On Saturday (May 19), thousands of patrons descended on the Barker Hangar to attend The Infatuation’s second annual EEEEEATSCON food festival in Los Angeles. Back better than ever, the festival this year featured more than 20 food vendors and a revamped slate of entertainment for guests to enjoy while tasting some of the best food L.A. has to offer.
In the music department, Mr. Sonny James and Orange Calderon were on the 1s and 2s while the Spencer Lee Band and Gavin Turek offered live performances. Also marching its way through the festival grounds at one point was Centennial High School Band of Compton, Calif., alma mater to hip-hop heavyweights like Dr. Dre and Kendrick Lamar. The crowd stopped and took pictures and photos of the band and majorettes dressed in red and white, performing a music and dance number in effortless formation.
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Inside of the grounds, vendors like Mr. Holmes Bakehouse enjoyed long lines of fans looking to savor their popular donuts. Popular ice cream shops Smitten Ice Cream and Sweet Rose Creamery were a hit with attendees looking to cool down in the mild Southern California heat. American Express built an “#AmexGold” lounge area full of seating as well as water canteens and water for its cardholders.
Another popular food vendor at the festival was Williams Family Kitchen and Baby Blues BBQ. Williams Family Kitchen is a brand manufactured by consumer good company Dean & Deluca, boasting the delectable recipes of superstar artist, producer and mogul Pharrell Williams‘ father, Pharaoh.
To learn more about the story behind the burgeoning brand, which will release its offering the Nono sauce in July, Billboard spoke briefly over phone with Dean & Deluca’s president of consumer brands, Peter Hall. When asked about how the partnership with Pharrell came about, Hall responded by saying, “Dean and Deluca was a company that Pharrell knew for a while and respected so it was a perfect fit.” He added, “His father is very savvy in the kitchen and a bit of an artist in that area so it made sense to collaborate.”
Recognizing the rising profile of the West Coast in food culture (“Los Angeles is a hot spot”), Hall spoke on knowing about EEEEATSCON and how it was a way to bring the sauce to L.A. The decision to partner up with Baby Blues was not a new collaboration. He harkened to their previous collaboration during the Roots Family Picnic in Philadelphia. He also noted that “Baby Blues BBQ is a family-owned brand, and the owner is originally from L.A.,” showing the parallels of the brand with the Williams Family Kitchen. When asked where people could find the Nono sauce, Hall mentioned it will be available next month in all six Dean & Deluca stores as well as online at deananddeluca.com.
For more about EEEEEATSCON check out The Infatuation.