Guide to the LA Food and Wine Festival

>> Opening Night Celebration Photos

With over 70 "epic" events in four locations from Santa Monica to Hollywood, the first annual Los Angeles Food and Wine Festival will celebrate food and celebrity in LA for four straight days. Starting off with a star-studded Hollywood premiere the evening of October 13 at the event's home base at LA Live, the festival promises 100 celebrity chefs, 300 world class wines, and parties and chef demonstrations to show off the best LA has to offer. Here is a handy guide to help you make the best of it. Hint: bring your appetite and a designated driver.

Saturday, October 15th

Guy Fieri's Brew BBQ!

200 Santa Monica Pier
Santa Monica, CA 90401-3126
(310) 458-8901
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What's not to love about Sunshine, BBQ, Beers, Music and Friends? Combine all those ingredients and you have a memorable event. Enjoy a day on the famous Santa Monica Pier and take in the sun-drenched view of the Pacific Ocean, the sounds of music from some Rockstar bands, BBQ tastes from celebrity chefs and beer from some of the most notable breweries around the world! - All this at one price ALL INCLUSIVE. You will never find a pub crawl that will give you this opportunity. A perfect way to spend a Saturday afternoon. Tickets are $150.

Saturday, October 15th

LIVE on the Plaza

Nokia Plaza
800 West Olympic Blvd. Suite A335
Los Angeles, CA 90015
(213) 765-7000
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An unbelievable strolling reception, capped with an extraordinary musical performance from the multi-GRAMMY® award winning, platinum-selling artists, TRAIN. Thirty chefs and 200 wines will serve up delicious samples while TRAIN provides a rockin' soundtrack with hits songs like, "Drops of Jupiter", "Meet Virginia", and "Hey Soul Sister." This is the culmination of a city-wide celebration of all things Food, Wine, Celebrity and Los Angeles. Tickets for this tasty event-for-all-senses are $350.

Friday - Sunday, October 14-16th

Cooking Demonstrations

Event Deck at LA Live
800 W Olympic Blvd
Los Angeles, California 90015
(213) 763-5483
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There are five events over the next three days at which celebrity chefs will show you how to make their delectable delights. From happy hour barbeque and cocktails to grilled cheese demos to a morning session with it-boy Tyler Florence, the event deck at LA Live will be abuzz with opportunities to learn from - and tastes the works of - the masters. Tickets for each demo are $50.

Saturday - Sunday, October 145h - 16th

Grand Tastings

Event Deck at LA Live
800 W Olympic Blvd
Los Angeles, California 90015
(213) 763-5483
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The Lexus Grand Tasting at Los Angeles Food & Wine is the most spectacular opportunity to enjoy over 300 wines from 200 of the world's most prestigious wineries. Thirty Celebrity Chefs will showcase their culinary skills and provide delicious and decadent tasting samples of their cuisine. During this remarkable strolling event you will have access to cooking demos, book signings and photo sessions with some of the weekend's biggest chef celebrities. This event takes place on the Event Deck at LA LIVE where the entire space is transformed into a feast for all senses! Don't miss this great opportunity to experience food and wine at its best. Tickets for each day's event are $195 each - get a combo pass for both days (after all, how can you sample everything in one 3-hour session?!) for $350.

Friday, October 14th

Lunches

Various restaurant locations
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Notable chefs will present sumptious feasts celebrating their cuisine specialties at 12 different fancy restaurants from Santa Monica to downtown. Tickets range from $100 to $125, and buy you a seat at a decadent table with special cocktails, delicious meals, and audience with the guest chefs. Snap up those tickets now, because two of the lunches, including the one with Giada de Laurentiis at Cecconi, are already sold out. All lunches are Friday at 11:30. Too bad you can't clone yourself.

Friday - Sunday, October 14 - 16th

Wine Events

JW Marriott Los Angeles at L.A. LIVE
900 W. Olympic Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90015
(213)765-8600

Event Deck at LA Live
800 W Olympic Blvd
Los Angeles, California 90015
(213) 763-5483

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The "Wine Festival" in the LA Food and Wine Festival will not disappoint wine connossieurs, wine lovers, or people who are curious about wine. There are fifteen separate events over three days devoted to wines (one is already sold out). Focus on wines from a particular part of the world at events like "Burgundy's Brilliance" on Friday at 10:00 AM (good morning!). Learn to make wine yourself at a blending seminar on Saturday afternoon. Wake up your palate Saturday morning with a session celebrating wine's number 1 sidekick - cheese. Tickets range from $100 - $350.

Friday, October 14th

Dinner

Montage
225 North Canon Dr
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
(310) 860-7800
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The festival is holding three special dinners. While two are sold out, a tribute to Daniel Boulud is still open, and will be held at the fabulous Beverly Hills Montage. Not only with Boulud himself be there to lend his master skills to a delicious evening, but also his contemporaries, including chefs from Bouchon, Father's Office, and Patina, will join in the kitchen. In this case, too many chefs will make a much better soup. Tickets for this dinner are $500.

Thursday, October 13th

Pigs, Pins, and Pinot

Lucky Strike
800 W. Olympic Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90015
(213) 542-4880
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Thursday's late-night action is hosted by Lucky Strike and Chef Todd English at an after-hours party where pinot noir and pork reign supreme. Come taste the country's very best pinot noirs while Chef English and a team of select celebrity chef friends design an homage to the pig. A Special guest DJ and a bevy of beer courtesy of Stella Artois round out the evening's excitement so come on out and join the fun. Non-Stop music, bacon and beverages - what else do you have planned for Thursday? Tickets are $125.

Friday, October 14th

HEAT

Club Nokia
800 West Olympic Blvd. Suite A335
Los Angeles, CA 90015
(213) 765-7000
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Party Friday night away with a private celebrate featuring a superbad DJ. Don't stop at the music because there will be some of the best Chefs in the country presenting their take on food of all styles and origins with one common theme - HEAT! Appropriate for the temps this week. Tickets are $125.

Saturday, October 15th

Decadence

800 W Olympic Blvd
Los Angeles, California 90015
(213) 763-5483
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Sherry Yard, queen of all things sweet for Wolfgang Puck, curates the best pastry chefs and a night of surprises for dessert lovers and night owls. If you have a sweet tooth or know someone who does, you just cannot afford to miss this party. Great Wine, great Spirits and decadent morsels of heavenly desserts is the perfect way to finish an evening. Check out the stellar line-up of pastry chefs and you will understand why we are so excited to get them all under one roof. Tickets are $125.