Summer Fancy Food Show Draws Patti Labelle, Ambassadors, NJ Housewives, Chefs, CEOs & A Guy In A Panda Costume…

NORTHWEST -- The temperature might have been searing outside over the past couple of days, but the hottest daytime ticket in D.C. has still been for the 57th annual Summer Fancy Food Show, North America’s largest specialty food and beverage event.

GRAMMY winner-turned-spice seller Patti LaBelle was one of the most popular stars of the event.
Indeed, over the past week, the District has seen a surge of visitors from all over the world as 24,000 attendees -- collectively shopping more than 180,000 products – took over the Washington Convention Center in the hopes of securing new distribution channels, landing new supply sources or simply gaining a little international exposure.

A view of about 20% of the convention center floor.
Over the years, the Fancy Food Show has served as the launch vehicle for numerous products that are now commonplace in the typical American household. Everything from Perrier water to Dove chocolate bars to popchips! got their first big break at the event.

popchips! Marketing Manager Lauren Pomponio & CEO Keith Belling. We did not bite them...much.
Hoping to capitalize on such an opportunity, representatives from 2,400+ exhibitors have descended upon Washington to strike foodie gold. A prime prize? Walking away with one of the 125 gold 2011 sofi Awards, which recognize the year’s most outstanding food and beverage products.

Another prize was the chance to be seen on an episode of the Real Housewives of New Jersey, which was filming on location at the show.
With Napoleon having recognized a couple of centuries ago that “an army marches on its stomach,” vendors weren’t limited to private businesses. Individual countries had erected massive pavilions, spanning thousands of feet, throughout the convention center floor, with millions of dollars (and euros and renminbi, etc.) in economic development – not to mention national pride – potentially at stake.

Washington Examiner Yeas & Nays columnists Nikki Schwab and Katy Adams flank the Embassy of Chile’s Commercial Attache, Alejandro Buvinic.
N.B. Be careful who you start a discussion with about what constitutes the “best” chocolate! The guy in the panda bear costume always wins…

Master orator.
Leaving nothing to chance, embassies had begun rolling out the red carpet to industry representatives and members of the press days in advance, with a series of cocktail receptions and chef demonstrations – each (deservingly) touting its own culinary prowess.

Renowned Chilean chef Pilar Rodriguez and 2011 RAMMY “Chef of the Year” Todd Gray co-hosted a reception at Gray’s Watershed Restaurant last Thursday.
Visitors from far away didn’t get to have all of the fun, however. Plenty of states also had exhibits set up, including an entire aisle dedicated to local products from Virginia.

Falls Church, VA-based CookieZen was a local favorite.

...as was Food Network star Duff Goldman’s Baltimore-based Charm City Cakes shop.
Many award-winning chefs, including José Andrés and Todd Gray, from the city’s top restaurants, could be found roaming the massive exhibitor hall in search of new ways through which they can continue to entertain the palettes of Washingtonians.

Georgetown’s Mie N Yu Manager Mike Cherner & Executive Chef RL Boyd sample an Ilegal Tequila.
Fancy Food fun!