2008 NYC Wine & Food Festival: Kick-off party

Bobby! Giada! NYC's gourmet extravaganza gets off to a boozy start at Chelsea Market.

Biggest. Event. Ever. The excitement was palpable Thursday night at "Chelsea Market After Dark," where New York City's first Wine & Food Festival got off to a boozy, star-studded start.

The massive tasting and celeb-spotting event drew flocks of foodies, gawkers, and industry insiders to a seemingly endless array of food and alcohol tasting booths lining the Chelsea Market halls. Celebrity chefs? Check. Celebrity food samples? Check. Celebrity pumpkin carver? Eh...check. We were off to sample the goods. —Kelly Dobkin