Ryan Seacrest will be the host of the Taste for a Cure 2026 gala for the UCLA Jonsson Cancer Center Foundation. Carrie Underwood will perform as the main act in a star-studded American Idol reunion. On May 1, 2026, at Fox Studios in Los Angeles, the Gil Nickel Humanitarian Award goes to George Cheeks, Chair of TV Media at Paramount.
This yearly event brings together famous people from the entertainment industry and top chefs from Southern California to raise money for cutting-edge cancer research at UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center. Ludo Lefebvre from Petit Trois, Kevin Meehan from the Michelin-starred Kali, Mei Lin, and Govind Armstrong will all show off gourmet dishes with fine wines from Far Niente and Bella Union.
The gala is one of the top ten food events in LA, and Joe Cohen of CAA, filmmaker Jake Kasdan, and Disney’s Dana Walden are co-chairs.
Seacrest, who has hosted American Idol for a long time, and Underwood, who won Idol and became a superstar, bring a lot of attention to the cause to raise money for cancer research. Past events have broken records, such as the 20th anniversary, which brought in over $1 million.
You can get tickets, tables, and sponsorships for this May 1 celebration by getting in touch with UCLA.
