Malibu Food & Wine Returns September 18–20: Three Days, Three Feasts, One Very Good Cause

Clear your weekend and loosen your belt, Los Angeles-Malibu Food & Wine is back for year two, and it has grown into a full three-day affair at Saddlerock Ranch. From Friday, September 18 through Sunday, September 20, 2026, the festival unfolds as three distinct events with three completely different personalities: an elegant charity dinner hosted by Charlize Theron, a lively Italian Night hosted by Adam Richman, and a laid-back Country Cookout the whole family can enjoy. Same stunning ranch, three very different reasons to show up.

First, the setting. Saddlerock Ranch is a working vineyard tucked into the Santa Monica Mountains, about five miles inland from the Pacific-think oak trees, rolling lawns, resident animals, and rows of Cabernet, Merlot, Pinot and Chardonnay doing the scenery's heavy lifting. It's the same jaw-dropping backdrop that hosted the inaugural festival, and honestly, it does half the work of making the weekend feel special before a single plate hits the table.

Friday: An Intimate Dinner Hosted by Charlize Theron

Friday sets a more elegant tone-and it's the heart of the whole weekend. Things open with a seated, five-course farm-to-table dinner hosted by Charlize Theron in support of the Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project (CTAOP), the organization she founded in 2007 to strengthen the health and safety of young people in Southern Africa. This is the reason so much of the weekend exists: an evening where the food is extraordinary and every seat at the table supports a cause that genuinely matters.

And what a kitchen. Four powerhouse chefs are cooking it: Bryan Voltaggio, Michael Voltaggio, festival co-founder Marcel Vigneron, and Andrew Zimmern. The night runs 5:30 to 9:30 PM, opening with a cocktail hour before dinner begins promptly at 6:30. Every course is paired with wine, and throughout the evening you'll hear directly from the chef, farmer and winemaker behind each dish-the full story of the plate and the glass in front of you. The Minta Spencer Collective sets the mood, and every guest heads home with a curated gift bag. Tickets are $749, the evening is 21 and over, and the dress code is cocktail attire. Come dressed to impress, and know that your seat is doing real good.

Saturday: Italian Night with Adam Richman

Saturday is where things get loud, delicious, and a little theatrical. It's Italian Night, hosted by Adam Richman and built around a rolling series of chef-led demos. The lineup is stacked: Brian Redzikowski, Celestino Drago, Chris Oh, Jonathon Sawyer, Karlo Evaristo, Mei Lin, Oren Zroya, Rose Previte, Stephanie Izard, Spike Mendelsohn and Tobias Dorzon-with dessert courtesy of The Cannoli Bar (yes, that's a real thing, and yes, you'll want in).

The showstopper? A live bluefin tuna carving by Brian Redzikowski and Nick Devries of San Diego's Kettner Exchange—precision butchery you'll want your camera ready for. Early admission kicks off at 5 PM, general admission runs 6 to 10 PM, and food, wine and non-alcoholic options are all included. Dress code is “Malibu chic.” General admission is $175; early admission-which gets you in ahead of the crowd—is $250.

Sunday: The Country Cookout

Sunday trades cocktail attire for cowboy boots. The Country Cookout is a live-fire, family-style barbecue with a chef roster that reads like a dream team: Brian Malarkey, Carlos Anthony, Elizabeth Falkner, Jeff De Leon, Jennifer Lowry, Lee Anne Wong, Matt Pittman, Rhoda Magbitang, Spike Mendelsohn, Thomas Drury, Viet Pham, Vinnie Cimino and Ace Adler. Expect smoke, comfort food, and chef demos rolling all afternoon.

Bringing the kids? This is your day. Sunday is all ages, children under 12 are free, and FlutterBy is setting up an interactive butterfly pavilion filled with vibrant native California species that'll charm the little ones (and, let's be honest, the adults too). Early admission starts at noon, general admission runs 1 to 5 PM, and food and wine are included. Dress code is “Western chic.” General admission is $175; early admission is $250.

The 2026 Lineup

The full roster runs deep this year. Across the weekend you'll find Brian Malarkey, Brian Redzikowski, Celestino Drago, Jeff De Leon, Jennifer Lowry, Jonathon Sawyer, Karlo Evaristo, Lee Anne Wong, Matt Pittman, Spike Mendelsohn, Thomas Drury, Tobias Dorzon, Viet Pham, Vinnie Cimino, Ace Adler, Andrew Zimmern, Adam Richman, Carlos Anthony, Bryan Voltaggio, Elizabeth Falkner, Chris Oh, Michael Voltaggio, Mei Lin, Rhoda Magbitang, Oren Zroya, Stephanie Izard and Rose Previte-plus The Cannoli Bar, and co-founder and culinary director Marcel Vigneron behind the Friday dinner. That's a Michelin- and Top Chef-caliber crew in one very scenic place.

Know Before You Go

A few quick things to keep your day smooth:

• Food and drink are included with every ticket, all three days-come hungry.

• Alcohol is 21 and over with an ID check at the door; non-alcoholic options are available daily.

• Only Sunday is all-ages and family-friendly, and kids under 12 are free.

• No ins and outs-once you're in, you're in for the day.

• Buy tickets online in advance. There are no sales at the door, and days can (and do) sell out.

• All sales are final: tickets are non-refundable and non-transferable, rain or shine.

• No outside food or drink, and leave the pets at home-only certified service animals are allowed.

• Bags max out at 14 by 14 inches. The venue is smoke-free and, in its own words, “paparazzi-free.”

• Phones are welcome; pro cameras, detachable lenses, tripods and selfie sticks are not.

• Parking is available on-site, and the venue is ADA accessible.

A Weekend With Purpose

For all the star power, this festival keeps its heart in the right place. Friday's dinner benefits CTAOP, and the Boys & Girls Club of Malibu-where co-founder Lauren Rae Levy sits on the board-is a festival charity partner as well. It's a fitting mission for an event that took shape in the wake of the Palisades fires, created to send attention and business back toward a Malibu community that had lost a season.

The weekend is powered by a deep bench of sponsors, too-from luxury kitchen names like Bosch, Thermador and Gaggenau (plus Snyder Diamond) to a who's-who of wine and food purveyors including Williams Selyem, Malibu Wines, AXR Napa Valley, Cazcanes, Summer Somewhere Wines, Saratoga Water, Gaia Herbs, Capri Gelato and American Lamb. Culinary-education partners like the Institute of Culinary Education, LA Mission College and Chef Works round out the list.

How It All Started

In case you missed year one: the inaugural Malibu Food & Wine ran September 5 to 7, 2025 at Saddlerock, with Adam Richman hosting and a chef list that ran just as deep-Duff Goldman, Jet Tila, Joe Sasto, Roy Yamaguchi, Sherry Yard, Ricardo Zarate, Celestino Drago, Bruce Kalman, Ben Ford, Brian Malarkey, Carlos Anthony and both Voltaggios among them. Vigneron and Levy had been sitting on the idea since the pandemic and moved on it after the fires, with a simple goal: bring people and business back to Malibu's restaurants. Year two picks up right where that left off-only bigger.

While You're Planning Your Fall

Building out a September and October food calendar? We've got you covered on Thai Fest by the Beach, back at the Santa Monica Pier that same weekend (September 19 and 20), and the Off the Hook Seafood Festival, returning to the Pier October 11.

Malibu Food & Wine runs Friday, September 18 through Sunday, September 20, 2026 at Saddlerock Ranch, 32111 Mulholland Highway, Malibu, CA 90265. Single-day tickets start at $175 for Saturday and Sunday general admission, with Friday's CTAOP dinner at $749. Grab tickets, the full chef roster and the daily schedules at malibufoodandwine.com-and go early, because this one is going to move.