The Milken Center for Advancing the American Dream (MCAAD) will celebrate the 30th edition of the Global Gourmet Games by unlocking the portal to a phantasmagorical Evening of Reel Characters, bringing to life iconic film franchises such as James Bond, Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings, the classic characters of Disney and Looney Tunes, and your favorite TV toons including the Flintstones, Scooby Doo, Family Guy and more.

On Saturday, May 3, 5:30pm, you’re invited to step inside the magical worlds of creativity, imagination and fantasy in the Wilshire Garden to compete in our now-famous, one-of-a-kind Global Gourmet Games competition: food and wine tastings, diabolical mind-twisting quizzes, and special contests that display team knowledge and spirit. Best of all, you’ll join us in our congenial atmosphere where you can visit with old friends and make new connections.

The competition will be largely good natured, but veteran contenders and past winners will tell you there’s great glory in winning the Global Gourmet Games. For your team to be successful, you’ll have to recruit the best and brightest and then study up. Should you reread all seven Harry Potter novels (or at least get a download from your kids!)? Binge-watch Back to the Future movies? Turn on the Cartoon Network to find out who the heck Rick and Morty are? And never forget that the Chairman reveres Star Trek.

The evening’s events will be familiar to veteran participants and engaging for everyone:

• Each team will represent characters from a popular film franchise or TV show. Is the Peanuts gang right for you? Should you recruit your Cousin Itt? DC Comics or Marvel? Team names are allotted on a first-come, first-served basis, and the grid will fill quickly. Register early to lock in your choice!

• Throughout the evening, teams will compete in a series of highly spirited questions, spanning food and wine, nutrition, entertainment, and other quiz categories we’re secretly concocting in our trivia test kitchen.

• Then there’s our ultra-competitive Spirit Award, which can earn teams valuable bonus points. Dress in ways that represent your respective characters … or feel free to wear cocktail attire if you prefer. We hope you’re inspired to bring fun knickknacks, tchotchkes or other lively items that will befuddle and intimidate your competition and garner the attention of the Chairman. Can your team stand proud and sing out the lyrics to SpongeBob SquarePants?

• You’re welcome to load your team with ringers: media execs, actors and directors, sommeliers or chefs. However, under no circumstances may you enlist the help of ChatGPT, Grok, Siri, Alexa, Cortana – or any other all-knowing robot helpers. Telepathy is also disallowed – whether of the Luke and Obi Wan variety, the Vulcan mind meld, or the Horcrux channel Harry Potter and Voldemort share. Please be sure to read the rules so you understand the nuances!

• As always, this evening of great fun is hosted for a greater cause. Proceeds from the dinner will go to the Milken Center for Advancing the American Dream (MCAAD).

Be forewarned: several former Global Gourmet Games championship captains from around the world are returning to Los Angeles to compete for another taste of victory. The countdown to assemble your team has begun!

So, tune up your taste buds and start binge-rewatching your favorite shows and movies. It’s going to require great individual skills and teamwork for your table to win a prize more cherished than the Emmys, Grammys, Oscars and Tonys combined … the title of Global Gourmet Games champion! We look forward to seeing you there.