March 3, 2014 at 10:13 am
Meltdown at the Toronto Grilled Cheese Fest
Torontoist was at the now infamous foodie event after the cheese hit the grill, but before the shit hit the fan.
By
Carly Maga • Photos by Corbin Smith
308351 The lineup outside Roy Thomson Hall around 5:15 p.m., 15 minutes before the public was allowed into the festival. 20140228-Grilled Cheese Fest at Roy Thomson Hall-158-5- Photo_by_Corbin_Smith https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140228-Grilled-Cheese-Fest-at-Roy-Thomson-Hall-158-5-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith-100x100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140228-Grilled-Cheese-Fest-at-Roy-Thomson-Hall-158-5-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140228-Grilled-Cheese-Fest-at-Roy-Thomson-Hall-158-5-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith.jpg 1000 563 {"aperture":6.7,"credit":"Corbin Smith","camera":"NIKON D800","created_timestamp":1393609200,"copyright":"\u00a9 Corbin Smith","focal_length":"42","iso":"2200","shutter_speed":"0.011111111111111"} https://torontoist.com/2014/03/meltdown-at-the-toronto-grilled-cheese-fest/slide/20140228-grilled-cheese-fest-at-roy-thomson-hall-158-5-photo_by_corbin_smith/ 20140228-grilled-cheese-fest-at-roy-thomson-hall-158-5-photo_by_corbin_smith 0 0
308350 "'I’m Stilton waiting in line' #TOGCheeseFestHeadlines," tweeted Paul Dearborn (@whitbywino). 20140228-Grilled Cheese Fest at Roy Thomson Hall-158-18- Photo_by_Corbin_Smith https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140228-Grilled-Cheese-Fest-at-Roy-Thomson-Hall-158-18-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith-100x100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140228-Grilled-Cheese-Fest-at-Roy-Thomson-Hall-158-18-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140228-Grilled-Cheese-Fest-at-Roy-Thomson-Hall-158-18-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith.jpg 1000 563 {"aperture":6.7,"credit":"Corbin Smith","camera":"NIKON D800","created_timestamp":1393609301,"copyright":"\u00a9 Corbin Smith","focal_length":"28","iso":"2200","shutter_speed":"0.022222222222222"} https://torontoist.com/2014/03/meltdown-at-the-toronto-grilled-cheese-fest/slide/20140228-grilled-cheese-fest-at-roy-thomson-hall-158-18-photo_by_corbin_smith/ 20140228-grilled-cheese-fest-at-roy-thomson-hall-158-18-photo_by_corbin_smith 0 0
308341 Smiles from these workers before they experience their worst paneer come true. 20140228-Grilled Cheese Fest at Roy Thomson Hall-158-123- Photo_by_Corbin_Smith https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140228-Grilled-Cheese-Fest-at-Roy-Thomson-Hall-158-123-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith-100x100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140228-Grilled-Cheese-Fest-at-Roy-Thomson-Hall-158-123-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140228-Grilled-Cheese-Fest-at-Roy-Thomson-Hall-158-123-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith.jpg 1000 563 {"aperture":2.8,"credit":"Corbin Smith","camera":"NIKON D800","created_timestamp":1393614682,"copyright":"\u00a9 Corbin Smith","focal_length":"36","iso":"6400","shutter_speed":"0.033333333333333"} https://torontoist.com/2014/03/meltdown-at-the-toronto-grilled-cheese-fest/slide/20140228-grilled-cheese-fest-at-roy-thomson-hall-158-123-photo_by_corbin_smith/ 20140228-grilled-cheese-fest-at-roy-thomson-hall-158-123-photo_by_corbin_smith 0 0
308340 Olive the vendors had to step up their game, as long as the power held out. 20140228-Grilled Cheese Fest at Roy Thomson Hall-158-132- Photo_by_Corbin_Smith https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140228-Grilled-Cheese-Fest-at-Roy-Thomson-Hall-158-132-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith-100x100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140228-Grilled-Cheese-Fest-at-Roy-Thomson-Hall-158-132-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140228-Grilled-Cheese-Fest-at-Roy-Thomson-Hall-158-132-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith.jpg 1000 563 {"aperture":3.3,"credit":"Corbin Smith","camera":"NIKON D800","created_timestamp":1393614708,"copyright":"\u00a9 Corbin Smith","focal_length":"24","iso":"6400","shutter_speed":"0.016666666666667"} https://torontoist.com/2014/03/meltdown-at-the-toronto-grilled-cheese-fest/slide/20140228-grilled-cheese-fest-at-roy-thomson-hall-158-132-photo_by_corbin_smith/ 20140228-grilled-cheese-fest-at-roy-thomson-hall-158-132-photo_by_corbin_smith 0 0
308343 "I mean, you could really say that this whole situation bleu up in the organizers' faces. #TOGrilledCheeseFest" tweeted Thierry (@tcote). 20140228-Grilled Cheese Fest at Roy Thomson Hall-158-78- Photo_by_Corbin_Smith https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140228-Grilled-Cheese-Fest-at-Roy-Thomson-Hall-158-78-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith-100x100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140228-Grilled-Cheese-Fest-at-Roy-Thomson-Hall-158-78-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140228-Grilled-Cheese-Fest-at-Roy-Thomson-Hall-158-78-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith.jpg 1000 562 {"aperture":5.6,"credit":"Corbin Smith","camera":"NIKON D800","created_timestamp":1393613052,"copyright":"\u00a9 Corbin Smith","focal_length":"70","iso":"2200","shutter_speed":"0.022222222222222"} https://torontoist.com/2014/03/meltdown-at-the-toronto-grilled-cheese-fest/slide/20140228-grilled-cheese-fest-at-roy-thomson-hall-158-78-photo_by_corbin_smith/ 20140228-grilled-cheese-fest-at-roy-thomson-hall-158-78-photo_by_corbin_smith 0 0
308344 "It's as if the Gods looked down on Toronto, took pity, & gave the city a #TOGrilledCheeseFest Friday night farce as comedy distraction," tweeted Shawn Micallef (@shawnmicallef). 20140228-Grilled Cheese Fest at Roy Thomson Hall-158-74- Photo_by_Corbin_Smith https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140228-Grilled-Cheese-Fest-at-Roy-Thomson-Hall-158-74-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith-100x100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140228-Grilled-Cheese-Fest-at-Roy-Thomson-Hall-158-74-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140228-Grilled-Cheese-Fest-at-Roy-Thomson-Hall-158-74-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith.jpg 1000 562 {"aperture":5.6,"credit":"Corbin Smith","camera":"NIKON D800","created_timestamp":1393613032,"copyright":"\u00a9 Corbin Smith","focal_length":"58","iso":"2200","shutter_speed":"0.022222222222222"} https://torontoist.com/2014/03/meltdown-at-the-toronto-grilled-cheese-fest/slide/20140228-grilled-cheese-fest-at-roy-thomson-hall-158-74-photo_by_corbin_smith/ 20140228-grilled-cheese-fest-at-roy-thomson-hall-158-74-photo_by_corbin_smith 0 0
308346 "If Toronto can't handle a #TOGrilledCheeseFest, what does this mean for events like--OH MY GOD WHAT ABOUT THE PAN AM GAMES!?" tweeted Claire Kerr (@snotforprofit). 20140228-Grilled Cheese Fest at Roy Thomson Hall-158-66- Photo_by_Corbin_Smith https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140228-Grilled-Cheese-Fest-at-Roy-Thomson-Hall-158-66-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith-100x100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140228-Grilled-Cheese-Fest-at-Roy-Thomson-Hall-158-66-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140228-Grilled-Cheese-Fest-at-Roy-Thomson-Hall-158-66-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith.jpg 1000 563 {"aperture":5.6,"credit":"Corbin Smith","camera":"NIKON D800","created_timestamp":1393613008,"copyright":"\u00a9 Corbin Smith","focal_length":"62","iso":"2200","shutter_speed":"0.022222222222222"} https://torontoist.com/2014/03/meltdown-at-the-toronto-grilled-cheese-fest/slide/20140228-grilled-cheese-fest-at-roy-thomson-hall-158-66-photo_by_corbin_smith/ 20140228-grilled-cheese-fest-at-roy-thomson-hall-158-66-photo_by_corbin_smith 0 0
308345 "When I was a small child, my beloved grandmother died and somehow everyone in my entire family neglected to tell me (I presume because they thought I already knew), until joyfully skipping toward my parents' bedroom a day before the funeral, I overheard my mother inviting a relative to the shiva; This moment of realization and aloneness shattering my tiny heart to pieces and leaving with me a lasting imprint of this oversight for years to come, probably in some part affecting my trust in people all the way into my adulthood. Grilled Cheese Fest was a worse failure," wrote Tara Krebs on the Toronto Grilled Cheese Festival's Facebook page. 20140228-Grilled Cheese Fest at Roy Thomson Hall-158-70- Photo_by_Corbin_Smith https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140228-Grilled-Cheese-Fest-at-Roy-Thomson-Hall-158-70-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith-100x100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140228-Grilled-Cheese-Fest-at-Roy-Thomson-Hall-158-70-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140228-Grilled-Cheese-Fest-at-Roy-Thomson-Hall-158-70-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith.jpg 1000 562 {"aperture":5.6,"credit":"Corbin Smith","camera":"NIKON D800","created_timestamp":1393613014,"copyright":"\u00a9 Corbin Smith","focal_length":"50","iso":"2200","shutter_speed":"0.022222222222222"} https://torontoist.com/2014/03/meltdown-at-the-toronto-grilled-cheese-fest/slide/20140228-grilled-cheese-fest-at-roy-thomson-hall-158-70-photo_by_corbin_smith/ 20140228-grilled-cheese-fest-at-roy-thomson-hall-158-70-photo_by_corbin_smith 0 0
308338 A bird's-eye view of all mozza-hell-a breaking loose. 20140228-Grilled Cheese Fest at Roy Thomson Hall-158-146- Photo_by_Corbin_Smith https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140228-Grilled-Cheese-Fest-at-Roy-Thomson-Hall-158-146-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith-100x100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140228-Grilled-Cheese-Fest-at-Roy-Thomson-Hall-158-146-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140228-Grilled-Cheese-Fest-at-Roy-Thomson-Hall-158-146-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith.jpg 1000 563 {"aperture":3.3,"credit":"Corbin Smith","camera":"NIKON D800","created_timestamp":1393615449,"copyright":"\u00a9 Corbin Smith","focal_length":"52","iso":"6400","shutter_speed":"0.05"} https://torontoist.com/2014/03/meltdown-at-the-toronto-grilled-cheese-fest/slide/20140228-grilled-cheese-fest-at-roy-thomson-hall-158-146-photo_by_corbin_smith/ 20140228-grilled-cheese-fest-at-roy-thomson-hall-158-146-photo_by_corbin_smith 0 0
308337 "FARCE-CAPONE #TOGCheeseFestHeadlines," tweeted @FogSharkYYZ. 20140228-Grilled Cheese Fest at Roy Thomson Hall-158-155- Photo_by_Corbin_Smith https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140228-Grilled-Cheese-Fest-at-Roy-Thomson-Hall-158-155-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith-100x100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140228-Grilled-Cheese-Fest-at-Roy-Thomson-Hall-158-155-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140228-Grilled-Cheese-Fest-at-Roy-Thomson-Hall-158-155-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith.jpg 1000 563 {"aperture":3.3,"credit":"Corbin Smith","camera":"NIKON D800","created_timestamp":1393615503,"copyright":"\u00a9 Corbin Smith","focal_length":"62","iso":"6400","shutter_speed":"0.05"} https://torontoist.com/2014/03/meltdown-at-the-toronto-grilled-cheese-fest/slide/20140228-grilled-cheese-fest-at-roy-thomson-hall-158-155-photo_by_corbin_smith/ 20140228-grilled-cheese-fest-at-roy-thomson-hall-158-155-photo_by_corbin_smith 0 0
308342 It was easier to Camembert the line at Cheesewerks because of owner and "Big Cheese, Kevin Durkee, handing out cheddar samples. 20140228-Grilled Cheese Fest at Roy Thomson Hall-158-93- Photo_by_Corbin_Smith https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140228-Grilled-Cheese-Fest-at-Roy-Thomson-Hall-158-93-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith-100x100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140228-Grilled-Cheese-Fest-at-Roy-Thomson-Hall-158-93-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140228-Grilled-Cheese-Fest-at-Roy-Thomson-Hall-158-93-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith.jpg 1000 563 {"aperture":2.8,"credit":"Corbin Smith","camera":"NIKON D800","created_timestamp":1393614631,"copyright":"\u00a9 Corbin Smith","focal_length":"24","iso":"4500","shutter_speed":"0.022222222222222"} https://torontoist.com/2014/03/meltdown-at-the-toronto-grilled-cheese-fest/slide/20140228-grilled-cheese-fest-at-roy-thomson-hall-158-93-photo_by_corbin_smith/ 20140228-grilled-cheese-fest-at-roy-thomson-hall-158-93-photo_by_corbin_smith 0 0
308347 "EDAM SHAME #TOGCheeseFestHeadlines," tweeted Norm Wilner (@normwilner). 20140228-Grilled Cheese Fest at Roy Thomson Hall-158-46- Photo_by_Corbin_Smith https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140228-Grilled-Cheese-Fest-at-Roy-Thomson-Hall-158-46-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith-100x100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140228-Grilled-Cheese-Fest-at-Roy-Thomson-Hall-158-46-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140228-Grilled-Cheese-Fest-at-Roy-Thomson-Hall-158-46-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith.jpg 1000 563 {"aperture":6.7,"credit":"Corbin Smith","camera":"NIKON D800","created_timestamp":1393612853,"copyright":"\u00a9 Corbin Smith","focal_length":"62","iso":"2200","shutter_speed":"0.05"} https://torontoist.com/2014/03/meltdown-at-the-toronto-grilled-cheese-fest/slide/20140228-grilled-cheese-fest-at-roy-thomson-hall-158-46-photo_by_corbin_smith/ 20140228-grilled-cheese-fest-at-roy-thomson-hall-158-46-photo_by_corbin_smith 0 0
308349 These were the 15 grilled cheese offerings at the festival. THIS is what all the fuss was about. 20140228-Grilled Cheese Fest at Roy Thomson Hall-158-31- Photo_by_Corbin_Smith https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140228-Grilled-Cheese-Fest-at-Roy-Thomson-Hall-158-31-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith-100x100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140228-Grilled-Cheese-Fest-at-Roy-Thomson-Hall-158-31-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140228-Grilled-Cheese-Fest-at-Roy-Thomson-Hall-158-31-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith.jpg 1000 562 {"aperture":8,"credit":"Corbin Smith","camera":"NIKON D800","created_timestamp":1393612731,"copyright":"\u00a9 Corbin Smith","focal_length":"50","iso":"1600","shutter_speed":"0.016666666666667"} https://torontoist.com/2014/03/meltdown-at-the-toronto-grilled-cheese-fest/slide/20140228-grilled-cheese-fest-at-roy-thomson-hall-158-31-photo_by_corbin_smith/ 20140228-grilled-cheese-fest-at-roy-thomson-hall-158-31-photo_by_corbin_smith 0 0
There’s always a calm before a social media shit storm. That was the case for Friday night’s inaugural Toronto Grilled Cheese Fest , an all-you-can-eat soup and sandwich event that promised grilled cheese wonders and delights for the cost of a $45 ticket. Unfortunately, over 2,250 attendees (the official number from organizer Joylister ) found themselves enduring hour-long wait times before finally being ushered into Roy Thomson Hall, where they waited in more lines for one quarter of two pieces of bread with various fillings and samples of craft beer and soup. They then took to social media to express levels of fury never before inspired by a Toronto gastronomic gathering.
But before the meltdown, the atmosphere at Roy Thomson Hall was quite jovial. Members of the media were allowed into the venue 30 minutes before the public, passing a long line of early birds already waiting for the doors to open. To get a spot near the front, ticket-holders had arrived 45 minutes before the official start time.
Inside, it was sunny and filled with an alluring scent reminiscent of childhood—although space was a little tight with the 10 sandwich vendors, four soup vendors, five breweries, and several other sponsored booths. It was clear that the grill space at each booth would be bound to cause a few lengthy lineups—but that’s typical of anything from food trucks to Sunday brunch. In fact, at around 7 p.m., many seemed fine with the 10-15-minute wait for a sliver of cheese and bread, and it wasn’t surprising that a growing crowd was filling RTH. The honour of calling oneself a “foodie” often comes with the sacrifice of immediate gratification and a good chunk of cash.
The Toronto Grilled Cheese Fest, though, involved a perfect storm of frustrations and inconveniences, thanks to its poorly chosen venue (RTH, for example, lacks the power necessary to support an appliance-heavy event, and there were intermittent grill-related power failures), lack of organization, a tough-to-swallow ticket price, and weather that made lengthy outdoor wait times especially unpleasant. There must come a time when the centre cannot hold, even if that centre is a delightful mix of havarti and green apple. Some, though, weren’t fazed.
The Big Cheese (official title) at Cheesewerks , Kevin Durkee, stayed positive as the hordes started to descend.
“This is my Super Bowl,” he said, handing out slices of aged cheddar to hungry attendees. “This festival once again shows that Toronto is where trends come to blossom.”
On Sunday, Cheeswerks exchanged festival tickets for one of two sandwiches they’d had on offer Friday night. Joylister itself will be offering refunds, and posted a mea culpa on its Facebook page.
Despite the backlash against the Grilled Cheese Fest, Joylister is already planning PoutineFest 2014, a sequel to its first food fiesta (which had only a 400 ticket capacity, though commenters are saying that event was also oversold). Joylister claims it provides “exclusive events for Foodies in Toronto,” but when the term “foodie” encompasses anyone who rather enjoys the act of eating, especially in large quantities, that’s quite a large pool (keep in mind, everyone’s gotta eat). If Toronto food event organizers could up the “exclusive” factor and reduce ticket numbers, then maybe tasty events wouldn’t fall apart like overstuffed grilled cheese sandwiches.
308351 The lineup outside Roy Thomson Hall around 5:15 p.m., 15 minutes before the public was allowed into the festival. 20140228-Grilled Cheese Fest at Roy Thomson Hall-158-5- Photo_by_Corbin_Smith https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140228-Grilled-Cheese-Fest-at-Roy-Thomson-Hall-158-5-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith-100x100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140228-Grilled-Cheese-Fest-at-Roy-Thomson-Hall-158-5-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140228-Grilled-Cheese-Fest-at-Roy-Thomson-Hall-158-5-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith.jpg 1000 563 {"aperture":6.7,"credit":"Corbin Smith","camera":"NIKON D800","created_timestamp":1393609200,"copyright":"\u00a9 Corbin Smith","focal_length":"42","iso":"2200","shutter_speed":"0.011111111111111"} https://torontoist.com/2014/03/meltdown-at-the-toronto-grilled-cheese-fest/slide/20140228-grilled-cheese-fest-at-roy-thomson-hall-158-5-photo_by_corbin_smith/ 20140228-grilled-cheese-fest-at-roy-thomson-hall-158-5-photo_by_corbin_smith 0 0
308350 "'I’m Stilton waiting in line' #TOGCheeseFestHeadlines," tweeted Paul Dearborn (@whitbywino). 20140228-Grilled Cheese Fest at Roy Thomson Hall-158-18- Photo_by_Corbin_Smith https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140228-Grilled-Cheese-Fest-at-Roy-Thomson-Hall-158-18-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith-100x100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140228-Grilled-Cheese-Fest-at-Roy-Thomson-Hall-158-18-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140228-Grilled-Cheese-Fest-at-Roy-Thomson-Hall-158-18-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith.jpg 1000 563 {"aperture":6.7,"credit":"Corbin Smith","camera":"NIKON D800","created_timestamp":1393609301,"copyright":"\u00a9 Corbin Smith","focal_length":"28","iso":"2200","shutter_speed":"0.022222222222222"} https://torontoist.com/2014/03/meltdown-at-the-toronto-grilled-cheese-fest/slide/20140228-grilled-cheese-fest-at-roy-thomson-hall-158-18-photo_by_corbin_smith/ 20140228-grilled-cheese-fest-at-roy-thomson-hall-158-18-photo_by_corbin_smith 0 0
308341 Smiles from these workers before they experience their worst paneer come true. 20140228-Grilled Cheese Fest at Roy Thomson Hall-158-123- Photo_by_Corbin_Smith https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140228-Grilled-Cheese-Fest-at-Roy-Thomson-Hall-158-123-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith-100x100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140228-Grilled-Cheese-Fest-at-Roy-Thomson-Hall-158-123-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140228-Grilled-Cheese-Fest-at-Roy-Thomson-Hall-158-123-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith.jpg 1000 563 {"aperture":2.8,"credit":"Corbin Smith","camera":"NIKON D800","created_timestamp":1393614682,"copyright":"\u00a9 Corbin Smith","focal_length":"36","iso":"6400","shutter_speed":"0.033333333333333"} https://torontoist.com/2014/03/meltdown-at-the-toronto-grilled-cheese-fest/slide/20140228-grilled-cheese-fest-at-roy-thomson-hall-158-123-photo_by_corbin_smith/ 20140228-grilled-cheese-fest-at-roy-thomson-hall-158-123-photo_by_corbin_smith 0 0
308340 Olive the vendors had to step up their game, as long as the power held out. 20140228-Grilled Cheese Fest at Roy Thomson Hall-158-132- Photo_by_Corbin_Smith https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140228-Grilled-Cheese-Fest-at-Roy-Thomson-Hall-158-132-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith-100x100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140228-Grilled-Cheese-Fest-at-Roy-Thomson-Hall-158-132-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140228-Grilled-Cheese-Fest-at-Roy-Thomson-Hall-158-132-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith.jpg 1000 563 {"aperture":3.3,"credit":"Corbin Smith","camera":"NIKON D800","created_timestamp":1393614708,"copyright":"\u00a9 Corbin Smith","focal_length":"24","iso":"6400","shutter_speed":"0.016666666666667"} https://torontoist.com/2014/03/meltdown-at-the-toronto-grilled-cheese-fest/slide/20140228-grilled-cheese-fest-at-roy-thomson-hall-158-132-photo_by_corbin_smith/ 20140228-grilled-cheese-fest-at-roy-thomson-hall-158-132-photo_by_corbin_smith 0 0
308343 "I mean, you could really say that this whole situation bleu up in the organizers' faces. #TOGrilledCheeseFest" tweeted Thierry (@tcote). 20140228-Grilled Cheese Fest at Roy Thomson Hall-158-78- Photo_by_Corbin_Smith https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140228-Grilled-Cheese-Fest-at-Roy-Thomson-Hall-158-78-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith-100x100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140228-Grilled-Cheese-Fest-at-Roy-Thomson-Hall-158-78-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140228-Grilled-Cheese-Fest-at-Roy-Thomson-Hall-158-78-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith.jpg 1000 562 {"aperture":5.6,"credit":"Corbin Smith","camera":"NIKON D800","created_timestamp":1393613052,"copyright":"\u00a9 Corbin Smith","focal_length":"70","iso":"2200","shutter_speed":"0.022222222222222"} https://torontoist.com/2014/03/meltdown-at-the-toronto-grilled-cheese-fest/slide/20140228-grilled-cheese-fest-at-roy-thomson-hall-158-78-photo_by_corbin_smith/ 20140228-grilled-cheese-fest-at-roy-thomson-hall-158-78-photo_by_corbin_smith 0 0
308344 "It's as if the Gods looked down on Toronto, took pity, & gave the city a #TOGrilledCheeseFest Friday night farce as comedy distraction," tweeted Shawn Micallef (@shawnmicallef). 20140228-Grilled Cheese Fest at Roy Thomson Hall-158-74- Photo_by_Corbin_Smith https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140228-Grilled-Cheese-Fest-at-Roy-Thomson-Hall-158-74-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith-100x100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140228-Grilled-Cheese-Fest-at-Roy-Thomson-Hall-158-74-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140228-Grilled-Cheese-Fest-at-Roy-Thomson-Hall-158-74-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith.jpg 1000 562 {"aperture":5.6,"credit":"Corbin Smith","camera":"NIKON D800","created_timestamp":1393613032,"copyright":"\u00a9 Corbin Smith","focal_length":"58","iso":"2200","shutter_speed":"0.022222222222222"} https://torontoist.com/2014/03/meltdown-at-the-toronto-grilled-cheese-fest/slide/20140228-grilled-cheese-fest-at-roy-thomson-hall-158-74-photo_by_corbin_smith/ 20140228-grilled-cheese-fest-at-roy-thomson-hall-158-74-photo_by_corbin_smith 0 0
308346 "If Toronto can't handle a #TOGrilledCheeseFest, what does this mean for events like--OH MY GOD WHAT ABOUT THE PAN AM GAMES!?" tweeted Claire Kerr (@snotforprofit). 20140228-Grilled Cheese Fest at Roy Thomson Hall-158-66- Photo_by_Corbin_Smith https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140228-Grilled-Cheese-Fest-at-Roy-Thomson-Hall-158-66-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith-100x100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140228-Grilled-Cheese-Fest-at-Roy-Thomson-Hall-158-66-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140228-Grilled-Cheese-Fest-at-Roy-Thomson-Hall-158-66-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith.jpg 1000 563 {"aperture":5.6,"credit":"Corbin Smith","camera":"NIKON D800","created_timestamp":1393613008,"copyright":"\u00a9 Corbin Smith","focal_length":"62","iso":"2200","shutter_speed":"0.022222222222222"} https://torontoist.com/2014/03/meltdown-at-the-toronto-grilled-cheese-fest/slide/20140228-grilled-cheese-fest-at-roy-thomson-hall-158-66-photo_by_corbin_smith/ 20140228-grilled-cheese-fest-at-roy-thomson-hall-158-66-photo_by_corbin_smith 0 0
308345 "When I was a small child, my beloved grandmother died and somehow everyone in my entire family neglected to tell me (I presume because they thought I already knew), until joyfully skipping toward my parents' bedroom a day before the funeral, I overheard my mother inviting a relative to the shiva; This moment of realization and aloneness shattering my tiny heart to pieces and leaving with me a lasting imprint of this oversight for years to come, probably in some part affecting my trust in people all the way into my adulthood. Grilled Cheese Fest was a worse failure," wrote Tara Krebs on the Toronto Grilled Cheese Festival's Facebook page. 20140228-Grilled Cheese Fest at Roy Thomson Hall-158-70- Photo_by_Corbin_Smith https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140228-Grilled-Cheese-Fest-at-Roy-Thomson-Hall-158-70-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith-100x100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140228-Grilled-Cheese-Fest-at-Roy-Thomson-Hall-158-70-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140228-Grilled-Cheese-Fest-at-Roy-Thomson-Hall-158-70-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith.jpg 1000 562 {"aperture":5.6,"credit":"Corbin Smith","camera":"NIKON D800","created_timestamp":1393613014,"copyright":"\u00a9 Corbin Smith","focal_length":"50","iso":"2200","shutter_speed":"0.022222222222222"} https://torontoist.com/2014/03/meltdown-at-the-toronto-grilled-cheese-fest/slide/20140228-grilled-cheese-fest-at-roy-thomson-hall-158-70-photo_by_corbin_smith/ 20140228-grilled-cheese-fest-at-roy-thomson-hall-158-70-photo_by_corbin_smith 0 0
308338 A bird's-eye view of all mozza-hell-a breaking loose. 20140228-Grilled Cheese Fest at Roy Thomson Hall-158-146- Photo_by_Corbin_Smith https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140228-Grilled-Cheese-Fest-at-Roy-Thomson-Hall-158-146-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith-100x100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140228-Grilled-Cheese-Fest-at-Roy-Thomson-Hall-158-146-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140228-Grilled-Cheese-Fest-at-Roy-Thomson-Hall-158-146-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith.jpg 1000 563 {"aperture":3.3,"credit":"Corbin Smith","camera":"NIKON D800","created_timestamp":1393615449,"copyright":"\u00a9 Corbin Smith","focal_length":"52","iso":"6400","shutter_speed":"0.05"} https://torontoist.com/2014/03/meltdown-at-the-toronto-grilled-cheese-fest/slide/20140228-grilled-cheese-fest-at-roy-thomson-hall-158-146-photo_by_corbin_smith/ 20140228-grilled-cheese-fest-at-roy-thomson-hall-158-146-photo_by_corbin_smith 0 0
308337 "FARCE-CAPONE #TOGCheeseFestHeadlines," tweeted @FogSharkYYZ. 20140228-Grilled Cheese Fest at Roy Thomson Hall-158-155- Photo_by_Corbin_Smith https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140228-Grilled-Cheese-Fest-at-Roy-Thomson-Hall-158-155-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith-100x100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140228-Grilled-Cheese-Fest-at-Roy-Thomson-Hall-158-155-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140228-Grilled-Cheese-Fest-at-Roy-Thomson-Hall-158-155-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith.jpg 1000 563 {"aperture":3.3,"credit":"Corbin Smith","camera":"NIKON D800","created_timestamp":1393615503,"copyright":"\u00a9 Corbin Smith","focal_length":"62","iso":"6400","shutter_speed":"0.05"} https://torontoist.com/2014/03/meltdown-at-the-toronto-grilled-cheese-fest/slide/20140228-grilled-cheese-fest-at-roy-thomson-hall-158-155-photo_by_corbin_smith/ 20140228-grilled-cheese-fest-at-roy-thomson-hall-158-155-photo_by_corbin_smith 0 0
308342 It was easier to Camembert the line at Cheesewerks because of owner and "Big Cheese, Kevin Durkee, handing out cheddar samples. 20140228-Grilled Cheese Fest at Roy Thomson Hall-158-93- Photo_by_Corbin_Smith https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140228-Grilled-Cheese-Fest-at-Roy-Thomson-Hall-158-93-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith-100x100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140228-Grilled-Cheese-Fest-at-Roy-Thomson-Hall-158-93-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140228-Grilled-Cheese-Fest-at-Roy-Thomson-Hall-158-93-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith.jpg 1000 563 {"aperture":2.8,"credit":"Corbin Smith","camera":"NIKON D800","created_timestamp":1393614631,"copyright":"\u00a9 Corbin Smith","focal_length":"24","iso":"4500","shutter_speed":"0.022222222222222"} https://torontoist.com/2014/03/meltdown-at-the-toronto-grilled-cheese-fest/slide/20140228-grilled-cheese-fest-at-roy-thomson-hall-158-93-photo_by_corbin_smith/ 20140228-grilled-cheese-fest-at-roy-thomson-hall-158-93-photo_by_corbin_smith 0 0
308347 "EDAM SHAME #TOGCheeseFestHeadlines," tweeted Norm Wilner (@normwilner). 20140228-Grilled Cheese Fest at Roy Thomson Hall-158-46- Photo_by_Corbin_Smith https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140228-Grilled-Cheese-Fest-at-Roy-Thomson-Hall-158-46-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith-100x100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140228-Grilled-Cheese-Fest-at-Roy-Thomson-Hall-158-46-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140228-Grilled-Cheese-Fest-at-Roy-Thomson-Hall-158-46-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith.jpg 1000 563 {"aperture":6.7,"credit":"Corbin Smith","camera":"NIKON D800","created_timestamp":1393612853,"copyright":"\u00a9 Corbin Smith","focal_length":"62","iso":"2200","shutter_speed":"0.05"} https://torontoist.com/2014/03/meltdown-at-the-toronto-grilled-cheese-fest/slide/20140228-grilled-cheese-fest-at-roy-thomson-hall-158-46-photo_by_corbin_smith/ 20140228-grilled-cheese-fest-at-roy-thomson-hall-158-46-photo_by_corbin_smith 0 0
308349 These were the 15 grilled cheese offerings at the festival. THIS is what all the fuss was about. 20140228-Grilled Cheese Fest at Roy Thomson Hall-158-31- Photo_by_Corbin_Smith https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140228-Grilled-Cheese-Fest-at-Roy-Thomson-Hall-158-31-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith-100x100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140228-Grilled-Cheese-Fest-at-Roy-Thomson-Hall-158-31-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20140228-Grilled-Cheese-Fest-at-Roy-Thomson-Hall-158-31-Photo_by_Corbin_Smith.jpg 1000 562 {"aperture":8,"credit":"Corbin Smith","camera":"NIKON D800","created_timestamp":1393612731,"copyright":"\u00a9 Corbin Smith","focal_length":"50","iso":"1600","shutter_speed":"0.016666666666667"} https://torontoist.com/2014/03/meltdown-at-the-toronto-grilled-cheese-fest/slide/20140228-grilled-cheese-fest-at-roy-thomson-hall-158-31-photo_by_corbin_smith/ 20140228-grilled-cheese-fest-at-roy-thomson-hall-158-31-photo_by_corbin_smith 0 0