Evan Funke Named Executive Chef for The 32nd Annual Actor Awards®
Evan Funke Named Executive Chef for The 32nd Annual Actor Awards®
Exclusive Menu Unveiled Celebrating Artistry on Every Plate
The Actor Awards® will Stream Live Globally on Sunday, March 1 on Netflix
LOS ANGELES (February 9, 2026) – Acclaimed chef Evan Funke has been named as Executive Chef of The 32nd Annual Actor Awards Presented by SAG-AFTRA, which will stream live on Netflix Sunday, March 1, 2026 at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT from the Shrine Auditorium & Expo Hall.
“I’m incredibly honored and delighted to partner with The Actor Awards to curate a menu that reflects the artistry, craft and collective excellence celebrated throughout the evening,” said chef Funke.
In partnership with The Actor Awards and Netflix, the Los Angeles-based chef curated a culinary experience for the actors’ biggest night. The culinary offerings will include a caviar station in the pre-reception for guests to enjoy during red carpet arrivals, passed antipasti inspired by Funke’s signature Italian dishes, and a dinner to be served during the awards ceremony featuring specially crafted plates.
The 32nd Annual Actor Awards Menu
CAVIALE E BRUSCHETTINI
CAVIAR STATION
PETROSSIAN CAVAR
chives, lemon
BATTUTO DI MANZO
hand cut filet mignon, shallot, vacche rosse
TARTARE DI TONNO ROSSO
big eye tuna, cucumber, lemon
CAVIALE DI MELANZANE
charred eggplant, erbe aromatiche
LA PASTA
PASTA STATION
RIGATONCINI CACIO E PEPE
pecorino romano DOP, black pepper
RIGATONCINI ALL'ARRABBIATA
sugo di pomodoro, aglio, olio, peperoncino
PASSED ANTIPASTI
ASSAGGI PER TUTTI
FIORI DI ZUCCA
squash blossoms, ricotta fresca, parmigiano reggiano
CARCIOFI FRITTI
violetta artichokes, lemon, mint
BIGNÉ CACIO E PEPE
pecorino crema, black pepper
SUPPLÌ ALLA ROMANA
carnaroli rice croquette, mozzarella fior di latte, pecorino romano
INDIVA RIPIENA
caponatina di zucchine, pignoli, battuto di erbe
LA PIZZA ROMANA
MARGHERITA
mozzarella fior di latte, salsa di pomodoro, basil, extra virgin olive oil
DIAVOLA
mozzarella fior di latte, salsa di pomodoro, salame piccante, basil, peperoncino, olio santo
MARINARA
salsa di pomodoro, heirloom garlic, origano selvatico, extra virgin olive oil
DINNER
FOR THE TABLE
SFINCIONE IN BIANCO (V)
chef evan funke's signature foccacia, origano selvatico, extra virgin olive oil, sea salt
FIRST COURSE
INSALATA VIGNAROLA (V, VG, GF)
riso venere, roasted artichokes, delta asparagus, english peas, fava beans, mint, extra virgin olive oil
SECOND COURSE
TIMBALLINO SICILIANO (VG)
anellini, melanzane, sugo di pomodoro, mozzarella fior di latte, basil, ricotta salata
Guests will enjoy wine from The Actor Awards’ official wine sponsor, Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurants®, and craft cocktails from the official spirits sponsor, Woodford Reserve®. A wide range of wine varieties will be available throughout the evening including the Artist’s Red Blend, Artist’s White Blend, Cooper’s Hawk Lux Pinot Noir, Cooper’s Hawk Lux White Meritage, Rosé, Cooper’s Hawk Vivante! Strawberry Elderflower, as well as a signature cocktail — a Strawberry Rhubarb Gin Sour — which will be served exclusively to actors in the backstage green room. Additionally, Woodford Reserve® will serve four specialty cocktails including The Actor® Manhattan crafted with Woodford Reserve® Distiller’s Select, the Legendary Toast highlighting Herradura Legend Tequila and a caramelized candy orange garnish, a Double Oaked Espresso Martini and a classic Paloma with black lava salt.
Evan Funke is a two-time James Beard-nominated chef, a culinary storyteller, a custodian of Italian tradition and a master of the old-world techniques of handmade pasta.
Having learned the art of pasta early in his career, his singular passion as a pasta maker and chef was solidified in Bologna, under the mentorship of Alessandra Spisni at La Vecchia Scuola Bolognese. Widely known for his ardent dedication to seasonality, warmth in hospitality and reverence for the deeply rooted culinary traditions of Italy, he brings more than two decades of excellence to all of his critically acclaimed restaurants – eponymous Funke in Beverly Hills; his homage to la cucina Romana at Mother Wolf in Hollywood, Las Vegas at the Fontainebleau Hotel and in Miami’s Design District; the beloved Felix on Abbot Kinney Blvd. in Venice; and Tre Dita at the St. Regis Hotel in Chicago. Notably, since 2022, Funke has been the official chef of the legendary Vanity Fair Oscar Party.
On the small screen Funke was most recently featured on Netflix’s Chef’s Table: Noodles, an intimate account of his journey to mastering pasta fatta a mano. In the spring of 2020, the 8-part docu-series Shape of Pasta, produced by Ugly Brother Studio, follows Funke throughout Italy as he works to preserve the rare and obscure traditional pasta shapes of Italy.
Award-winning actress and producer Kristen Bell will host The 32nd Annual Actor Awards, and legendary actor and activist Harrison Ford will be presented with the Life Achievement Award, SAG-AFTRA’s highest honor.
Silent House Productions will produce the annual ceremony for the third consecutive year.
ABOUT THE ACTOR AWARDS
The Actor Awards Presented by SAG-AFTRA is the only televised awards ceremony that exclusively honors actors in TV and film. With nominees and winners chosen by eligible performers within SAG-AFTRA’s robust and diverse community of more than 160,000 members, the largest voting body in the awards landscape, the show recognizes outstanding work across 15 categories spanning individual and ensemble achievements in motion pictures, drama series, and comedy series. Beloved for its style, simplicity, and genuine warmth, the show and its statuette of the same name, The Actor, are fundamental to the spirit of performers around the globe and is one of the industry’s most prized honors since its debut in 1995. The Actor Awards airs exclusively on Netflix.
ABOUT SILENT HOUSE PRODUCTIONS
Silent House Group, which was recently named one of GQ's 20 most creative companies in the world, is comprised of three divisions - Silent House Productions, Silent House Studios, and Silent House Events - which together form the global award-winning production company, design studio, and creative agency that stages and produces large scale global events. Silent House Productions produced Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour | The Final Show, Opry100: A Live Celebration, the 98th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, TUDUM 2025, Noche UFC at Las Vegas Sphere, and won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded) for their work on Carol Burnett: 90 Years of Laughter + Love, in addition to four other Emmy nominations for the special, and produced the 30th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards, which marked Netflix’s first-ever live awards show. Additionally, the award-winning team produced the blockbuster film Taylor Swift I The Eras Tour in partnership with Taylor Swift Productions, among other notable projects. For more information, please visit: https://www.silent-house.com/productions.
ABOUT NETFLIX
Netflix is one of the world’s leading entertainment services offering TV series, films, games and live programming across a wide variety of genres and languages. Members can play, pause and resume watching as much as they want, anytime, anywhere, and can change their plans at any time.
Media Contacts
The Actor Awards
Nic Vivas | nvivas@actorawards.org
Ngoc Nguyen | nnguyen@actorawards.org
Pipere Boggio | pboggio@actorawards.org
Justine Castillo | jcastillo@actorawards.org
Netflix
Sara Zebrack, Gaby Zapata