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Thursday, 30 August, 2012 9:31 PM

THE TASTE Announces Chef Lineup and Event Programming

Los Angeles Times celebrates Southern California's best with a mix of tastings, cooking demos, competitions and panels at #tastela

Graphic credit: Los Angeles Times

Schedule of programming for the 2012 edition of THE TASTE at the Paramount Pictures Studios.

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LOS ANGELES -- THE TASTE, Los Angeles Times' annual celebration of the Southern California culinary scene, today announces more juicy details of its Labor Day weekend extravaganza. Each of THE TASTE's five events reflects The Times' award-winning coverage of the Southland's best chefs, restaurants and food trends. Named BizBash's top food, wine and hospitality event in 2011, THE TASTE is again cooking up a locally-focused, internationally-flavored menu of offerings with Thomas Keller (Bouchon, The French Laundry), Nancy Silverton (Mozza, La Brea Bakery), Ludo Lefebvre (LudoBites), Susan Feniger (STREET), Roxana Jullapat (Cooks County), Nyesha Arrington (Wilshire), Jason Kim (Forage), Bricia Lopez (Guelaguetza), Kris Yenbamroong (Night + Market), Ricardo Zarate (Picca, Mo-Chica), Judy Han (Mendocino Farms, Blue Cow), Alie Ward and Georgia Hardstark (Cooking Channel) and many more.

The weekend kicks off with Field to Fork on Saturday, hosted by Times Food Editor Russ Parsons and Chef Ray Garcia (FIG). The event will include cooking demos, a conversation with local farmers and a challenge between chefs David LeFevre (Manhattan Beach Post) and Garcia to create a winning dish using a basket full of local produce. At Saturday evening's Cocktail Confidential, guests will sample drinks by mixologist Alex Day and watch as top bartenders match jiggers and muddlers in a mix-off, which will be judged by Times Food & Nightlife Writer Jessica Gelt, Times Restaurant Critic Jonathan Gold and mixologist Julian Cox (Rivera, Playa).

On Sunday afternoon, Gold and chef, author and host of KCRW's “Good Food” Evan Kleiman will host Flavors of L.A., which will focus on authentic dishes from around the world. Chefs Ludo Lefebvre, Susan Feniger, Kris Yenbamroong and Ricardo Zarate will present a variety of cooking demos. Sunday evening's Dinner & Drinks, hosted by Times Deputy Food Editor Betty Hallock and The Beer Chicks, Hallie Beaune and Christina Perozzi, will feature pairings of chefs' signature dishes with craft beer, custom cocktails and fine wine. The Cooking Channel's Alie & Georgia will also be on hand for a special beer cocktail demo.

Rounding out the holiday weekend will be the Labor Day Picnic Presented by Target hosted by Times Test Kitchen Director Noelle Carter and Chef Zoe Nathan (Milo & Olive, Huckleberry). The event will bring together world-renowned chefs like Thomas Keller and Nancy Silverton, local firehouse gourmets, and backyard burger champs to share their common love of good food and cooking.

THE TASTE will be held at Paramount Pictures Studios Saturday, September 1 through Monday, September 3. Unlimited food and drink tastings from more than 40 of the area's top restaurants, cooking and mixology demonstrations, wine seminars and panel discussions will be featured at each event. Early-bird ticket pricing, $50 per event, ends August 6. Beginning August 7, tickets will be $65 in advance, $75 at the door. The full program schedule, list of participating restaurants and tickets are available now at latimes.com/thetaste. A portion of ticket sales will benefit Collins College of Hospitality Management at Cal Poly Pomona and the Los Angeles Times Family Fund's Summer Camp Campaign.

Los Angeles Times' THE TASTE is produced in association with Best Events. Sponsors include Cadillac, Target, The Taste of México Association and Stella Artois. Connect with Los Angeles Times' THE TASTE at latimes.com/thetaste, Facebook.com/thetastela and @thetastela (#tastela).

About the Los Angeles Times

The Los Angeles Times is the largest metropolitan daily newspaper in the country, with a daily readership of 1.6 million and 2.7 million on Sunday, more than 16 million unique latimes.com visitors monthly and a combined print and online local weekly audience of 4.4 million. The Pulitzer Prize-winning Times has been covering Southern California for more than 130 years.

The Los Angeles Times Media Group (LATMG) businesses and affiliates include the Los Angeles Times, The Envelope, Times Community News and Hoy Los Angeles and reach approximately 5.2 million or 39% of all adults in the Southern California marketplace. LATMG also owns and operates California Community News as well as Tribune Direct's west coast division and is part of Tribune Company, one of the country's leading media companies with businesses in publishing, the Internet and broadcasting. Additional information is available at http://latimes.com/aboutus.

About Best Events

Best Events is a full-service event production company created by Jeffrey Best to design, produce and create unique event environments that are at the intersection of commerce and art. For over 20 years, Best Events has been known to produce some of the most high-profile events in the entertainment, corporate and fashion arenas.

Source: The Los Angeles Times / Best Events

For more information or to order your tickets for THE TASTE, visit events.latimes.com/taste/tickets.