Lidia Bastianich, Catherine Trifiletti. Photo by Tony Powell. MetroCooking DC. Convention Center. November 16, 2019
MetroCooking DC hosts a weekend of learning, tasting and shopping featuring local chefs, artisan food purveyors and acclaimed culinary talents.
Tutti a tavola a mangiare! “Everyone to the table to eat!” is Italian chef Lidia Bastianich’s tagline — one she has sworn by in both her life and career.The award-winning television host, best-selling cookbook author and established restaurateur brought her community-first sentiment to Washington’s annual food showcase, MetroCooking DC, where she shared her personal story and culinary know-how with a flood of fans who came to hear her words of wisdom. In Bastianich’s latest book “My American Dream: A Life of Love, Family and Food” (Knopf, 2018), she trades her usual compilation of recipes for a memoir tracing her journey from a childhood in postwar Yugoslavia, which she and her family eventually fled, to a burgeoning restaurant business in New York (Lidia’s, Eataly).
Bastianich and fellow headliners Martha Stewart, Wolfgang Puck and Myron Mixon were joined by a record-breaking 13,500 foodies from up and down the East Coast for the weekend festivities put on by E.J. Krause & Associates. Guests sampled food and drink from more than 180 vendors, participated in cooking classes and watched cooking demos by local chefs.
BEST BITES & SIPS:
Graeter’s Ice Cream — undeterred by the cold outside, guests lined up next to the Ohio- based brand’s truck for icy spoonfuls of vanilla.
Hill Country BBQ — the local barbecue house took home the award for best brisket with its succulent slices.
Wicked Weed — imperial stouts made using s’mores and German chocolate cake made for a sweet buzz courtesy of the Asheville brewery.
Laos in Town — the Southeast Asian restaurant in Washington’s Noma neighborhood was voted a crowd favorite for its crispy mango salad.
Anxo Cidery – it’s a good sign when you can’t settle on just one from a lineup of dry ciders.
