Lagasse Fills the House, But Al "Bubba" Baker Wows Them at Food Show

Whether it was chef Emeril Lagasse, who packed the auditorium with his presentation on grilling, to the wine tasting garden sponsored by American Wine School in downtown Cleveland, the Fabulous Spring Food show was a two-day event that not only whittled the palate, but also presented ,many unique ideas to make your summer grilling activities all the much better.

Former Cleveland Browns and Avon restauranteur Al "Bubba" Baker drew a large crowd when he gave his demonstration on how to grill up ribs on Sunday afternoon. Not only did it have many people asking questions, but it also had them drooling.

While Baker, who owns   gave tips on how to grill ribs, with a big screen in the background showing exactly what he had on the grill, he also had the crowd in laughter with his witty remarks.

One of the more funny ones was when he said, “I want to die happy.” when talking about the difference between boneless skinless chicken breasts and why he prefers grilling up ribs.

Then there was Lagasse.

Known for his many different shows on television, and his tradmark “Bam!” when tossing a spice into one of his recipes, he not only spoke about how to marinade, but also proper grilling techniques while sharing a number of his recipes.

“You want one side hotter than the other,” Lagasse said who packed the theater for 2,200. “This way it doesn't char.”

Bobby Flay was also on hand and grilled up at least six dishes, including planked chicken on the main stage spoke also spoke about how he enjoyed the various restaurants of Cleveland. Following Baker in the Weber Outdoor Pavilion was world renowned grill master Steven Raichlen.

There were also a number of local chefs, like Brian Goodman from the Greenhouse Tavern speaking to smaller crowds, but also with some excellent ideas on grilling. Goodman, spoke about how to grill of all things pizza, something that got the immediate attention of many, as they are used to just the old hamburgers and maybe brats in the backyard.

Chris Hodgsen and Scott Kuhn, who own a food truck in Cleveland that was featured on the Food Network, talked about things he was grilling up Hodges restaurant on Euclid Avenue.

One of the more unique presentations was the one being done by culinary chefs from the University of Akron. Instead of cooking up food, these ladies were making art with their food. While it may sound like something a three year old does with his dinner, it was far from it.

The creations were like pumpkin carvings, only so much better. The started with a basic art design on the melons, then with the skill of the artist created amazing floral arrangements made just of the fruits. The way they did it looked effortless, but the final product was something you wouldn't even want to cut into, it was a sheer masterpiece.

Coming tomorrow: The fabulous food show offered an opportunity taste some of the finest wines from around the area and world and what goes into them.