The Masters of Taste returned to the Rose Bowl in April, 2022- Post Coverage
The Masters of Taste – An Exciting Return to the Pasadena Rose Bowl on April 3, 2022
The Masters of Taste, an outdoor food and beverage festival, returned for its 5th anniversary on the afternoon of Sunday, April 3, 2022, to the historic football field of the Pasadena Rose Bowl.
The festival introduced Chef Vanda Asapahu as its first-ever female Host Chef of Masters of Taste 2022, the owner of Ayara Thai. Asapahu has participated in Masters of Taste since the event’s inception in April 2016.
3,000 food and beverage enthusiasts attended the annual event which included fare from over 100 “Culinary Masters” and restaurants, sweets prepared by L.A.’s top “Sweet Masters,” top “Beverage Masters” featured signature handcrafted cocktail tastings from over 25 spirit brands and bars, along with select wineries, local craft breweries, cold-pressed juices, cold brew coffee, live entertainment and more.
2022 Masters of Taste Platinum Sponsor Beam Suntory premiered their House of Suntory Tiny House on the 50 Yard Line along with a Maker’s Mark Lounge as well as American Born Whiskey, Dulce Vida Tequila, High Road Spirits serving Lucky Dog Sake.
Our favorite spirit of the day was Smoke Lab Vodka, India’s 5x Distilled New Age Vodka, both their Classic pure vodka and their Aniseed flavor (made with Aniseed spice – which casts tasty notes of fennel and liquorice). Their featured cocktails the Classic Cucumber Crush and Aniseed Ginger Mint were incredibly smooth and flavorful. Bonus that it’s Gluten Free, Vegan, Kosher and love they are a zero carbon footprint company! http://www.
Our favorite Wine selections consisted of wide ranging choices of hard-to-find Red Wines from Ascension Cellars of Paso Robles, Golden Star Vineyards of Littlerock, and the vegan, eco-friendly Obvious Wines of California.
Here were our picks for our favorite restaurants!
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1212 Santa Monica Chef Luca Maita – Santa Monica (Chicken Mac & Cheese)
- Ayara Thai 2022 Host Chef Vanda Asapahu – Westchester (Baked Scallops)
- Alexander’s Steakhouse Chef Richard Archuleta – Pasadena (Steak & Potatoes)
- Castaway Restaurant – Burbank http://www.
CastawayBurbank.com (Dry Aged Striploin) - Georgia’s Restaurant Nika Shoemaker-Machado – Anaheim, Long Beach (Gretchen’s Jambalaya)
- Gus’s World-Famous Fried Chicken – Burbank, Long Beach, Los Angeles (Signature Fried Chicken Breasts)
- Mercado Chef Jose Acevedo – Hollywood, Los Angeles, Manhattan Beach, Pasadena, Santa Monica (Jicama Shrimp Tacos)
- The Raymond 1886 Chef Gabriel Cappelli – Pasadena (Squab Leg with Spinach Puree and Citrus Gastrique)
Our food truck picks at the very front entrance included:
- Kabobaholic Ali Pooya – Los Angeles, Orange County (Homemade Falafel)
- The Tropic Truck Lauren Saravia – Los Angeles (Roasted Pork Nachos)
After the generous selections of food and drinks, we actually had room left for our one and only dessert sample of the day, choosing from an assortment of light and fruity Nomad Ice Pops, locally made with fruit and other natural ingredients.
100 percent of the proceeds from Masters of Taste 2022 directly benefit Union Station Homeless Services, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that is committed to providing permanent solutions to end homelessness and rebuild lives. Headquartered in Pasadena, CA, Union Station has served the community for nearly 50 years and today it is the San Gabriel Valley’s largest social service agency assisting homeless and very low-income adults and families. In the last 4 years, Masters of Taste has raised over $2 million in support of Union Station Homeless Services’ life-saving programs.
The Masters of Taste is scheduled to return next year to the Rose Bowl again for its 6th annual event. The exact date will be announced later in the year on their website http://www.
Assisted Writing & Photos by Roger Lim