On the heels of its 20th anniversary, the Orange County Asian and Pacific Islander Community Alliance (OCAPICA) will host the 3rd Annual “Tastemakers of Orange County” culinary event on Wednesday, September 5th in the Julianne and George Argyros Plaza at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa. This culinary event celebrates the Asian and Pacific Islander community, culture, and heritage by giving guests the opportunity to taste and indulge in Asian and Pacific Island-inspired cuisines and beverages from distinguished chefs throughout Orange County. Proceeds from tickets sold for this event benefit OCAPICA to support mental health, health, workforce, youth in education, and civic engagement opportunities for low income families throughout Orange County.
Chef Dee Nguyen of Break of Dawn.
Participating chefs and restaurants include:
TAKASHI ABE & TED LEE | Bluefin
BILL BRACKEN | Bracken’s Kitchen
IVAN CALDERON | Taco Mesa + Taco Rosa
LEONARD CHAN | Shuck Oyster Bar
GREG DANIELS | Chef Greg Daniels
THE GAVIÑA FAMILY | Gaviña Coffee
JAMES HAMAMORI | Hamamori
BRIAN HUSKEY | Tackle Box
DEAN KIM | OC Baking Company
ED LEE | Wahoo’s Fish Taco
SHACHI MEHRA | ADYA
SANDRO NARDONE | Bello
DEE NGUYEN | Break of Dawn
KRISTIN NGUYEN | Garlic and Chives
SONNY NGUYEN | 7 Leaves Cafe
HENRY PINEDA | Modern Filipino Kitchen by Aysee
SHELLY REGISTER | A Market
AMAR SANTANA | Broadway by Amar Santana + Vaca
JASON & REBECCA SCHIFFER | 320 Main
MAX SCHULTZ | Sessions West Coast Deli
RAINER SCHWARZ | Driftwood Kitchen + Hendrix
GREG STILLMAN | Leatherby’s Café Rouge + Segerstrom Center for the Arts
TARIT TANJASIRI | Crema Cafe + Crema Artisan Bakers
ALLAN TEA | Hello Kitty Café
Chef Tarit Tanjasiri of Crema Cafe and Crema Artisan Bakers.
This year’s event has attracted the support of many influencers, including Ryan Patel, a global business executive and CNN Newsroom contributor who has established himself as a thought-leader and expert in growing and scaling companies. Patel’s interest in spreading awareness of Asian and Pacific Island-inspired foods and culture has led him to learn more about the work of OCAPICA and take time out of his busy schedule to attend the 3rd annual Tastemakers of Orange County event.
The celebration at Argyros Plaza will include food tastings, fun entertainment, and silent and live auctions for guests to enjoy. Tickets are available to the public for $125 for VIP, which allows early entry at 6 p.m., and $85 for General Admission, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. More information and tickets can be found at tastemakersofoc.com.
Chef Amar Santana of Broadway by Amar Santana and Vaca.
All photos by Lisa Hu Chen Photography.
ABOUT OCAPICA
Established in 1997, the Orange County Asian and Pacific Islander Community Alliance (OCAPICA) is a community-based nonprofit organization providing free services to those in need in Orange County. OCAPICA staff speak 26 languages, including American Sign Language, and serve more than 40,000 community members a year. Program services include health, mental health, youth education, workforce development, and civic engagement. For more information, please visit OCAPICA.org.
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