Taste of LA ("The Taste") Set for Labor Day Weekend at Paramount

The Los Angeles Times' annual food and and wine festival the Taste will take place at Paramount Studios September over the Labor Day weekend Sept. 1-3. Celebrating the flavors of the world Southern California style, the event will turn Paramount Pictures Studios into an epicurean pop-up and block party. Many Santa Monica chefs and familiar farmers market vendors will be participating.

The festival will be organized around five main events hosted by The Times' Food staff and acclaimed L.A. chefs and bartenders who will serve up unlimited food and wine tastings from the city's best kitchens along with a variety of wine, beer and seasonal cocktails.

Opening Night Friday 9/1, 7:30 pm. The Taste's most intimate soiree features a focused collection of tastings, distinctive cocktail and wine offering on the backlot with The Times' hosts and the weekend's participating chefs and mixologists. Restaurants include Baran's 2239, Bourbon Steak, Chinese Laundry, Crying Tiger, Fat Dragon, Friends & Family, Georgie, Hatchet Hall, Lao Tao, Little Fatty, Mainland Poke, Scratch Bar & Kitchen, Side Chick, Simone, Tabula Rasa Bar and Tar & Roses Santa Monica.

Field to Fork Saturday 9/2, noon to 3 pm, hosted by Amy Scattergood, Times Food Editor, and Sang Yoon, chef/owner of Father's Office and Lukshon. Inspired by Southern California's agricultural roots and DIY culture, Santa Monicans Yoon and Miles Thompson of Michael's will share their farmers market savvy through individual cooking demos using their favorite ingredients. Scattergood will lead a discussion about the importance of farms and eating locally with Romeo Coleman (Coleman Family Farms), Alex Weiser (Weiser Family Farms) and Wes Whitsell (Manuela). Restaurants include Aqui es Texcoco, Banh Oui, Cento Pasta Bar, Coni'Seafood, Cruciferous, M Café, Maury's Bagels, McConnell's Fine Ice Creams, Robert's Catering Service and VCHOS Pupuseria Moderna.

Dinner with a Twist Saturday 9/2, 7:30 hosted by Jonathan Gold, Times Restaurant critic, Jenn Harris, Times Deputy Food Editor, Antonia Lofaso, chef/owner of Scopa Italian Roots and Black Market Liquor Bar, and Marco A. Ramos, mixologist at Scopa Italian Roots. L.A.'s dining and cocktail culture takes the stage with chef-bartender demos by Lofaso and Ramos, and by Allan Katz and Jonathan Whitener (Here's Looking At You). Breana Jackson (Sugar & Spice: Baked by Bre), Danielle Bennett (Lady on the Rocks), Derrick Lewis (Not Your Mama's Kitchen) and Chef E Dubble (E Dubble Catering/Grilled Fraiche) will celebrate urban gastronomy with a collaborative showcase of their signature concoctions. Meredith Hayman (Michael's), Gabriella Mlynarczyk (Accomplice Bar) and Brynn Smith (Sotto) will shake it up with a group demo. Restaurants include Barrel & Ashes, Beauty & Essex, Black Market Liquor Bar, Faith & Flower, Mayura Indian Restaurant, Pedalers Fork, Scopa Italian Roots, Szechuan Impression, The Bellwether, The Ponte and Wolf.

Sunday Block Party Sunday 9/3, noon to 3 pm, hosted by Noelle Carter, Times Test Kitchen Director, and Sherry Yard, chef/owner of Tuck Room Tavern. Yard will demystify pastry-baking for home cooks and David LeFevre (Manhattan Beach Post) will give a master class on making biscuits. Carter will host a talk with Chris Phelps (Salt's Cure) on brunch at innovative spots around town. Restaurants include Cheezus, Cocobella Creamery, E.A.K. Ramen, Hotville Chicken & Chops, Hummus Yummy Food Truck, MessHall, Otium, Rosaliné, The Butcher's Daughter and Tuck Room Tavern.

Flavors of L.A. Sunday 9/3, 7:30 pm, hosted by Jonathan Gold, Times Restaurant Critic, and Gilberto Cetina, chef/owner of Chichen Itza and Holbox. Demos by Cetina, Wes Avila (Guerrilla Tacos) and the team behind Badmaash: Pawan, Nakul and Arjun Mahendro. Gold will explore Korean barbecue with masters of the grill Jenee Kim (Park's Barbeque) and Chris Oh (Seoul Sausage Company) and there will be demos by Cetina, Wes Avila (Guerrilla Tacos) and the Badmaash team of Pawan, Nakul and Arjun Mahendro. Restaurants include Chichen Itza, Frankland's Crab & Co., Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken, Holbox, Luv2eat Thai Bistro, Meals by Genet, Pasta Sisters, Revolutionario North African Tacos, Same Same and Worldwide Tacos.　

Charity beneficiaries of The Taste are LA Regional Food Bank and Midnight Mission.

For more information and tickets please visit latimes.com/TheTaste. Connect on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @TheTasteLA (#TasteLA).