06-03-2025
Exclusive: Outstanding in the Field Releases Lineup of Award-Winning Chefs for Coachella 2025
Outstanding in the Field, a roaming restaurant concept by land artist Jim Denevan, has reached 24 countries across the world and all 50 U.S. states, and this April, it'll be setting its communal table at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival for the 10th year in a row. Outstanding in the Field reinvents the classic dining experience, reconnecting diners to their food by curating a menu centered around local ingredients and farmers.
At sunset every night, festival-goers worn out from a day of fun can re-energize with a four-course meal in the festival's VIP Rose Garden, where this 'restaurant without walls' will serve up full-service, family-style menu, curated by a lineup of award-winning chefs. Each chef's menu is a celebration of the cuisine and produce of Coachella Valley farms, paying respects to the local growers that make each meal possible.
Here are the chefs bringing diners this unique experience.
Friday, April 11th: Silvia Barban was born and raised in Northern Italy. After a childhood spent cooking alongside her beloved grandmother, she worked her way up to become executive chef at Brooklyn's Aita. After going on to compete on Top Chef Season 14, she opened the award-winning LaRina Pastificio e Vino. Just this past September, her newest eatery, Briscola Trattoria, debuted in Crown Heights, named a New York Magazine 2024 Top 10 New Restaurant.
Saturday, April 12th: Diego Argoti is a James Beard Award-nominated chef and a Los Angeles local. Starting as the son of a grocery store supervisor, he rose through the ranks to become sous chef at Bavel, then opened the innovative pop-up restaurant Estrano in Downtown L.A. His iconic Poltergeist residency at the Button Mash was a smash hit that garnered him plenty more industry accolades. Throughout his culinary career, he's strived to bring some of his 'lucha libre swagger' to his dishes.
Sunday, April 13th: Tara Monsod's years of experience and cultural ties to her Filipino background have been a source of inspiration for her cooking. As executive chef of ANIMAE and Le Coq, it's no surprise that her inventive, flavor-packed dishes have led to her being named San Diego's first James Beard Best Chef California finalist in 2024.
Friday, April 18: Eric Greenspan trained in Paris under culinary icons like Alain Ducasse and Ferran Adrià before he went on to found The Foundry on Melrose, a James Beard Semifinalist eatery. Now a respected TV personality and cookbook author, he's also launched Virtual Dining Concepts and co-founded New School American Cheese.
Saturday, April 19th: Byron Lazaroff-Puck, Los Angeles local and son of chef Wolfgang Puck, had an early start to his career in the kitchen when he began working at Spago as a 12-year-old. He returned to Spago after years of training to lead the front-of-house. Now a staunch farm-to-table advocate and champion of sustainability, he oversees Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining's global operations.
Sunday, April 20th: Danielle & Alessandro Zecca both have extensive and award-winning backgrounds in the culinary field. The pair moved to Los Angeles together to launch a catering business, and eventually formed their pop-up restaurant, Amiga Amore. The standout cuisine quickly turned into a permanent spot, drawing visitors from all over and earning Alessandro a 2024 James Beard nod.
Coachella festival passes and advance tickets will be required to attend the dinners provided by Outstanding in the Field and their roster of chefs. Each night is sold separately. Tickets can be purchased here for $350 and will cover not just the price of a four-course dinners, but a welcome drink and exclusive access to the VIP Rose Garden.
