Barbecue and the Blues 2014: meet the meat elite
On Friday, October 18th, 2014, Thrillist's 5th annual Barbecue and the Blues completely decimated the Hudson Hotel's subterranean party space Good Units. Overflowing with beef from Creekstone Farms and chicken from Bell & Evans, the NYC Wine & Food Fest event made meat lovers more overjoyed than a meat lovers' pizza could, because really, who needs all that bread when you can just have meat?
The crowd was ravenous. Not in the metaphorical way you describe crowds at a gladiator stadium -- they were actually very hungry. Not for long though.
Our lovely hosts from Food Network's The Kitchen: Marcela Valladolid, Geoffrey Zakarian, Jeff Mauro, Sunny Anderson, and Katie Lee. Note that Chef Zakarian's tie matches the "Blues" theme, in stark contrast to...
Okay so what's happening with the Do Or Dine guy's faux-tux tee is that the Star Wars spacecraft depicted on it is called a "Tie Fighter". Also, that's a heaping tray of beef heart pastrami, so... eat your <3 out.
Glenn Rolnick from Virgil's Real Barbecue, a New York staple since Finland joined the EU (1994!). Chef Rolnick's chicken is so good, if you were in a restaurant it'd have you saying crazy things like "I believe I'll have the chicken."
Matt Fisher from Fletcher's Brooklyn Barbecue speaks the truth with a capital T-shirt.
Senior Events Producer Jessica Dowd is like, "What, you thought we forgot to bring adult beverages? You are hilarious."
Sam Adams was in the house...
... much to the joy of Quirky's Alyssa Carroll and Andrew Zimmer, editor of Thrillist New York and the 2nd-tallest person at the party. Seriously bro, that other guy had at least an inch on you.
Back to food. Simon Glenn (pictured at top) garnished his tri tip with red pepper relish. His Tchoup Shop popup is named for Tchoupitoulas Street in New Orleans, where he worked for 10 years -- just long enough to learn that it is very difficult to say "Tchoupitoulas".
Jeremy Nolen from Brauhaus Schmitz. His crew has kind of a ZZ Top, 66 2/3% beard thing going on.
Meanwhile, his spiessbraten (spit-roasted flank stank) had a "stuffed with garlic, green onions and paprika" thing going on.
On the hosts' stage, things were descending into bedlam...
... as the crowd witnessed mad selfie taking.
Photographer Anthony Humphreys got in on the action, and became friends for life with Food Network Star winner Mauro.
Michael Citarella from the Monarch Room. No one could hold a candle to his short rib sliders.
But Zene Flinn and Benkei O'Sullivan from Park Avenue Autumn absolutely could hold candles to their lamb ribs w/ smoked cherries.
Also influenced by Canada: Mile End's Montreal-style, cured & smoked beef brisket.
Phillip Powers from Delaney Barbecue's jalapeno-lamb sausage was hotter than Dana Delany (no -e-) was on China Beach, or even on her short-lived series... Wing Commander Academy? That existed?
With a voice bellowing somewhere between Louis Armstrong and Tom Waits, our musical guest honestly doesn't even need that megaphone. But there is an announcement to be made...
The envy-inducing trophy for best dish of the night, which is kind of awesome because it has a meat sandwich on top of it.
Sweet Chick's BBQ Lamb Ribs, from chef Randy Reppel. Accepting the award like it's NBD is the restaurant's owner John Seymour.
But of course it is a BD. A huge deal even, and not just because it makes ladies like events team ace Rithi Gupta want to pose for pictures with you.
The winning dish. If Adam's ribs had been this tasty, he might not have parted with one to make Eve. Anyway, that's all for this go-round, but we'll be back next year. Get your stomachs ready.