We spoke to Superfly Co-Founder Jonathan Mayers about the Great GoogaMooga Debacle of 2013 (not to be confused with the Great GoogaMooga Debacle of 2012), and he confirmed that his company would be refunding VIP ticketholders, as well as drink tickets that were purchased today.

He said:

First we are working with [New York City Parks Department] to be sure that safety is our number one precaution. We are doing things like refunding VIP Sunday to the fans, we also will be refunding drink tickets. We are working on solutions right now about what we’re doing with the food but that’s something that our team is very much on. Our restaurant coordinating team is working with all the vendors, making sure there’s smooth load-out.

Click here for the rest of the interview with Mayers, about whether he’ll try again next year, and why, exactly, the thing got shit-canned.

More information about ticket refunds can be found at GoogaMooga’s website.

Pack up your Pepto and step out of your rain boots, today’s Great GoogaMooga festivities have been canceled due to inclement weather. Paul Nelson, press director for the Prospect Park Alliance said the decision was made “in the best interest of the park and the environment.” The cancellation announcement emailed to press this afternoon reads:

Due to poor weather, the New York City Parks Department, Prospect Park Alliance, and Googamooga have decided to cancel today’s festival in the interest of safety and prevention of damage to the park grounds. All Sunday VIP ticket purchases will be refunded in full.

We spoke to Jonathan Mayers, co-founder of Superfly, the company that produces GoogaMooga, for a closer look at what went down today. He told us that his company will be refunding Sunday VIP tickets, as well as drink tickets that were purchased today. He discussed obviously feeling “disappointed”, and touches on the likelihood of giving GoogaMooga another go in 2014 (“I’m still assessing”). Read on for his thoughts, and check back for more updates as we follow this story.

The Braiser: This is probably frustrating for you given what happened at last year’s GoogaMooga. How are you feeling right now?

Jonathan Mayers: Oh, I would say disappointed. So many people have put so much hard work into making these three days happen and creating this special event, and so of course it’s disappointing, but it’s also something we can’t control. So much heart and love that goes into what we’re trying to do. Especially coming off of last year when we really wanted to come back this year strong. Today’s disappointing, but the last couple days were really great and we don’t want to take that for granted, we’ll look forward.

So what now? Is there a contingency plan, or a party we can have to use up all that food?

That’s what we’re working on right now. First we are working with [New York City Parks Department] to be sure that safety is our number one precaution. We are doing things like refunding VIP Sunday to the fans, we also will be refunding drink tickets. We are working on solutions right now about what we’re doing with the food but that’s something that our team is very much on. Our restaurant coordinating team is working with all the vendors, making sure there’s smooth load-out.

Last year Superfly paid $50,000 to help re-seed the grass in Prospect Park after GoogaMooga. Was the impact on the park’s environment the main reason for today’s cancellation? Was low turnout a factor?

Yeah I mean I would say the protection of the grounds were definitely a key part of that decision but first and foremost was the safety of the fans and vendors. The demand for the tickets was there, but ultimately the park made the decision and I think it was primarily based on the protection of the grounds and safety issues.

Last year’s event got a lot of bad press and there was a lot of whining from people who couldn’t get their beers and whatnot, and now today has had to be canceled. What are you thinking about doing GoogaMooga again in the future?

My company, Superfly, we produce festivals throughout the country – Bonnaroo, OutsideLands – and we’re really passionate about what we do, and we’re passionate about what GoogaMooga can become…trying to bring people together and celebrate all these great spots and creative people. That’s what we do.

I think we all worked so hard so that this could be an annual event, but right now we’ll take things as they come and we’re focused on finalizing this year and that’s it.

I would love nothing more than to come back and try to make this an annual event. We had some great couple of days, I mean, Friday the kickoff concert was fantastic and yesterday I think there was really great strides from last year but, you know, it was definitely disappointing not to have a beautiful day in the park [today].

What stood out yesterday as an improvement over last year?

The lines were greatly improved, the way that we used the site. I think we made some good changes there. I think it was a good year two event. From my experience, sometimes these events take a few years to really get dialed in and it’s experimenting and trying things, and that’s how you learn. But I think we did take some big strides forward this year.

Is there anything that you would work to change for next year if you are going to bring the event back?

I think that we really need to assess, and talk to our vendors post-this and really listen to what they have to say and kind of learn from that. So, I’m still assessing, but there will definitely be changes. These projects continue to evolve and keep improving.

Some of the chefs we spoke to were concerned about losing money because they had prepared for a crowd that was as huge and hungry as last year’s. What do you think the financial impact of this cancellation will be, either for your company or the small businesses that are involved?

Right now we’re focused on the next day, and getting all of that sorted and refunding, but working really closely with the restaurants to number one get things settled and work through solutions, so that’s exactly what we’re focused on.

Final thoughts?
We’re coming from a place that we really want to do something special and something that the community can be proud of, and come out to this beautiful park and celebrate and support all of these local businesses – that’s our intention.

It’s a really challenging project, it really is. We worked really hard and have for a long time, and we appreciate people coming out here and supporting; their patience and understanding those challenges.

In an email, Paul Nelson of the Prospect Park alliance confirmed that VIP ticketholders will be refunded, and that the event was canceled, “in the interest of safety and prevention of damage to the park grounds.” He also assured that Mayer’s company “has been very responsible in taking care of the Park and any wear and tear from last year was taken care of by Superfly.” We happen to live in the neighborhood so we’ll see how the Nethermead field shapes up in weeks to come. As for more GoogaMooga disaster coverage, if you went — or attempted to go — today, we’d love to hear from you. Email tips@thebraiser.com with your account of the day, and how you feel about it getting shut down.

To relive yesterday’s fun, read our interviews with Justin Warner and Hugue DuFour, and scroll through the celebrity chef trading cards you won’t be able to collect.

Contrary to popular belief, Asians can get obese, too! (Seriously, it’s a huge problem in China. Also, Eddie Huang’s coffin baos are essentially doughnuts stuffed with fried chicken. And now we’re obese. Damn you, Eddie.) But this is why Ming Tsai teamed up with White House executive chef Cris Comeford to promote Asian cuisine as a key part of Let’s Move!’s recent nutrition campaign.

Hewing to the MyPlate dietary recommendations made by the USDA, Tsai and Comeford make two super healthy dishes from Comeford’s home kitchen below: Shrimp, Chicken and Vegetable Fried Rice, and the Filipino dish halo-halo. ”The key here is you don’t have to sacrifice flavor, you don’t have to sacrifice your culture to make food that’s still actually good for you,” says Tsai. Uh, tell that to deep-fried lumpia egg rolls. Seriously, we refuse to listen to your so-called “dietary recommendations” until you both work that into First Lady-approved dishes.

Asian cooking jokes abound below:

[h/t Obama Foodorama]

Sure, he also witnesses how hipsters and skater boys stage a revolution, and embraces the befuddling Libyan obsession with American KFC, but in this heartwarming sneak peek of tonight’s Parts Unknown: Libya, Anthony Bourdain introduces himself to a troop of Libyan boyscouts, touring the the ruins of Leptis Magna, an amphitheater dating back to the ancient Roman Empire, of which coastal Libyan cities were a part.

Check out the sneak peek below to observe Bourdain exchanging oaths with his “former comrades.” What we wouldn’t give to see a photo of cub-scouted out Bourdain…

It is drizzly and gray today at The Great GoogaMooga — not enough to deter thousands of people from wandering through Prospect Park, but damp enough for us to easily squeeze our way through a smallish crowd towards Hugue DuFour, the charming Frenchman at the helm of M. Wells. Given the reaction his stand raised last year at the festival, we weren’t surprised to see an oyster bolognese made with beef and not horse meat — but we couldn’t help ourselves. We had to ask if he had any words for the…neigh-sayers. (It’s cold out there; sue us.)

So what is this ridiculously awesome-looking thing in front of me?

It’s an oyster bolognese. So it’s a raw oyster that we shucked, and then we cooked it on the grill with a bolognese sauce. A horsemeat bolognese.

Wait, there’s actual horsemeat in this, too?!

(flirty smile) No, no, there’s not.

Oh, come on! I knew you had horsemeat here, last year (the infamous horsemeat bologna grilled sandwich sparked a massive outcry). How do you feel about that?

Well, it’s no longer legal in the States. (Sad shrug.) I’m not going to offend people, and at the end of the day, this is a business that I have to run.

There was also foie gras in that sandwich, though. As far as I can tell, that’s still legal in New York. 

Yeah, there’s no foie gras here, either, this year. It’s so sad. But we can have the truffles! Put it on the half-shell, shave it on top of the bolognese….

(Indeed, for $10 extra, DuFour will Microplane extra black truffle shavings onto an already rich and decadent oyster. I ogle at the hedonistic half-shell.)

So, uh, how has GoogaMooga compared this year to last year so far?

I don’t know the difference so far. Yesterday was not as good, not as good as last year.

Yeah, ’cause last year I remember being here, and everyone felt as if it were the Hunger Games: huge, long lines; no one had anything to drink; everyone was dying in the sun.

To be honest, it was great for us last year. We had a lot of fun, and I know that the GoogaMooga VIP section was a lot of fun — Hi, guys! (He waves at some passersby.) — so yeah, we’re hoping for the same.

It’s raining and chilly, but we have yet to hear of a Hunger Games-esque hangry mob devolving into chaos, plus, no one has succumbed to heat stroke, so there are significant improvements in comparison to last year’s Great GoogaMooga. We managed to chat with Googa vet Justin Warner, whose Bed-Stuy eatery Do or Dine is back at the festival for its second year, serving up the infamous foie gras jelly doughnut.

Of course, one very important shift has occurred between last year and this year: Justin won Food Network Star Season 8 and churned out a Food Network roadie special called Rebel Eats. Translation: he’s working his new fanbase with aplomb, and it’s safe to pester him for a photo. Go ahead. He’s friendly. You can check out our Q&A with him below to find out how this year’s festival is measuring up to last year’s notorious shitshow.

The Braiser: So this is your second Googa. How is this year going in comparison to last year?

Justin Warner: It’s a lot more organized. It’s almost tranquil. It feels like we’re kind of partying, too. We’re not slammed, and we can take breaks and do interviews and stuff.

Did you prepare any differently after last year?

Not really. We got a U-Haul as opposed to relying on friends, but other than that, really same set-up. Same by-the-skin-of-our-teeth doing it at the last minute. Same ‘Oh my god, how do we fit 250 pounds of Welch’s grape into piping bags this quickly?’ You know, the us[ual].

Did you get slammed last year?

Yeah. Yeah, we were punked.

Were you in the camp that ran out of food?

Yeah, it was bad. We ran out within the first three-and-a-half hours. I mean, we got crushed. And I don’t know why, specifically. But people bee-lined to us. This year is much more relaxed and we enjoy it that way, really.

It feels a lot more chill this year.

Yeah, so much more chill. And people are happy. I would rather serve happy people that people who are like, “Ugh, finally” [after waiting in line].

So you served foie gras doughnuts last year, and they’re making a comeback this year. Why is that your go-to festival staple off Do or Dine’s menu?

Totally. It’s pretty easy to assemble, and it’s also weird. People will like, stare at the sign, or get their picture taken in front of the sign, and then not buy it. We really like that. We had an Instagram line yesterday, where we set up a little booth for Instagramming.

Are you having a good time?

Great time. What’s not to like?

Author Katie Shelly, a visual designer by trade, told NPR, “If you pick up a book from Emeril Lagasse or Julia Child or Mario Batali or whoever, there’s a little bit of intimidation there. … But this book is just coming from little old me. You don’t have to feel like you’re going into a Top Chef competition with whatever you create.”

We’re going to dispense with the ‘if you can’t read…’ or ‘if you’re lazy like us’ jokes, because aside from being a new and interesting concept, this book could be a huge help to visual learners, or anyone else who finds the etymology of eating a bit intimidating. Sample Shelly’s “blueprinted” recipes in the gallery below, and look for Picture Cook in stores this October (or pre-order it right now).

For more cookbook news, see what’s happening with Anthony Bourdain’s new imprint.

Tumblr: Every so often, Anthony Bourdain takes to the internet to discuss something he’s truly passionate about, but his latest post does something rare: he bestows the title of “Best Thing We’ve Ever Produced” on his upcoming Libya episode of Parts Unknown.

Eater: The winners of Top Chef usually go on to do things like open restaurants and score James Beard awards. Hosea Rosenberg, the Season 5 winner and the epitome of “failing upwards,” is participating in a culinary event hosted by the Colorado Lottery.

The Dish: The official Bravo blog kinda-sorta addresses the Top Chef sponsorship scandal by re-printing a press release from the City of New Orleans tourism bureau, which insists that they’re not taking BP money, so they’re totally legit. (It’s just the actual government of the State of Louisiana that’s doing so. Yup.)

Gawker: A waitress at Chili’s was fired after writing “Stupid Cops better hope I’m not their server FDP” on her Facebook page. Friends of the waitress speculate that her cop-hatred stems from an incident when she was fined for letting her three-year-old pee in public, though we’re sure she was not seeking retribution by peeing in the cops’ nachos.

Grub Street: Hey, guys! Let’s turn Williamsburg, Brooklyn into a parody of itself by putting a hipster restaurant inside an Urban Outfitters! Man, this is a freaking ouroboros of irony.

In spite of its questionable sound quality, the book trailer for Mary Roach’s latest title Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal is a totally adorable feat in claymation.

The book takes us on a Magic School Bus-esque ride through the digestive process, complete with human oddities, and Roach is our own personal Miss Frizzle. The trailer promises “glands and glee, bile and smiles” for visitors to the gastrointestinal carnival, in this case, broccoli. Tiny broccolis! Riding esophageal roller coasters! Playing intestinal ski-ball! Testing their strength in the mandible! So cute. Except for — predictably — the end, which is rather unpleasant.

Check out the trailer below.

It might have been because the cast of The Talk is on work vacay shooting in New York this week that they got a little rowdy. It might have been a simple case of Friday afternoon crazies for the show’s anchors. It might even have been the strong, neon mojitos they were sipping. Either way, we feel nothing but sympathy for Guy Fieri as he stepped into a hornet’s nest for any Token White Person in a cooking demo.

Presenting with Sheryl Underwood and Julie Chen flanking him, Guy proceeded to explain why he used white balsamic vinegar in his dressing — to preserve the color on his salmon gyros.

“Why does it have to be white?” both Sherri and Julie squawked.

“What about yellow?!” Julie continued, pointing at her skin. “What about the black balsamic vinegar?”

Poor Guy was visibly ruffled as he tried to backtrack, reaffirming that you can choose any color balsamic vinegar you’d like. Rough.

Check out the clip below for some of the most uncomfortable food TV we’ve seen in awhile.