Union Station Mission

Masters of Taste 2023!

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(Gerry Furth-Sides) The sixth annual Masters of Taste premier outdoor food and beverage festival is on Sunday, April 2, from 3 to 7 p.m. promises to be as exciting as ever this year! Just look at the Media Preview below!

Please see www.MastersofTasteLA.com for details and tickets. General Admission opens from 4 to 7 p.m. Tickets start at $155. 1001 Rose Bowl Drive (626)791-6677.

The “priceless” event Rose Bowl venue for Master’s of Taste 2023!

The stage for this one-day event in the historic Rose Bowl stadium features 100 culinary and beverage masters. The hosts for the 2023 Masters of Taste are chef Michael Reed and Kwini Reed, known for their two restaurants Poppy + Rose in downtown LA, and Poppy & Seed in Anaheim.

Michael Reed and Kwini Reed of Poppy + Rose in downtown LA, and Poppy & Seed in Anaheim.

The restaurants and wineries are each unique and “put out a spread” to impress and delight guests. Below Chef Richard Archuleta of exciting Alexander’s Steakhouse; Chef Isaias Pena from Hank’s;  Event Host and Chef Michael Reed of Poppy + Rose, DTLA, Poppy + Seed, Anaheim;  Paul Watson of Moraga Winery, Bel Air off the 405, (shown here with Philip Dobard, Center for Culinary Culture

Masters of Taste 2023: Los Angeles’ finest chefs and wineries including chef Michael Reed, David Joyce of Soulmate WeHo, chef Isaias Pena from Hank’s and chef Richard Archuleta of Alexander’s Steakhouse.

Sample culinary delights from Pez Cantina. Owners Lucy and Bret Thompson’s spirits alone are worth the ticket!

Owners Lucy and Bret Thompson of Pez Cantina previewing Masters of Taste 2023

More than 25 spirit brands are participating, and a premier 50-yard-line cocktail bar will offer select wines, local craft beers, cold-pressed juices, cold brew coffee and live entertainment.

Know & Dobson front and center at Masters of Taste 2023!

In the last five years Masters of Taste has raised over $2.7 million in support of Union Station Homeless Services life-saving programs. The event continues to provide 100% of the proceeds to Union Station Homeless Services to help rebuild homeless lives and provide housing.

The pied piper who sparks the media get the Masters of Taste 2023 word out, Lawrence Moore.  

Guests will receive their own utensils and hand sanitizers will be provided throughout the event. This 21+ event has a VIP Power Hour from 3 to 4 p.m. General Admission opens from 4 to 7 p.m. Tickets start at $155 at mastersoftastela.com. 1001 Rose Bowl Drive (626)791-6677.

Masters of Taste Celebrates Ethnic Fare “Live” in 2022!

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(Gerry Furth-Sides) “They had me” at the Rose Bowl Event site. “They had me” at the free parking. And that’s even before reading the Masters of Taste 2022 of over 3,000 food and beverage enthusiasts together for one afternoon. This exhilarating festival 100- plus  Culinary Masters and restaurants, along with a huge variety sweets prepared by L.A.’s top Sweet Masters and Beverage Masters.

We are at the Rose Bowl! Masters of Taste 2022 coming up

The very top Beverage Masters Vendors will be featuring signature handcrafted cocktail tastings from over 25 spirit brands and bars, along with select wineries, local craft breweries, cold-pressed juices, cold brew coffee, live entertainment.   

We are at the Rose Bowl arriving in the tunnel! ! Masters of Taste 2022 coming up

The most amazing thing about Masters of Taste is that 100% of the proceeds go directly to benefit Union Station Homeless Services and not many food festivals can say that. Union Station Homeless Services is committed to ending homelessness in Los Angeles.”

Masters of Taste2022 will take place on Sunday, April 3rd, 2022. A VIP Power Hour will be held from 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm and General Admission will be from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm. Tickets to this event are only available for guests 21+ and over. For more information on Masters of Taste 2022 or to book your tickets directly, please visit//mastersoftastela.com/tickets/.

Down the stairs in the Rose Bowl ! Masters of Taste 2022 coming up

You are able to check out the individual restaurants by pressing on their website below:

The A-List of eateries at Masters of Taste 2022

Ayara Thai
2022 Host Chef Vanda Asapahu – Westcheste


Ayara Thai
2022 Host Chef Vanda Asapahu – Westchester 786 Degrees Chef Ali Haider – Pasadena, Sun Valley 1212 Santa Monica Chef Luca Maita – Santa Monica Agnes Restaurant and Cheesery Chef Thomas Kalb – Pasadena Alexander’s SteakhouseChef Richard Archuleta – PasadenaArth Bar + KitchenChef Sagar Ghosh – Culver City Bone KettleChef Erwin Tjahyadi – PasadenaCelestino RistoranteChef Calogero Drago – Pasadena Champion’s CURRY Chef Yoya Takahashi – Downtown, Los Angeles Drago Centro Chef Celestino Drago – Downtown, Los Angeles Five 55 Chef Austin Lee – Monterey Park Gabi James arah Gabriele & Adam Aros Redondo Beach Georgia’s Restaurant Nika Shoemaker-Machado – Anaheim, Long Beach

Georgia’s Restaurant Nika Shoemaker-Mac

Gracias Madre Chef Justin Haefler – West Hollywood, Newport Beach Granville Mark Dix – Studio City, Burbank, West Hollywood, Pasadena Gus’s World-Famous Fried Chicken  – Burbank, Long Beach, Los Angeles

Hank’s Chef Isaias Peña – Pacific Palisades Holy Basil Chef Wedchayan “Deau” Arpapornnopparat & Tongkamal “Joy” Yuon – Downtown, Los Angeles Iron Teapot Dim Sum & Bar Sally Chan – Los Angeles Kye’s Feel Good Food Jeanne Cheng – Santa Monica La Bohéme Chef Atsushi Kenjo – West Hollywood Little Llama Peruvian Tacos Chef Jean Valcarcel – Downtown, Los Angeles Lunasia Chef Lee Han Fu – Pasadena, Alhambra, Cerritos Luv2Eat Thai Bistro Chef Somruthai “Fern” Kaewtathip & Chef Noree “Pla” Burapapituk – Los Angeles Mercado Chef Jose Acevedo – Hollywood, Los Angeles, Manhattan Beach, Pasadena, Santa Monica Mi Piace Chef Gille Saulnier – Pasadena Open Face Food Shop Chef Lene Houck – West Adams, Los Angeles

Otus Thai Kitchen & Coffee Chef June Intrachat – West Hollywood Pez Cantina Chef Bret Thompson – Downtown, Los Angeles Poppy + Rose and Poppy & Seed Chef Michael Reed – Downtown, Los Angeles, Anaheim Qué Padre Chef Isaias Peña – Pacific Palisades Ramen Tatsunoya Chef Ryuta Kajiwara – Pasadena, Silver Lake Ruam Mitr Kwanklao Disbanchong & Benchawan Phoungtai – Los AngelesSantuari Chef Seth Greenberg – Toluca Lake Stand-Up Burgers Chef Kajsa Alger – Berkeley, Los AngelesTaishi Hainan Chicken Chef Theo Shio – Redondo Beach, Long BeachThe Colony Club and SO.PA Chef Michael Hung – Palm Springs The Raymond 1886 Chef Gabriel Cappelli – Pasadena

True Food KitchenChef Stephanie Nguyen – PasadenaVegan Sunday Supper Richard Klein – Los AngelesWe Olive Ervin Galvan – Pasadena World EmpanadasChef Matthew Hirtz – Burbank Yardbird Chef Eduardo Osorio – Los AngelesY uca’s RestaurantS ocorro “Mama Yuca’s” Herrera – Pasadena

Food Trucks: KabobaholicAli Pooya – Los Angeles, Orange CountyOkamoto Kitchen Gerald Abraham – Los AngelesThe Tropic TruckLauren Saravia – Los Angeles VCHOS Wendy Centeno – Los Angeles Wings N Waffles Jontae Vinson – Los Angeles, Orange County

Sweet Masters: A select group of Los Angeles Top Sweet Masters will showcase an assortment of delectable desserts such as Bertha Mae’s Brownies, unique Indian treats from Banana Leaf, handcrafted pudding from Better Together Sweets, custom cakes and desserts from Butter Cake Shoppe, French macarons and gourmet cookies from Etoile Filante Patisserie, deliciously scrumptious scratch baked custom cakes and cupcakes fromFantasy FrostingsLark Cake Shop, Chocolatier Mignon ChocolateNomad Ice Pops, homemade premium sorbets from Pop’s Artisinal Creamery,  Nothing Bundt Cakes, and more. 

Bars & Spirits2022 Masters of Taste Platinum Sponsor Beam Suntory will be premiering their House of Suntory Tiny House on the 50 Yard Line along with a Maker’s Mark Lounge, and more. Some of L.A.’s top bartenders and cocktail bars will be creating first-rate craft cocktails, including Maxwell Reis ofGracias Madre and Miguel Perez of 1886 Bar at The Raymond

Top brands showcasing their finest spirits at Masters of Taste will include American Born WhiskeyDulce Vida TequilaHigh Road Spirits serving Lucky Dog Sake Juice Boxes, Knox & DobsonKrafted SpiritsNosotros Tequila & MezcalPomp & WhimsySmoke Lab VodkaVentura SpiritsVeso AperitifsWild Roots Organic VodkaXoloitzcuintle Tequila, and  Woodford Reserve will be exclusively featured in the Rose Bowl Court of Champions.

Wineries and Sake: A specially curated collection of Wine Masters will be showcasing their finest varietals including premium boutique winery Ascension CellarsCRŪ Winery,Ferguson Family WinesGolden Star Vineyards & WineryHitching Post WineryKikusi Brewery (Sake)Obvious Wines, Anderson Valley’s Navarro VineyardsSeisyu Akagisan Sake,Tobias Glen Vineyard, and more.

Non-Alcoholic Beverages: A variety of premium non-alcoholic Beverage Masters will also be on hand for those who wish to hydrate, caffeinate or regenerate, such as Yerba Mate from Erva Brew Co.Humm Kombucha, distilled and elegantly blended non-alcoholic beverages from Optimist Drinks, boba milk tea from Sunright Tea Studio and Bearology, natural ginger beer from TrueRoots Brewing Co., handcrafted beverage starters from The Base Co., and more.

Brand New Masters of Taste Features Global Cuisine

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Masters of Taste LogoIMG_6831

Birch Chef, Brendon Collins

(Gerry Furth-Sides) When people ask me for favorite restaurants of mine to try I recommend going to an events and try a lot at one time!  For everyone looking to sample a number of gourmet global dishes from a variety of   unique restaurants in the Pasadena area, as well as new restaurants to Los Angeles,  Masters of Taste, presents a new, outdoor, luxury festival on Sunday, April 3rd, 2016 from 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm on the field of the Historic Pasadena Rose Bowl.  

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Masters of Taste brings L.A.’s Top Master Tastemakers together for one afternoon to celebrate all realms of taste.  Culinary Masters and restaurants number 40, along with an array of signature sweets prepared by L.A.’s finest Sweet Masters.  Signature handcrafted cocktails and tastings from over 25 Beverage Masters include cocktail bars, wineries, local craft breweries, pressed juices and hand roasted coffee.  Lifestyle activations, live entertainment add to the day.  Approximately 2,500 influential food and beverage enthusiasts from throughout the Greater Los Angeles area purchased tickets.

Just seeing the light in the eye of Chef Calagero Drago of the family Drago family (here looking like a member of Andy Garcia’s family) and specifically of Drago Ristorante & Panzanella,  is proof of the high calibre and excitement of the event. Chef Calagero Drago, Celestino ristorante &nPanzanella

The hit of the recent spring Food Fare was a Drago family recipe for mushroom soup with truffles.  Their pasta dishes make a paleo love a complete meal of carbs.

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Chefs include the former  “bad boy” of offals Brendan Collins, formerly of Waterloo & City, currently  of Birch Restaurant.  Executive Chef Collins who has always delighted with something special at food events is now even more of an attraction as an elder statesman of the Los Angeles culinary world with two successful restaurants.Chef Brendan Collins, Birch

Collins has worked closely with Inothetke’s Executive Chef-owner Carolos Tomazos, which opened early this year and is a rare restaurant offering Greek gourmet cuisine.  Tomazos himself has an impressive track record of helping extraordinary restaurants achieve their success, including Thomas Keller’s Per Se in New York.  (You can read about Inothetke at://localfoodeater.com/inotheke-modern-greek-cuisine-comes-to-santa-monica, and at http:localfoodeater.com/inothetke.)

IMG_4800SOL COCINA Playa Vista adds the dishes of Chef de Cuisine, Tia Baker.  This new restaurant pulled out all the stops at its opening — with a tray of tequila drinks greeting guests even before they stepped in the door.  (Read about SOL at: //localfoodeater.com/baja-streetfare-inspires-sol-cocina)Sol Chef Tia Baker

unspecified-5Toca Maderas Chef Raymond Alvarez (see below) will provide the impetus and the complement to SOL as the second Latin restaurant.

Toca Maders Chef Raymond Alvarez

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 through an array of 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. 100% of the proceeds from this year’s event will go directly to Union Station Homeless Services.

Ticket Information:  Masters of Taste will take place on Sunday, April 3rd, 2016. A VIP Power Hour will be held from 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm and General Admission will be from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm. For more information on Masters of Taste or to book your tickets directly, please visit www.MastersofTasteLA.com/Tickets.  A full list of Masters of Taste participants is also on the website.

Photo Credit:  Courtesy of the Historic Pasadena Rose Bowl

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