Update Sept. 20: Online ticket purchases for Taste of Arcadia must be made before 11 a.m. Monday, Sept. 22, 2014.
A quartet of radio and TV food and wine experts will be the judges of the 2014 Taste of Arcadia Culinary Contest: radio and TV personality Peter “King of Cuisine” Dills of AM 830 KLAA; and Food Network personalities Jyll Everman (“Next Food Network Star”) and Cassandra Pugh (“Guy’s Grocery Games”), and David Flood, local private chef and consultant.
The annual Arcadia Chamber of Commerce event, with a record three Presenting Gold Sponsors — Westfield Santa Anita, Methodist Hospital, and BMW of Monrovia — will be held 5:30 p.m. – 9 p.m. Monday, September 22, at the L.A. County Arboretum.
Food judging in four categories will be based on three criteria: Appearance, Flavor, Originality. The categories, plus a best overall award:
- Best Dessert
- Best Savory Dish
- Best Presentation
- Most Innovative Dish
- Best of Show
The judges will sample food, desserts and drinks from 45 vendors throughout the entire evening. Winners will need to be present and still serving to guests when judges announce their selections near the end of the event at 9 p.m. The judges…
Peter Dills
Peter Dills
Peter Dills is returning for a second year as celebrity ambassador of Taste of Arcadia and will talk food and wine with attendees.
In the weeks leading up to the annual event that City officials describe as “the signature event of Arcadia,” Dills is once again doing live radio interviews on his weekly “Dining with Dills” show with owners of some of the 45 local food and beverage vendors that will be serving their dishes and drinks to about 1,300 attendees at no extra charge beyond the cost of admission. (Tickets $70 in advance – $75 at the gate; $20 discount for Chamber members and also for non-members who use discount codes that can be found in many local publications and on the Living Social online discount service.) His popular weekly radio show airs at every Sunday afternoon following Angels and/or NFL games.
He has also recorded an interview on Time Warner Cable to promote Taste of Arcadia.
The son of noted restaurant critic Elmer Dills, Peter Dills and his family moved to Pasadena in 1970 from the “Crab Capitol of the World,” Baltimore. As far back as he can remember Peter was following his father from restaurant to restaurant, always tasting, always learning about food and always discovering new and exciting foods.
As his food adventure came full circle, Peter starred on AM790 radio for the last four years with the popular Food and Travel show, “Dining with Dills,” named after his father.
“We all have to eat and most of us eat out fairly often, so, why not eat well?” Peter Dills says. “I feel that it’s my job to tell diners about some of the places where they can indeed eat well.”
As his journey continues, Peter moved his show July 27, 2014 to AM830 KLAA – Angel’s Radio. You can listen to Peter on Sundays streaming live on PeterDills.com.
Jyl Everman
Jyll Everman
On a dare from her husband Tommy and Mom, Jyll went to an open call in August of 2010 for Food Network’s “Food Network Star” and wound up as one of the finalists for Season 7. She has since been a guest on the Rachel Ray Morning Show and several national radio stations.
Jyll Everman was the Sous Chef at the Rose Bowl during the 2006 UCLA Football season, catering to many celebrities and athletes. She later became a private chef and after five years she opened Jyllicious Bites, a catering company out of Glendora. Jyllicious Bites specializes in finger foods, comfort foods that are recognizable, beautiful and delicious. Jyll prides herself on not making foods that are intimidating or pretentious, just delicious and familiar And she teaches cooking classes at Village Kitchen Shoppe in Glendora.
Jyll considers herself a Finger Food Specialist — let her know your favorite food, she will find a way to make it into an appetizer!
Cassandra Pugh
Cassandra Pugh
The youngest contestant ever on Food Network’s “Guys Grocery Games,” Cassie Pugh made it to second place, only the second woman to make it that far at that point.
She graduated from Le Cordon Bleu with an Associates Degree in Culinary Arts in 2010, and has experience at Donovan’s Steak and Chop House in San Diego, as well as Specialty’s Café and Bakery, also in San Diego, and Goldies in West LA.
The Culinary Contest is only one of several new features and activities planned for this year’s Taste of Arcadia, the community’s signature event that draws about 1,300 guests.
All you can eat and drink for 3 1/2-hours for one entry price. Tickets are $70 now and $75 at the gate ($20 discount for Chamber members). Taste of Arcadia offers food, drinks and desserts of every variety from four dozen local restaurants, bars, caterers, wine and beer vendors and distributors, hotels, and even retirement homes and a hospital. No money changes hands at the food booths lined up in the idyllic lush Los Angeles County Arboretum setting nestled on the soft green grass surrounding the beautiful Bauer Fountain. The majestic San Gabriel Mountains provide a picturesque backdrop. (See video highlights of the 2013 Taste of Arcadia…>
