It was a brunch buffet fit for an army and an army of Paula Deen fans did indeed turn out for her Sunday Jazz Brunch at Gotham Hall in New York City. From her own Southern Eggs Benedict to delicious dishes from guest chefs, there wasn’t an empty plate in the place. Paula, her sons and her husband addressed the large crowd and thanked them numerous times for their support of the Food Bank of New York City and Share Our Strength: “I appreciate so much y’alls support and helping solve this big problem we have in America…you’ll never realize what it means to me.”
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For those who love tacos, tequila and mingling with the most famous chefs of the food world, then The Art of the Taco party was the place to be on Saturday night. The event, part of the New York City Wine and Food Festival, was hosted by Bobby Flay, who is famous for the catchphrase, “Tacos, Yo.” Flay manned his Mesa Grill taco station, serving guests mini smoked salmon tacos. But Bobby wasn’t the only star around, all the chefs were out that night — Alex Guarnaschelli, Andrew Zimmern, Geoffrey Zakarian, Scott Conant, Debi Mazar and Gabriele Corcos, Marc Forgione, Jeff Mauro, Sunny Anderson, Aaron Sanchez and Anne Burrell were at the party too, and I even heard there was a Guy Fieri sighting.
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The FN Dish’s own wine expert, Mark Oldman, teamed up with grilling expert and Hill Country Barbecue executive chef and partner Elizabeth Karmel to host the event Bubbles and Q at the New York City Wine and Food Festival this weekend – guiding lucky festival-goers through a flight of sparkling wines paired perfectly with juicy morsels of barbecue.
Why pour bubbly with your brisket (it seems like an unlikely combo)? Mark says the main reason is that the bubbles add lift and cleanliness to rich barbecue foods – it’s one of his favorite food and wine pairings. Both Mark and Elizabeth think it’s time to stop saving the sparklers for special occasions, since they pair so well with all foods – we should start drinking them like 7-Up or sparkling water!
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Guests were graciously invited to be part of the Neely family this weekend, at the Neelys’ brunch NYCWFF event hosted at their recently opened New York restaurant, The Neely’s Barbecue Parlor.
A cheerful red chandelier hangs in the entryway, the centerpiece of the restaurant, while curved wooden steps lead up to the sunny, welcoming parlor area, vibrantly decorated with orange checkered tablecloths and orange flowers. Jazzy music from a guitar and harmonica player duo lazily wafted through the restaurant Saturday, while brunch cocktails, candied bacon and deviled eggs greeted hungry, eager eaters as they trickled in and claimed seats.
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- Lantern Restaurant in Chapel Hill, NC brought Korean-style fried chicken with pickled vegetables to the party.
Burgers and meatballs have become mainstays at the annual New York City Wine and Food Festival. Now fried chicken is getting into the mix. This beloved Southern comfort food was served up by restaurants from around the country last night at Hill Country Barbecue Market, the perfect venue for such an event. Guests meandered through the expansive Texas-style barbecue joint, munching on fried birds both classic and unconventional while a live band played on the lower level.
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Anne Burrell bowled with the best of them last night at her Rock & Bowl cookbook release party at Lucky Strike in New York City. Neon-colored lanes, plush seating and an expansive bar set the backdrop, while party goers snacked on plates of bruschetta, stuffed mushrooms and polenta from Anne’s Cook Like a Rock Star.
Donning an edgy black dress with her signature spiked hair, Anne traded in her high heels for bowling shoes and a bright pink ball. Food Network stars Alex Guarnaschelli, Marc Forgione, Aarti Sequeira and Claire Robinson also joined in the fun.
Upbeat dance music pumped through the speakers while guests knocked down pins, played pool and sipped on margaritas and palomas — a mix of tequila and grapefruit juice — in the vast, luxe lounge.
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The 2011 New York Wine and Food Festival kicked off Thursday night with meatballs, lots of them. With what seems to be a festival tradition, Meatball Madness, hosted by Giada De Laurentiis, is a time when restaurants can display their version of a perfect meatball. Over 20 restaurants featured this popular comfort food to a sold-out crowd — they munched on meatballs containing everything from pork, to veal, to beef and even vegetarian options.
Joey Campanaro from The Little Owl won the judge’s choice award for his grandmother’s gravy meatball slider, while The Meatball Shop hit a soft spot with the crowd and was given the people’s choice award.
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This month, eyes begin to turn upward to see changing foliage and appetites begin to yearn for warmer and heartier fare. October’s food festivals certainly offer that, along with forays into the lighter dishes of previous seasons.
Jungle Jim’s Weekend of Fire, Fairfield, Ohio, Oct. 1-2: It’s not just you, it is (or will be) hot at Jungle Jim’s, a 1.5-acre zoologically themed international supermarket, during the Weekend of Fire, a fiery foods expo and celebration. Seventy-five vendors will be handing out samples of capsaicin-choked comestibles, including hot sauces, rubs and, yes, ice cream. New at the fifth-annual event will be BBQ Alley, for all your smoked-meat and fried-food needs. Eating contests will reign supreme, though, with bouts centered on mercury-bursting lollipops and horseradish in the Arena of Fire competition zone. Then, there’s the main event, the Defcon DeathMatch Wing Eating Contest. Is there any hotter way to kick off October?
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While the countdown to the first events of the New York City Wine and Food Festival shrinks by the day, our excitement only continues to mount. We’ll be at the festival all weekend long chowing down with Food Network stars Giada De Laurentiis, Sandra Lee, Duff Goldman, Paula Deen, Guy Fieri, Bobby Flay, Anne Burrell and Masaharu Morimoto.
Want to join us? You can find our editors covering the following events throughout the four-day festival. If you can’t make it to the festival this year, tune into FN Dish for our coverage all weekend long.
Find out which events we’ll be attending »
What first began as a cook-off to showcase the best of the best being served on NYC’s sidewalks has become a haven for worldly fare. Sure, there was freshly cooked cracker-thin pizza and hordes of colorful cupcakes, but it was the more exotic and foreign foods that won ticket holders’ hearts and judges’ votes. One thing was clear at this year’s Vendy Awards: New Yorkers covet their international cuisine.
From Jamaican comfort food to Greek souvlaki, Middle Eastern falafel to Korean-inspired tacos, there were foods from all around the globe. While everything was well worthy of our praises, a few dishes in particular caught our eye, and only one came away with the coveted Vendy Cup. Check out a few of the goodies that were on the menu at this past Saturday’s Vendy Awards, plus a rundown of all the winners.
Get a rundown of all the winners [PHOTOS] »
