE ROSE BOWL

Who doesn’t love a good festival? In this foodie and craft cocktail town there seems to be a fest of some sort every week, not that I’m complaining. At this point in time, I’ve pretty much mapped out my favorite, must-not-miss food and drink events of the year. But now there’s a new fest, the Masters of Taste set to kickoff at the historic Rose Bowl in Pasadena on  Sunday, April 3.

Billed as a time has celebrate and savor the finer things in life, the inaugural Masters of Taste, a new and exciting outdoor, luxury festival will bring together approximately 2,500 influential food and beverage enthusiasts from the Greater Los Angeles area. This year’s Masters of Taste will include the finest fare from 40 culinary masters and restaurants, an array of delectable sweets prepared by L.A.’s top sweet masters, signature handcrafted cocktails and tastings from over 25 beverage masters, which will include bartenders from top cocktail bars, wineries, local craft breweries, pressed juices, hand roasted coffee, plus lifestyle activations, live entertainment and much more.

The beneficiary of Masters of Taste will be Union Station Homeless Services, a 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization committed to helping homeless men, women and children rebuild their lives. Headquartered in Pasadena, the agency is the San Gabriel Valley’s largest social service agency assisting homeless and very low-income adults and families with services, including street outreach, meals, shelter, housing, case management and career development. Since 1973, Union Station Homeless Services has helped thousands of people who were once homeless and without hope. One hundred percent of the proceeds from this year’s event will directly support Union Station Homeless Services.

The lineup so far is pretty impressive. I’m looking forward to this being a day of quality food and drink in a very cool setting.

Some of the Masters of Taste 2016 participating Culinary Masters, Restaurants and Sweet Masters include:

118 Degrees  Chef Jenny Ross (Tarzana)
Alexander’s Steakhouse  Chef Matt Bata (Pasadena)
Ayara Thai  Chef Vanda Asapahu (Westchester)
Bacchus Kitchen & Eatery  Chef Claud Beltran (Pasadena)
Birch  Chef Brendan Collins (Hollywood)
Celestino  Chef Calogero Drago (Pasadena)
HACHÉ LA  Chef Michael “Mick” Schepers (Silver Lake)
Hamasaku  Chef Yoya Takahashi (Los Angeles)
Hyde  Chef Chris Crary (Hollywood)
Inotheke  Carolos Tomazos (Santa Monica)
Magnolia House  Chef Evan Colter (Pasadena)
Osawa  Chef Shigefumi Tachibe  (Pasadena)
Ozu East Kitchen  Chef Paul Yi (Atwater Village)
Redbird  Chef Neal Fraser (Downtown Los Angeles)
Sangers & Joe  Chef Laurent Quenioux & Chef Eduardo Pineda (Pasadena)
Say Cheese  Chef Glenn Harrell (Silver Lake)
SOL Cocina  Chef Tia Baker (Playa Vista)
Spare Tire Kitchen & Tavern  Chef Isaias Peña (Los Angeles)
The Raymond 1886  Chef Tim Guiltinan (Pasadena)
Toca Madera  Chef Raymond Alvarez (Los Angeles)
Wood & Vine  Chef Kyle Schutte (Hollywood)

A select group of L.A.’s sweet masters will come together to showcase an assortment of delectable desserts such as handcrafted buttery toffees from Alique Gourmet Toffee; creamy gourmet single-origin chocolate and vanilla ice creams from Choctál; the finest globally-procured cacao from Chocolate Stars USA and authentic Danish pastries from Copenhagen Pastry just to name a few.

Brewmasters who specialize in barley and hops will be presenting top-notch ales, lagers, pilsners and more for guests to sample, including Southern California favorites Alosta Brewing Co., Bootlegger’s Brewery, Iron Triangle Brewing and Golden Road Brewing. Other fine breweries included in this year’s event are Elysian Brewing from Seattle, the famous Goose Island Beer Co. from Chicago and Northwestern favorite 10 Barrel Brewing Co., along with internationally acclaimed Brewmasters such as Shock Top, Stella Artois and Stella Cidre.

A specially curated collection of wine masters will be showcasing their finest varietals, including premium boutique winery Ascension Cellars; Ventura’s Four Brix Winery who will be featuring their top internationally-inspired blends; Napa's Jamieson Ranch Vineyards; Toluca Lake’s Spin The Bottle Wine Studio; and special selections from Ste. Michelle Estates, and more.   

And lets not forget the bars and spirits who will be on display as some of L.A.’s top bartenders and cocktail bars will be creating first-rate craft cocktails showcasing the finest spirits, including a premium Barrel-Aged Cocktail Bar provided by Erik Lund and Alexander’s Steakhouse, signature handcrafted cocktails from Head Barman Peter Lloyd-Jones and 1886 Bar, and Mixologist and Sommelier Adam Seger will be introducing the newly launched Balsam Luxury Vermouth, with much more to be revealed.
  
Masters of Taste will take place on Sunday, April 3, 2016 at the Pasadena Rose Bowl. A VIP Power Hour will be held from 3pm to 4pm and General Admission will be from 4pm to 7pm. Tickets to this event are only available for guests 21+ and over. Click here to buy tickets.

Photography: Courtesy of Masters of Taste

Story by Jose Martinez