Photos: Scenes from the Taste food and wine festival

Dishes from Thai restaurant, Jitlada, are plated and ready for the hungry crowds. (Jenna Schoenefeld / For The Times)

Patrons sample plates of seafood and drinks in the outdoor lounge. (Jenna Schoenefeld / For The Times)

The crew from Connie & Ted’s prepare some oysters for guests on a bed of ice and seaweed. (Jenna Schoenefeld / For The Times)

A melon and cucumber salad from Faith & Flower. (Jenna Schoenefeld / For The Times)

Vietnamese spicy meatballs sit atop some lettuce and cucumbers, from the RockSugar Pan Asian Kitchen. (Jenna Schoenefeld / For The Times)

Different flavors of gelato are served to the crowd, courtesy of Bulgarini Gelato. (Jenna Schoenefeld / For The Times)

Samples of mixed drinks with Leblon are handed out to guests. (Jenna Schoenefeld / For The Times)

Veev bartender James Bowers mixes drinks for guests. (Jenna Schoenefeld / For The Times)

Cynthia Barrilleaux and Gianluca Castillo have some drinks in the outdoor lounge. (Jenna Schoenefeld / For The Times)

Sunset at The Taste at Paramount Studios on Day 3. (Jenna Schoenefeld / For The Times)

Drinks are mixed during the nighttime half of The Taste, with bartenders from Cocktail Academy. (Jenna Schoenefeld / For The Times)

Guests sit at candlelit tables outside of the Firefly lounge, put on by the Firefly restaurant. (Jenna Schoenefeld / For The Times)

A group poses for photos at the Taiwan Tourism Bureau booth. (Jenna Schoenefeld / For The Times)

Guests try and decide between the different options from The Counter. (Jenna Schoenefeld / For The Times)

A guest selects one of the turkey cranberry burgers from The Counter. (Jenna Schoenefeld / For The Times)

Kobe beef sliders with truffle oil from Zinc at Shade Hotel in Manhattan Beach. (Jenna Schoenefeld / For The Times)

Naan bread with sundried tomato pesto hummus from La Brea Bakery. (Jenna Schoenefeld / For The Times)

Barbecue chicken flatbread pizza from La Brea Bakery. (Jenna Schoenefeld / For The Times)

Jonathan Orellana of Pinches Tacos preps some food for guests. (Jenna Schoenefeld / For The Times)

Guests get in the partying spirit, wearing balloon hats from The Taste. (Jenna Schoenefeld / For The Times)

Madeleine Nielsen, 9, tries out the ramen burger. (Jenna Schoenefeld / For The Times)

A plated ramen burger, with its golden ramen bun, at the first session of The Taste. (Jenna Schoenefeld / For The Times)

Jenny Rose, Sebek Sanyika and Krystal Flynn take a break from the heat and food, sitting beneath the shade of one of the buildings. (Jenna Schoenefeld / For The Times)

Guests sit down at the tables and try some of the drinks and food. (Jenna Schoenefeld / For The Times)

The house is packed for Thomas Keller’s panel discussion, “20 Years of The French Laundry.” (Jenna Schoenefeld / For The Times)

The panel, from left to right: David Breeden of The French Laundry, Timothy Hollingsworth of Broad Museum Restaurant, Jeff Cerciello of Farmshop, Thomas Keller and moderator and food editor, Russ Parsons. (Jenna Schoenefeld / For The Times)

Chef Keller takes time after the discussion to sign books for fans. (Jenna Schoenefeld / For The Times)

The wine samples from a presentation on women winemakers. (Jenna Schoenefeld / For The Times)

The scene at the Paramount back lot, as patrons pick up plates of food. (Jenna Schoenefeld / For The Times)

Families arrive for Sunday brunch at the Taste. (Jenna Schoenefeld / For The Times)

Morning pastries await arriving guests. (Jenna Schoenefeld / For The Times)

Food samples (and picture taking) at the food booths. (Jenna Schoenefeld / For The Times)

A server preps food to be handed out. (Jenna Schoenefeld / For The Times)

Classic brunch plates of waffles and chicken are passed around. (Jenna Schoenefeld / For The Times)

A young guest enjoys some bites at the Taste. (Jenna Schoenefeld / For The Times)

A guest samples pastries while walking around. (Jenna Schoenefeld / For The Times)

A guest examines the food offerings as the cooking staff hands out samples. (Jenna Schoenefeld / For The Times)

A healthy brunch dish at the morning session of the Taste. (Jenna Schoenefeld / For The Times)

Xoa Nguyen, left, and Fidel Felt take bites out of mini burgers from Pono Burger. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

Guests lounge around on the outdoor couches. (Jenna Schoenefeld / For The Times)

Guests relax at the end of the night. (Jenna Schoenefeld / For The Times)

Daniel Joly, owner and executive chef of Mirabelle, takes a tiny sip of Stella during his presentation. (Jenna Schoenefeld / For The Times)

Guests try out Daniel Joly’s creations from his cooking and mixology presentation. (Jenna Schoenefeld / For The Times)

Ricardo Zarate of Picca, Mo-chica and Blue Tavern fame prepares a dish at the Citi Culinary stage. (Jenna Schoenefeld / For The Times)

Ricardo Zarate’s food is plated and readied for the crowd at the cooking presentation. (Jenna Schoenefeld / For The Times)

Outside in the tents, BierBeisl prepares food for the crowds. (Jenna Schoenefeld / For The Times)

Cardboard cutouts offer fun photo opportunities during the night’s events. (Jenna Schoenefeld / For The Times)

Devon Tarby of Honeycut stirs a drink during a cocktail demonstration. (Jenna Schoenefeld / For The Times)

Naomi Schimek mixes a cocktail onstage. (Jenna Schoenefeld / For The Times)

Max Seaman of the Varnish in downtown Los Angeles takes a sip of his cocktail during a mixology presentation. (Jenna Schoenefeld / For The Times)

Guests enjoy food and drinks at day two of The Taste. (Jenna Schoenefeld / For The Times)

Don Julio slings its tequila from a vintage Airstream. (Jenna Schoenefeld / For The Times)

A bartender prepares a drink at the Don Julio Airstream. (Jenna Schoenefeld / For The Times)

Guests enjoy drinks at the Don Julio Airstream. (Jenna Schoenefeld / For The Times)

Tacos at the Chichen Itza restaurant booth. (Jenna Schoenefeld / For The Times)

Guests enjoy drinks at The Taste. (Jenna Schoenefeld / For The Times)

Day Two of The Taste commences at Paramount Pictures studios. Events include a cooking demonstration by chef Nancy Silverton and a panel on cooking with farmers market finds moderated by Times food editor Russ Parsons. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

Chef Nancy Silverton prepares a potato, onion and bacon frittata during a cooking demonstration at the Citi Culinary Stage. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

Silverton’s station is equipped with an overhead mirror that gives audience members a bird’s-eye view of her kitchen work. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

Nancy Silverton’s station, as seen from the overhead mirror. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

Bruce Kalman, chef and owner at Union restaurant in Pasadena, prepares salmon during a cooking demonstration at the Buick Culinary Stage. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

Dog Haus’ “Another Night in Bangkok,” made with spicy Thai red currywurst, peanut sauce, Asian slaw and crushed peanuts. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

Camarones borrachos (drunken shrimp) from Coni’Seafood in Inglewood. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

Japanese noodle salad with steak, roasted artichokes, shitake mushrooms and truffle yuzu dressing served at THE Blvd restaurant booth. THE Blvd is a restaurant and lounge in the Beverly Wilshire hotel. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

Charles Sherer of Mi Piace serves braised beef short ribs with creme fraiche. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

Ira Norof, director of education at Southern Wines, helps guide participants through French wines at “The Undiscovered Jewels of France” tasting at The Taste Bar Stage. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

Lynn Marchionno, left, and Lee Herschler sample wines at “The Undiscovered Jewels of France” tasting. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

Times food editor Russ Parsons, center, moderates a panel on cooking with farmers markets finds. Panelists were Vincenzo Marianella of Copa d’Oro, left; Jessica Koslow of Sqirl, second from left; Roxanna Jullapat of Cooks County, second from right and Josiah Citrin of Melisse. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

Daniel Joly, chef at Mirabelle in Beaver Creek, Colo., and his creations. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

A worker prepares burgers at the Citi Culinary Stage. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

A guest samples a burger from the Citi Culinary Stage. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

Maple bacon ensaymadas from the Ensaymada Project, which specializes in the Filipino bread. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

The Ascendant Spirits booth. The Santa Barbara-area distillery makes handcrafted vodka, moonshine and whisky products. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

Guests gather around Fred 62’s booth at The Taste. The Los Feliz diner has been serving late-night meals for 16 years. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

From left, Loma Holland, Ashley Rahim, Jacquie James and Yvonne Perry raise a toast. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

The Taste kicked off Friday at the Paramount Pictures studios where Times hosts, chefs and bartenders mingled with guests. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Guests enjoy Don Julio Tequila served out of a vintage Airstream. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Custom-made burgers from The Counter. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Anahi Bustillos serves Elit vodka. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

A falafel plate with fire-roasted babaganoush and hummus prepared by Urban Garden. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Panucho de Cochinita prepared by Chichen Itza. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

A plate of heirloom tomatoes with za’atar bruschetta prepared by Bowery Bungalow. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Miso donuts made by Hinoki & The Bird. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

A mini Southern Fry sandwich made by Plan Check Kitchen. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Shishkatori by Bowery Bungalow grills on binchotan Japanese coals. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

From left to right, Times kitchen director Noelle Carter, food critic Jonathan Gold, comedian Kathy Griffin, Times food editor Russ Parsons and Times food writer Jenn Harris. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

From left, Vincenzo Marianella, bartender and co-owner of Copa D’Oro; Michael Cimarusti, owner of Providence and Connie & Ted’s; Bruce Kalman of Chef Union; Stephane Bombet, managing partner of Picca, Mo-Chica and Paiche; and David LeFevre, chef and owner of Manhattan Beach Post. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)