VIEW RESULTS BY:
TRICIA ALLEY
Tricia has been a craft beverage specialist for more than ten years. She has worked at dynamic venues around L.A. such as Providence LA, B-Side and Black Market Liquor Bar. She is currently the Los Angeles Chapter President of the United States Bartenders Guild and recently attained her dream job: Southern California Director of Mixology for Southern Wine and Spirits.Appearing at: DINNER & DRINKS
DARIUS ALLYN, MS
Darius is a Master Sommelier and wine consultant currently serving as the Sommelier/Beverage Director at the Montage Hotel in Beverly Hills. His consulting business took him to New York, Australia and Las Vegas to open wine bars and expand beverage programs around the world. Previously, Darius spent 6 years as a Professor of Wine Classes at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Appearing at: FIELD TO FORK
GUSTAVO ARELLANO
Gustavo is the editor of OC Weekly, author of Orange County: A Personal History and Taco USA: How Mexican Food Conquered America, and lecturer with the Chicana and Chicano Studies department at California State University, Fullerton. He also writes "¡Ask a Mexican!" a nationally syndicated column in which he answers questions about America’s largest minority.Appearing at: FLAVORS OF LA
NYESHA ARRINGTON
Nyesha is the executive chef at Wilshire in Santa Monica. In 2010, she was named a Rising Star by Angeleno. In 2011, Nyesha was a contestant on Bravo’s Top Chef: Texas and Food Network’s Chef Hunter, where she won the competition for the next executive chef at Wilshire. In 2012, Zagat.com named Nyesha one of the 30 Under 30 – LA’s Hottest Up-And-Comers.Appearing at: FIELD TO FORK
THE BEER CHICKS: HALLIE BEAUNE & CHRISTINA PEROZZI | CO-HOSTS OF DINNER & DRINKS
The Beer Chicks met while working at the famed gastropub, Father’s Office in Santa Monica. Today, Christina and Hallie are widely regarded as the top female beer specialists in the country. They are consultants and authors of The Naked Pint: An Unadulterated Guide to Craft Beer and The Naked Brewer: Fearless Homebrewing, Tips, Tricks & Rule-breaking Recipes.Appearing at: DINNER & DRINKS
NOELLE CARTER | HOST OF LABOR DAY PICNIC
Noelle has managed the Los Angeles Times Test Kitchen more than 4 years. She oversees the testing of all recipes that are in The Times. In addition, she writes feature stories for The Times, the “Daily Dish” blog and the Culinary SOS column that gives readers their favorite recipes from restaurants and bakeries. Noelle is also on KTLA’s “Eat Beat” which is a weekly cooking demonstration.Appearing at: LABOR DAY PICNIC
RICARDO CERVANTES
Ricardo is the co-founder and CEO of La Monarca Bakery®, a premium retail bakery chain in Los Angeles featuring cakes, pastries and breads with The Sweet Flavor of Mexico™, which was selected in LA Weekly’s 2011 Best of LA list. He is also the president of The Taste of Mexico Association in Los Angeles. Ricardo has been interviewed by NBC, CNN, Univision, Telemundo, the Los Angeles Times and La Opinion, among others.Appearing at: FLAVORS OF LA
CHARLIE CLINE
Charlie’s love of wine began when his grandfather, Valeriano Jacuzzi of pump and spa fame, shared his love for the land by teaching Charlie how to farm and vinify grapes into wine. In 2009, Charlie became a member of the Cline Cellars management team and spearheaded the organization’s brand ambassador program. Charlie and his wife Gina live in L.A. with their three children. Appearing at: FLAVORS OF LA
JULIAN COX | CO-HOST OF COCKTAIL CONFIDENTIAL
As one of L.A.’s top mixologists, Julian has crafted cocktails at Comme Ça, Chef David Myers’ Sona, Chef John Sedlar’s Rivera and more. Julian has received the 2010 Rising Star Award, Roy’s National Holiday Drink competition in 2006 and The Jimmy Barela Award for his 1800 Tequila cocktail, the G.T. Foam Home. He also helped open Las Perlas in downtown L.A.Appearing at: COCKTAIL CONFIDENTIAL
FREDERICK L. DAME, MS
Frederick is a Master Sommelier and the first American to serve as President of the Court of Master Sommeliers Worldwide. As Director of Prestige Accounts for American Wine & Spirits of California, Frederick assists restaurateurs and hoteliers in developing their wine programs. He is also the President of the Guild of Sommeliers Education Foundation and in 2010 was elected to the American Academy of Chefs Hall of Fame.Appearing at: FIELD TO FORK
ALEX DAY
Alex is the co-owner of Proprietors LLC, a consulting studio providing creative solutions to the hospitality industry and Death & Company, a mixology lounge in New York City. Alex has consulted for numerous restaurants and bars, taught educational seminars as well as spoken on topics ranging from The Science of Shaking to Modern Cocktail Creation to Bar Myth Busters.Appearing at: COCKTAIL CONFIDENTIAL
VICENTE DEL RIO
Vicente is the owner and chef of Frida Mexican Cuisine in Beverly Hills and at The Americana at Brand, Frida Taquería at in Brentwood, Frida Tacos on Melrose and Casa Azul Cantina in Westwood. Each restaurant brings the authentic ingredients of Mexico to L.A. Vicente is also a founder of the Taste of México Association which promotes traditions of México’s cuisine and heritage.Appearing at: FLAVORS OF LA
SUSAN FENIGER
Susan’s passion for food has her dividing time between her first solo venture, Susan Feniger’s STREET, and the Border Grill restaurants, including the Border Grill Truck and Border Grill Stop, co-owned with Mary Sue Milliken. Susan is also a media darling (Top Chef Masters, Too Hot Tamales and more) as well as a cookbook author with her latest book called STREET FOOD.Appearing at: FLAVORS OF LA
RAY GARCIA | CO-HOST OF FIELD TO FORK
“Fresh. Simple. Unassuming. Sustainable.” All are words this L.A. native chef uses to describe the menu at Fig in Santa Monica. Ray is passionate about using locally grown ingredients with minimal preparation. He has received the James Beard Rising Star Award in the Sustainability category and made Angeleno’s prestigious Best of LA list for his “locavore-acious” efforts.Appearing at: FIELD TO FORK
JESSICA GELT | HOST OF COCKTAIL CONFIDENTIAL
Jessica is a food and nightlife writer for the Los Angeles Times. An avid home bartender who loves dive bars as much as she loves fancy drinking establishments, Jessica has served as a judge for a number of L.A. mixology competitions and has written extensively about the city’s vibrant craft cocktail scene.Appearing at: COCKTAIL CONFIDENTIAL
JONATHAN GOLD | HOST OF FLAVORS OF L.A.
Jonathan is a Los Angeles Times restaurant critic and author of Counter Intelligence: Where to Eat in the Real Los Angeles. Previously, he was a restaurant critic for the L.A. Weekly and Los Angeles, Gourmet and California magazines. Jonathan has won seven James Beard Awards for his reviews and in 2007 was the first food writer to win a Pulitzer Prize for criticism.Appearing at: COCKTAIL CONFIDENTIAL, FLAVORS OF LA
BETTY HALLOCK | HOST OF DINNER & DRINKS
Betty is a deputy editor at the Los Angeles Times. She writes and edits food articles in the Saturday section and helms the Find restaurant review column. She formerly worked in the Times Business section and for the Wall Street Journal in New York.Appearing at: DINNER & DRINKS
JUDY HAN
Judy is the chef and partner at Mendocino Farms and Blue Cow restaurants. Her career began at Lucques, working under Suzanne Goin and continued in the kitchens of Sona, Grace, Koi and Literati II. In 2007, she began working with local farmers in the Mendocino Farms kitchen. That venture led her to Blue Cow which is Mendocino Farms new full-service, sit-down restaurant in downtown L.A.Appearing at: LABOR DAY PICNIC
ROXANA JULLAPAT
Roxana is an L.A. native and pastry chef who held tenures at Campanile, Bastide, Lucques, AOC and Clarklewis. In 2011, she teamed up with chef Daniel Mattern and powerhouses Claudio and Adria Blotta to open her first restaurant, Cooks County. Working with seasonal produce and alternative grains, Roxana’s menus are one of the most farmers’ market driven in town.Appearing at: LABOR DAY PICNIC
THOMAS KELLER
Thomas owns The French Laundry and Ad Hoc in Yountville as well as 8 restaurants and 5 bakeries in the U.S. including Bouchon, Bar Bouchon and Bouchon Bakery in Beverly Hills. In 2001, Thomas was named “America’s Best Chef” by Time magazine. His accolades also include consecutive “Best Chef” awards from the James Beard Foundation and “Chef of the Year” by the Culinary Institute of America (CIA).Appearing at: LABOR DAY PICNIC
JASON KIM
Jason is the chef and owner of Forage in Silver Lake, which since opening in 2010 was named among Jonathan Gold’s 99 essential restaurants and Los Angeles Magazine’s best new restaurants. Jason honed his culinary skills in the kitchens of L’Orangerie and Lucques. He is known for his unique approach to sourcing locally grown foods from farmers as well as backyard gardeners.Appearing at: FIELD TO FORK
EVAN KLEIMAN | CO-HOST OF FLAVORS OF L.A.
Evan has been KCRW’s Good Food host for 15 years, interviewing more than 6,000 guests, ranging from celebrated chefs to local farmers. She’s also been Angeli Caffe’s proprietor and chef for 28 years, the founder of L.A.’s Slow Food Chapter, a member of the Los Angeles Food Policy Council and author of eight books on Italian food as well as one video app, Easy As Pie.Appearing at: FLAVORS OF LA
TARA KOLLA
Tara launched Silver Lake Farms in 2004 with the main objective of supporting local agriculture. Silver Lake Farms is a beyond-organic city farm that produces cut flowers, microgreens, mushrooms and edible flowers on less than an acre in Silver Lake and Glassell Park. And to help people all over L.A. grow their own organic food at home, Silver Lake Farms also offers an Organic Garden Care service.Appearing at: FIELD TO FORK
LUDOVIC “LUDO” LEFEBVRE
Named one of the World’s 50 Greatest Chefs by Relais & Chateaux, Ludo quickly made a name for himself as the executive chef at L’Orangerie and Bastide. In 2007, he launched LudoBites and helped usher in the pop-up roving gourmet restaurant movement. The LudoBites Cookbook will be released in October 2012. Ludo is also the author of CRAVE, A Feast of the Five Senses, and has appeared on Top Chef Masters and Iron Chef.Appearing at: FLAVORS OF LA
DAVID LEFEVRE
David is the chef and co-owner of Manhattan Beach Post (M.B. Post) which was named one of Los Angeles Magazine’s 2011 Best New Restaurants, 10 Most Memorable Meals by Los Angeles Times restaurant critic S. Irene Virbila, and 10 Best Dishes of 2011 by restaurant critic Jonathan Gold. M.B. Post was also a semifinalist for the 2012 James Beard Foundation Awards in the Best New Restaurant and Best Chef Pacific categories.Appearing at: FIELD TO FORK
GEORGE LEVINTHAL
Besides enjoying the company of his five grandchildren, George is an avid amateur chef. He won The Times’ Battle of the Burgers twice as well as other recipe contests. He even won a trip to New York to appear on the Cooking Channel’s Perfect 3. He loves to cook for wife, friends and family. When he’s not in the kitchen, George works at the University of California Santa Barbara.Appearing at: LABOR DAY PICNIC
BRICIA LOPEZ
Bricia is a partner at her family’s Guelaguetza Restaurant, LA’s temple for Oaxacan cuisine. She has become a staunch proponent of Oaxacan culture and an integral figure in the gastronomic culture of Los Angeles. The “Sweet Bricia”, one of several Mezcal cocktails taken after her, made Jonathan Gold’s 2011 55 Essential Cocktails list. Her and her family’s story have been featured in a number of national and international multi-media publications.Appearing at: FLAVORS OF LA
CHRIS LUCCHESE
Christopher’s love affair with cooking began with his large Sicilian family in Eastern Pennsylvania. His “P5 Burger” placed in the 2011 Los Angeles Times Battle of the Burgers and his “BLT & E Burger” was a 2012 winner. Recently, he completed Level 2 of the Wine and Spirits Education Trust Program. He can be found writing about his passion for food and drink at offtrackcooking.com.Appearing at: LABOR DAY PICNIC
SERGIO C. MUÑOZ
In 1996, Sergio founded Intelatin, an art studio focusing on Latino affairs throughout the Americas. Since then, he organized community art programs for LACMA, the Bowers Museum, the City of Long Beach and more. Sergio’s community artwork, writings, illustrations and recordings have been featured in the Los Angeles Times, Latino Leaders Magazine and many more publications.Appearing at: FLAVORS OF LA
JAIME MARTIN DEL CAMPO AND RAMIRO ARVIZU
Jaime and Ramiro are the chefs and owners of La Casita Mexicana in Bell which was selected as one of the best Mexican restaurants in L.A. by Los Angeles Times Magazine in 2003 and 2004. Jamie and Ramiro have appeared on countless television cooking segments, are recognized as ambassadors of traditional Mexican cuisine and in 2008 received a James Beard Foundation Award nomination.Appearing at: FLAVORS OF LA
TOMO MATSUKUMA
Tomo’s 20-year tenure in the food service industry began at the age of 14, when his family started a restaurant in Los Angeles. Since then, he has owned and operated 2 restaurants, a catering company and traveled across the country educating the restaurant industry about sake. Currently, he is the Sake Specialist at Southern Wine & Spirits of Southern California and a Level 1 Certified Sake Professional.Appearing at: FLAVORS OF LA
ZOE NATHAN | CO-HOST OF LABOR DAY PICNIC
Zoe is the chef and co-owner with her husband, Josh Loeb, of Huckleberry Café and Bakery, Rustic Canyon Wine Bar & Seasonal Kitchen, Sweet Rose Creamery and now Milo and Olive. Zoe’s pastries were named One of the Top 10 Best Food Related Things of 2008 by Irene Virbila in the Los Angeles Times and have been featured in the top culinary publications. Appearing at: LABOR DAY PICNIC
IRA NOROF, CWE
Ira has worked in retail and as a Sommelier and since 1983, at Southern Wine & Spirits of California in various positions. In 1996, he became their Director of Education and is a certified International Bordeaux Educator. Ira is also one of only six Americans to be a certified Cognac Educator by le Bureau National Interprofessionnel du Cognac. Currently, Ira is President of the Society of Wine Educators.Appearing at: FIELD TO FORK, COCKTAIL CONFIDENTIAL, FLAVORS OF LA, LABOR DAY PICNIC, DINNER & DRINKS
DEBBIE PAPPALAU
Debbie has been cooking since the age of seven. For the last 20 years she’s been teaching herself to bake, sauté and braise to replicate her favorite dishes and create new ones, all while working as a public relations and communications consultant. Her winning entry of the Buffalo Cambozola Burger in The Times’ Battle of the Burgers is her first foray into competitive cooking.Appearing at: LABOR DAY PICNIC
RUSS PARSONS | HOST OF FIELD TO FORK
Russ has been a Los Angeles Times food editor and columnist for 20 years. He is also the author of the cookbooks How to Read a French Fry (a finalist for two Julia Child cookbook awards) and How to Pick a Peach (named one of the best 100 books in 2007 by Publisher’s Weekly and Amazon). In 2008, Russ was inducted into the James Beard Foundation’s Who’s Who of Food and Beverage.Appearing at: FIELD TO FORK, LABOR DAY PICNIC
MARGAUX PIEROG
Margaux is the fine wine manager for Treasury Wine Estates in Southern California. She graduated from Cornell University focusing on Independent Restaurant Operations and has studied at the Sorbonne in Paris. She has worked at the Four Seasons Philadelphia, Balboa Bay Club & Resort, Culinary Adventures Restaurant Group and has managed several world-class wine programs. Appearing at: LABOR DAY PICNIC
DIANA RODGERS
Diana is a Farmers’ Market Consultant for the Sunset Strip Market and has managed the Mar Vista Farmers’ Market since 2006. Before that, she worked for the City of Santa Monica Farmers’ Market Program and built and managed the Santa Monica Main Street Farmers Market’ for 10 years. She is also on the CA Department of Food and Agriculture Certified Farmers’ Market Committee.Appearing at: FIELD TO FORK
JESSE RODRIGUEZ, CWE
As wine director at The Grand Del Mar in San Diego, Jesse oversees the resort’s 37,500-bottle wine inventory he assembled for the luxury resort’s five dining venues, including the critically acclaimed restaurant Addison. Jesse was named one of America’s Best New Sommeliers by Wine & Spirits magazine and one of StarChefs.com’s 2010 Los Angeles-San Diego Rising Stars.Appearing at: LABOR DAY PICNIC
NANCY SILVERTON
Nancy is the co-owner of Osteria Mozza, Pizzeria Mozza, and Mozza2Go in L.A. She founded the La Brea Bakery and formerly owned Campanile. This year, Nancy received a James Beard Foundation nomination for Outstanding Chef. She is also the author of Nancy Silverton’s Sandwich Book, Nancy Silverton’s Breads from the La Brea Bakery, Desserts and The Mozza Cookbook.Appearing at: LABOR DAY PICNIC
JORDAN TOFT
Jordan’s career as a chef began in Australia working with Peter Doyle, one of the founding fathers of modern Australian cuisine. Six years later Jordan ran an upmarket chalet in the French Alps and then became a personal chef to a Saudi businessman. This position allowed him to travel to Italy, off the coast of Spain and Paris. Currently, Jordan is the executive chef at Eveleigh on the Sunset Strip.Appearing at: FIELD TO FORK
ALIE WARD AND GEORGIA HARDSTARK
Alie and Georgia are best friends who, after posting their viral video for a jocular cocktail called The McNuggetini, went on to create their latest web series, Classy Ladies With Alie & Georgia on CookingChanneltv.com (the second season is due out this summer). They also write about cocktail trends for KCET and can be seen on the current season of Cooking Channel’s Unique Sweets.Appearing at: DINNER & DRINKS
ALEX WEISER
Alex Weiser of Weiser Family Farms is a grower of specialty vegetables and fruits in Kern and San Bernardino counties. His family farm has participated in California farmers’ markets since 1981. Alex is on the board of Sustainable Economic Enterprises of Los Angeles which helps promote his business through nutrition programs and sustainable agriculture in classrooms. He also currently serves on the Los Angeles Food Policy Council.Appearing at: FIELD TO FORK
KRIS YENBAMROONG
Kris is the 30-year old chef of NIGHT + MARKET in West Hollywood which might be described as a temple of regional Thai street food meets a makeshift dinner party in an empty gallery annex. Only in its first year, it has already garnered a spot on Jonathan Gold’s 99 essential restaurants list and earned Kris a semi-final nod from the James Beard Foundation in the Rising Star Chef category.Appearing at: FLAVORS OF LA
SANG YOON
In 2000, Sang renovated his favorite local dive bar in Santa Monica, Father’s Office. The "Office Burger" has been hailed as the country’s best burger by the TODAY show and Esquire magazine. Sang opened a second location in 2008 entitled Father’s Office 2.0 in Culver City and, in 2011, debuted Lukshon, a modern restaurant dedicated to traditional and creative Southeast Asian flavors.Appearing at: FLAVORS OF LA
RICARDO ZARATE
When this Peruvian chef opened Picca in 2011 it became Los Angeles magazine’s 4th Best New Restaurant in LA, GQ’s 6th Best New Restaurant in America and Traveler magazine’s 10th Best New Restaurant in the world. Also in 2011, Ricardo became Food & Wine’s Best New Chef in America. This year he re-opened his first hit restaurant, Mo-Chica, in downtown L.A.Appearing at: FLAVORS OF LA
