The Riverside Food Truck Festival returns to downtown Riverside on Sunday (June 10).

The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., with general admission at noon, at Third and Market streets.

Forty trucks are advertised Thirty-seven trucks are scheduled to be participating and a trio of tribute bands — The Joshua Tree (U2), Green ToDay (Green Day) and Safety Orange (Sublime) — will be performing from noon to 6 p.m.

In addition, Goodnight Argent will perform for the V.I.P. crowd at 10 a.m.

V.I.P. tickets are $30 (plus $2.04 service fee), which includes 10 a.m. entrance, a goodie bag with a Riverside Food Truck Festival T-shirt, entry to a special V.I.P. tent, free water and soda, separate restrooms, raffles and giveaways, and a private patio from which to watch the concerts.

General admission tickets are $10 (plus $1.34 service fee), and a special family and friends four-pack (buy-three-get-one-free) is $30 (plus $5 service fee). Both allow noon entrance to the festival. Children five and under are admitted free.

All tickets are available here.

The event will benefit two Riverside non-profits: The Asian Pacific Lunar Festival and United Way of the Inland Valleys.

So far, only the list of dessert trucks have been previewed, although A couple trucks have Tweeted that they will be there. Click over the jump to see the full list. For updates, “Like” ‘em on Facebook or follow ‘em on Twitter.
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Remember a few weeks back when there were 11 Inland Empire breweries represented at Craft Brewing Company’s second anniversary?

Was Lake Elsinore a bit too far to drive for ya?

Is Riverside a little closer?

Many of those breweries are scheduled to be at the Taste of Brews Saturday (June 2) at White Park, 3901 Market St., in downtown Riverside, alongside about twenty other brewers.

The event runs until 4 p.m., with general admission at 1 p.m. and V.I.P. admission at noon.

Inland Empire breweries which are scheduled to attend include: Chino’s I & I Brewing, Temecula’s Black Market Brewing Co., Riverside’s Packinghouse Brewing Co.,  Redlands’ Hangar 24 Craft Brewery, Riverside’s Inland Empire Brewing Company, Moreno Valley’s Kat Daddy Breweries, Riverside’s The Big Cheese Pizza Co. & Brewery, Lake Elsinore’s Craft Brewing Company, Temecula’s Weins Brewing Company and Corona’s Main Street Brewery.

As well as the breweries, the Riverside Homebrew Crew will be represented.
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It’s probably a little too late to catch today’s casting call at Riverside Community College, but you’ve got plenty of time to brush up your culinary skills and get your hair done for Tuesday’s (May 22) Hell’s Kitchen casting call in Corona.

Today’s event runs until 5 p.m. at RCC’s Culinary Academy, 1155 Spruce St.

Tuesday’s event will be held from noon to 5 p.m. at the Dos Lagos Stadium 15 Theatres, 2710 Lake Shore Drive, Corona.

Do you have what it takes to take the heat in Chef Gordon Ramsay’s kitchen? Do you?!??

For more information and to apply, click here.

In this corner, a three-course beer paired dinner at the Salted Pig, 3700 12th St., Riverside, with Evan Weinberg, brewmaster and owner of Cismontane Brewing Company.

In the opposing corner, a five-course beer paired dinner at Farm Artisan Foods, 22 E. State St., Redlands, featuring a selection of seasonal and limited-release beers from Hangar 24 Craft Brewery.

You’ll have to pick one or the other, since they’re both taking place April 17.

The Salted Pig’s dinner begins at 7:30 p.m. and costs $30. For reservations, call 951-848-4020.

The dinner at Farm Artisan Foods includes the following pairings:

• California Spring with halibut ceviche
• Alt Bier with caramelized scallops
• Columbus IPA with shrimp and curried spaghetti squash
• Hammerhead with smoked wild boar
• Palmero with banana molasses cake

Dinner begins at 6:30 p.m. and costs $49. For information and reservations, call 909-792-1162.

Which one will you choose?
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Inland Empire Brewing Company in Riverside will be celebrating its third year in business this Saturday (February 25).

The brewery is bringing in other I.E. breweries (Hangar 24 Craft Brewery, Dale Bros. Brewery, Packinghouse Brewing Co., Big Cheese Pizza and Brewery, Main Street Brewery, Craft Brewing Co. , Taps Fish House and Brewery and Kat Daddy) and breweries from beyond the I.E. (Stone Brewing Co., The Bruery, Lost Abbey, Noble Ale Works, Left Coast Brewery and Bootlegger’s Brewery) to help celebrate.

Throw in a few food trucks (Short Rib BBQ, Gourmet Genie and the I.E.’s own Stella Pierre’s Gourmet Grub and Suite 106 Cupcakery) and you’ve got yourself a party.

A $30 entry fee includes 15 beer samples from the participating breweries. Proceeds will help feed the hungry here in the Inland Empire.

Designated drivers and other non-drinkers can attend for free.

The event will take place from noon to 6 p.m. Tickets are available online or at the door.

Inland Empire Brewing Company is at 1710 Palmyrita Ave., Suite 11, in Riverside.

The Let’s Dine Out Show’s Grub Club events are traditionally special meals served at a local restaurant.

Next month’s event is a break from tradition.

The February 26 Grub Club is in partnership with the American Culinary Federation Southern California Inland Empire Chefs & Cooks Association and will take place at the Riverside Culinary Academy.

The evening will feature a six-course meal designed and prepared by five of the Inland Empire’s premiere chefs.

If you’re interested in this unique experience, you better hurry.

About two-thirds three-fourths of the reservations for the $25 meal have already been filled.

Click here to see the menu and to register for the dinner.

Update: The event is now sold out! I hope you were able to register it did.