Southern California's Top 100 Events 2018 - Food, Wine & Hospitality Industry Events
May 22, 2018
1. Los Angeles Food & Wine Festival
#1 Food, Wine & Hospitality Event
Coastal Luxury Management owns and produces the culinary festival, presenting it with founding partners Food & Wine and Lexus. Last year’s seventh-annual event drew roughly 18,000 people and included programming such as “power lunches” with big-name chefs and a tour of L.A. food scene with Curtis Stone. Next: August 23-26, 2018
Coastal Luxury Management owns and produces the culinary festival, presenting it with founding partners Food & Wine and Lexus. Last year’s seventh-annual event drew roughly 18,000 people and included programming such as “power lunches” with big-name chefs and a tour of L.A. food scene with Curtis Stone. Next: August 23-26, 2018
Photo: Sawyer Forrest
2. The Taste
#2 Food, Wine & Hospitality Event
Although the Los Angeles Times also hosts the buzzy new Food Bowl, which blankets the city for the entire month of May, the newspaper continues to host its annual Labor Day festival known as The Taste. Last year’s edition drew about 8,000 people over three days, plus big-name chefs and food experts such as Sherry Yard, Sang Yoon, Antonia Lofaso, Carlos Salgado, and Phil Rosenthal. Next: August 31-September 2, 2018
Although the Los Angeles Times also hosts the buzzy new Food Bowl, which blankets the city for the entire month of May, the newspaper continues to host its annual Labor Day festival known as The Taste. Last year’s edition drew about 8,000 people over three days, plus big-name chefs and food experts such as Sherry Yard, Sang Yoon, Antonia Lofaso, Carlos Salgado, and Phil Rosenthal. Next: August 31-September 2, 2018
Photo: Patrick T. Fallon
3. San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival
#3 Food, Wine & Hospitality Event
Billed as one of the biggest food and wine festivals in the nation, the weeklong event focuses on sustainable seafood, fermentation, and the gastronomy of San Diego’s bordering Baja region. The annual festival highlights 60 local chefs and restaurants plus 200 international wineries, breweries, chefs, and more. It usually draws upward of 10,000 guests, and will celebrate its 15th anniversary in 2018. Next: November 11-18, 2018
Billed as one of the biggest food and wine festivals in the nation, the weeklong event focuses on sustainable seafood, fermentation, and the gastronomy of San Diego’s bordering Baja region. The annual festival highlights 60 local chefs and restaurants plus 200 international wineries, breweries, chefs, and more. It usually draws upward of 10,000 guests, and will celebrate its 15th anniversary in 2018. Next: November 11-18, 2018
Photo: Courtesy of San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival
4. Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo
#4 Food, Wine & Hospitality Event (up from #5)
The three-day event draws more than 9,000 restaurant and food-service professionals and 450 vendors for education and exhibits covering menu trends, design, and decor. The 82-year-old event, which is produced and managed by Urban Expositions, takes over the Los Angeles Convention Center each summer. Last year, the event’s Culinary & Cocktail Clash raised more than $100,000 for ProStart programs in California high schools. New for 2018, the event will be co-located with the Healthy Food Expo West and Coffee Fest; one badge will provide access to all three events. Next: August 19-21, 2018
The three-day event draws more than 9,000 restaurant and food-service professionals and 450 vendors for education and exhibits covering menu trends, design, and decor. The 82-year-old event, which is produced and managed by Urban Expositions, takes over the Los Angeles Convention Center each summer. Last year, the event’s Culinary & Cocktail Clash raised more than $100,000 for ProStart programs in California high schools. New for 2018, the event will be co-located with the Healthy Food Expo West and Coffee Fest; one badge will provide access to all three events. Next: August 19-21, 2018
Photo: Courtesy of Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo
5. Planned Parenthood Food Fare
#5 Food, Wine & Hospitality Event (up from #11)
In a year when Congress and the Trump administration worked to close women's health clinics, Planned Parenthood's annual culinary event continued to break records: This year's iteration, held in March in Santa Monica, raised $1.3 million for the organization. Roughly 2,300 guests came for food and drink samples from more than 150 Southern California restaurants, caterers, and spirits providers, and high-profile attendees included Suzanne Goin and Chelsea Handler. Food Fare began in 1979 with a cooking demonstration by Julia Child and has grown over nearly four decades to become one of the city’s long-established food events. Next: March 7, 2019
In a year when Congress and the Trump administration worked to close women's health clinics, Planned Parenthood's annual culinary event continued to break records: This year's iteration, held in March in Santa Monica, raised $1.3 million for the organization. Roughly 2,300 guests came for food and drink samples from more than 150 Southern California restaurants, caterers, and spirits providers, and high-profile attendees included Suzanne Goin and Chelsea Handler. Food Fare began in 1979 with a cooking demonstration by Julia Child and has grown over nearly four decades to become one of the city’s long-established food events. Next: March 7, 2019
Photo: SDK Photo
6. All-Star Chef Classic
#6 Food, Wine & Hospitality Event
The fifth annual event drew over 40 award-winning chefs to L.A. Live in March. The signature facet of the event is intimacy and access, with each event as part of the program allowing guests to get up close and personal with the chefs; the Chefs Tasting Arena and Restaurant Stadium venue has stadium seating, lights, cameras, and LED screens, giving fans clear sight lines from throughout the space. Next: March 2019
The fifth annual event drew over 40 award-winning chefs to L.A. Live in March. The signature facet of the event is intimacy and access, with each event as part of the program allowing guests to get up close and personal with the chefs; the Chefs Tasting Arena and Restaurant Stadium venue has stadium seating, lights, cameras, and LED screens, giving fans clear sight lines from throughout the space. Next: March 2019
Photo: Courtesy of All-Star Chef Classic
7. Share Our Strength's Taste of the Nation
#7 Food, Wine & Hospitality Event
Top chefs and mixologists donate their time and talents to the event at Media Park in Culver City aimed at ending childhood hunger in America. Attendees come for tastes from more than 50 restaurants, breweries, wineries, and mixologists with host chef Bruce Kalman. This year’s participating restaurants include Akasha Restaurant, Eagle Rock Brewery, Ocean Prime, and Upper West. The 2017 edition raised enough money to provide one million meals to local children. Next: June 3, 2018
Top chefs and mixologists donate their time and talents to the event at Media Park in Culver City aimed at ending childhood hunger in America. Attendees come for tastes from more than 50 restaurants, breweries, wineries, and mixologists with host chef Bruce Kalman. This year’s participating restaurants include Akasha Restaurant, Eagle Rock Brewery, Ocean Prime, and Upper West. The 2017 edition raised enough money to provide one million meals to local children. Next: June 3, 2018
Photo: Claire Hoffman/BizBash
8. L.A. Loves Alex's Lemonade
#8 Food, Wine & Hospitality Event
More than 2,200 people, including 100 chefs and mixologists, attended the event in 2017. The annual cookout raised more than $1.3 million for Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, which supports childhood cancer research; live and silent auctions alone raised more than $640,000. The event takes place at Royce Quad at U.C.L.A. Next: September 8, 2018
More than 2,200 people, including 100 chefs and mixologists, attended the event in 2017. The annual cookout raised more than $1.3 million for Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, which supports childhood cancer research; live and silent auctions alone raised more than $640,000. The event takes place at Royce Quad at U.C.L.A. Next: September 8, 2018
Photo: ABImages
9. Taste for a Cure
#9 Food, Wine & Hospitality Event
The 23rd edition of the U.C.L.A. Jonsson Cancer Center Foundation’s signature event took over the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in April with wine tastings, food, entertainment, and a live auction. NBC Entertainment president Paul Telegdy was honored, while Kelly Clarkson performed and chef Gordon Ramsay hosted. Over the past 20 years, the event has raised more than $10 million for highest-priority cancer research at the university. Next: April 2019
The 23rd edition of the U.C.L.A. Jonsson Cancer Center Foundation’s signature event took over the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in April with wine tastings, food, entertainment, and a live auction. NBC Entertainment president Paul Telegdy was honored, while Kelly Clarkson performed and chef Gordon Ramsay hosted. Over the past 20 years, the event has raised more than $10 million for highest-priority cancer research at the university. Next: April 2019
Photo: John Sciulli
10. A Culinary Evening With the California Winemasters
#10 Food, Wine & Hospitality Event
The 29-year-old wine event and tasting dinner benefits the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Ranked as one of Wine Spectator’s top 10 U.S. charity wine auctions, the event takes over the “Midwest Street” backlot at Warner Brothers Studios in Burbank. About 50 international chefs and 75 California wineries participate in the event, which has raised about $30 million in support of the mission of the foundation. Next: Spring 2019
The 29-year-old wine event and tasting dinner benefits the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Ranked as one of Wine Spectator’s top 10 U.S. charity wine auctions, the event takes over the “Midwest Street” backlot at Warner Brothers Studios in Burbank. About 50 international chefs and 75 California wineries participate in the event, which has raised about $30 million in support of the mission of the foundation. Next: Spring 2019
Photo: Scott Friedman
