Covering the Limelight in ATX: Austin Food and Wine Festival 2014

Limelight Imaging had the wonderful opportunity to attend the scrumptious Austin Food and Wine Festival, presented by FOOD AND WINE MAGAZINE, which was held in downtown Austin, April 25 - 27, 2014.

The daytime festival activities took place in Butler during the three-day event. Attendees were treated to up-close and personal interactions with some of the finest chefs, sommeliers, brewmasters, and winemakers found both locally and nationally. Guests were able to participate in cooking demonstrations, watch world renowned chefs cook up special treats, and sit-in on wine and cocktail seminars.

Chef Tim Love explains the art of grilling to festival attendees

Chef Tim Love and his Grilling class send sweet smoke into the Austin sky

Chef Tim Love shows Grilling Class attendees what their food should look like

Chef and TV personality Ming Tsai creates a dish from one of his cookbooks

Chef Ming Tsai joins TV personality Andrew Zimmern during a cooking demonstration

Chef and Author Rick Bayless prepares a dish during
one of his cooking demonstraions

TV personality, chef, and food writer, Andrew Zimmern
talks to the audience while preparing a dish

Chef Graham Elliot teaches the audience about utilizing seasonal ingredients in their cooking

Mike Lata, Tandy Wilson, Jorge Hernandez, Paul Qui and Andy Langer
discuss the relationship between music and food

Writer and bartender, David Allen, aka The tipsy Texan, discusses Texas spirits

Wayne Mueller, Aaron Franklin, Tim Rattray, and Andrew Zimmern discuss
the fine art of barbecuing

Mark Oldman leads a the finer points chosing a red wine during one of his tastings

Many epicurean delights were sampled by the crowds at the "Fire Pit," where nationally known chefs could be found each day grilling in unique ways over live fires.

This must be Texas because we found hogs heads on the grill at The Fire Pit

This special Fire Truck was not on hand to put out the fire, but is actually part of the Fire Pit
with its own spit roasting a pig up top

Many unique ways of adding that yummy natural smoke flavor
were shown to attendees

Even pizzas cooked on grills were part of the cooking demonstration at the Fire Pit

The HEB Grand Tasting Pavilion gave guests a chance to sample some of the finest beverages in the country as well as enjoy hearty samples from local and regional chefs.

Texas' own grocery chain, HEB, presented the Grand Tasting Pavilion

Chef Kassie Harris shows off some of her samples

Chef Shawn Cirkiel displays sample for the crowds

Chef Janina O'Leary presents samples to guests at the Grand Tasting

A representative of Milago Tequila greets guests

Several of the internationally renowned chefs greeted fans while taking part in book signings.

Georgia Pellegrini signed her book Modern Pioneering

Chef Tim Love signed his cookbook On The Lonesome Dove Trail for appreciative fans

Chef Ming Tsai signed his cookbook Simply Ming: One Pot Meals

Mark Oldman signed his Oldman's Brave New world of Wine

Award-winning chef Rick Bayless greets fans as he signs his latest book

On Saturday evening, attendees and talent alike headed to Republic Square Park for a special cook-off challenge: Rock Your Taco. As the sun set over downtown Austin, 14 of the country's top chefs took on the task of creating their own take on the ever popular tortilla-wrapped Mexican treat. While most of these creations don't resemble the typical taco found at most neighborhood Mexican Restaurants in Austin, or anywhere else in Texas for that matter, they were definite hits with the crowd. Here are some examples: