Is it Friday yet? It’s getting close! And, you seriously have to sign up to enjoy a LACMA Café picnic basket, so you can experience LACMA Summer Jazz Nights in upscale VIP style. After reading LaLaLady Melissa Curtin’s article, I just had to check it out. So, I took two of my favorite people (my mom and boyfriend) a couple of Friday nights ago and we had the best time ever. I can’t tell you how many people stopped by to ask about our Louis picnic set-up on the grass. It was too cute and so yummy! Everyone should enjoy the LACMA picnic basket experience at least once a summer. It’s the best ever.

First of all, LACMA’s Executive Chef Rui Wang, who runs all of the catering and dining experiences and occasions at LACMA (only minus Ray’s and Stark Bar), creates an incredible array of delectable pre-fixe courses each week for both The Duke ($40) and The Louis ($100) picnic basket options. From the appetizers, main courses and sides, the meals for two are both sensational and plentiful. Four people could actually enjoy The Louis basket for two, easily. Your whole party will love indulging in all that is offered. Even the signature Patina Label Vega Sindoa Chardonnay or Merlot and the Beverly Hills 90H20 water is oh so lovely and oh so LA.

Chef Wang is very sweet and surprisingly young for the fantastic career she’s had already. Educated at the prestigious Le Cordon Blue College of Culinary Arts in Pasadena, she went on to create gourmet cuisine experiences at Cache Restaurant and Lounge, Wilshire Restaurant, Palihouse in West Hollywood and now (rising from Sous Chef, Chef De Cuisine, to Executive Chef in less than two years) runs the show at LACMA via The Patina Restaurant Group. In conversation, she relayed to me that she loves the variety of venues that she’s responsible for and the ability to be creative at the LACMA, including conceptualizing cuisine-based themes connected to events and gallery displays at the museum.

Opening LACMA Cafe’s Louis picnic basket with amazing cuisine and real china and glassware for an upscale picnic experience at LACMA Summer Jazz Nights (photo credit: Rochelle Robinson)

Dee Jay Robinson and LaLaScoop co-founder Rochelle Robinson (photo credit: Elaine Hong)

LACMA Cafe’s The Louis picnic experience at LACMA Summer Jazz Nights (photo credit: Rochelle Robinson)

Dee Jay Robinson, Sydney Stokes and LaLaScoop co-founder, Rochelle Robinson, at LACMA Summer Jazz Nights with The Louis picnic set-up (photo credit: Elaine Wong)

For easy on-the-go accessibility The Duke offers an all-inclusive of disposable plates, napkins, plastic-wear, bread and butter. But, if you want to go above and beyond and have a truly amazing experience, go for The Louis basket! LACMA Café will have your checkered picnic blanket, fold-out table and candles all set up on the lawn in front of the Resnick Pavilion for you and your guests. You simply pick up your adorable wicker basket at the dedicated grey Jazz Booth located adjacent to Ray’s and Stark Bar beginning a 6pm and bring it back at the end of the evening. The expanded culinary selections come in take-home containers, so that you can take home whatever you don’t eat very easily. And, inside the basket are perfectly placed cloth napkins, real china, and silverware, so you can really experience an upscale picnic experience in style.