There is no denying that people love talking about food: what they had for lunch, a new restaurant that opened down the street, or their favorite home cooked meal growing up. Food brings people together and can make one feel at home or in a completely new world. Taste Talks, a national festival series that we were lucky enough to attend in Los Angeles, recognizes this by combining delicious foods with discussions and panels with prominent figures in the food space.
The weekend kicked off with a brunch at the trendy Line Hotel in Korea Town. Attendees were happy to begin the morning with delicious breakfast burritos provided by Roy Choi’s Commissary. As you walked around the event floor, other delicious breakfast-themed eats could be found. One could enjoy a freshly made espresso provided by Nespresso, or, our favorite, Kellogg’s set up a very unique cereal bar that combined classic cereals like rice crispies and corn flakes with delicious fixings, including mango and coconut. Gourmet cereal. And while you crunched on your comfort breakfast foods, you could attend interesting panels on various subjects, including the economics of stressing hospitality in restaurants.
One of the final events of the weekend was the Taste Talks All-Star BBQ, which took place at Mack Sennett Studios on the east side of the city. There were endless tents handing out chefs’ signature creations, and attendees enjoyed the live music, DJs, and free margaritas! An interesting twist was that these chefs and restaurants showing off their foods received some inspirational help from musicians. Daniel Weinstock from the Maple Block Meat Co. explained that he got input the electronic group The Glitch Mob. Although his delicious peach wood smoked beef brisket was his own creation, he noted that it was very interesting to have some input from successful musicians, really combining two different forms of art and culture into one festival.
It was clear, though, that the crowd favorite was Chicken Itza Restaurant’s mesquite grilled yellowtail fish taco, and we couldn’t disagree! Patient and hungry fans waited in line for fresh fish tacos filled with yellowtail that was slowly cooked until it was taken off the grill and put onto your plate. Van Leeuwen Ice Cream’s food truck served a perfect dessert: vanilla ice cream with cake and a deliciously one of a kind caramel sauce. It is no surprise that everyone had big smiles on all weekend.
