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TenderFest Returns to Beverly Hills September 19 With Jitlada, Petit Trois and Nancy Silverton Judging

Sep 15
3 min read


A Michelin-starred Thai institution, a French bistro legend and a James Beard finalist, all making chicken tenders in a performing arts center.


TenderFest returns to Beverly Hills on Saturday, September 19, running noon to 10 p.m. at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts. The organizers describe the premise as high brow meets low brow, which undersells it. This is a lineup of serious restaurants competing to make the best version of a food most of them would never put on a menu.


The festival also runs a Chicago edition at Navy Pier on October 10, but the Beverly Hills date is the original.


The conTENDER competition


This is the part worth the ticket. Four restaurants go head to head:


  • Jitlada, the Thai Town institution Jonathan Gold championed for years.

  • Petit Trois, Ludo Lefebvre's French bistro.

  • Lucia, led by Chef Cleophus, a two-time James Beard Award finalist.

  • Miya Miya, best known for its shawarma pop-up at West Edge.


Bun B won the competition in 2023, which gives you a sense of the register.





Who is judging


The panel is the other draw. Chef Nancy Silverton, Chef Cat Cora and Chef Tim Hollingsworth are judging, alongside Rams receiver Puka Nacua, running back Kyren Williams and Jay Luchs.


Silverton has had a busy year in these pages, having opened Spacca Tutto at Palisades Village and Max and Helen's on Larchmont with Phil Rosenthal. Hollingsworth opened Alphabet Bar and Grill at Palisades Village in August and co-founded Chain, which began a six-month residency at Topanga Social on September 2.


Unlimited tastings


Your ticket covers unlimited tender tastings from every participating vendor. Per Westside Today, the 2026 tasting lineup includes Delilah, Pizzeria Mozza, Marvin, Le Coupe, Box Chicken, Chimmelier and Tendercrush, alongside a few national names.


Pizzeria Mozza is the one to note. A Silverton restaurant with a Michelin-recognized pedigree serving chicken tenders at a festival is exactly the collision the event is built on.


Desserts and the rest


  • Henry's Secret Ice Cream, which is genuinely hard to get hold of otherwise.

  • All About the Cinnamon, for the cinnamon buns.

  • Gone Banana Bread, with Chef Ludo participating in the bread-making.

  • A sauce station, pairing an assortment of sauces with whatever you are carrying.

  • A full bar with cocktails, beer and non-alcoholic options.

  • Photos with the Chicken, which is exactly what it sounds like.


If you go


TenderFest takes place at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, 9390 N. Santa Monica Boulevard, Beverly Hills, CA 90210, at the corner of Santa Monica and Crescent.


  • Date and time: Saturday, September 19, 2026, noon to 10 p.m. It is a ten-hour run, so arriving at opening is not required.

  • Tickets: on Tixr. Admission covers festival access and unlimited tastings.

  • Refunds: all tickets are final sale and cannot be exchanged or refunded. A full refund is issued automatically only if the event is cancelled without a reschedule.

  • Family friendly: yes, and the organizers lean into it.

  • Parking: Beverly Hills municipal structures surround the Wallis, several offering the first hours free, which beats the valet math on a Saturday.

  • Transit: the Metro D Line now serves Beverly Hills at Wilshire and Rodeo, a walk from the venue.

  • Contact: elizabeth@offthemenuco.com for event inquiries.


Come hungry. The organizers say it and they mean it. Unlimited tastings across a dozen-plus vendors plus a dessert row is a genuine endurance question, and pacing across the ten hours is the difference between a good day and a nap in your car.


Lineups and vendor rosters are set by the organizers and can change. Confirm before you go.


For more of what is coming up, browse food events in Los Angeles, or catch up on LA restaurant news.

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