This country sees scores of large-scale culinary events and food festivals each week, and from Taste of the Nation to Slow Food Nation, Party and I are always there. But while a culinary extravaganza merely requires several hours of our time, it takes months or sometimes years to bring all the elements of a production together.

During SF Chefs. Food. Wine., I walked the tents with Dominic Phillips, the namesake of Dominic Phillips Event Marketing and the brainchild producer behind the soirée, to get an idea of all the unseen work that goes into such a large event. Get his surprising strategies for a successful big bash after the jump