Until 11 November, diners can sample innovative cuisine at a unique food series where the chef and menu changes nightly.
At Test Kitchen, an annual Los Angeles event that runs until 11 November, the menu and chef changes every night – only the venue stays the same.
Held at the new downtown Italian restaurant Bestia (2121 East 7th Place; 213-514-5724), the unique series brings diners the most innovative cuisine from across the country and supercharges the trendy pop-up restaurant concept, where a visiting chef takes over a restaurant for one or more evenings. At Test Kitchen, nightly chef and menu changes and exciting chef collaborations offer a sneak peek at the dishes that may be the next hottest thing in gourmet cuisine.
So far guests have indulged in five-course meals by LA chefs Ori Menashe of Bestia, Neal Fraser from American restaurant Grace and Walter Manzke, formerly of French restaurant Church & State, with dishes including grilled octopus over warm lentils, guanciale (Italian bacon) and anchovy salsa, and pan-roasted turbot with black truffle sunchoke puree.
The chefs and their menus are kept secret until that week’s lineup is announced on the Test Kitchen website on Monday morning (reservations can be made online). Neal Fraser and Sang Yoon from Asian fusion eatery Lukshon, as well as Jason Bowlin from Mediterranean-style Catch at Casa Del Mar and Jason Travi (formerly of French restaurant Fraiche) will be collaborating on menus this week.
The cocktail lists, created by Bestia’s mixologists and the occasional guest bartender, are also in a constant state of flux, so if you discover your new favourite drink one night, chances are that will be the last time you see it.
Caroline Pardilla is the Los Angeles Localite for BBC Travel. She also writes Carolineoncrack.com.