Sunday evening was an unforgettable start to the 22nd Annual Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival (MVAAFF) where 120 guests were treated to an exquisite five course dining experience prepared by Celebrity Chef Pat Neely along with Executive Chef Juan Martinez.
The five course meal included BBQ Shrimp cocktail; Cheese Grits w/pulled pork; Raspberry Salad; Lobster Mac and Cheese; Sweet Cola Beef short ribs; rounded off with Mama Neely's Spice Pecan Cake for dessert. “A Southern feast in New England“ is how one guest described the meal.
The MVAAFF was held this year August 2nd to August 10th, 2024. The Run&Shoot Filmworks Martha's Vineyard African American Film Festival also known as “The Summer's Finest Film Festival" and is now entering its 22nd year on Martha's Vineyard. “We have screened and promoted some of the most outstanding and emerging Feature, Documentary and Short films produced by and starring African Americans from across the world” says co-founder, Stephanie Ranse.
All screenings and events take place at Martha's Vineyard Performing Arts Center (MVPAC) located adjacent to Martha's Vineyard Regional High School at 100 Edgartown-Vineyard Haven Road.
In 2008, Pat exploded onto the national television scene as the star of Food Network’s Down Home with the Neely’s, where he shared the secrets behind his favorite dishes and his passion for food, family and fun. Down Home with the Neely’s was the highest-rated series debut in the history of Food Network's "In the Kitchen" block. The show enjoyed thirteen successful seasons on that network and its sister channel, Great American Country. In this era, Pat also appeared in programming for Cooking Channel, TBS and ABC.
After nearly a decade of experience as a television personality, Pat took his media career to a new level for the 2016-2017 seasons by hosting and executive producing SAVE TO WIN, a game show broadcast nationally every Saturday on the CW Television Network as part of its “One Magnificent Morning”
programming block.
Building on his tremendous success in television, Pat became a respected cookbook author with the New York Times best-seller Down Home with the Neely’s (Knopf, 2009), and its follow-ups, The Neely’s Celebration Cookbook (Knopf 2011) and Back Home with the Neely’s (Knopf 2014). In 2013, he partnered with QVC to offer a line of branded cookware. Additionally, Pat regularly appears on stage offering inspirational speeches and cooking demonstrations to audiences across the United States, Mexico and Asia. Pat has served as a national brand ambassador for companies including Family Dollar Stores, Kraft Foods, McDonald’s and Boston Market.
Neely has appeared on various national television and radio shows including Good Morning America, The Today Show, The Chew, The View, The Talk, The Rachael Ray Show, The Arsenio Hall Show, The Queen Latifah Show, In the Kitchen with David, The Wendy Williams Show, The Monique Show, The Steve Harvey Show, Sister Circle, Home & Family, Anderson Live, Bethany, Martha Stewart Radio, The Tom Joyner Morning Show, BET’s Lift Every Voice, Sirius XM’s NBA Radio and Tyler Perry’s Meet the Browns. In print, Pat has been featured in a variety of national magazines and papers including The Wall Street Journal, People, USA Today, Food Network Magazine and Sam’s Club
Magazine.
For more information on the MVAAFF’s, go to:
https://www.mvaaff.com/ or @mvaaff
For more on Pat Neely, go to:
https://www.patneely.com/
https://www.instagram.com/patneelybbqking/?hl=en