Eat to Defeat Childhood Cancer at LA Loves Alex’s Lemonade

Fiona Chandra

Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF) started with Alex, a 4-year old girl with cancer who raised $2,000 to battle childhood cancer through her lemonade stand. Now, the foundation has more than $100 million and funded over 500 cutting-edge research projects and programs and resources to support children receiving cancer treatment and their families. L.A. Loves Alex’s Lemonade is one of the biggest fundraising events for ALSF and also one of the best annual food events in L.A. Hosted by Chef Suzanne Goin, Caroline Styne and Chef David Lentz, last year’s event alone raised over $1 million for ALSF.

The festival returns this year to the Royce Quad at UCLA and will feature great chefs from all over the country. Visiting chefs from other cities this year will include April Bloomfield (The Spotted Pig, New York) and Jonathan Waxman (Barbuto, New York), Phoenix’s Chris Bianco (Pizzeria Bianco, Phoenix), Giada De Laurentiis (Giada), Marc Vetri (Pizzeria Vetri, Philadelphia). Of course, L.A.’s best chefs will also be participating and preparing bites for attendees. You’ll find food prepared by Nancy Silverton (Mozza Restaurant Group), Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo (Animal), Michael Cimarusti (Providence), Josiah Citrin (Melisse), Timothy Hollingsworth (Otium), Neal Fraser (Redbird), and many others.

L.A. Loves Alex’s Lemonade is also one of the annual events that feature craft cocktails from LA’s best mixologists. This year, there will be cocktails prepared by bartenders Marcos Tello (El Silencio Mezcal), Ryan Wainwright (The Ponte), Eric Alperin (The Varnish), Christiaan Rollich (Lucques), Darwin Manahan (71 Above), and Matthew Biancaniello. In addition to cocktails, there will be plenty of wines poured at the event.

General admission from 12:30-4:50 p.m. is $195 per person, and $95 of it is tax deductible. Guests can also splurge for the $1,200 Meet and Greet ticket ($1,000 of which is tax deductible) which includes entrance to the VIP section, a behind the scenes tour and opportunity to meet the chefs, as well as an exclusive welcome dinner on Friday, Sept. 8. Silent and live auction will be held to raise more funds for ALSF, including a chance to get some of these award-winning chefs to come and cook in your home kitchen.

LA Loves Alex’s Lemonade takes place at Royce Quad at UCLA on Sept. 9. Purchase tickets here.