Specialty FOOD & CRAFT BEVERAGE EVENT PRODUCERS
About us
Fostering engagement between makers, consumers, community organizations and more – whether in the form of competitions, outdoor festivals, or regional celebrations.
Who We Are
We are creative producers of specialty food and craft beverage events throughout the New York area. Created by Jimmy Carbone (A Zagat “Superhero”) — a NYC-based restaurateur and dedicated social entrepreneur — Food Karma Projects creates unique events that showcase the finest local food, NYC chefs, craft beer, regional wine, and artisanal spirits while benefiting non-profit community groups, including the following events:
- Pig Island (Event Founder/Producer) – A day-long BBQ fest featuring 20+ of the city’s best up-and-coming chefs paired with 80+ hogs sourced from regional farms, featuring live music, cooking demonstrations and eating competitions.
- Jazz Age Lawn Party on Governors Island (2013/2014—Food Producer/Caterer) – Over four days (two weekends), Michael Arenella and His Dreamland Orchestra take over Governors Island for a food and jazz fest that harkens back to the roaring 20s.
- The International Association of Culinary Professionals 2012 Conference(Event Producer) – One of the nation’s premiere professional food organizations held its 2012 conference in NYC.
- Cook-Out NYC (Event Founder/Producer) – And outdoor cooking and beer expo featuring exclusive beers and farm-to-table foods sourced from regional farms.
- Farm + Beer – A beer event that encouraged local brewers to use regional ingredients (this was later incorporated into the annual NYC Brewers Choice)
- Brisket King of NYC – The preeminent carnivore event in NYC, with one chef crowned “King” for a year.
- NYC Brewers Choice – A featured event of NYC Beer Week, Brewers Choice challenges regional brewers to create special beers (in 2014 it was beers using all-local ingredients) for a “better beer” festival.
- July Good Beer Month – By Mayoral Declaration, July is Good Beer Month, with more than a dozen featured events including Edible’s Good Beer, Craft Beer Jam at WNYC’s The Greene Space, Craft Beer Book Festival at the South Street Seaport Museum, East River State Park Beer Expo.
- 5Boro PicNYC – A food truck and beer family-oriented outing to launch the “official” start of summer opening weekend on Governors Island.
- Craft-Beer-Jam at WNYC’s Greene Space – For July Good Beer Month, Jimmy Carbone hosts craft beer luminaries over the course of three weeks in the WNYC Studios.
- Barrels & Kegs: Benefit for the Rockaways – A fundraiser arranged in the Rockaways to build awareness of the growth of concessions along the Boardwalk.
- NY State Food+Beer Expo – An all-local beer festival at East River State Park.
A full biography of founder Jimmy Carbone is available here.
Past events have helped support many non-profits and community organizations, including:
Past Events
From 2016…
Food Karma Projects presents CookOut NYC with an amazing line-up of outdoor festivals right on the Manhattan waterfront (at Solar One/Stuyvesant Cove Park – enter at 23rd and East River). All events will have numerous grilling stations (both vegetarian and meat options) with additional food offerings, cook-offs and competitions, plus craft beer, cider and wine, along with live music and cultural entertainment.
Features of all CookOut NYC summer events:
- Outdoor Grilling – including vegetarian options (portabella and veggie burgers, salads and sides) with cooking competitions and celebrity chefs
- Craft beer, plus hard cider and wine (some events will also feature artisan spirits and/or cocktails)
- Live music and other entertainment
- The best water views in all of Manhattan (watch the sailboats drift by and the seaplanes arrive)
- Other specialty foods, depending on the event
Please visit CookOut NYC for tickets to all our events. Outdoor events will take place on the following dates:
Saturday-Sunday, May 28-29 – “Food Party on the Pier” features Battle of the Burgers and Craft Beer & Hot Dog Showdown with Copenhagen Street Dogs, celebrating the waterfront with grilling stations, live music and two days of festival programming. EVENT IS OVER; PLEASE JOIN US AT ONE OF OUR REMAINING COOKOUT NYC FESTS.
Saturday, June 18 – Little Big BBQ hosts two sessions of some of the cities best pitmasters and meat chefs, including a daytime “Battle of the Sides” and evening “Ribs King of NYC” (modeled from Brisket King of NYC). EVENT IS OVER; PLEASE JOIN US AT ONE OF OUR REMAINING COOKOUT NYC FESTS.
Monday, July 4 – Southern Fried Fireworks! Watch fireworks from the best spot in Manhattan while taking in Southern-style cuisine from select Georgia chefs. EVENT IS OVER; PLEASE JOIN US AT ONE OF OUR REMAINING COOKOUT NYC FESTS.
Some of our partners
