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'Taste of Philadelphia' Set To Open Along Delaware Riverfront

By Hadas Kuznits

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Preparations are underway for the "Taste of Philadelphia" event, which begins at 5pm today on Penn's Landing.

Matt Andrew, executive sous chef at the Hyatt Hotel on Penn's Landing, was plenty busy getting ready for his company's participation.  He says there's a lot to think about when setting up a mobile kitchen.

"You have to make sure your refrigeration is set, freezers, then you have to bring in your equipment.  We have two fryers and a flattop."

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(Mark Andrew of the Hyatt Penn's Landing. Credit: Hadas Kuznits)

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And with this being Taste of Philadelphia, you can't forget the food.

"You never bring enough food," Andrew says.  "You always think you have enough, and usually you're making four or five runs during the day just to bring more food over."

A lot goes on behind the scenes.

"There's a lot to do with logistics -- where things are placed, running power, making sure everyone has water, tables, chairs," says Shelvia Williams,  logistics and program manager with the Delaware River Waterfront Corporation.  "Tents are brought in, those things are fork-lifted in.  Chairs, tables are fork-lifted in.  Ticket booths -- we have to fork-lift those in because they're not permanent fixtures here," she tells KYW Newsradio.

Not all vendors at the Taste of Philadelphia are food-related.

"We are going to have some games, prizes," says Brooke Truong, with the Adventure Aquarium in Camden, NJ (at left in top photo).

(Kuznits:)   "You're not serving any fish or anything?"
(Truong:)  "No, no fish.  We left the fish in the aquarium!"

Taste of Philadelphia continues through Sunday, along the Delaware riverfront.

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