Are you going to Food Bowl? Here's what you don't want to miss

L.A. Times Food Staff
·5 min read
Food Bowl
Food Bowl at Paramount Pictures Studio Backlot. (Los Angeles Times)

Since 2017, this paper has gathered chefs from Southern California and sometimes far beyond for a festival of eating and drinking that the late restaurant critic Jonathan Gold jokingly called Food Bowl. The name stuck. This year's festival is focused on a food-and-drink-filled weekend at the Paramount Pictures Studios Backlot, Sept. 20-22 (5515 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles). Between bites and sips, come to the Food Bowl stage for cooking demos and, on Friday night, the presentation of two special honors, L.A. Times Restaurant of the Year and the Gold Award. You can buy tickets on the L.A. Times Food Bowl website. Below is a rundown of what you can expect.

Friday, Sept. 20

VIP entry 7 p.m., general admission 8 p.m. 21 and older.

ONSTAGE
(For all ticket holders)

Raul Ortega holds a taco dorado de camaron on a plate up toward the camera
Raul Ortega holds a taco dorado de camaron outside his food truck in Boyle Heights. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

8:20 p.m.: L.A. Times Gold Award presentation to Raul Ortega of Mariscos Jalisco for helping to make taco culture an essential part of L.A.’s culinary landscape. Ortega will serve food from his truck on Friday night.

Baroo owners chef Kwang Uh, right, and Mina Park.
Baroo owners chef Kwang Uh, right, and Mina Park. (Silvia Razgova / For The Times)

8:30 p.m.: L.A. Times Restaurant of the Year presentation to Baroo owners Kwang Uh and Mina Park, who will serve samples from the restaurant's seven-course “cycle of life” tasting menu in the Baroo lounge all weekend.

Chef Josh Scherer uses chopsticks to lift French onion ramen out of a white bowl he holds in one hand.
Cookbook author Josh Scherer eats French onion ramen in the Los Angeles Times Test Kitchen. (Andrea D'Agosto / For The Times)

9 p.m.: Josh Scherer cooking demo and book signing from the content creator and author of “Rhett & Link Present: The Mythical Cookbook.”

10 p.m.: Tue Nguyen cooking demo and book signing from the social media star, chef of DiDi and author of the new cookbook “Di An.”

VIP BITES AND SIPS

Level 8, Meteora, Pasjoli.

Chef Jordan Kahn of Vespertine, Meteora and Destroyer, in the Los Angeles Times Test Kitchen
Jordan Kahn, chef-owner of Vespertine, Meteora and Destroyer, makes Cubano sandwiches at the Los Angeles Times Test Kitchen. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

ALL-TICKET BITES AND SIPS

Chefs Ivan Flores and Juan Garcia, dressed all in black, stand before the logo of the Goat Mafia.
Ivan Flores, left, and Juan Garcia of the Goat Mafia. Marcel Rene Michel, left, and Rhea Patel Michel, co-owners of Saucy Chick. After joining forces with Goat Mafia, they opened a restaurant in Pasadena and will be at the Sept. 20 opening night of Food Bowl. Oscar Mendoza / For The Times

Amiga Amore, Azizam, Ban Ban Burger, Bee Taqueria, Cento, Chao Krung & Tuk Tuk Thai, Checker Hall, Crudo e Nudo, East Side Cheesecakes, Evil Cooks, Guelaguetza, Guzzu Bento-Ya, Hatchet Hall, Holey Grail Donuts, HomeState, III Mas Bakery & Deli, Jitlada, Luv2eat Thai Bistro, McConnell's Fine Ice Creams, Mírate, Paradise Dynasty & Le Shrimp Noodle Bar, Perilla L.A., Pink Taco, Rita's Deluxe, Ronan, Saltie Girl, Saucy Chick/Goat Mafia, Si! Mon, SoulPhil, Spoon & Pork, Sushi Nikkei, Villa's Tacos, Wife and the Somm.

Saturday, Sept. 21

VIP entry 6 p.m., general admission 7 p.m. 21 and older.

ONSTAGE

Tamron Hall seated, in a pink dress with long sleeves
Tamron Hall photographed at ABC Studios in New York. (Caroline Xia / For The Times)

7:20 p.m.: Tamron Hall and Lish Steiling demo and signing for their new cookbook, "A Confident Cook."

8:15 p.m.: Adrienne Borlongan and William Tew demo and book signing from the founder of Wanderlust Creamery and author of "Wanderlust Creamery Presents: The World of Ice Cream," joined by Cathay Pacific's culinary design chef.

9:10 p.m.: Owen Han demo and bookplate signing from the "King of Sandwiches" and author of the forthcoming "Stacked: The Art of the Perfect Sandwich."

VIP BITES AND SIPS

Anajak Thai, Kato, Mírate.

Two chefs cooking at a rooftop restaurant
Kato's Jon Yao, left, at the launch party for 2023's Food Bowl at the Lemon Grove on the Aster rooftop in Hollywood with a key member of his kitchen staff. (Laurie Ochoa / Los Angeles Times)

ALL-TICKET BITES AND SIPS

626 Hospitality Group, Bar Chelou, Baroo, Bistro Na's, Borekas Sephardic Pastries, the Brothers Sushi, Budonoki x Mini Kabob, Burritos La Palma, Chichén Itzá, Cobi's, Donna's, Dulanville Food Truck, El Ruso, Evil Cooks, Fluffy McCloud's, Heng Heng Chicken Rice, Holbox, Holy Basil, Hui Tou Xiang, Jeff's Table, LaSorted's, Lei'd Cookies, Little Fatty & Fatty Mart, Love & Salt, Moo's Craft Barbecue, OyBar, Pizzana, Poltergeist, Ponchos Tlayudas, Steep L.A., Stella, Trophies Burger Club, Tsubaki, Wanderlust Creamery, XUNTOS.

Sunday, Sept. 22

VIP entry 11 a.m., general admission noon. All ages.

ONSTAGE

Kismet owner-chefs Sara Kramer and Sarah Hymanson stand under an orange tree.
Kismet owner-chefs and cookbook authors Sara Kramer and Sarah Hymanson. (Catherine Dzilenski / For The Times)

12:20 p.m.: Sarah Hymanson & Sara Kramer demo and book signing from the chef-owners of Kismet and authors of “Kismet: Bright, Fresh, Vegetable-Loving Recipes.”

1:15 p.m.: Yumna Jawad demo and book signing for the author of "The Feel Good Foodie Cookbook."

Woman with glasses surrounded by orange and red illustrations including a pan, fried egg, car and shopping bags.
Nancy Silverton. (Illustration by Lindsey Made This / For The Times; photo by Katrina Frederick / HexClad)

2:10 p.m.: Nancy Silverton demo and book signing from the chef and co-owner of the Mozza Restaurant Group and bestselling author of "The Cookie That Changed My Life."

VIP BITES AND SIPS

Wolfgang Puck's CUT Beverly Hills, Damian, Level 8.

ALL-TICKET BITES AND SIPS

Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken prep vegetables at a kitchen counter at their restaurant Socalo.
Socalo and Alice B. co-owners and chefs Susan Feniger, left, and Mary Sue Milliken. (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

All About the Cinnamon, Amphai Northern Thai Food Club, Apollonia’s Pizzeria, Ayara Thai, Baar Baar, Baroo, Brique French Toastery, the Brothers Sushi, Camphor, Ceci’s Gastronomia, Cha ReDefine, Dino’s Famous Chicken, Domestic, El Ruso, Evil Cooks, Grá, Hamasaku, Janté Cheesecakes, LaSorted’s, Lucky Bird, Lustig, Maison Matho, Mayura Indian Restaurant, Ocean Prime Beverly Hills, OyBar, Petit Trois, Petramale Pizza, Pop’s Bagels, Socalo, Steep L.A., Stir Crazy, Tacos 1986, Voodoo Vin, the Waterfront.

Sign up for our Tasting Notes newsletter for restaurant reviews, Los Angeles food-related news and more.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Latest Stories