Up late, up early? Such is my schedule at these fantastic food events. I arrived back at the Taste of Beverly Hills early Sunday morning to enjoy the Art of Brunch (Did someone say brunch? I’m there!) where the Beverly Hilton’s own culinary team were busy behind tables of fresh, smoked, and cured fish, with mimosas and Bloody Marys freeflowing just around the corner. Despite the brunch hours, guests looked refreshed and excited, digging in to pastries, salads, and other delicious morning bites. Other brunch favorites included chanterelles with eggs on toast, a smoked salmon slider, housemade ricotta and granola, squash blossom quesadillas, and a banana crepe with Nutella foam.
After I had had my fill, I mosied over to the LG cooking tent for a demo with chef Scott Conant. A follower of Conant’s Twitter feed, I was curious to meet the chef, who seemingly is both loved and hated by fans of his Food Network show, 24 Hour Restaurant Battle. For his demo, the personable Conant presented tips and tricks for making the best pasta and sauce at home, demonstrating the art of handmade noodles with a fresh marinara sauce.
I had a chance to chat with Chef Conant after his demo, where we discussed the recent opening of his Scarpetta Toronto location, his take on the farm-to-table movement, and how his restaurants have fared through this recent recession. With his plans to open three new restaurants over the next year, we had much to talk about. Stay tuned to Daily Blender for his upcoming exclusive interview.
Interested in checking out pics from the festival’s final event, BBQ In The Hills? Check out a post on the evening from KevinEats.com.
And…another fun-filled food & wine weekend goes by! Next up, next month’s Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival!
~Jennifer Heigl
*Photo credits: Jennifer Heigl / Daily Blender