Behind the Scenes at the James Beard Awards - Gallery

12 secrets from backstage, including Robert De Niro’s champagne conundrum, selfies with
?uestlove, and an astounding amount of cheese

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Mayor Bloomberg is still making jokes about his inability to speak Spanish.

In his speech presenting the Lifetime Achievement Award to Le Cirque’s Sirio Maccioni, Bloomberg deadpanned, “Since today is Cinco de Mayo, I’ve proposed a collaboration between Sirio and me. If an Italian guy from Tuscany can open a French restaurant, why can’t a Jew from Boston do Mexican? He’ll handle the food… and I’ll handle the Spanish.”

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Behind the Scenes at the James Beard Awards - Gallery

12 secrets from backstage, including Robert De Niro’s champagne conundrum, selfies with
?uestlove, and an astounding amount of cheese

Written by Lindsay Silberman

Read the Full Story ≫

The first award of the night was a tie...

...Between Jimmy Bannos Jr. of Chicago’s The Purple Pig and Blaine Wetzel of The Willows Inn on Lummi Island in Washington. Said Bannos Jr., “When we found out we got nominated I got a personal letter from Thomas Keller. It’s framed now in my office!”

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Behind the Scenes at the James Beard Awards - Gallery

12 secrets from backstage, including Robert De Niro’s champagne conundrum, selfies with
?uestlove, and an astounding amount of cheese

Written by Lindsay Silberman

Read the Full Story ≫

The biggest backstage star: Cheese.

After taking the stage, winners and presenters were ushered into the press room, which had been transformed into an overflowing paradise of Italian Gorgonzolas, Spanish Sheep’s Milk, Taleggio and more. Michele Buster, founder of Long Island City-based Forever Cheese, orchestrated the spread. “I brought 100 pounds of cheese with me,” says Buster. “When you’re feeding 1,200 people you never know what to expect.”

The evening’s most popular selection? A Croatian sheep’s milk cheese called Paški sir.

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Behind the Scenes at the James Beard Awards - Gallery

12 secrets from backstage, including Robert De Niro’s champagne conundrum, selfies with
?uestlove, and an astounding amount of cheese

Written by Lindsay Silberman

Read the Full Story ≫

Robert De Niro made a surprise cameo.

He was accompanied by his wife, Grace Hightower De Niro. The couple came to congratulate Sirio Maccioni on his Lifetime Achievement Award.

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Behind the Scenes at the James Beard Awards - Gallery

12 secrets from backstage, including Robert De Niro’s champagne conundrum, selfies with
?uestlove, and an astounding amount of cheese

Written by Lindsay Silberman

Read the Full Story ≫

De Niro’s appearance caused a champagne rush.

The room had only been equipped with gin, but after a bottle of sparkling rosé was brought over for De Niro, everyone was clamoring for a glass. “A bottle appeared for Robert DeNiro and now everbody’s asking for it—there’s a champagne shortage,” said a flustered bartender.

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Behind the Scenes at the James Beard Awards - Gallery

12 secrets from backstage, including Robert De Niro’s champagne conundrum, selfies with
?uestlove, and an astounding amount of cheese

Written by Lindsay Silberman

Read the Full Story ≫

No amount of liquid courage prepares winners for the stage.

Brooklyn Brewery brewmaster Garrett Oliver, who won the award for Outstanding Wine, Beer or Spirits Professional explained, “When you get up there it’s like an out-of-body experience. The lights are in your face and you can’t see anybody!”

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Behind the Scenes at the James Beard Awards - Gallery

12 secrets from backstage, including Robert De Niro’s champagne conundrum, selfies with
?uestlove, and an astounding amount of cheese

Written by Lindsay Silberman

Read the Full Story ≫

Mario Batali has a wide-ranging taste in music.

“We asked all of our nominees and chefs what music inspires them the most when they’re cooking,” said the Italian chef. “For me, it’s everyone from Bach to The White Stripes."

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Behind the Scenes at the James Beard Awards - Gallery

12 secrets from backstage, including Robert De Niro’s champagne conundrum, selfies with
?uestlove, and an astounding amount of cheese

Written by Lindsay Silberman

Read the Full Story ≫

There was a Lower East Side lovefest.

Mission Chinese founder Danny Bowien and wd~50’s Wylie Dufresne hugged it out on the red carpet.

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Behind the Scenes at the James Beard Awards - Gallery

12 secrets from backstage, including Robert De Niro’s champagne conundrum, selfies with
?uestlove, and an astounding amount of cheese

Written by Lindsay Silberman

Read the Full Story ≫

Fancy events and fancy dishes are not mutually exclusive.

The Gala reception, which featured dishes inspired by music, included a well-balanced mix of complex (pickled mackerel with slow scrambled eggs and smoked trout roe from Chef Paul Qui; celery root ice cream sundae from Chef Bill Corbett) and simple (Muffaletta from Chef Jonathan Benno; veggie burger from Chef Brooks Headley).

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Behind the Scenes at the James Beard Awards - Gallery

12 secrets from backstage, including Robert De Niro’s champagne conundrum, selfies with
?uestlove, and an astounding amount of cheese

Written by Lindsay Silberman

Read the Full Story ≫

Everyone wanted to take a selfie with ?uestlove.

Myself included.

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Behind the Scenes at the James Beard Awards - Gallery

12 secrets from backstage, including Robert De Niro’s champagne conundrum, selfies with
?uestlove, and an astounding amount of cheese

Written by Lindsay Silberman

Read the Full Story ≫

Full iPhone batteries were scarce—and so were outlets.

No one is immune to the misfortune of a dying smartphone—not even a renowned chef. (April Bloomfield asked if she could use a reporter’s laptop to charge her phone backstage).

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Behind the Scenes at the James Beard Awards - Gallery

12 secrets from backstage, including Robert De Niro’s champagne conundrum, selfies with
?uestlove, and an astounding amount of cheese

Written by Lindsay Silberman

Read the Full Story ≫

Sometimes, food and fashion go hand in hand.

Even though the fashion set were busy occupying the Met, the James Beard Awards had its own boundary-pushing trendsetters—namely Red Rooster’s Marcus Samuelsson (pictured) and Carbone’s Mario Carbone.

Behind the Scenes at the James Beard Awards - Gallery

12 secrets from backstage, including Robert De Niro’s champagne conundrum, selfies with ?uestlove, and an astounding amount of cheese

Written by Lindsay Silberman

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Behind the Scenes at the James Beard Awards - Gallery

12 secrets from backstage, including Robert De Niro’s champagne conundrum, selfies with ?uestlove, and an astounding amount of cheese

Written by Lindsay Silberman

Tags:

Behind the Scenes at the James Beard Awards - Gallery

12 secrets from backstage, including Robert De Niro’s champagne conundrum, selfies with ?uestlove, and an astounding amount of cheese

Written by Lindsay Silberman

Tags:

Behind the Scenes at the James Beard Awards - Gallery

12 secrets from backstage, including Robert De Niro’s champagne conundrum, selfies with ?uestlove, and an astounding amount of cheese

Written by Lindsay Silberman

Tags:

Behind the Scenes at the James Beard Awards - Gallery

12 secrets from backstage, including Robert De Niro’s champagne conundrum, selfies with ?uestlove, and an astounding amount of cheese

Written by Lindsay Silberman

Tags:

Behind the Scenes at the James Beard Awards - Gallery

12 secrets from backstage, including Robert De Niro’s champagne conundrum, selfies with ?uestlove, and an astounding amount of cheese

Written by Lindsay Silberman

Tags:

Behind the Scenes at the James Beard Awards - Gallery

12 secrets from backstage, including Robert De Niro’s champagne conundrum, selfies with ?uestlove, and an astounding amount of cheese

Written by Lindsay Silberman

Tags:

Behind the Scenes at the James Beard Awards - Gallery

12 secrets from backstage, including Robert De Niro’s champagne conundrum, selfies with ?uestlove, and an astounding amount of cheese

Written by Lindsay Silberman

Tags:

Behind the Scenes at the James Beard Awards - Gallery

12 secrets from backstage, including Robert De Niro’s champagne conundrum, selfies with ?uestlove, and an astounding amount of cheese

Written by Lindsay Silberman

Tags:

Behind the Scenes at the James Beard Awards - Gallery

12 secrets from backstage, including Robert De Niro’s champagne conundrum, selfies with ?uestlove, and an astounding amount of cheese

Written by Lindsay Silberman

Tags:

Behind the Scenes at the James Beard Awards - Gallery

12 secrets from backstage, including Robert De Niro’s champagne conundrum, selfies with ?uestlove, and an astounding amount of cheese

Written by Lindsay Silberman

Tags:

Behind the Scenes at the James Beard Awards - Gallery

12 secrets from backstage, including Robert De Niro’s champagne conundrum, selfies with ?uestlove, and an astounding amount of cheese

Written by Lindsay Silberman

Tags:

12 secrets from backstage, including Robert De Niro’s champagne conundrum, selfies with
?uestlove, and an astounding amount of cheese

12 secrets from backstage, including Robert De Niro’s champagne conundrum, selfies with
?uestlove, and an astounding amount of cheese

12 secrets from backstage, including Robert De Niro’s champagne conundrum, selfies with
?uestlove, and an astounding amount of cheese

12 secrets from backstage, including Robert De Niro’s champagne conundrum, selfies with
?uestlove, and an astounding amount of cheese

12 secrets from backstage, including Robert De Niro’s champagne conundrum, selfies with
?uestlove, and an astounding amount of cheese

12 secrets from backstage, including Robert De Niro’s champagne conundrum, selfies with
?uestlove, and an astounding amount of cheese

12 secrets from backstage, including Robert De Niro’s champagne conundrum, selfies with
?uestlove, and an astounding amount of cheese

12 secrets from backstage, including Robert De Niro’s champagne conundrum, selfies with
?uestlove, and an astounding amount of cheese

12 secrets from backstage, including Robert De Niro’s champagne conundrum, selfies with
?uestlove, and an astounding amount of cheese

12 secrets from backstage, including Robert De Niro’s champagne conundrum, selfies with
?uestlove, and an astounding amount of cheese

12 secrets from backstage, including Robert De Niro’s champagne conundrum, selfies with
?uestlove, and an astounding amount of cheese

12 secrets from backstage, including Robert De Niro’s champagne conundrum, selfies with
?uestlove, and an astounding amount of cheese