3rd Annual Tastemakers of Orange County at Segerstrom Center

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.

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

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 3^rd 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.

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.