Taste Talks, the innovative festival and symposium that attracted over 3,000 food enthusiasts last year, returns to Brooklyn this September, curated by culinary tastemaker and music legend Questlove.

From Friday, Sept. 11 – Sunday, Sept. 13, New York’s top culinary talent will gather in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn, NY, for the third annual Taste Talks festival, celebrating the future of taste.

The festivities will include a rooftop dessert party co-hosted by Questlove and pastry king Dominique Ansel; a celebrity chef All-Star BBQ with DJ Questlove spinning live, featuring tastes from Alex Stupak (Empellón), Matty Matheson (Parts & Labour), Justin Smillie (Upland), George Takei and more; Mother of Pearl, an oyster and bubbly soiree; plus parties, culinary collaborations, cooking demonstrations, and panel discussions with industry leaders.

The weekend kicks off with “Questlove and Dominique Ansel’s Sweet Thinking: A Dessert Party.” The Friday night rooftop dessert party at the McCarren Hotel & Pool will be co-hosted by Questlove and Dominique Ansel. The night of indulgent food and music will feature an original DJ set as only Questlove can provide and an assortment of distinctive desserts from Dominique Ansel Bakery and Dominique Ansel Kitchen prepared onsite by the master of pastry himself.Saturday features an all-day symposium celebrating culinary innovation through a series of panels, fireside chats, workshops and tastings. Sessions range from panel topics like “The Critic and the Internet” with Eater’s Ryan Sutton and Art Journal’s Jeff Weinstein to “Dough! Loafing Around with the Modern Baker” moderated by Kerry Diamond (Yahoo Food, Cherry Bombe), with panelists Jim Lahey (Sullivan Street Bakery) Erin McKenna (Erin McKenna Bakery) and Dianna Daoheung (Black Seed Bagel).

Throughout Saturday and Sunday, from 10am-6pm, festival-goers can also visit the Future Food Expo at Colossal Media, showcasing the crossover between food, technology, and innovation. Visitors will learn more about food brands paving the way of the future, like Kakaxi, a social network connecting farmers and consumers, and Ingredient1, an interactive platform that lets users explore food products based on dietary preferences, flavor specification, and more. Kellogg’s® will present the custom-built Kellogg’s® Cereal Bar, where attendees can hang out and try original recipes from top chefs to recharge with a bowl of cereal at any time of the day.

Pies ‘n’ Thighs will host a dedicated Chicken & Waffles Brunch. Included with their all-access pass, guests can drop by from 10am-1pm at their leisure for a chicken and waffles buffet and a Bloody Mary.

Saturday evening, chef Dan Holzman of The Meatball Shop and chef Leah Cohen of Pig & Khao will co-host the Mother of Pearl Dinner alongside more of New York’s culinary talent, celebrating oysters and bubbly at Biba Williamsburg at 7pm. Guests can expect to mix and mingle over cocktails and hors d’oeuvres before sitting down to a multi-course dinner prepared by the co-hosts.

To top off the weekend, Questlove will be spinning at Sunday’s landmark Taste Talks event, the All-Star Chef BBQ, at 50 Kent Avenue in Williamsburg, where some of the biggest names in food and entertainment will collaborate on tasty BBQ creations, like Upland’s Justin Smillie with rapper Heems; Robicelli’s Bakery Allison and Matt Robicelli with Allegiance stars, George Takei and Telly Leung; and Van Leeuwen Ice Cream with musician Sharon Van Etten.

Additional chefs and collaborators include:

• ALEX STUPAK | EMPELLÓN
• CHEF ROBLÉ | ROBLÉ & CO.
• MATTY MATHESON | PARTS & LABOUR, ‘KEEP IT CANADA’ ON MUNCHIES/VICE
• ALLISON & MATT ROBICELLI | ROBICELLI’S BAKERY
• GEORGE TAKEI, TELLY LEUNG | ALLEGIANCE ON BROADWAY
• JAROBI WHITE | MUSICIAN & EATS, RHYMES & LIFE
• DAMIAN HIGGINS (AKA DIESELBOY) | DJ
• MICHAEL PSILAKIS | MP TAVERNA
• HUGUE DUFOUR | M. WELLS
• PIERRE THIAM | PIERRE THIAM CATERING
• ROB NEWTON | NIGHTINGALE 9, WILMA JEAN, SMITH CANTEEN
• RUSSELL JACKSON | SUBCULTURE DINING
• DANIEL EDDY |REBELLE
• BEN CONNIFF | LUKE’S LOBSTER
• MATT TIMMS | THE TAKEDOWN
• JOE SPARATTA | HERITAGE, SOUTHBOUND
• LEE GREGORY | THE ROOSEVELT, SOUTHBOUND

and more!

Taste Talks is proud to present Gold Sponsors of the festival Kellogg’s® and Squarespace.

Tickets and all-access passes (all available for advance-purchase only) are now on sale and can be purchased at www.taste-talks.com. Taste Talks is a project of Northside Media Group. For tickets and more information, visit www.taste-talks.com.