Everything to Know About LA Chef Conference

“Los Angeles has been through challenging times—from the pandemic to wildfires, government overreach with migrant workers, rising labor costs, and soaring ingredient prices,” says chef, restaurateur, and cookbook author Sherry Yard. “This conference is an opportunity for us to join our shared strength, resilience, and collective insight.”

Yard has attended every year since inception and says it’s an invaluable space to learn, connect, and recharge. “It’s not just a conference,” she says. “It's a family reunion of chefs, restaurateurs, artisans, and growers, who are all committed to pushing our beloved city’s food culture forward.”

This year, legends like Yard, Alice Waters, and Helene An will attend. The conference is a chance to build community among chefs, restaurateurs, purveyors, and media all together.

Panel discussions across three theaters, along with food and drink throughout the day, are included in the $240 ticket price, with networking breaks in between. An afterparty will be held a few blocks away at Grand Central Market, featuring guest DJ Wes Avila, complimentary collaborative dishes, Big Noise beer, wine from Warson Wine Co., and $20 in Grand Central Market Dollars for each guest to support local vendors.

Alice Waters and Jordan Kahn will discuss the Michelin Green Star and integrating ecology into their menus, while Jonathan Waxman and Michael Voltaggio will share how they juggle celebrity with operational success. Suzanne Goin and Michael Mina will muse on balancing passion with profit, at the intersection of creativity and business sustainability, while rising stars like Lord Maynard Llera, Kat Turner, and Melissa Lopez talk about shaping the city’s future.

“We all have our heads down in our restaurants most days, so to be able to come together and cook for people reinforces the sense of community that makes our city's restaurants so great,” says chef Charles Namba (Tsubaki, OTOTO, Camélia), who is attending Chef Con for the first time this year and cooking lunch. “It's an opportunity for hospitality teams to hear and learn about solutions to some of our biggest challenges while enjoying some great food and beverage.”