13 Photos Of Chefs Playing Ping Pong While Also Drinking Giant Beers
Ten teams from 10 New York City restaurants turned up at the Standard Biergarten on Sunday to battle at the 1st Annual Ping Pong Invitational, co-hosted by the Standard Grill and Becca PR. In the end, Tom Colicchio's team from Craft took home the title, smacking it out with scrappy East Village newcomers Ducks Eatery in the final round. Bobby Flay and crew from Mesa Grill presented some serious competition, but in spite of impressive focus and resolve, were eliminated in the semi-finals. We had our hopes on Team Meatball Shop, since those guys obviously know their way around a ball, but Team Mesa Grill took them out in the first round. Drinking half liter beers and wielding ping pong paddles isn't a bad way to cap off the 2012 New York City Wine and Food Festival.
Also read: Our big weekend at the New York City Wine And Food Festival 2012
Bobby Flay of Team Mesa Grill battles Dan Holzman of Team Meatball Shop.[/caption]
Michael Symon dropped by to cheer on the chefs, including Tom Colicchio.[/caption]
Dan Holzman of the Meatball Shop smacks the ping pong ball. Truly a master of balls.[/caption]
Team Meatball Shop are brought down by Team Mesa Grill, led by Bobby Flay.[/caption]
Chef Lauren Hirschberg of Craft watches his guys dominate the ping pong tables.[/caption]
Burger king Josh Capon of Lure Fishbar and Burger & Barrel.[/caption]
Team Burger & Barrel may have brought home the People's Choice Award at Burger Bash, but got knocked out in the first round at the Ping Pong Invitational.[/caption]
A very serious Bobby Flay for Team Mesa Grill takes on Team Ducks.[/caption]
Team Craft brought along their secret weapon, an 11-year employee of Craft and a former player on the Dominican Republic national ping pong team.[/caption]
The final showdown between Team Ducks and Team Craft.[/caption]
Team Craft is presented with their trophy by the event's co-hosts, Becca PR.[/caption]
Team Ducks did their best, but couldn't defeat Team Craft in the final round.[/caption]
Team Ardesia might have gone down in the first round, but that didn't stop them from enjoying their half liters of beer.[/caption]
