COOK.EAT.DRINK.LIVE

This past weekend was The COOK.EAT.DRINK. LIVE  2009 food/charity event at The Tunnel/La.Venue in Chelsea. For the entire weekend ACTION AGAINST HUNGER worked together with COOK.EAT.DRINK.LIVE to bring a gourmet food and wine event where Zagat-rated restuarants,New York City's finest chefs and high end gourmet spirits and food sampling come together in one place. Foodies, food industry folk and people who just love to do something for a good cause attended the event which offered over 100 samples of wines(many of which where local),spirits and beers. Great restaurants like En Brassiere, Bice, Mortons Steakhouse and Triomphe each had long lines of attendees trying to get bite size nibbles of yummy things like Bice's pumpkin ravioli and Triomphe's chocolate flan. Large crowds huddled anxiously around the various wine and spirit tables waiting for their opportunity to participate in the tastings, with many people,including myself raving about Me Oko natural flavored vodkas like jalapeno and ginger flavors.The FineWaters Pavillion was an interesting place to be at since it gave guests a once in lifetime experience in tasting unique waters from all over the world. Water is water right? Not for Michael Mascha who is considered the worlds leading "water connoisseur". There where delicious baked goods of all sorts,chocolate,special olive oils, exotic spices and cheeses. My favorite part of the event was volunteering in the kitchen at the Viking  Main Stage where cooking demonstrations where held by New Yorks top chefs. Attendees of the event where treated to small cooking demos by Chef's Joey Campanaro from Little Owl,Eric Hana from Oak Room and Chef Claude Godard from Madison Bistro. Fellow volunteers ranged from students in event planning internships,people in culinary school to people like me who just want to dabble in the food world in whatever way i can !! I enjoyed watching the chefs in action, passing out samples of there fare to the hungry audience and offcourse getting to eat the leftovers!!Yummy!! I also cant forget the fun of meeting other foodies like me,of meeting interesting folk that work in the food world and of making $70 in tips working the coat room for a few hours on opening day!Hilarious!!To see more pics of the event check them out at Flickr. http://www.flickr.com/photos/hungrylittlebitch/