It was like the culinary Oscars, without the (official) competition. Celebrity chefs, locals, and visitors kicked up their heels and ate and drank and listened to music... then ate and drank some more. Rinse. Repeat.
Everything, from bourbon cocktails from local bartenders like Abigail Gullo and Daniel Victory to beet-featured desserts from Sucre, to the meat - oh, goodness, all the meat - was delicious and more or less easily accessible. The new location at Champion Square was perfect for the crowd. While the tents did get a little congested at the event's peak, it was a much less crowded experience than the previous year, where the event uncomfortably grew out of its previous space at the Foundry in the Warehouse District.
The music was provided by Sweet Crude, Pine Leaf Boys, the Lone Bellow, and Grace Potter. All the acts covered a wide variety of musical styles and fit the mood of the event perfectly.
As chefs ran out of their offerings, the food tents cleared out and the bar tents filled up as the hard working men and women prepared to get their party game going. Photos were politely forbidden at the afterparties, with the philosophy of "what happens at the afterparty, stays at the afterparty." A very understandable and reasonable request, as it turns out.
