Deets: The Los Angeles Times Food Bowl is an annual, month long festival celebrating the city’s dynamic food scene. Spanning the entire month of May, Food Bowl features many of the chefs and restaurants that have helped put Los Angeles on the map as a premier dining destination alongside world-renowned chefs in rare local appearances at hundreds of extraordinary events. Los Angeles Times Food Bowl charity partners are L.A. Regional Food Bank, Food Forward and Midnight Mission. Sponsors include Citi, Jose Cuervo, SOL, Topo Chico, Aeromexico and Mural Agua Fresca. The citywide festival features hundreds of events across Los Angeles with a mix of local favorites and world-renowned chefs. Spanning 31 days of food, Food Bowl encompasses a mix of dinners, parties, tours, pop-ups, classes and our 5-day Night Market in Grand Park.
Food Bowl highlights include:
Mesamérica L.A.: The festival’s opening night event on April 30 is the first incarnation of chef Enrique Olvera’s celebrated symposium to be held outside of Mexico. Olvera and L.A. Times Food Editor Peter Meehan have put together a program to explore the culinary and cultural interconnectedness of Mexico City and Los Angeles.
DFiesta: Following Mesamérica L.A., the opening night festivities continue with DFiesta at Grand Central Market and La Cita Bar featuring chef collaborations, roving Mariachi bands and other Mexico City-inspired merriment.
L.A. Times Food Bowl Night Market: Over five nights from May 8-12, The Times will host a bustling outdoor celebration of L.A.’s diverse dining scene. Night Market will be free to enter, featuring dozens of food vendors, pop-up experiences, chef collaborations, musical performances and DJs, art installations and these special ticketed events:
Opening Night Collaboration Lab: May 8
An opening night celebration featuring collaborations from L.A.’s top restaurants and international guests. Collaborations include: Bavel, Kismet X Ciya, Shibumi X Spago, Scratch Bar and Kitchen X Ari Taymor, Fiona X Cicatriz, Chengdu Taste, The Bazaar X Otono, and Otium X chef Edras Ochoa
Taco Tribute: May 9
Featuring Sonoratown, Tacos 1986, Chichen Itza, Broken Spanish, Teddy’s Red Tacos and Guerrilla Tacos.
Fried Chicken Party: May 10
Featuring Chef Kang’s Food Rehab for Super Foodies, Lucky Bird, the Crack Shack, Night + Market, Hotville Chicken and Phat Birds.
L.A.’s Best Burgers: May 11
Featuring HiHo Cheeseburgers, Banh Oui, Everson Royce Bar, Hank’s, Bowery, Love Hour and Belcampo Meat Co.
Dumplings, Noodles & Rice: May 11
Featuring Iki Ramen, Lukshon, Porridge & Puffs, Baroo, Hui Tou Xiang, Chongqing Special Noodles, Sea Harbour Seafood Restaurant and Little Sister.
All-Star BBQ: May 12
Join Adam Perry Lang and the team from L.A. Times Food as they showcase the best BBQ in L.A. featuring pitmasters Aaron Franklin (Texas), Pat Martin (Tennessee), Bill Durney (New York) and Sam Jones (North Carolina). Local participating restaurants include Bludso’s, East LA Barbecue, Horn Barbecue, Kra Z Kai’s and SLAB / Trudy’s Underground BBQ.
Effervescence: Join us May 3-5 for America’s most comprehensive epicurean event centered on Champagne and sparkling wines. From legendary tête de cuvée Champagnes and California’s finest fizz to international bubbles produced around the world, Effervescence brings them all to you in one epic Los Angeles weekend of celebrating bubbles.
Vespertine Symbios: A collaborative tasting menu on May 5 will feature dishes by chefs Jordan Kahn (Vespertine), Dominique Crenn (Atelier Crenn), Virgilio Martínez (Central) and Niki Nakayama (n/naka).
The Future of Food in Extreme Environments: A panel discussion on May 7 where scientists and chefs will explore how to grow food in space and how to establish a food culture in a new environment.
Filipino Garage Party: Angela Dimayuga, the creative director of food and culture at Standard International, will bring together chefs including Russell Victorioso (Café Birdie), Chad Valencia (Lasa), Tom Cunanan (Bad Saint) and JP Anglo (Sarsa) to create a perfect plate of Filipino food on May 18.
Tutta Pizza: Enjoy all-you-can-eat slices and styles from New York to Chicago, and Roman to Neapolitan on May 19. There will also be panels and Q&As, cooking demos and culinary workshops.
Chef Conference: This all-day event on May 20 will feature speakers, panelists and cooking demos from the restaurant industry, for the restaurant industry.
Outstanding in the Field: A series of long-table feasts in spectacular locations including the L.A. River and Weiser Family Farms.
Pasta Masters: On May 30, Los Angeles chefs and pasta makers from Italy will showcase imported, authentic Italian ingredients during hands-on culinary demonstrations.
GUSH Party at Mmhmmm: A late-night GUSH Party for femme-identifying individuals, people of color and the queer community. Originated in New York, this edition of GUSH Party will celebrate intersectionality and the culinary community in Los Angeles on May 31.
Explore the city during Food Bowl using the various categories in the program guide, such as Things in a Bowl, Brunch & Lunch, Classes, Markets & Tours, Cocktails & Canapes, Exclusive Dinners & Dishes, Giveback, Kids in the Kitchen, Panels & Talks, Pop-Ups & Parties, and Test Kitchen.
In its third year, the festival will continue to raise funds to fight food insecurity and hunger as well as promote waste reduction and sustainability through charity partners and participating events. Los Angeles Times Food Bowl charity partners include L.A. Regional Food Bank, Food Forward and Midnight Mission. Festival sponsors include founding partner Citi. For additional information and festival updates, visit lafoodbowl.com.
Who You May Spot: Enrique Olvera (Pujol, Mexico), Daniela Soto-Innes (Cosme, USA), Norma Listman and Saqib Keval (Masala y Maiz, Mexico), Gaggan Anand (Gaggan, Thailand), Virgilio Martínez (Central, Peru), Koji Kimura (Sushi Kimura, Japan), Angela Dimayuga (The Standard International, USA), Rodolfo Guzmán (Boragó, Chile), Musa Dağdeviren (Çiya, Turkey), Andrew McConnell (Cutler & Co., Australia), Dominique Crenn (Atelier Crenn, USA), Yu Bo (Yu’s Family Kitchen, China), JP Anglo, (Sarsá, Philippines), Tom Cunanan (Bad Saint, USA), Aaron Franklin (Texas), Pat Martin (Tennessee), Bill Durney (New York), Sam Jones (North Carolina) and Charles Michel (Oxford University Research Laboratory, Great Britain). are among the visiting chefs and experts scheduled to appear. L.A. chefs including Carlos Salgado (Taco Maria), Ori Menashe and Genevieve Gergis (Bavel), Niki Nakayama (n/naka), Adam Perry Lang (APL), Michael Cimarusti (Providence), Nicole Rucker (Fiona), Wes Avila (Guerrilla Tacos), Jordan Kahn (Vespertine), Suzanne Goin (a.o.c.), Charles Olalia (Ma’am Sir), Dave Beran (Dialogue), Sang Yoon (Lukshon), Wolfgang Puck (Spago), Jessica Koslow (Sqirl), Nancy Silverton (Mozzaplex), Ludo Lefebvre (Trois Mec), Tim Hollingsworth (Otium), Jeremy Fox (Rustic Canyon) and Kris Yenbamroong (Night + Market) and many more will represent their hometown through special collaborations and events.
Hint For The Average Socialite: For more information and a calendar of events, please visit https://lafoodbowl.com.
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