25th Annual American Wine and Food Festival

Through the Collins School, I have been able to volunteer for this event the last four years. I have to say, this year was the best one yet, and the most stressful!

The event is located in the Universal Studios backlot, so that in itself if so neat! I love the buildings! The whole place just gives a terrific ambiance to the event. The event itself is hosted by Wolfgang Puck and Barbara Lazaroff to raise money for Meals on Wheels. As a guest at this event, you get to peruse the tables of celebrity chefs and famous vintners and taste their food and wine. In past years, chefs such as Mario Batali, Bobby Flay, and Eric Ripert graced the streets of the Universal backlot. This year, some of my favorite chefs were Tom Colicchio, Sam Choy, Michael Mina and Paul Prudhomme.

This is a photo of the upper section of tables at the event during set up, and is a nice view of the buildings.

This is a photo of the lower section of the tables at the event during set up, and in front of the courthouse-like building is where one of the stages was located.

Some beautiful flower arrangements waiting to be placed in the area where Wolfgang Puck did his demo.

The main focal point of the Moet-Chandon lounge.

A Patron table made out of ice, with a martini glass and flower on it.

Half of the Patron ice bar. You can barely see the tube frozen into the ice near the top where the martini chills as it flows into your glass. Classy!

The Bellagio was at the festival and they served sushi with cucumbers and Kiss of the Dragon martinis. Yum!

At the Moet Chandon Lounge, there were stilt walkers and acrobats from Cirque de Soleil. This performer is on a flamingo.

The whole event was incredible. The best part about volunteering is that once everything is under way, we get to leave our stations and enjoy the event for the rest of the evening. The worst part, was the figurative fires I had to fight.

The first one was a vintner that didn't have a table. He was already upset because he had been sent to four different parking lots, and still didn't get into the right one, and he had been carrying around a case of wine all day trying to find his table, which was nonexistent. So I was able to get one set up for him, and he was fine and happy after that.

The worst disaster was when the family of a travel company showed up. The wife came up to me and told me that for the past 25 years their table was located on the lower level, near the main stage. I checked my list for that section, and they were nowhere to be found. So we paraded up to the other level and checked lists for that level. . . no such luck. By this time, they were absolutely livid, and felt completely neglected. (I don't blame him, it's a terrible mistake that was made, I dont know by whom) So anyway, the family that had donated money to fly in all the chefs for this event, and had been attending since the beginning of time didn't have a table. They needed two, and it was as if they didn't exist. Great. Now what?

Then I remembered we had two extra, non reserved tables down below. We walked back down, and there were these two old people sitting at one of the tables with a couple of chefs. I told the table that I was sorry, but the table was reserved for the Mansour family. One of the chefs told me that these "old people" were Chef Paul's parents. (Chef Paul Prudhomme was my first thought, but I really have no idea who that Chef Paul really was). So, still thinking they are Chef Paul Prudhomme's parents, I ask them how they like their dinner. Then I turn back to the Mansours, introduce them to Chef Paul's parents, and ask them if they wouldn't mind sharing one of their tables with Chef Paul's parents. No problem! WHEW!

I have to say, that was the most stressful thing I have been through thus far in my hospitality career. I'm so glad it worked out. It turns out that the Festival Director/Event Planner witnessed my actions, and she offered me a job. :) Cool huh?