If you love to EAT…be sure to buy your tickets NOW to the Los Angeles Food & Wine Festival. Experience FOUR days of food tastings….Let your inner foodie go wild. The four-day culinary celebration of tasting events, seminars, and incomparable meals boasts a program to make any epicurean envious and includes:

• Giada’s Festa Italiana (Thursday, August 22, 2013; 7-10PM; $195 GA/$250 VIP): Hosted by the Food Network star along the cultural hub of LA on Downtown’s Grand Ave., guests will be wined and dined, enjoying the flavors of Italy by some of the city’s most renowned chefs including Gino Angelini (Rivabella),

Fabio Viviani (Café Firenze), and Ori Menashe (Bestia), and vintners that include Barrymore Wines, while serenaded by a popup performance from the Los Angeles Opera’s Josh Guerrero. Rounding out the evening entertainment is a DJ set by luminary DJ Questlove.

• Power Lunch Series (Friday, August 23, 2013; 12:00-2:30PM, $125) : Held across town in some of the city’s most desirable dining rooms, the “Power Lunch” series returns to Los Angeles Food & Wine with a collection of incredible collaborations that will include:

Richard Reddington, George Mendes and Benjamin Dayag at L’Ermitage Beverly Hills; the dynamic duality of Michael Mina and Scott Conant plating at Scarpetta at Montage Beverly Hills; the partnership of Peter Armellino, Matthew Accarino and Sven Mede at Shutters’ One Pico restaurant; and an unparalleled meal at Hinoki & The Bird featuring dishes from Charles Phan, David Myers & Kuniko Yagi with cocktails crafted to complement the fare by Mixologist Chris Hopkins of The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.

• Lexus Presents: Grant Achatz Cocktail Demonstration (Saturday, August 24, 2013; 3:30-4:45pm, $50):

Lexus welcomes guests to an hour of tasting and exploration into the fascinating world of spirits and cocktails featuring internationally recognized Chef Grant Achatz and his awardwinning Beverage Director Charles Joly. Together the duo will present an innovative and captivating look at the cocktail and culinary culture and the innovative techniques and crafts that merge the two worlds.

These names and events add to the power-house lineup that includes Thomas Keller, Ziggy Marley, Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto, Curtis Stone, David Lefevre, Josef Centeno, Neal Fraser, Susan Feniger, Mary Sue Milliken, Roy Yamaguchi, Michael Chiarello, and Ricardo Zarate, participating in previously announced events such as Eater Presents: Asian Night Market (Friday, August 23, 2013; $125 GA/ $175 VIP); Lexus Live on Grand Hosted by Curtis Stone (Saturday, August 24, 2013; $250 GA/$350 VIP) with a performance from Gavin DeGraw and the Lexus Grand Tastings (Saturday, August 24, and Sunday, August 25, 2013; $150 GA/$195 VIP).

The Third Annual Los Angeles Food & Wine Festival benefits local charities including Share Our Strength. Tickets for the gastronomic gathering are available on-line and at the door to each event, pending advance sales. Information on participants, event line-up, and purchasing tickets available on the website:

Now in its third year, the Los Angeles Food & Wine Festival is a four-day epicurean event showcasing the finest in food and drink culture throughout Los Angeles and culinary personalities from throughout the country. Based amid one of the country’s foremost cultural destinations along Grand Avenue, the event spans the city and offers guests the chance to sample the cuisines and products from some of the most prominent epicurean influencers, while enjoying the sights and sounds of the entertainment industry’s brightest talents. The star-studded culinary lineup has offered guests access to some of the nation’s most celebrated chefs including the likes of as Thomas Keller, Grant Achatz, Guy Fieri, Giada De Laurentiis, Daniel Boulud, Tyler Florence, Scott Conant, Michael Chiarello, and local LA favorites like David Lefevre, Michael Voltaggio, Nobu Matsuhisa, Joachim Splichal, Ray Garcia, Ricardo Zarate, and many more. The Festival is presented with generous support from Founding Partners FOOD & WINE and Lexus, as well as Major Partners Delta Air Lines, JENN-AIR and The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.

Be aware that this 4 day festival has events in Beverly HIlls, Santa Monica, and downtown starting on Thursday and running through Sunday. So be sure to check the website to decide which events you would like to attend and where they are taking place.

2022 UPDATE: Unfortunately for all of us the LAFW event is no longer taking place and the website has been shut down. See Destinations Section for a full list of food festivals or CLICK HERE for a direct link to the best LA annual Food Events.Visit the Stories Section; under Dining Drinking – the Events Page to read reviews of these food events or CLICK HERE for the direct link.