Tamron Hall, Laila Ali & More Attend Harlem Eatup! Festival

Courtesy of Harlem Eatup! Festival

Dozens Of Harlem Eateries Showcase Signature Dishes

Harlem put its best culinary foot forward earlier this month at the third annual Harlem Eatup! Festival.

Thousands of people ate and drank their way around the festival’s Grand Tasting May 19th and 20th in Morningside Park in Harlem, where dozens of eateries and spirit brands served their signature eats and cocktails. The event, the brainchild of Harlem restaurateur Marcus Samuelsson and partner Herb Karlitz, celebrates Harlem’s unique food scene as well as its culture and art. The festival’s proceeds benefit community nonprofits.

The weekend event brought out the likes of Laila Ali – who was on hand for a cooking demonstration – as well as journalist Tamron Hall and “A Tribe Called Quest’s” Jarobi White.

Courtesy of Harlem Eatup! Festival

Dinosaur Bar-b-que served mini pulls pork sliders, Sisters Caribbean Cuisine dished up carmelized banana pudding, Row House served ahi Amarillo bbq beef rib tips and Harlem Tavern handed out cups of seafood ceviche.

“It’s been a wonderful experience,” Betty Campbell-Adams, the CEO of Lloyd’s Carrot Cake as she served her company’s signature baked treat. “Many of our customers are here, but we’re being exposed to new customers as well. We’ve been well received.”

Courtesy of Harlem Eatup! Festival

Besides the tasting in the park, festival-goers also attended a series of dinners featuring guest chefs at Harlem restaurants, as well as a tribute to Billie Holiday at the Apollo Theater.