It was a spectacular day to savor the finer things in life on the field of the historic Rose Bowl during Masters of Taste on Sunday, April 3.

The new outdoor, luxury culinary festival opened at 3 p.m. to the public as a fundraiser for Union Station. Approximately 2,000 influential food and beverage enthusiasts enjoyed small plates from some of L.A.’s finest chefs and notable sweet masters.

There were multiple opportunities to sip signature handcrafted cocktails and tastings from over 25 beverage masters from top cocktail bars.

Participating wineries include Alexander Valley Vineyards from Healdsburg, Paso Robles’ Anglim Winery, the premium boutique winery Ascension Cellars and Ventura’s Four Brix Winery. Guests can also enjoy pressed juices, hand-roasted coffee and entertainment.

Here are some of my favorite participating chefs and what they served at the event.  Matt Bata, from Alexander’s Steakhouse; Bernhard Mairinger, of BierBeisl; Michael “Mick” Schepers, of HACHÉ LA; Yoya Takahashi, of Hamasaku; Carolos Tomazos, of Inotheke; Sean Popcock, of Made in Brooklyn; Kyle Schutte, of Wood & Vine; Neal Fraser, of Redbird; and Isaias Pena, of Spare Tire Kitchen & Tavern. Brewmasters include Alosta Brewing Co., Bootlegger’s Brewery, Iron Triangle Brewing, Indie Brewing Company and Golden Road Brewing.

Proceeds from Masters of Taste benefitted Union Station Homeless Services, a nonprofit organization based in Pasadena and committed to helping homeless men, women and children rebuild their lives. Services include street outreach, meals, shelter, housing, case management and career development.

I hope this event was a huge success and that they will organize another Masters of Taste in 2017. Here’s who I met –

1. Made in Brooklyn Pizza Food Truck – HOLD IT. FOLD IT. EAT IT. http://mibpizza.com Instagram @MadeInBrooklynNYPizza – Twitter @MIBPizza

2. Kelly’s Kookies served individual plate of various cookies to each guest before entering the center of the stadium.They were delicious. http://www.kelleyskookies.com/  Instagram @KellysKookies – Twitter @KellysKookies.

3. San Antonio Winery served a variety of their wines and offered foodies a chance to win a beautiful wine basket. http://sanantoniowinery.com Instagram @SanAntonioWinery – Twitter @SAWineryLA

4. BAI – Bai is the Mandarin Chinese word for “pure.” It’s also an acronym for “botanical antioxidant infusions.” Bai uses only natural flavors without artificial colors to create our fresh, delicious, 5-calorie beverages. http://www.drinkbai.com Instagram @DrinkBai – Twitter @Drink Bai.

5. I recently reviewed Executive Chef Neal Fraser‘s newest culinary endeavor Fritzi DLTA https://dineandtravel.me/2016/02/05/fritzi-dtla-is-fabulous/ and was happy to see him representing Redbird. Instagram @RedbirdLA – Twitter @RedbirdLA

6. Spare Tire Kitchen + Bar – I always enjoy seeing Executive Chef Isaias Peña and owner Paul Boettcher. I’ve reviewed this fun gastropub on Wilshire Blvd. along the Wilshire Corridor – /http://beverlypress.com/2015/02/spare-tire-kitchen-tavern-more-than-a-fun-gastropub/ Instagram @SpareTireLA – Twitter @SpareTireLA

6. HOOCH is a private cocktail app for your smart phone. The App is free to download to check out. If you decide to become a member, membership is $9.99 per month, less than the price of one cocktail. https://hooch.co Instagram @HoochApp – Twitter @HoochApp

7. Massage Envy offered complimentary massages to ticket holders. http://www.massageenvy.com

8. Choctál representatives offered four tastes of chocolates and four spoons of their vanilla ice cream. The chocolates were from Ghana, Kalimantan, Costa Rica and Dominican Republic. The vanilla beans used to make the vanilla ice cream are from Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Madagascar and Mexico.  The ice cream is elegant, smooth and intensely creamy. http://www.choctal.com Instragram @Choctal – Twitter @Choctal

9. Executive Chef Brendan Collins of Birch was at the festival. He had his book – Cooking, Blokes and Artichokes – A Modern Man’s Kitchen Handbook for all to admire. http://birchlosangeles.com Instagram @BirchLosAngeles – Twitter @BirchLA

10. Golden Road Brewery Crafted in Glendale/Los Angeles since 2011. They served tastes of Wolf 3D and 329 Lager. Did you know there are 329 days of sun in So Cal? 329 Lager is full-flavored and easy-drinking with a clean, crisp finish. http://www.goldenroad.la Instagram @GoldenRoadBrew – Twitter @GoldenRoadBrew

11. Indie Brewing Company – I met (L to R) Brewmaster James Mancuso, who loves every Indie brew. Kevin O’Malley – a graduate of the Introduction to Practical Brewing Course at University of Davis, California, one of the top brewing schools in the U.S. His favorite beer is the Indie’s Porter offering a complex rich taste with a drinkability he has never experienced with any other porter. Connor Forbes, an expert at brewing, drinking, and loving beer. These guys were a lot of fun and had a great time at Masters of Taste. http://indiebrewco.com Instagram @IndieBrewCO -Twitter @IndieBrewingCo

12. The Raymond – 1886 Bar opened a cocktail program was created by Aidan Demarest and Marcos Tello (The Edison, 7 Grand, Tom Bergins) with a strong foundation in classic techniques. They make perfect Manhattans, Old-Fashions, Sidecars, and Sours with fresh juices and hand-cut chunks of ice. Every syrup, infusion, tincture and foam is house-made and perfectly tailored to suit the recipes. Bar 1886 offers over 600 off-menu house cocktails. http://theraymond.com/1886-2/ Instagram @1886Bar – Twitter @1886Bar.

To learn more about Masters of Taste, go to https://mastersoftastela.com