L.A. Times Food Bowl, a monthlong food festival, kicks off in June

Food Bowl, the Times’ monthlong food festival, will return in June for its fifth year. A series of live and virtual events will celebrate the diversity and resilience of the food and restaurant scene in Southern California as L.A.-area restaurants emerge from a devastating pandemic year.

In-person dining experiences and virtual forums are scheduled for June 9-July 12, and participants can expect prix fixe menu offerings, outdoor dining opportunities, virtual discussions with leaders in the food industry, and a series of events that honor Phenakite, the Times’ Restaurant of the Year, and Guelaguetza, the winner of this year’s Gold Award.

Some events are paid and others are free or free with online registration. Below is a sampling of events, which will be added to in coming weeks:

June 9

Virtual Food Forum: Women in Food

Beginning at 6 p.m. via Zoom, celebrity chef Carla Hall, restaurateur Bricia Lopez (Guelaguetza) and chef Minh Phan (Phenakite, porridge + puffs) will join Times columnist Jenn Harris in a discussion about women in the food industry.

June 13

Food Bowl Patio Series

Starting June 13, Food Bowl will present a series of pop-ups in conjunction with Perrier. Various patio events will take place at bars and restaurants citywide, including Saikai Ramen, Nativo and Perle.

June 15

Virtual Food Forum: Red Drinks for Juneteenth

Times staff writer Donovan X. Ramsey hosts a virtual discussion via Zoom exploring Black foodways in honor of the Juneteenth holiday. Guests include chefs Ray Anthony Barrett (Cinqué), Kevin Bludso (Bludso’s Bar & Que), John Cleveland (Post & Beam) and Kim Prince (Hotville Chicken).

June 23

Virtual Food Forum: Food Accessibility & Its Relationship to Agriculture

California Secretary of Food and Agriculture Karen Ross joins Michael Flood, president and chief executive of the L.A. Regional Food Bank, in a discussion about food sustainability, waste and accessibility.

July 9 & 11

Restaurant of the Year Dining Series with Phenakite

Two events on the Second Home campus honor Phenakite, the Times’ Restaurant of the Year. The first event, scheduled for July 9 features a 14-course prix fixe dinner. The second, held July 11, features a bento box lunch during which the Restaurant of the Year award will be presented by Times staff.

July 12

Gold Award Dinner with Guelaguetza

Two dinner sessions featuring drinks and live music, at 6 and 8:30 p.m., will be held at Guelaguetza, in honor of the 2021 Gold Award recipient. The 6 p.m. session will include an award presentation hosted by L.A. Times Arts & Entertainment Editor Laurie Ochoa, as well as a book signing of “Oaxaca: Home Cooking From the Heart of Mexico” with author Bricia Lopez.

L.A. Times Food Bowl sponsors include City National Bank, Nestle Waters, Stella Artois and Beam Suntory. Charity partners include L.A. Regional Food Bank.

For tickets and additional information, including the relevant public health protocols, visit lafoodbowl.com. Connect on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @LAfoodbowl (#LAfoodbowl).