Greer's OC

The Los Angeles Times' The Taste is an annual weekend-long celebration on Friday, Sept. 2 to Sunday, Sept. 4 at Paramount Studios. Five distinct events will honor the unique flavors, restaurants and culinary personalities in Los Angeles and beyond. Hosted by members of The Times’ editorial staff and co-hosted by renowned culinary and bar talent Michael Cimarusti, Ray Garcia, Michael Lay, Mary Sue Milliken, and Kris Yenbamroong, the events feature unlimited food tastings and pours from wine, beer and spirits purveyors, and a selection of engaging cooking and mixology demos, wine seminars and dynamic panel discussions.

Opening Night on Friday, Sept. 2 from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m.

The Taste’s most intimate event features a collection of tastings, distinctive cocktail and wine offerings, and a chance to party on the backlot with all of The Times hosts and many of the festival’s participating chefs and bartenders. Restaurants include Badmaash, Little Pine, Love & Salt, Manhattan Beach Post, Son of a Gun and Sweetfin Poke.

Field to Fork on Saturday, Sept. 3 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Local flavors and seasonal ingredients inspire this day dedicated to California’s endless culinary possibilities. Scattergood will lead a conversation on the new artisan grain movement with Nan Kohler of Grist and Toll, Alex Weiser of Weiser Farms and Roxana Jullapat of Friends and Family. Cimarusti, who advocates for sustainable seafood, will share his socially-conscious kitchen secrets during a live demo. Madcapra’s masters of produce-driven falafel, Sarah Hymanson and Sara Kramer, will team up for a vegetarian cooking how-to. Restaurants include Aqui es Texcoco, Doomie’s Home Cookin’, Ocean Prime Beverly Hills, Kye’s Montana, L.A. Chapter and Salazar.

Dinner With a Twist on Saturday, Sept. 3 from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m.

Saturday night at The Taste brings the best of L.A.’s dining and cocktail culture together for an al fresco, end-of-summer jam. Star chefs and bartenders will duet live on stage, revealing the chemistry behind their signature dishes and drinks. Ray Garcia and Michael Lay of Broken Spanish and B.S. Taqueria will highlight Mexican-American flavors steeped in tradition and crafted with a modern sensibility. Kris Morningstar and Ryan Wainwright of Terrine will showcase the Southern California terroir. Jonathon Gold and Jenn Harris will host a group demo with three market-driven mix masters: Katie Emmerson of The Walker Inn, Nathan Oliver of WOLF and Tobin Shea of Redbird. Restaurants include Church & State, HACHÉ LA, LEONA, Public School, The Bellwether and The Raymond 1886.

Sunday Block Party on Sunday, September 4 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The block party turns into a backyard cookout –with Duff Goldman of Charm City Cakes West/“Cake Masters” showing off his pastry-meets-sculpture skills in a live demo. Milliken, a pioneer of world cuisine in Los Angeles, will serve up modern Mexican fare while Ramiro Arvizu and Jaime Martin del Campo of La Casita Mexicana/Mexicano will demonstrate authentic dishes from south of the border. In a nod to root-to-stem cooking, Carter will host a discussion on resourceful ways to maximize ingredients with Bruce Kalman of Union/Knead & Co. Pasta Bar, Chris Cormier of L.A. Mission and Michael Flood of L.A. Regional Food Bank. Restaurants include Chichén Itzá, Donut Farm, Hinoki & the Bird, Mainland Poke, and The Guild.

Flavors of L.A. on Sunday, Sept. 4 from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m.

Closing night turns the spotlight on the City of Angels’ culinary influences. Jonathon Gold will explore new Filipino cuisine in a roundtable with three acclaimed chefs: Charles Olalia of Rice Bar, Gary Menes of Le Comptoir and Alvin Cailan of EggSlut/UNIT120/AMBOY. L.A. native Yenbamroong, Food & Wine magazine’s current Best New Chef, will demo his classic Thai cooking. Nyesha Arrington of LEONA, famous for farmers market inspired dishes, will share a seasonal recipe. Baroo’s Kwang Uh will provide a glimpse into the future with his freestyle Korean food. And Tricia Carr of The Concoctologist will lead a cocktail demo with aperitifs, bitter liqueurs and rosé wines. Restaurants include Guisados, Herringbone, Knead & Co. Pasta Bar, Oh Man! Ramen, Simbal, The Little Jewel of New Orleans and WOLF.

Tickets are available at events.latimes.com/taste/tickets
Los Angeles Times members save $25 on tickets (Saturday and Sunday only)
Opening Night* Tickets – $150 Individual Event* Tickets (Saturday & Sunday) – $100-$150
Weekend Pass* (All Events) – $300
All events are 21 and over

For a detailed description of each event, visit events.latimes.com/taste/schedule

Paramount Pictures Studios is is at 5555 Melrose Ave. in Los Angeles.