Yum Yum Fest 2014

Madison Area Chefs Network's inaugural Yum Yum Fest in Madison's new Central Park was a wonderful success, and we at Edible Madison were proud and excited to support this new food celebration that brought together chefs from across the city and as far away as Viroqua to show off their small-plate skills.

The food ranged from sandwiches to salads to seafood and snow cones, and with more than 30 food and drink booths to choose from, it would take a complex strategy of sharing among friends to get a taste of everything.

As we moved behind the scenes, we saw chefs and staff bustling about like this was their everyday kitchen. With just one dish to prepare per booth, they seemed calm and collected, though they worked as fast as they could to keep up with the demand. Every booth seemed to have a line, especially in the early hours.

These photos show how creative our region's chefs can be. Even when working outdoors in small spaces, they maintain the attention to detail and care for ingredients that make us come back to their brick-and-mortar restaurants again and again.

Congratulations to Madison Area Chefs Network and all the Yum Yum Fest planners and volunteers for a successful, tastebud-tapping and belly-filling evening. We look forward to tasting next year's creations!