What was it like to be behind the scenes at saratoga living’s exclusive “Best Of Everything” Issue cover shoot, featuring some of Saratoga Springs’ culinary geniuses? Pretty cool, actually. Before our local food celebrities congregated at Putnam Place, saratoga living met talented Brooklyn-based photographer Fahnon Bennett and his assistant, Stephanie Gaito, along with superstar magazine writer Kevin Sessums. While Fahnon and Stephanie ran around setting up their equipment and balancing precariously from ladders to capture the perfect shot, Kevin was off in a corner, interviewing the chefs (read his cover feature here). Oh, and an illumination specialist was tinkering with the interior lighting, notebook-armed interns were interviewing the chefs that walked in and two police officers were hanging around to speak with Putnam Place’s manager, Will Wurzburg, about some “criminal mischief” that had occurred the weekend prior. (No leads were generated during the shoot.) The soundtrack to this epic collaboration was, naturally, 1970s hits. If you’re looking to get the full photoshoot experience from home, cue up the best of the Bee Gees or Earth, Wind, and Fire and picture Editor in Chief Richard Pérez-Feria directing the shoot while swaying to disco rhythms. From all that chaos came the amazing final product you’ve been seeing (and enjoying!) on magazine racks all over town. Below, take a look at an exclusive, behind-the-scenes video shot at the cover shoot. —Madeline Conroy
(from left) Brian Bowden (R&R Kitchen and Bar, Upstairs at 43 Phila), Danny Petrosino (Osteria Danny), Tracey Kwiecien (Fish at 30 Lake), David Burke (salt + char, Morrissey's Lounge, The Blue Hen), Jasper Alexander (Hattie's Restaurant), Fabrizio Bazzani (Chianti II Ristorante), Roslyn Riggi (Boca Bistro), Jason Saunders (Prime at Saratoga National). (Fahnon Bennett)
