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Last month’s Star Chefs event at the Fairmont Miramar Hotel in Santa Monica showcased some of the best culinary talent in Southern California. The event was a walk-around one with a different chef-created dish at each table. Some of the most-talked about chefs were there, including Michael Voltaggio from The Dining Room at the Langham Hotel, Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo from Animal, and Ray Garcia of FIG, among others.

Some of my favorites from the night were Animal’s poutine made with oxtail and cheddar and Voltaggio’s wagyu beef with white cheddar, cream of dehydrated broccoli and topped with dehydrated broccoli.

Voltaggio's wagyu beef. From e*starLA.

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  Annenberg Beach House. From the beach house's Flickr stream.

  The Annenberg Beach House opens this weekend in Santa Monica. The former estate of William Randolph Hearst opens to the public after two years of renovation and includes a pool and event space. No membership is required, but there are fees for entry and parking. Reservations are recommended. More at CurbedLA.

• Starting April 28, Dakota Chop House at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel will be offering a weekly BLT night “featuring specialty bacons from artisanal smokehouses,” per the press release. You can build your own bacon creation or choose from the resto’s creations, which include pizza, pasta and burgers in addition to the traditional sandwich. Maybe Dakota is jumping on Animal’s popularity? A bacon chocolate bar doesn’t sound appetizing to me, but to each his own.

• “Top Chef” season 5 contestants Fabio Viviani and Stefan Richter will be competing in a cook off at The Grove May 20. Grove restaurants will also be having their own cooking demonstrations and offering samples. The event is free, but you need to RSVP with Los Angeles magazine, which is co-hosting the event.