Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

We appreciate all your feedback on the fest. We're taking to heart the lessons we've learned and we will certainly apply them to any events we get involved with in the future. If you'd like to request a refund, please contact jimlewi@theagencygroup.com. These requests will be addressed on a case by case basis. We are closing comments on this post. If you have additional feedback that you'd like to share with us, e-mail foodfest@seriouseats.com.

Ed-

To avoid any further embarrassment, I would suggest that you don't attempt this event again. Hand the planning to someone else because you failed pretty badly.

Waste of time to try

@PaulaMaack - I'm not sure if 18 comments on that Eater post constitute "the entire Bay Area"...and the majority of those comments aren't "up in arms" about anything, most of them are just people chiming in about their own favorite SF pizza. So in this case your facts are a little off.

@gaffer - If that is so, then why is the entire Bay Area up in arms about his less than kind review of Delfina last week? Just one (very recent) example.

@Ed Levine - I'm not trying to be harsh. I am actually trying to help. I care about what happens here. But, I don't mince words. I call it like I see it, and facts are facts. With over 15 years PR experience, I can tell you with some certainty that the longer you take to address this and make things right, the more insurmountable it shall become. It will not just blow away with time - not in this day and age. You must clean up your mess. For the sake of your many Serious Eats members who have helped to build up this site, I certainly hope you take heed.

@Paula Maack

The hole in your theorizing is that Ed Levine and Serious Eats does not do harsh and nasty reviews. I never see them. Their philosophy is- if the place sucks it doesn't get written about. I have seen some places get a bad review but that is rare and it is never done in a condescending or nasty way. But even those reviews are few because "life is too short"

Yelp can trash a restaurant and ruin business. But those are anonymous participants. Serious eats is not anonymous. You know who they are and where to find them

Yes this event was a disaster and it is now it is the critic's turn to get criticized

Sorry, this isn't over yet. We were still talking about this at the "water cooler" at work today. And what's worse is that I got into the event with COMP TICKETS and I was still mad - now you know it has to be bad when you get in for free and you're upset. I'm glad I'm not an LBS person otherwise you would've seen the return of the Incredible Hulk from the hunger! Well, Ed Levine and crew, at least PF Changs in Sunnyvale thanks you because that is where we took our business. The person standing behind us in the Philly Cheesesteak line was quick to tell us exactly how to get there: 4 hours and $100+ later, we were FED some good Asian Fusion. The Bay Area deserved better; in such a great venue where Santana and John Mayer have performed to thousands of orderly crowds, fed and boozed 'til they could take no more, this event sadly fell terribly short of expectations. Then the final straw was to see Bobby Flay strolling past the long Cheesesteak line happy as a plum because he probably had a full stomach! Our only entertainment while we waited was the beer vendor saying his beer was "colder than a mother-in-law's kiss." I will not attend this event again, even if for free... waste of time, waste of gas, waste of a sunny Saturday. Shoreline: See you in July for COLDPLAY and some frickin' food and beer!

Ed, I hope you are doing alright. I did not attent the GAFF event, and I am not here to lambast you, or to tear you a new one.

I am a dreamer and a risk taker myself. My heart goes out to you. I know how deflated you must feel, and I sincerely hope you aren't loitering on any bridges, shopping for rope, or anything else along those lines. Public failure is brutal, and I am sure you are hurting something fierce. Nut, my hope is that you are off somewhere licking your wounds among supportive loved ones.

It is such a shame about everything that went wrong with GAFF. Seeing your dream gown down in flames and enduring the wrath of thousands of people is not an easy lot, I am sure.

However, since you are in the business of doling out public criticism, it is imperitive that you accept the same with grace and dignity, yourself.

There is nothing wrong with dreaming big, taking risks, and even failing miserably, as long as you fully embrace and own up to the responsibility that comes with it. Instead, it appears to many that you are trying to sweep this under the rug, and it smells of something foul - the stench of which is seeping throughout the internets.

I am certain you would not avoid the praise were your event a raging success. In the same vein you need to face your public, embrace their rage, and work to make them whole rather than standing behind this seemingly half-hearted apology. Especially, since you are asking for forgiveness and a second chance in the same essay, which many see as more than a bit presumptuous.

I am willing to bet that the countless restauranteurs you have harshly critiqued (and left voiceless and damaged in your wake) thought to themselves "I was just doing my best, trying to provide people with great food." Yet, you felt the need to criticize their efforts, and they were left to suffer the fallout. The difference is that you most likely actually ate their food before critiquing it, and I doubt they touted it as the "best of the best," before you even tried it.

If you want to know how to fix this Ed, you need to put yourself in the shoes of your patrons. How would YOU critique your event? What remedies would you seek? Would you give the organizers another chance? Or, would you simply want blood? Why? And, most imortantly, what would you want to see them do now?

Hindsight is often 20/20, and there are plenty of people jumping on the bandwagon willing to either pound another nail in, or offer their services and advice about what you should have done.

There are many lessons here. The biggest being humility, I am sure.

And, while I am not sure you should attempt this event again any time soon, I do applaud your gumption to manifest your dream. It certainly was a nice idea, Ed!

Hang in there!!

~ Paula

I didn't even know about the event until I read about it in the Chron today. I must say, I hope there's a do-over. If these Serious Eats folks heed the lessons learned, I'd sure as heck fork out some money to attend what has the potential to be a terrific event.

Next time, hire an experienced event producer or project-manager to execute your concept. Despite the environment of our current economy, this is NOT a position you want to scrimp on. Funny how people will take on a project they are not experienced in wanting to save a few thousand dollars. And at the end, they lose tens of thousands not only in profit but in returning customers for the following year. May this be a valuable marketing lesson learned. Good luck

Again, a Drag Queen doing a slow striptease - "Dance of the Seven Veils" - might have taken the angst off of this affair. I'm sure a lot of people are still MAD, as would I be. I love good food - who doesn't ? - but really, Miss Levine !

I ran a race last year that was botched up beyond belief. The course was poorly marked, the volunteers weren't there in time, and people all ran different courses, making it such that times and places meant nothing. Runners were understandably upset...there were people who had put months and months of training into this event. The race director expressed his apologies, and offered to let anyone who participated in last year's event into this year's event at the price of their choosing (they could pay anything from nothing to the standard price, based on what they felt the race was worth). The race will likely lose money next year, but it's setting itself up for future years, and it's better than having no one show up and folding altogether. Ed, maybe you could consider something like that? I wasn't at the Fest, so I have no idea how poorly it went, but based on what I'm reading, it sounds like unless you do something, no one's going to return next year. If this is truly your dream, a little incentive for people who got burned this year might get them to come back next year. It sounds like a bear to organize, and I think people are being a little harsh, but then again, as I said, I wasn't there. I wish you the best of luck with future Food and Music Fests, and hope that you take the lessons you learned this year and use them to make next year a success.

I resent Ed's implied blame on attendees coming when doors open. When you say "doors open at..." you better damn well be ready for attendees coming WHEN DOORS OPEN. Man up to the failure Ed, and don't blame folks who PAID for this poor experience.

After a day to reflect on my comments posted yesterday, I feel I was a little harsh. To specifically call out Ed Levine was wrong, for that I apologize. When frustrated, it's easy to fall into the mob mentality and dogpile on the subject.
It was a frustrating experience, and I do feel much better planning should have taken place. A fall back plan if the wrist bands failed, understanding that such a large volume of tickets solid just days prior to the event could bring a larger than expected initial rush of visitors...but that's all broken record material. I will pursue a refund via Live Nation and once credited, I will move on without a grudge. It was a great idea that has now become a learning experience for all involved.
Cheers,
Sharkraider