Food, Beverages and Social Events
This Fall's star-studded, epicurean event and fundraiser the American Wine & Food Festival has announced the addition of a NEW Festival Pre-Party this summer - "An Evening on the Beach". This exclusive event will take place on the sands of Santa Monica on July 29. Limited tickets are on sale now at www.awff.org/tickets.
"An Evening on the Beach" will feature crackling fires, mellow sounds, generous charcuterie, specialty cocktails, select wines, and grilled dishes served up by noted Los Angeles chefs Joshua Smith, Church & State; David Myers, Comme Ca; Katsuya Uechi, Katsuya Restaurants; Christophe Eme, Ortolan Restaurant; Michael Cirmarusti, Providence Restaurant; John Sedlar, Rivera Restaurant; WP 24, David McIntyre; and John Lechleidner, Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill. Proceeds from all Festival events benefit Los Angeles Chapters of Meals on Wheels.
For the first time, the American Wine & Food Festival will host an exclusive festival pre-party, "An Evening on the Beach." On the sands of Santa Monica, La Brea Bakery's generous charcuterie will kick off the evening with specialty cocktails and select wines. Guests will enjoy the summer sunset with crackling fires and mellow sounds as noted chefs serve up scrumptious grilled dishes under the stars.
The signature Saturday evening event returns to Universal Studios' Back Lot on September 25. The country's culinary elite cook up an unrivaled feast paired with fine wines and spirits. The spectacular setting serves as a backdrop for live bands, a silent auction and a few surprises. See and be seen...last year's event hosted over 2,800 of L.A.'s most passionate foodies and charitable supporters!
Wolfgang Puck, Lee Hefter and Barbara Lazaroff along with Executive Pastry Chef Sherry Yard welcome several internationally renowned chefs who will design an elegant, six-course repast at the 11th Annual Chefs Grand Tasting Dinner. These celebrated chefs will each contribute one course to this grand dinner. Exquisitely prepared dishes served with exceptional wine selections and a live auction offering one-of-a-kind items and experiences contribute to the evening's extravagance.
About the American Wine & Food Festival
Since its inception in 1982, the Puck-Lazaroff Charitable Foundation has supported the American Wine & Food Festival, raising more than $15 million for the Los Angeles Chapters of Meals on Wheels. This organization serves thousands of meals each day to Los Angeles' homebound seniors and disabled citizens, regardless of race, religion or ability to pay.
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The evening under the stars began with a cocktail reception and silent auction at the downtown City National Bank Plaza. Guests then were escorted to their tables where they joined their own personal Chef Host who created a one-of-a-kind five course dinner with wine pairings.
Featured chefs included Drago Centro, Host Chef, Executive Chef, Celestino Drago
Chaya Downtown, Host Chef, Executive Chef Shigefumi Tachibe
Beso, Chef Lincoln Fuge
The Bazaar by Jose Andres, Chef Jose Chicas
Cafe Pinot, Executive Chef Kevin Meehan
Joe's, Executive Chef Joe Miller,
Rivera, Executive Chef, John Rivera Sedlar
BottleRock, Executive Chef Ricardo Valdes
Elements Kitchen, Executive Chef Onil Chibas, & Alberto Moraled, Ched de Cuisine
Oliverio, Executive Chef Mirko Paderno
Proceeds raised at the event will fund research, provide patient services and education for over 100 known liver diseases
The Greater Los Angeles Division of the American Liver Foundation is dedicated to the prevention, treatment and cure of hepatitis and other liver diseases through research, education and advocacy on behalf of those affected by or at risk of liver disease. It is through the generous support of our community partners that we are able to challenge liver diseases, afflictions that affect 1 in 10 Americans in their lifetime. More than 83% of the funds raised by our Chapter go toward our mission. Get the facts about liver disease: 30 million Americans are touched by liver disease. Liver disease doesn't discriminate: it affects all races, ages, and genders. Hepatitis C is four times more prevalent than HIV and there is no vaccine. More than 600,000 Californians are infected with Hepatitis C. More than 17,000 Americans are awaiting a life-saving liver transplant. For more information about liver disease and to request information packets, liver wellness educational programs; professional and patient liver updates throughout the year; referrals to local doctors in your area; research awards program; support groups; and much more contact: GO LIVER HELPLINE 1-800-GO-LIVER.
____________________________________________________________________________________American Honda Motor Co. Inc presented the 25th Annual For Our Children Food and Wine Festival in partnership with Providence Little Company of Mary Foundation and Sandpipers. Sponsors included American Airlines, Bennett Landscaping. Classic Tents, Daily Breeze, FIJI Water, travelstore and Young's Market Company/The Estate's Group.
Guests experienced gourmet foods and fine wines from over 80 restaurants and wineries and had the opportunity to bid on silent auction items and live auction items including sports tickets and memorabilia, dining, entertainment and travel packages. Attendees also could try to win a 2010 Honda Accord Crosstour EX-L.
The producers of the Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo, the largest foodservice focused trade event on the west coast, and Expo Comida Latina, the only industry trade event focused on the fast-growing Hispanic food and beverage market, announced plans to hold the 2010 editions of the events together for the second year, August 14 - 16, at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, CA.
The co-location offers buyers across retail and foodservice operations expanded product and educational opportunities in both traditional and authentic multicultural markets. Expo Comida Latina is North Americas only trade event focused on bringing authentic, specialty, gourmet and mainstream products from around the globe to retail and foodservice buyers looking to meet the demands of today's Hispanic American U.S. population.
The Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo, sponsored by the California Restaurant Association, serves up the West Coast's very best products, services and technology to the region's restaurant and foodservice professionals. With nearly 90,000 eating and drinking establishments currently operating in California alone, restaurants will register a projected $58 billion in sales in 2010 - and are indisputably a driving force in both the state employment and revenue sectors. This is an additional tool to help these professionals stay on top of the trends in the retail and foodservice industries today. "We are pleased to co-locate the Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo with Expo Comida Latina. Our event has consistently provided a unique forum for restaurant and foodservice professionals to find new solutions, new products and new trends and the combination of these two events has expanded the product offering and networking opportunities available to all of our visitors" said Ron Mathews, Vice President for Reed Exhibitions.
"Los Angeles has been a great home to Expo Comida Latina for many years, and we are happy to return in 2010 alongside the Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo. The Hispanic food and beverage category is the fastest growing category, estimated at $8.4 Billion, and mainstream consumer interest in experiencing new ethnic cuisines is expected to grow despite the economy. The combination of these events gives access to a broader region of trade buyers looking for products to meet this growing demand," commented Liz Plizga, Show Director for Expo Comida Latina. Attendees to the event(s) will have access to both shows with their one registration.
About Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo:
The 2010 Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo will be held Saturday, August 14 Monday, August 16, 2010 at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, CA. The Show is produced and managed by Reed Exhibitions, and sponsored by the California Restaurant Association. For more information on exhibiting or attending the Expo, call 800-840-5612 or visit the official Show website at www.westernfoodexpo.com or www.thefoodshows.com.
About Expo Comida Latina:
Expo Comida Latina will be held Saturday, August 14 Monday, August 16, 2010 at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, CA. The show is produced by Diversified Business Communications (www.divbusiness.com). For more information on Expo Comida Latina, to register to attend or exhibit, visit: www.expocomidalatina.com. _______________________________________________________________________________
The Den of Hollywood is a place where any day you can come to, slide into a booth, belly up to the bar, or hang out on the patio and just be yourself. Where you can feel at home.
The Den of Hollywood is not your typical Sunset Strip hang. No velvet ropes, no lines and no reservations needed. The Den of Hollywood is decorated with a stone-covered entrance-peaked ceilings, a fireplace, fire pit outside, totally casual.
Winter 2010 dineLA Restaurant Week: A Proven Economic Success For Restaurants and Angelenos.
Sales at Participating Restaurants Increase up to 15%; 85% of Participating Restaurants Report New Customers; 113,000 Guests Served; $4.9 Million Added to LA's Economy.
Winter 2010 dineLA Restaurant Week is a bona fide success for both restaurants and patrons across LA County. The bi-annual two week event, which ran from January 24-29 and January 31-February 5, featured an impressive 233 restaurants. This winter's participating restaurants achieved an average increase in sales of 10-15% during this time period, while over 85% reported attracting new customers to their tables. In total, more than 113,000 diners were served during the two week event; demonstrating that the dineLA Restaurant Week program is able to provide a welcome increase in traffic during a time the industry refers to as a notoriously slow season.
"We are thrilled with the ongoing success of the dineLA Restaurant Week program. The proof is in the numbers; with the January promotion contributing over $4.9 million to the LA economy," said Mark Liberman, president and CEO of LA INC. The Los Angeles Convention and Visitors Bureau. "The restaurants benefit, the customer receives a great value, and the city of Los Angeles continues to showcase its diverse and talented chefs and restaurateurs." At a time when the economy is still in flux, dineLA Restaurant Week proves that great food at a great price is an unbeatable value.
"Chaya has proudly participated in dineLA Restaurant Week since its inception, and during each promotion, all three of our LA restaurants have seen an increase in the number of guests during both lunch and dinner," said Adam Rosenbaum, director of operations, CHAYA Restaurant Group. "With the reasonable price point of the dineLA Restaurant Week menus, our guests are more likely to order a second glass of wine or the Grand Plateau we offer at Chaya Brasserie as a fourth course for the table."
Since dineLA Restaurant Week included restaurants throughout the LA region, many communities felt the positive economic impact.
"As one of the communities leading the charge to get our area restaurants involved in dineLA Restaurant Week, we were very pleased with the strong showing of 31 participating restaurants from Santa Monica," said Kathleen Rawson, CEO of Bayside District. "As an LA INC. partner, we enjoy participating in the marketing opportunities associated with dineLA Restaurant Week and know the economic benefits they bring to our area restaurants."
dineLA Restaurant Week is sponsored by LA INC. The Los Angeles Convention and Visitors Bureau, in partnership with American Express.
ABOUT dineLA:
dineLA is a dynamic marketing initiative among LA INC., American Express and the LA restaurant community to promote the scale and variety of LA restaurant and food experiences to locals and visitors. dineLA's comprehensive Web site www.dineLA.com provides detailed information and search capabilities for over 2,000 area restaurants; chef profiles; a culinary events calendar; monthly enter-to-win giveaways; e-newsletter; online chef and restaurant videos; as well as engaging and timely editorial content. dineLA seeks to position Los Angeles among the top restaurant cities in the world and to build awareness, traffic and revenue for restaurants throughout the greater LA area. In addition, dineLA plays an active role promoting the LA restaurant scene year-round through involvement in industry events such as the LA Wine Fest, Wally's Central Coast Wine & Food Celebration, Extravaganza for the Senses, and the March of Dimes Signature Chef Auction. For more information, please visit: dineLA.com
ABOUT LA INC.
LA INC. The Los Angeles Convention and Visitors Bureau is a private, nonprofit business association whose primary mission is to market and promote Los Angeles as the premier site for meetings, conventions and leisure travel. Though not part of city government, LA INC. is recognized as the city's official tourism marketing organization. For more information, visit the official visitor information Web site of Los Angeles at www.discoverLosAngeles.com.
Dinner and a Movie for Under $40 at Gold Class Cinemas
In Gold Class, you can relax and enjoy fine wine and gourmet cuisine. The seasonal menu provides guests with a wide range of tantalizing dishes which offer fresh and timeless flavours with modern flair and can be enjoyed while watching the latest movie.
The menue consists of "Smaller" (Salads, Soups, Sushi Samplers, Chicken Salad Rolls, Crap Cakes etc), "Bigger" (Wagyu Beef Burger Duo, Chicken Piccata Sandwich, Artisan Pizza, Lemon Grilled Chicken Satay and more), "Sweeter" (Creme Brulee Spoons, Strawberry and Rhubarb Splice, Dark Chocolate and Peanut Butter Mousse just to mention a few). Gold Glass Cinemas offers a menue of natural, locally grown, organic and/or sustainable ingredients. Each homemade dish showcases the seasonal ingredients and specialties of the region and is sourced through local suppliers and marketplaces.
On Tuesday the theatre features a half priced food menu and all tap beer and select wine by the glass for $3. And a Sunday Brunch only for $9 on a non-ticketed event. Prices during the week are $22 and on weekends $29.
For more information visit www.goldclasscinema