The tasting will be hosted by chefs Anna Sonenshein and Niki Vahle of Little Fish, and feature a lineup of 10 chefs from L.A. independent restaurants

The James Beard Foundation’s Taste America culinary series will offer a taste of Los Angeles with a walk-around tasting on Oct. 6 at 7 p.m. at the LINE Los Angeles, the organization behind the James Beard Awards announced Monday.

The Taste America series, presented by American Express and Resy, celebrates the culinary scene in 20 cities across the country by highlighting acclaimed local chefs. The tasting will bring the L.A. culinary community together, with more than 10 stations featuring food, beverages and special activations.

“We’re thrilled to bring this celebration to Los Angeles, where guests will sample exceptional bites from some of the city’s most dynamic talent, connect with their local food community, and raise a glass to the chefs leading our industry forward through both craft and purpose,” James Beard Foundation CEO Clare Reichenbach said in a statement. “It will be a festive evening, all while directly supporting the James Beard Foundation’s mission to champion independent restaurants at a time when that support is needed more than ever.”

The tasting will be hosted by chefs Anna Sonenshein and Niki Vahle of Little Fish. Sonenshein and Vahle are part of the James Beard Foundation’s 2026-2027 TasteTwenty class, their annual list recognizing chefs whose cooking and creative vision are shaping the future of dining. 

“We couldn’t be more excited to be a part of the TasteTwenty cohort and to be able to represent Los Angeles in this year’s class,” Sonenshein and Vahle said in a statement. “Restaurants are very much a team sport. We get to work everyday with people that are really committed to doing the best possible work and that includes our network of fishermen, farmers, colleagues around the city and beyond that we bounce ideas off of and get inspired by.”

Sonenshein and Vahle will be joined by a lineup of chefs from independent restaurants across L.A. including: Jonathan Harris of Linden, Rashida Holmes of Bridgetown Roti, Fátima Juárez of Komal, Ki Kim of Ki, Johnny Lee of RasaRumah, Charles Namba of Camélia, Rose Previte of Maydan LA, Misha Sesar and Cody Ma of Azizam, and Tyler Wells and Paul Downer of Betsy.

Tickets for the tasting will be available for purchase on Tuesday. Premier tickets are $225 per person and allow guests to arrive an hour early to the event at 6 p.m. The ticket also includes special bites and beverages that will only be offered during that first hour. General admission is $175 per person, and includes food and beverage offered during the event. For more information and to view menus, visit jamesbeard.org/tasteamerica.

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Proceeds from the event will support the James Beard Foundation’s national impact programs, which aim to champion a more sustainable and equitable future for independent restaurants. 

“We can’t wait to celebrate Los Angeles’s remarkable culinary community at this special event,” Siobhan Flaherty Haber, Vice President of Events for the James Beard Foundation, said in a statement. “In one evening, guests will taste what makes Los Angeles one of the most distinct food cities in America.”