I was thrilled to be able to work again with Bolthouse Farms, the event’s presenting sponsor and a company that “loudly and proudly celebrates fresh fruits and veggies.” [Jessica Park Photography]

A portion of event proceeds benefit Chinatown Service Center, established in 1971, the largest community-based Chinese American health and human services organization in Southern California. Funds will go to the Los Angeles Chinatown Youth Council (LACYC), which provides the growing population of Chinatown youth with programs that guide them towards positive endeavors and further them in their development as confident and contributing adults. [Jessica Park Photography]

BADMAASH is a badass Indian gastropub from the Mahendro family. [Jessica Park Photography]

BADMAASH served Punjabi chicken pakora with roasted cumin & cilantro slaw. [Jessica Park Photography]

Craft Los Angeles chef Ray England and his team served fried chicken patties with Parker House rolls and smoked gribiche, with a side of schmaltz tots. [Jessica Park Photography]

Fryer oil was bubbling all afternoon long in Chinatown. [Jessica Park Photography]

Dante Fried Chicken and chef Dante Gonzales (pictured at right) served their DFC Combo: Sock-It-To-Me Fried Chicken with apricot crack & chocolate Guinness blueberry sauces, coconut honey biscuit, and Nu Skool elote. [Jessica Park Photography]

Eggslut chefs Alvin Cailan, Johnny Lee and crew overcame power issues to serve fried chicken belly mazemen with egg noodles, a preview of things to come at Grand Central Market. [Jessica Park Photography]

Free Range LA and chef Jesse Furman rolled their new truck to the festival and served fried chicken strips with Fresno chile, vinegar slaw and house buttermilk dipping sauce. [Jessica Park Photography]

Greenspan’s Grilled Cheese was in the works for several years on Melrose, and Eric Greenspan’s crew is finally churning out butter, bread and cheese-focused flavor bombs. [Jessica Park Photography]

Greenspan’s Grilled Cheese served Buffalo Blue, a grilled cheese sandwich crafted with rye bread, blue cheese, spicy carrot-celery slaw and fried chicken. Latke bites joined the fried fray. [Jessica Park Photography]

Chinatown’s Homegirl Cafe “assists high-risk and formerly gang-involved young women, and a few young men to become contributing members of our community through training in restaurant service and culinary arts.” People also learned they produce powerful fried chicken. [Jessica Park Photography]

Homegirl Café had the day’s spiciest fried chicken thanks to the addition of habanero. Their bird came with pickled vegetable slaw. [Jessica Park Photography]

Kris Morningstar, who’s helmed several top L.A. restaurants, most recently Ray’s & Stark Bar, recruited James Trees and a strong team to cook at the festival. [Jessica Park Photography]

Morningstar, who’s opening Terrine with partners that include Stephane Bombet, served Southern style fried chicken with Pimento grits, maple syrup and scallions. [Jessica Park Photography]

Brian Dunsmoor, Jonathan Strader and a strong crew represented Ladies’ Gunboat Society at Flores, a Southern restaurant in Little Osaka. [Jessica Park Photography]

Ladies’ Gunboat Society at Flores served fried chicken with local spiced honey, cilantro, benne seeds and watermelon salad, a big crowd pleaser. [Jessica Park Photography]

Jason Travi and his team from Superba Food & Bread served Piece in the Middle East, Lebanese spiced chicken drizzled with pomegranate molasses. Pastry chef Lincoln Carson contributed yogurt-Aleppo cornbread. [Jessica Park Photography]

Jason Bran and Damian Windsor, who oversee the cocktail programs for all 2014 Food GPS events, incorporated Olmeca Altos Tequila into the Kona Gold, along with pineapple, lime, jalapeño, cilantro, and agave nectar. [Jessica Park Photography]