Masters of Taste, Southern California’s premier food festival held its media preview night on March 25 at the Rose Bowl’s Court of Champions. In a departure from previous previews, the event was staged outdoors directly beneath the Rose Bowl sign instead of in the locker room.
Guests were treated to a selection of food and drinks that will be served at Masters of Taste 2026 when it returns to the Rose Bowl on April 19. We mingled with other food writers and chatted with the chefs who were serving a sampling of food and beverage purveyors pouring alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.
Local Masters of Taste participant and Pasadena native, Christian Esteban – son of the founders of Chaaste Family Market on Allen Avenue – happily invited attendees to try Filipino favorites lumpia (spring rolls) and turon (deep fried slices of banana in a crepe-like wrap). The Tilaka-Kalbs of Agnes Restaurant and Cheesery on Green Street in Old Pasadena greeted us warmly and offered fried cheese curds with a dilly ranch dip. Dennis Cruz of STK Steakhouse in Santa Monica served beef bone marrow, which Filipinos call “bulalo,” topped with a smidgen of caviar, toast crisp, and microgreens. We downed all the delicious fare with non-alcoholic sparkling water slightly flavored with hops from LA-based beverage company HOPWTR.
There wasn’t time to indulge in other delectable fare and refreshing beverage because we had to head over to the dinner tables. After guests were seated, the program began as servers brought out the different courses and drinks that evening. Participating chefs and beverage producers were introduced and they described each succeeding dish or drink we were enjoying.
Midway through dinner, attendees were reminded of the reason we were there: to promote the event that benefits Union Station Homeless Services. Katie Hill — who was named CEO of USHS merely weeks before the Eaton Fire — quite literally had a ‘baptism by fire’ and was thrown headlong into the center of activity. USHS’s Adult Center was converted into a central hub for donated essentials and hot meals for the thousands of Altadenans and Pasadenans who became homeless overnight.
When Hill took the stage that evening she reiterated USHS’s mission — to end homelessness through housing, supportive services, and connection to community. Last year the organization served more than 4,200 people. It helped over 1,200 individuals and families move into permanent housing and another 2,200 people stay in housing. It also assisted nearly 2,000 to find safety through shelter or outreach. At the same time, USHS served over 700,000 meals.
“These are big numbers, but every one of those numbers is a person, a family, a story,” Hill clarified. “But here’s the reality — homelessness is becoming part of us all; it’s reaching more people. And we’re seeing it affect people who never thought they would face it: people who lost their home through fire; people who are working full time, sometimes multiple jobs, and still can’t afford the rent; seniors on fixed income who have been priced out of the community they’ve lived in for decades. This is no longer something that affects someone else. It affects our neighbors, our co-workers, sometimes our own family and friends — people who did everything right and still found themselves without a safety net.”
“So we took a hard look at where we are and where we can make the biggest impact,” continued Hill. “Over the past year, we’ve built a new three-year strategic plan for our staff, our partners, and the people we serve. It’s focused, it’s practical, and it’s centered on five priorities — preventing homelessness before it starts, integrating behavioral health in housing, expanding workforce development and job pathways, strengthening food access, and increasing affordable housing — because these are what would solve homelessness.”
“As a result of that planning, I’m excited to share that we are launching a new initiative that brings together two of those priority areas: food access and workforce development,” Hill disclosed. “It’s a culinary workforce program that will be operated out of our brand-new commercial kitchen and will allow us to do two things at once — feed more people as the need continues to grow in our communities and create real job pathways for the people we serve. Participants who earn food safety certifications will work in our commercial kitchen and build the skill they need to enter into the workforce.”
And Hill announced the plan that received the biggest applause. “This is where THIS community stepped up in such a powerful way. Many of the chefs and restaurant partners involved in Masters of Taste have committed to hiring our graduates.”
“We are absolutely thrilled that our first cohort of graduates will work with our Union Station Food Services team as they are featured this year at Culinary Masters,” Hill added. “This is not just training, it’s not just food, it’s a direct bridge from homelessness, to employment, to long-term stability.”
“And that’s why Masters of Taste matters,” Hill emphasized. “Yes, it’s one of the top food events in LA but it’s also one of the most impactful. Every ticket, every sponsor, every story shared helps fund housing, food programs, and workforce development. Events like this help us fill that kitchen, train more people, serve more meals, and move more people into stable housing.”
When Masters of Taste 2026 host chefs Thomas and Vanessa Tilaka-Kalb came on stage, Thomas said they have been eagerly waiting for this opportunity to host the event and promises to make this year the best one yet. And Vanessa said they plan to transform the Rose Bowl into the “field of Cheese.”
The brainchild of Rob and Leslie Levy, owners of The Raymond 1886 and Knox & Dobson in Pasadena, Masters of Taste was a concept Rob adapted from a childhood friend’s organization in Chicago called “Inspiration Café” which delivers sandwiches to the homeless. When the former CEO of Union Station asked him to be on the board, he set out to find a better way to raise funds than asking people to get all dressed up to attend a gala they only felt obligated to attend. Leslie came up with the idea of having chefs gather for an event that was so amazing it didn’t feel like it was a charity affair.
On their first year at the Rose Bowl, a spontaneous line dancing broke out on the field — a delightful occurrence that was totally unanticipated. It was when they knew they had stumbled upon a successful endeavor. There was another year when it rained which, incredibly, made it an even better event. Nobody left — 3,000 people on the field stayed through the rain; Levy said it was the most memorable year they’ve had.
Masters of Taste continues to grow bigger every year; it has flourished through the COVID pandemic and the Eaton Fire. This year’s participating restaurants are: Agnes, Alexander’s Steakhouse, Ayara Thai, Bianca Sicilian Trattoria, BOA Steakhouse, Casa Cordoba, Celestino Ristorante, Chaaste Family Market, City Club of Los Angeles, Descanso Restaurant, Dorasti, Emporium Thai, Fitoor Santa Monica, Harold & Belle’s Restaurant, Love & Salt, Marina Restaurant, Paloma, Paradise Dynasty, Pez Coastal Kitchen, Poppy + Rose, Ramen Tatsunoya, STK Steakhouse, Sushi Roku, The Exchange Restaurant (Freehand LA), The Italian Deli Co., The Second Wind, Truffle Brothers, Uchi West Hollywood. Wife and the Somm, and Zira Uzbek Kitchen.
Joining them on the Rose Bowl field on April 19 are these beverage sellers: Above Board Liqueurs, Akagisan Sake, All Season Brewing Company, Arts District Brewing Company, Broda Vodka, Broken Shaker, Bücha Whole Fruit Hard Kombucha, Burden of Proof, Empress 1908 Gin, Eever-Tree, Good Intentions Coffee, Knox & Dobson, LA Bay Gin Distillerie Californienne, Lyre’s, Meadows Estate Vineyard and Winery, Navarro Vineyards, Old Hillside Bourbon, Paperback Brewing, Pucker Up Lemonade Company, Sake High!, Savage Rabbit Distribution, Shelter Distilling, Shinju Japanese Whisky, Smoke Lab Vodka, Subourbon Life, Sunright Tea Studio, The Raymond 1886, Ventura Spirits, Warson Wine Company and Xoloitzcuintle Tequila.
The bakeries and confectioners in this year’s Masters of Taste are: All About the Cinnamon, Bertha Mae’s Brownie Co., Cakes by Chante, Delight Pastry, Id-Éclair, Laderach, Lark Cake Shop, Magpies Softserve, Nothing Bundt Cakes, Pazzo Gelato, Perlas Ice Cream, Porto’s Bakery & Café, Rico Rico Snack Carts LLC and The Pink Cookie.
Major sponsors for this year’s event include: U.S. Bank. AltaMed Foundation, City National Bank, Pepsi, the Rose Bowl Stadium, Smart & Final, Soyfoods of America, Sysco, Vesta Food Service, Westport Construction and Whittier Trust.
With a vast array of food and beverages to be savored and imbibed, the 2026 Masters of Taste is coming back this April 19 better and more fun than it has ever been. More than an afternoon and evening filled with culinary, beverage and sweet offerings along the 50-yard line at the iconic Rose Bowl, attendance will help USHS in its mission to end homelessness.
