Skip to main content

Grilling with Top Chefs at the Taste Talks Brooklyn BBQ

Taste Talks Brooklyn just wrapped their second annual weekend of dinners, panels and a special expo, all exploring “The Future of Taste.” On Sunday, we attended the All-Star BBQ – an event presented by Mario Batali and curated by Danny Bowien that brought together 25 chefs at 12 grilling stations on Williamsburg’s scenic waterfront – and it was certainly a meal to remember.

Texas Hot Gut Sausage
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Open to the public, the BBQ had a $40 price tag for 14+ delicious dishes. The long lines were daunting upon arrival, but we quickly realized they were moving fast for the amount of people in attendance. The biggest crowd was gathered around Michael White’s booth where rapper Action Bronson was getting down on the grill with chef and his team. They were serving up a Thai-spiced “Porchetta Kra Prow” with crispy watercress and tigelle, which was delicious. We tried almost everything except the Brooks Headley famous-as-of-late veggie burger which was sold out before we even arrived.

Recommended Videos

As you would expect from a BBQ, most of the dishes were meat-based. Our favorite was definitely the grilled duck hearts with a summer corn XO sauce from Ivan Orkin of Ivan Ramen. We had to stop ourselves from getting seconds, as the dish was extremely rich. Daniel Delaney of Williamsburg’s BrisketTown was serving a Texas hot gut sausage, definitely some of the best we’ve had in recent memory. Nate Smith of Allswell and Lee Tiernan of Black Axe Mangal cooked up charred lamb tongue with deep fried anchovy that was delicious, as was the pig head salad from David Santos and Jonathan Wu, of Louro and Fung Tu, respectively. Luckily there was fish to cut through all that delectable fatty goodness. Will Horowitz of Ducks Eatery grilled an incredibly tasty smoked char sui Long Island eel with fermented corn, sassafras root and crab roe creme. Ssam Bar’s Matt Rudofker grilled Blue Whale oysters with shaoxing, brown butter and ramps that may have been the most flavorful dish of all; it would have been the best if the oyster wasn’t so chewy.

Chefs
Image used with permission by copyright holder

We can’t think of a better way to wrap up summer than with a BBQ featuring some of the best chefs in the country – you’ll definitely want to check it out next year. To learn more about the Taste Talks and to get your tickets for the Chicago events taking place October 3-5, visit taste-talks.com.

Photo credits: Taste Talks/Care Howe

Amanda Gabriele
Amanda Gabriele is a food and travel writer at The Manual and the former senior editor at Supercall. She can’t live without…
Meet the coffee brand fighting hustle culture one cup at a time
A coffee with a mission to break up with hustle culture
Wimp Decaf Coffee Company

The decaf coffee movement has shown no signs of slowing down, as coffee drinkers are beginning to rethink the effects of drinking too much caffeine and shift towards alternative and health-focused coffee products. For Matthew Smith, Founder of Wimp Decaf, giving up caffeine wasn’t about optimizing his lifestyle. It was closer to a personal mental intervention. After noticing the mental health symptoms of how caffeine made him feel, such as the jitters and anxiety, he found himself second-guessing his favorite daily ritual. He didn't want to give up coffee, but also didn't want to keep experiencing these symptoms.

Though that could have been the end of the story, Smith quickly realized there was a space not just for better decaf coffee but for a whole brand that centered decaf as a lifestyle choice. Smith set out to start Wimp Decaf to rebrand decaf coffee as a ritual of calm—not as a sad backup plan. From here, Wimp Decaf was born with a mission to rebrand decaf as a rebellious act of self-kindness.
The decaf coffee movement

Read more
If you’re gonna make a Daiquiri, go with a recipe from a 250-year-old rum brand
A rum and sun soaked drink for summertime
The Jamaican Daiquiri.

'Tis the season for hammock naps and long meandering walks on the sand. Can't get to the beach? That's okay, we've got a great three ingredient cocktail that will transport you there.

The Daiquiri is a classic, built around little more than the ideal pairing of rum and citrus. When dialed-in, the tropical drink is one of the best in the business. If palm fronds and sea breezes could be put into a cocktail glass, well, this recipe would be it.

Read more
The easiest ways to make hazelnut coffee that actually taste great
3 methods to enjoy hazelnut flavor in your coffee
Cup of coffee

When I think of classic flavored coffee, hazelnut is one of the first flavors that comes to mind. Hazelnut coffee is almost like my version of comfort food, except in coffee form. The slightly nutty, sweet taste of hazelnut works perfectly, whether it's a regular hot coffee or an iced coffee. You can find hazelnut coffee at almost any coffee shop, but it's also super easy to make at home. Here's how to make hazelnut coffee in three ways.

How to make hazelnut coffee using flavored beans

Read more