With a roster that includes Cali Dumpling, OC Baking Company and Taco Mesita, to name a few, next week’s must-attend gastronomic event is the seventh annual Tastemakers of Orange County. On Sept. 13, more than 25 Orange County chefs and cocktail slingers will convene at Argyros Plaza at Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa to host a culinary show of their own, offering patrons the chance to taste some of the region’s best bites in one setting.
Celebrating the Asian and Pacific Islander community and culture, guests will have the opportunity to enjoy culturally inspired dishes while helping out the Orange County Asian and Pacific Islander Community Alliance (OCAPICA), an organization offering mental health services, youth development, housing assistance, policy education, and efforts to combat anti-Asian racism throughout Orange County.
Titular tastemakers appearing at this year’s festival include Allan Tea of Cali Dumpling, Nok’s Kitchen’s very own Nok Sayavong, Seafood Cove’s Eddie Lai and Leslie Nguyen of Miss Mini Donuts.
Brewery X, Bondle Wines’s Duyen Ha, Leonard Chan of Stowaway Tiki Bar and Fernando Basadre of Gavina Coffee will also be on hand providing boozy and caffeinated libations.
The complete Tastemakers lineup for 2023:
Shelly Register | A MarketShachi Mehra | ADYASonny Nguyen + Chad Urata | Artisan 7 Leaves CaféSandro Nardone | BelloDuyen Ha | Bondle WinesBill Bracken | Bracken’s KitchenBrewery XAllan Tea | Cali DumplingTarit Tanjasiri | Crema Cafe + Crema Artisan BakersRainer Schwarz | Driftwood Kitchen + HendrixRich Mead | Farmhouse at Rogers GardenEd Lee & Linda Nguyen | Fill BakeshopKristen Nguyen | Garlic and ChivesFernando Basadre | Gavina CoffeeJames Hamamori | HamamoriHanuman Thai EateryLotus of SiamLeslie Nguyen | Miss Mini DonutsHenry Pineda | Modern Filipino Kitchen by Aysee + Lola’s by MFKNok Sayavong | Nok’s KitchenDean Kim | OC Baking CompanyAdam Navidi | Oceans and EarthDesmond Boey & Jason Kuo | Paradise Dynasty + Le Shrimp Noodle BarEddie Lai | Seafood CoveLeonard Chan | Stowaway Tiki BarIvan Calderon | Taco MesitaRoss Pangilinan | Terrace by Mix Mix + ReMix Kitchen BarAmar Santana | Vaca
Proceeds from ticket sales go to OCAPICA. Event also features live entertainment and a silent auction.
Find it: Argyros Plaza at Segerstrom Center for the Arts, 600 Town Center Dr. (at Sunflower Ave.), Costa Mesa
When: 6-9 p.m./7-9 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 13
Tickets: $250 for VIP, which allows early entry at 6 p.m., and $195 for general admission from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Information: ocapica.org/tmoc
