#dannybowien

Danny Bowien

© Con Poulos

Burger Love: Danny Bowien’s take on the classic Oklahoma City burger features caramelized onions pressed into the patty, plus melted Jack cheese.

 Having a new company that revolves around food means going to very social places...alone.  I don't have time (aka dont want to) to try and gather people, and a lot of people aren't willing to spend the money. That means its me vs this foodie town, in this case Taste-Talks.  

Some of you might be saying, "whats the big deal" but please.. shhh, cause no one wants to go to a festival alone.

So this past weekend was the BK edition of Taste Talks!  This festival is still new to the scene (like us ;p ), this being their 2nd year, but it was an incredible two day event that they have also expanded over to Chicago.

It was a great pleasure attending the Brooklyn edition, specially since they had some of my favorite chefs on board (for example ACTION BRONSON AKA BAM BAM BAKLAVA) Also, Danny Bowien of Mission Chinese and Mission Cantina.  Aside from the great chef line-up, they had all kinds of chef panels, food expos, and tastings.  I didn't get a chance to attend as many of the events as I would have liked to, but I def got a small "taste" of it all. 

So Saturday it was a shitty rainy day, and I had to push myself (all by myself) out the door.  I made it in time for only the food expo, a celebrity chef panel, and the highlight of my day, the Action Bronson Munchies screening.  

The food expo was a cute set up of little booths with new and innovative concepts revolving the food world.  There were infused mayos, organic local produce delivery services, energy saving electricity, organic growing apps, picnic delivery etc.  This was pretty easy to walk thru alone, got a couple pics, and tried out some new products. 

After the food expo, I walked across the street to The Wythe Hotel, were some of the other events were taking place.  I managed to sneak my way into the Celebrity Chefs panel, where they talked about being on the big screen as a chef. I was almost half way over by the time I somehow wandered in, but it was super cool to see some of the faces I watch on the food network talking about what its like to get instant fame from only cooking.  I ended up walking out cause I didn't want to miss, my reason for being at the hotel, the Munchies screening of Fuck thats Delicious with Action Bronson.  I walked out and managed to be first in line for the screening.  Action Bronson obviously does an amazing job playing host to a Vice show about food and cooking.  Full over weed smoking, and vulgar jokes, he is actually super funny and great in front of a camera.  He drives around mocking Guy Fieri's show Diners, Dive-Ins, a nd Dives, which is just perfect.  He makes baklava at his aunts house out in Queens, then goes over to Milk Bar, to make a baklava smoothie. This is definitely a show I will keep watching cause its something the food industry needed, funny not cheesy, vulgar, crude, real cooking show.  At the screening they also showed a sneak peak of Danny Bowiens doc on his like as owner of Mission Chinese, a restaurant that got shut down by the health department.  Danny Bowien unlike Action, actually was at the screening which was nice.  The doc follows him thru the anguish of having a big name restaurant in NY, it it being defamed by the Health Department.  That CAN NOT be easy, but the fact that he is putting his shame, and the story out there is actually amazing.  There is no better way to get over something like that then bringing light to it.  Its hard to get customers back after something like that, but with such a huge name, and maybe even this doc, it might not be that hard.  Just to keep up with the theme, im gonna mention how awkward it is to wait in line for a movie...alone, find a seat..alone and just sit there alone etc, you get the point. 

Day two of Taste-Talks was the main event, the All Star BBQ.  This is where all the big chefs of all of your favorite NY spots had a booth with a small taste of what they are all about.  I got to meet and take a picture with ACTION BRONSON, and I got one of Danny Bowien too.  Mission complete! 

The weekend of foodie events was great, I hope to attend more in the future. and I am getting so good at eating alone :)

These pics came straight off the iphone by yours truly