Feastival 2012: Just The Food


So yesterday we gave you the quick rundown on everything that was awesome (and everything you might’ve missed) at this year’s Feastival. And though it took us a little bit of time, we did finally run down COOK’s official photographer, Yoni Nimrod, and shake a few more snaps out of him. They’re lovely shots–which is partly to his credit, and partly thanks to the work of all the cooks killing themselves to feed the thousands of swells who turned out for this year’s festivities.

So, if you were there on Wednesday night, here’s a greatest hits mix tape of some of the best dishes of the night. And if you didn’t make it down, let this stand as my argument for why you really ought to pony up and make it down for next year’s soiree. It truly is one of those things that’s truly worth the money and the time.

So without further ado…

Remember how we said there was a lot of salmon? Well there was a LOT of salmon. Thankfully, most of it was very pretty (and delicious) salmon.

Jason Cichonski brought the big guns and broke out his scallop noodles from Ela

Brauhaus Schmitz’s Jeremy Nolen working hard…

…in order to bring you delicious foie gras liverwurst.

Percy Street was not messing around.

Not the prettiest plate of the night, but easily among the best–a rillette from Dandelion.

Talula’s Garden lamb and kale meatballs.

Rabbit agnolotti from Joe Cicala and Le Virtu.

Walter Abrams from Le Bec Fin was all about the artistic plating…

…I just wish that, among all the foie gras, barbecue, pork belly and salmon, he’d chosen something somewhat more exciting than a bunch of vegetables on a potato crisp. Yes, they were good vegetables (and I guess the vegetarians were probably very happy to see him), but this one just did not do it for me at all.

Still, it was a great night, full of amazing food and lots of booze, and the most impressive thing–above and beyond all the grub and all the famous faces–was that almost all the chefs showed up to represent for their restaurants. These days, that does not always happen. So even if I wasn’t crazy for Abrams’s veggies, the fact that he showed up and stood the shift behind his table like a champ counts for a lot. For you celebrity chef spotters, this year’s Feastival was a wonderland. And for those who were just there to eat?

Well, I’m guessing that some of you still haven’t come out of your foie gras comas, so yeah. A good time all around.