When you think of top dining scenes in California, San Francisco and Los Angeles are usually the first cities to come to mind. But we are here to tell you: Oakland has something to say. The Bay Area city has plenty of diversity when it comes to its food, receiving the designation as the Best Food City in America from Conde Nast Traveler in 2024, and was named "the new 'it' food city" by the New York Times. But if you can't quite swing a trip out to the other side of the country, worry not, a taste of the West Coast is coming to us.
On June 6, Oakland’s most exciting chefs are coming to New York for a one-night-only dining experience. Presented by Visit Oakland, the dinner will feature a mix of Salvadoran and Ethiopian cuisines, along with Filipino-inflected French desserts, at Platform by the James Beard Foundation. Talents in the kitchen include chef Anthony Salguero of Popoca who will be cooking Salvadorian yucca fritters with caviar and Pescado en Alguashte or trout with a pumpkin seed sauce. Adiam Tsegaye of Mela Bistro will bring his take on modern Ethiopian cuisine, serving black lentil samosas and berbere lamb. To finish the evening, Monique and Paul Feybesse of Tarts de Feybesse (semifinalists for the 2025 James Beard Award for Outstanding Pastry Chef) will be taking on the dessert course, whipping up Calamansi Mille-Feuille layered with citrus curd, whipped white chocolate ganache and smoked charcoal crème anglaise.
Tickets start at $185 and go up to $250. Reserve your tickets here.