Producer’s Blog: Good Footage, Good Food – Cincinnati’s Annual Asian Food Fest on The Art Show

There was such an abundance of culinary talent to take in at this year’s Asian Food Fest, the feature in our latest Insider segment of The Art Show, and my neck was not spared. Let me set the scene for you:

It’s an unseasonably warm day, and production associate Derrick Smith and I are pinballing around Court Street getting footage of the bustling event. I’m wielding a monopod for steadier shots, and he’s toting a gimbal for more sweeping looks at the festival. There are so many food stands and dishes, and the producer in me wants a shot of, well, just about everything, even though I’m dealing with a two-minute segment. But that’s a problem for the edit suite.

I’m hunched over a delicacy, trying to work the angles, when it dawns on me that my neck feels really, really warm. I brush it off, and keep walking. A little later, I touch the back of my neck and realize that I’m the most overcooked thing in a three-mile radius. Producer PSA: no matter how vital the shot, always wear sunscreen!

For this Insider segment for The Art Show, Derrick and I ventured into downtown Cincinnati’s Court Street Plaza for the 2025 Asian Food Fest. We made our way through numerous blocks of over 60 vendors representing a myriad of cultures and cuisines, witnessing everything from Cheetos dust-encrusted Korean corndogs, to brilliantly purple halo-halo.

I personally didn’t come to the festival on an empty stomach, yet I was surrounded by temptation on all sides. I glimpsed technicolor bubble teas, made-to-order spring rolls, piping hot stir frys and more. And here I should really give a shout out (and huge thank you) to all the vendors who were kind enough to give Derrick and me food. Oftentimes, we’d ask folks to demonstrate a certain cooking method or dish for sale, only for them to hand us the finished product (hello, pad thai!) with a smile.

Derrick especially lucked out in this regard. As we walked along Court Street, a footage opportunity caught his eye. He vanished, only for him to reappear a few minutes later with a cup of mango custard. Another time, while I was getting a shot of some visitors buying pastries, Derrick ducked around a tent to some fry baskets bubbling with cooking oil. He returned with an excellent shot of b-roll, and this “sushi taco.” 

Derrick later manifested yet again with a “Cambodian taco.” 

Either he pitied me, or saw a certain look in my eye, because he kindly gave it to me (for the record, it was superb).

All in all, and despite the dreadful sunburn (I still have a really weird tan line), we got to witness all types of delicious dishes from many parts of the globe – all in a single stretch of road in downtown Cincinnati! A ton of vendors were added to my personal and ever-growing must-visit restaurant list, and I was grateful for the chance to not only film so many dishes, but sample them too. 

Just know that no matter the topic (or abundance of delectables), we at The Art Show take our jobs very seriously.

Watch 2025 Asian Food Fest Insider segment here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLgRlyjmSfc. For more episodes of The Art Show, behind-the-scenes clips and more, subscribe to our YouTube channel @theartshow-cet-ttv.

Nadya Ellerhorst
CET and Think^TV Producer