Parties: Taste of Beverly Hills Arrives Labor Day Weekend

The “Taste of Beverly Hills,” (www.thetasteofbeverlyhills.com) presented by FOOD & WINE, will benefit the Beverly Hills Education Foundation and will take place across from the Beverly Hilton Hotel September 2-5, 2010. Anyone that loves great food and wine will be thrilled with the lineup of choices at this year’s event.

The gastronomic journey will showcase top chefs and restaurateurs from throughout the area—including “Top Chef” season six winner Michael Voltaggio, Walter Manzke, formerly of Church & State, Ludo Lefebvre of the popular “Ludo Bites” series, and Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo of Animal. Also in attendance will be: culinary icon Wolfgang Puck; Ted Allen, cookbook author, food journalist, and host of the Food Network series “Chopped”; Scott Conant, award-winning restaurateur, chef, and host of the Food Network’s “24 Hour Restaurant Battle”; Michel Nischan, award-winning cookbook author and a leader in the sustainable food movement; and Chef Tim Love of the Lonesome Dove Western Bistro in Forth Worth, TX who was featured in the July issue of FOOD & WINE, among numerous others. Respected experts and connoisseurs in the world of wine and spirits will also be on hand throughout the event, including leading Sommelier and Wine Director Belinda Chang who has worked at Charlie Trotter’s in Chicago, Fifth Floor (Laurent Gras) San Francisco, Rick Tramonto, and currently holds a position at The Modern in New York City.

Michael Voltaggio, "Top Chef" season six winner, will be at Taste of Beverly Hills on Friday night, September 3, 2010.

For those interested in making the culinary extravaganza part of a glamorous weekend escape, the organizers have partnered with elite hotels to offer special accommodation packages. The Beverly Hilton Hotel packages will range from $500 to $2,000, including:
• Amuse Bouche Package: includes a one-night stay and one-evening pass for two guests, breakfast for two, and self-parking
• Epicurious Package: includes a two-night stay, breakfast for two guests at Circa 55 each morning, a one-day and one-evening pass for two guests, and valet parking
• Connoisseur Package: includes a three-night stay, breakfast for two guests at Circa 55 each morning, two weekend passes for two guests, and valet parking
Additional area hotels offering accommodations include the Thompson Beverly Hills and its “90210” package; the Peninsula Beverly Hills’ “Peninsula Weekend Escape”; Avalon Beverly Hills’ “Taste of Oliverio”; Beverly Wilshire, a Four Seasons Hotel’s, “Taste of Beverly Wilshire”; Maison 140 Beverly Hills’ “Weekend Rendezvous”; and the Mosaic Hotel’s “Bed and Breakfast.”

Ludo Lefebvre of the popular “Ludo Bites” series will be at Taste of Beverly Hills on Saturday night, September 4, 2010.

The Taste of Beverly Hills schedule of activities will include afternoon and evening sessions. Each session will offer local restaurant tastings, wine and mixology seminars, cooking demonstrations from the city’s most sought-after chefs, as well as America’s celebrated chefs and personalities, and live entertainment from some of the music world’s most respected artists. Tickets are available now for $125 per person, with advance purchase, for a day session, pass; $150 per person, with advance purchase, for an evening session pass; and $500 per person for an all-access weekend package that will allow guests into afternoon and evening sessions, seminars, how-tos, chef demos, competitions, and more (with the exception of the September 2nd “90210 City of Beverly Hills Celebration” which will be an individually ticketed event.) For further information on tickets, participating restaurants, accommodations, and other festival news updates, please call 877.434.TOBH (8624), or visit www.thetasteofbeverlyhills.com.

[Andy J. Gordon, a Los Angeles-based marketing and strategy consultant, made his writing debut in “Brentwood” Magazine in 2007. His interests include music, sports, consumer electronics, premium libations, fine dining, travel, fast cars, and enjoying life.]