A few years ago all I wanted to do in my free time was go to concerts.

The minute I clocked out from work I would rarely go straight home, I would head to catch a concert. Whether I went to The Roxy with Sara, Club Nokia with Ajay, or The Hotel Café with a group of friends, all I wanted to do was be surrounded by great live music. One of my favorite places to catch a show was through the Jimmy Kimmel Live! concert series. The late night television show hosted free concerts in their back lot and I quickly began to frequent the location for shows. Sia, John Mayer, N.E.R.D., Nas and Damien Marley were a few artist I was lucky to see up close and personal. Not too long ago I found myself back at the Jimmy Kimmel Live! lot, but instead of being there for music I was there for food.

On this evening, the Jimmy Kimmel Live! lot was turned into the Backlot BBQ where celebrity chef Adam Perry Lang teamed up with Crown Royal to serve up delicious variations of barbecue and cocktails. Along with the food and drinks served that night, the event honored its charity partner: Project Angel Food. I love a great restaurant and event like any other person with a mouth, but seeing the the evening was honoring and promoting a great local charity made this even more exciting. With that in mind, each plate and glass tasted even better!

A large slab of raw and seasoned meat greeted guests as we walked into the private area. It was impossible to not be mesmerized by the bright mustard color that was sprinkled with pepper from top to bottom. As soon as we all got a few snap shots of it, it was replaced by an equally mesmerizing and beautifully scented (cooked) slab of meat. It only took a few seconds for it to be stabbed with a knife and cut into thin slices. My friend and I walked around the area and met a few people before sitting down. Once we found a place to sit, food on tiny white plates started to make their way out to us all. As waiters weaved through the crowd, they presented various eats from the chef himself. It was hard for me to resist grabbing a the entire tray of plates when a smiling waiter would approach me, but I did. This was especially difficult when it came to the fried macaroni and the sandwiches, but my self- restraint was stronger than my gluttony.

Paired with the small plates were a few Crown Royal whisky cocktails. An old fashion, gold rush, and a Crown Royal press would be in my hand throughout the course of he night making the tasting even more lively than it started. I loved that even though the cocktail were strong, they weren’t weighted down in liquor. Instead, the bartenders knew the perfect ratio of liquor to add to each glass so that it was an evenly smooth drink each and every time.

The night ended with chef Adam Perry Lang stepping from behind the kitchen and introducing himself and his work. It was nice to put a face to a plate and to hear directly from him why he was a part of the event. Being able to introduce his cookbook, Serious Barbecue, while highlighting a charity was a great way to hold an event. Adding a few delicious cocktails and tasty plates to it all only made it even better and made me glad I was invited to attend!