San Diego Sriracha Festival recap 2014

Thank you for helping Food GPS & I make the San Diego Sriracha Festival a huge hit and for helping us donate $1,000 to Mama’s Kitchen, a local charity that prepares and delivers three meals a day—free of charge—to approximately 350 men, women, and children affected by AIDS or cancer in San Diego County!

Hope to see many more fellow Srirachaholics at this Sunday’s 2nd Annual Los Angeles Sriracha Festival at Chinatown’s historic Central Plaza! Get your all-inclusive tix before they’re gone!

Click through to the Facebook album to see all the photos from the San Diego Sriracha Festival and please feel free to tag yourself in them if you see your pretty/handsome face!

Photos by Evelyn Molina Photography

2nd Annual Los Angeles Sriracha Festival

Back by popular demand, the 2nd Annual L.A. Sriracha Festival is taking place on Sunday, October 19, at Chinatown’s historic Central Plaza. This chef-driven, all-inclusive, 21+ event spotlights the world’s most iconic hot sauce at a unique, historical venue. Multiple stations allow guests to enjoy a variety of Sriracha-themed dishes freely, including desserts, at their own pace. Local craft beer, cocktails, sodas, iced coffee and iced tea help tame the heat while a live DJ set helps create a fun and unforgettable food and drink experience.

Some of L.A.’s best chefs and restaurants participating in this year’s event include:

* BEACHWOOD BBQ & BREWING - Gabe Gordon
* EAGLE ROCK BREWERY PUBLIC HOUSE - Jerry Su 
* EASTSIDE MARKET ITALIAN DELI - Vito Angiuli
* EGGSLUT - Alvin Cailan & Johnny Lee
* THE GADARENE SWINE + SCRATCH BAR - Phillip Frankland Lee
* GREENSPAN’S GRILLED CHEESE - Eric Greenspan
* JITLADA THAI RESTAURANT - Tui Sungkamee + Jazz Singsanong
* KOMODO - Erwin Tjahyadi
* THE LITTLE JEWEL OF NEW ORLEANS - Marcus Christiana-Beniger
* CHEF MEI LIN (Top Chef season 12, former sous chef at ink.)
* MENDOCINO FARMS - Judy Han
* MUD HEN TAVERN - Kajsa Alger
* SHOPHOUSE SOUTHEAST ASIAN KITCHEN - Nate Appleman
* SQIRL - Jessica Koslow
* WILLY B’s - Christian Page 

DESSERTS:
* CRÈME CARAMEL LA - Kristine de la Cruz
* McCONNELL’s FINE ICE CREAMS
* RED BREAD - Rose Lawrence

DRINKS: Inventive bartenders Jason Bran & Damian Windsor are serving creative cocktails, with Eagle Rock Brewery, Beachwood BBQ and Brewing, and Golden Road Brewing pouring craft beer. The event will also feature craft sodas from Los Angeles Ale Works, coffee from Portola Coffee Lab, tea from Seventh Tea Bar, and beyond-green purified water will be provided by Pure Water of Los Angeles.

SPONSORS: ShopHouse Southeast Asian Kitchen is Chipotle’s Southeast Asian concept with locations in Hollywood, Westwood, and Santa Monica on Third Street Promenade.

Olmeca Altos 100% Agave Tequila is born from a unique partnership between internationally renowned UK Bartenders Henry Besant and Dre Masso and Olmeca’s own Master Distiller Jesús Hernández. Olmeca Altos Tequila is produced in Los Altos of Jalisco, 2104 metres above sea level, and is created, in part, using the traditional Tahona production process, before being distilled in small copper pot stills.

Chinatown Business Improvement District, an organization with a mission to creatively plan, manage and facilitate the rebirth of historic Chinatown as a multinational culturally defined, economically vibrant and socially engaging community, provided key support.

CHARITY: A portion of proceeds from the LA Sriracha Festival will directly benefit Food Forward; a Los Angeles-based 501.c.3 nonprofit whose mission is to rescue fresh local produce that would otherwise go to waste, connecting this abundance with people in need. Over 5 million pounds of fruits and vegetables have been gleaned and donated to local food pantries since 2009, helping feed over 100,000 food-insecure Southern Californians each month. 

TICKET INFORMATION: General Admission tickets are $59 per person in advance, and $69 per person at the door, if still available. VIP Tickets for the event are $90 in advance, and $100 per person at the door, if available. They include reserved seating and one-hour early admission from 2 pm to 3 pm. (Food and drink are included in the price of admission.)

TICKETS AND MORE INFO:
http://sriracha.nightout.com/ 

LOCATION: Chinatown’s Central Plaza, 943-951 N. Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90012

TRANSPORTATION AND PARKING: The event is a short walk from the Metro Gold Line Chinatown station. Lot parking is available in the neighborhood, and street parking is also an option.

FINE PRINT: This is a 21+ event. Tickets are non-refundable. All sales are final. Event is rain or shine. No outside food or beverage allowed.

About The Sriracha Cookbook: Randy Clemens released The Sriracha Cookbook in January 2011, incorporating his favorite hot sauce in 50 unique recipes. Due to popular demand, The Veggie-Lover’s Sriracha Cookbook recently launched in July 2013 with an additional 50 recipes, all plant-based in nature. Both books are available on Amazon and at independent bookstores nationwide. More info at TheSrirachaCookbook.com.

About Food GPS: Josh Lurie founded Food GPS in 2005. Since then, his Los Angeles-based website has remained dedicated to pinpointing the highest quality, best-tasting food and drink, regardless of price or cuisine, and sharing stories of people behind the flavor. Food GPS, Inc. also produces unique culinary events. More info at FoodGPS.com.

FOLLOW SRIRACHA FESTIVAL UPDATES ON:
Facebook: facebook.com/TheSrirachaCookbook | facebook.com/foodgps
Twitter: twitter.com/SrirachaBook | twitter.com/foodgps
Instagram: instagram.com/foodgps
Hashtag: #SrirachaFest

RSVP/INVITE FRIENDS ON FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/events/380121912142530

PRESS CONTACT:
Lawrence Moore & Associates Inc. 
Lawrence@LawrenceMooreAssociates.com 

Oh, you haven’t heard? The Sriracha Festival is BACK! In addition to returning to Los Angeles on 10/19, the San Diego Sriracha Festival is making its official debut at Liberty Station on Saturday 9/20!

To celebrate, I’m hosting a giveaway! One lucky winner will get two (2) VIP tickets to the San Diego Sriracha Festival, plus a signed copy of each: The Sriracha Cookbook and The Veggie-Lover’s Sriracha Cookbook!

The contest is running through 12:01am Pacific Time on Sept 15, 2014, and there are ways to enter to win EVERY DAY.

More details, and how to enter:
VIP Ticket GIVEAWAY: San Diego Sriracha Festival

To buy tickets for the LA and/or SD #SrirachaFest, visit http://sriracha.nightout.com

1st Annual San Diego Sriracha Festival

Making its highly anticipated debut is the 1st Annual San Diego Sriracha Festival on Saturday, September 20, 2014 at Liberty Station.

This chef-driven, all-inclusive, 21+ event from The Sriracha Cookbook and Food GPS spotlights the world’s most iconic hot sauce at a unique, historical venue. Multiple stations allow guests to enjoy a variety of Sriracha-themed dishes, including desserts, at their own pace. Local craft beer, cocktails, sodas, iced coffee and iced tea help tame the heat while a live DJ set helps create a fun and unforgettable food and drink experience.

Some of San Diego’s best chefs and restaurants participating in this year’s event include:

• AQUI ES TEXCOCO — Francisco Perez (Best Tacos in 15 US Cities, Zagat 2014)
• THE BELLOWS — Schuyler Schultz (Best New American Cuisine Nominee, San Diego A-List)
• GANG KITCHEN — Craig Jimenez (San Diego’s Best Eats, Drinks & Restaurants, Discover San Diego 2014)
• HASH HOUSE A GO GO + THE TRACTOR ROOM — Craig “Andy” Beardslee (36 Hours in San Diego Must Have Dinner, New York Times, 2009)
• THE PATIO — John Medall (San Diego’s Top 10 Weekend Brunches & Breakfasts, TheCultureTrip.com)
• SLATER’S 50/50 — Brad Lyons (Best Hamburger, UT San Diego 2013)
• STONE BREWING WORLD BISTRO & GARDENS — Steve Robbins (The Best Restaurants in San Diego: Best Brewpub, San Diego Magazine 2014)
• SUPERNATURAL SANDWICHES — Christian Eggert (The Iconic Sandwiches of San Diego, Eater San Diego)
• URBN ST. BREWING — Alex Carballo (12 to watch in 2012, Hospitality Magazine)
• URGE AMERICAN GASTROPUB — Marc Liautard (Best Neighborhood Bar Nominee, San Diego A-List)
• WOW WOW WAFFLE — Joe Kraft (7 New San Diego Restaurants You Need To Try This Summer, Thrillist 2014)

DESSERTS: Churros El Tigre, Peterson’s Donut Corner, and Quenelle will be serving desserts throughout the festival.

BEVERAGES: Stone Brewing Co., Iron Fist Brewing Company and URBN St. Brewing will be pouring local craft beer, while inventive bartenders Jason Bran & Damian Windsor will serve creative cocktails. The event will also feature craft sodas from Los Angeles Ale Works, coffee from Portola Coffee Lab, and tea from Seventh Tea Bar.

CHARITY: A portion of proceeds from the San Diego Sriracha Festival will directly benefit Mama’s Kitchen, a San Diego-based charity that prepares and delivers three meals a day—free of charge—to approximately 350 men, women, and children affected by AIDS or cancer in San Diego County. Mama’s Kitchen has served over 7,000,000 meals since it was founded in 1990 and has never turned away a client who qualified for its services. More info at mamaskitchen.org.

TICKETS AND MORE INFO:
http://sriracha.nightout.com/ 

SRIRACHAHOLIC VIP PASS: Making its highly anticipated return is the 2nd Annual Los Angeles Sriracha Festival on Sunday, October 19 from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm at L.A. Chinatown’s landmark Central Plaza. A limited number of diehard Sriracha fans are invited to buy VIP tickets to both fests for a discounted bundle price that including one-hour early admission and guaranteed seating at both events.

About The Sriracha Cookbook: Randy Clemens released The Sriracha Cookbook in January 2011, incorporating his favorite hot sauce in 50 unique recipes. Due to popular demand, The Veggie-Lover’s Sriracha Cookbook recently launched in July 2013 with an additional 50 recipes, all plant-based in nature. Both books are available on Amazon and at independent bookstores nationwide. More info at TheSrirachaCookbook.com.

About Food GPS: Josh Lurie founded Food GPS in 2005. Since then, his Los Angeles-based website has remained dedicated to pinpointing the highest quality, best-tasting food and drink, regardless of price or cuisine, and sharing stories of people behind the flavor. Food GPS, Inc. also produces unique culinary events. More info at FoodGPS.com.

FOLLOW SRIRACHA FESTIVAL UPDATES ON:
Facebook: facebook.com/TheSrirachaCookbook | facebook.com/foodgps
Twitter: twitter.com/SrirachaBook | twitter.com/foodgps
Instagram: instagram.com/foodgps
Hashtag: #SrirachaFest

RSVP/INVITE FRIENDS ON FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/events/445604262246851/

PRESS CONTACT:
Lawrence Moore & Associates Inc. 
Lawrence@LawrenceMooreAssociates.com 

Recap: 1st Annual LA Sriracha Festival 

As you may recall (or maybe you saw it in the new Sriracha documentary), I co-hosted the 1st Annual LA Sriracha Festival back in October with my good friend Josh Lurie from FoodGPS.com.

Josh was kind enough to put together a great slideshow from the event with pics from our good friend Bernie Wire, and I invite you to check it out! (There are photos on both pages!)

It was an incredible experience, and we’ll absolutely be doing it again in 2014… and expanding it to other cities! While I loved it all, my favorite part was knowing that a portion of all proceeds was going to Food Forward, a North Hollywood-based charity whose mission is to rescue and donate fresh local produce that would otherwise go to waste. Over 1.7 million pounds of food has been gleaned since 2009, and given to local food pantries, helping feed over 40,000 hungry Southern Californians each month. Presenting them with a check for $2,500 felt amazing!

A HUGE thanks to our sponsors: Huy Fong Foods, ShopHouse Southeast Asian Kitchen, Shellback Rum, TRU Organic Gin, Ten Speed Press, and Uber.

Besides having a great time meeting so many fellow Sriracha addicts, it was also really cool getting to try all the wonderful creations that our talented collection of chefs were cranking out! 

Tons of thanks to all of them:

• Wesley Avila — Guerrilla Tacos — “Best Tacos in LA Under $10”, Time Out LA (2013)
• Nadav Bashan — Bashan — “Most Underrated Restaurant in LA”, Eater
• Neal Fraser — BLD, Fritzi Dog, ICDC, Redbird at Vibiana, The Strand House —Top Chef: Masters (Season 5)
• Gabe Gordon — Beachwood BBQ & Brewing — “Best Brewpub in Southern California”, RateBeer.com (2013)
• Eric Greenspan — The Foundry on Melrose, Greenspan’s Grilled Cheese, The Roof on Wilshire — Iron Chef: America, The Next Iron Chef
• Tai Kim — Scoops — ”10 Best Ice Cream & Gelato Shops” (#8), LA Weekly (2011)
• Esdras Ochoa & Javier Fregoso — Mexicali Taco & Co. — “The Best Tacos in Los Angeles”, laist (2013)
• Christian Page — Short Order — “5 Reasons to Get Out and Explore LA”, Bon Appetit (2012)
• Tui Sungkamee & Jazz Singsanong — Jitlada — Jonathan Gold’s 101 Best Restaurants (#9), LA Weekly’s 99 Essential Restaurants (2013)
• Chloe Tran & John Vu Cao — East Borough — “One Perfect Day in Costa Mesa,” Sunset Magazine, opening restaurant in Culver City
• Ernesto Uchimura —Plan Check Kitchen + Bar — “Chef of the Year”, Los Angeles Magazine (2012) 

What good is food—especially spicy food—without something nice to wash it down with? To drink, we had Eagle Rock Brewery, Beachwood BBQ & Brewing, and Firestone Walker Brewing Co. pouring craft beers and inventive bartenders Josh Goldman (Soigné Group) and Matthew Biancaniello serving creative Sriracha-spiked cocktails. Los Angeles Ale Works created an artisan ginger ale (with or without Sriracha!) and Pure Water of Los Angeles provided beyond-green purified water from their water systems.

To all the volunteers, attendees, staff, coordinators, and anybody else that helped make this event a monumental success, THANK YOU. Looking forward to making it even bigger and better this year! Viva la Sriracha!

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Photo slideshow: 1st Annual LA Sriracha Festival [via FoodGPS.com]