Waves Made at Tuesday Conference

-Marina del Rey, CA
-Plenty of waves were stirred up among FF chefs and scouters Tuesday at a conference here in the Marina.

The presiding issue was the potential return of Brianna Galen-Ames, and the crowd of chefs, scouters, and even a few fans was even louder and more vicious than had been anticipated, booing at the announcement of all four slated speakers (not including Event Mgr. William Vanderbilt himself) with the exception of the venerable Lindbergh Merrssff, who received a standing ovation, his being an example of humility and the days before greedy scouting departments--in effect, he was the antithesis to everything else that went on Tuesday.

Vanderbilt was quick to rattle off the mere three-item 2011 Goals List, and then proceeded to introduce Galen-Ames. Vanderbilt's description of Galen-Ames as "a talented chefs" and saying that she ("this chef" in his words, not giving away gender) "has vastly enhanced Feast Fest in the manyyears this chef was a part of it", combined with the order of the slated speakers not being known caused the crowd to wonder if Vanderbilt was referring to Merrssff or Galen-Ames. They then chanted, "LIN-DY-OR-GALEN? LIN-DY-OR-GALEN?" When Vanderbilt introduced the next speaker as Brianna Galen-Ames, the crowd erupted into a chorus of boos.

Galen-Ames seemed oblivious to the harsh feelings against her, merely likening them to "very slight" amounts of "jealousy." She was slightly disheveled by the raucousness of the crowd, but remained peppy for the most part, saying that her chances of rejoining were "75%". Her mention that she had received a one-year contract offer of $1,000,000--which would make her the highest paid Feast Fest chef if she accepted--launched the attendees, especially Galen-Ames fellow yet (unlike Galen-Ames) relatively unknown 70- and 80-something-rated chefs into a surge of ire. The more prominent chefs such as Jim McAllister and Lynn Avi kept decorum, but exchanged disdainful looks as if to send the message that they would have booed Galen-Ames if they weren't in the spotlight as much.

Galen-Ames's remarks were about three to four minutes, and she soon was ushered off the stage for her protection and made way for Head Scouter Jim Dall, who was also resoundingly booed. Dall explained the stratospheric price tag attached to the 16-year-old chef's lucrative offer, saying that the Scouting Department was willing to pay any price to ensure her participation in the event, citing that Feast Fest would "lose" the middle-aged female portion of the "market" if Galen-Ames was not again signed. The crowd heckled Dall thoroughly when he attributed FF's success since the year she joined in 2007 almost entirely to Galen-Ames, and exploded entirely when he announced that if she rejoined there would be consideration about potentially moving her up to a Head Chef position "for 2013 or '14." Dall, like Galen-Ames, had to be shoved backstage for his own safety.

Then Ian Pertovsky was called to speak. Pertovsky was received half-and-half at first: the crowd didn't like him really, but seemed to be pleased with the fact that he was advising Galen-Ames not to consider rejoining. But they had been double-talked: Pertovsky soon said that Galen-Ames deserves better than to participate in this "mockery, sham, and rathole." This remark sent the tomatoes flying at Pertovsky, and he was assailed with the cry "GET OFF THE STAGE! GET OFF THE STAGE!", which he did summarily.

Lindbergh Merrssff received a standing O when introduced to give the inspectors' report, but that was far from most people's minds after the Galen-Ames controversy.

Vanderbilt said that the reactions from the crowd were "disappointing" but "expected," then left without further word. Galen-Ames, Dall, and Pertovsky all were quick to depart the conference room and no further comment aside from what they uttered onstage could be received.

Dall's home and cell phones had been temporarily disconnected Tuesday evening. Pertovsky could be reached by cell but hung up repeatedly. Galen-Ames's home and cell phone, email, Twitter, and Facebook accounts all were temporarily closed down.