In June 2014, Kenneth Brissette, Boston’s new director of tourism, arts, and special events, had a problem: the Teamsters were furious that the popular cooking show “Top Chef’’ was filming in Boston without hiring any union workers.

Two days after a Teamster showed up at the Revere Hotel that month, screaming and threatening producers while they were filming a scene, Brissette said he would revoke the permits the show had received to film in other parts of Boston, two witnesses testified Wednesday on the second day of the City Hall corruption trial.

“He said it was a mess, that he didn’t know we were non-union . . . and we needed to make a deal with the Teamsters to get our permits,’’ said Elida Carbajal, then a “Top Chef’’ producer who said she traded emails and phone calls with Brissette over the permits. She and another witness, Kenneth Cunningham, a location scout for the reality show, testified about Brissette’s insistence that the show hire Teamsters.

Their accounts laid the groundwork for the case that federal prosecutors are trying to build — that in the spring and summer of 2014, around the same time “Top Chef’’ complained of being bullied by the Teamsters, Brissette and Timothy Sullivan, the city’s chief of intergovernmental affairs, were conspiring to force another company, Crash Line Productions, to hire union stagehands to work at the Boston Calling concert festival in City Hall Plaza.

In 2017, four Teamsters were acquitted of extortion charges related to the “Top Chef’’ case. Carbajal and Cunningham also testified in that trial.

On Wednesday, prosecutors used their testimony to buttress the portrayal of Brissette, 54, and Sullivan, 39, as cunning schemers who knew Crash Line would be so terrified of losing its permits that it would cave to their demands to hire union members. The company eventually hired nine members from the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Local 11.

Sullivan and Brissette are on trial on charges of extortion and conspiracy to commit extortion.

But the defense used the testimony of Carbajal, Cunningham, and other prosecution witnesses to depict Brissette as an alarmed public official who was new to his job, had little knowledge of the permitting process, and was desperate to avoid an embarrassing confrontation with the Teamsters, who were threatening to picket around Boston.

In one e-mail about the permits on June 7, 2014, Carbajal wrote “Top Chef’’ producers: “Ken said they just don’t want the Teamsters to start picketing. This would be very bad publicity for the city.’’

Cunningham said he joked to Brissette that he could simply hit delete on his computer to cancel the show’s permits.

“He reiterated that he had never gone through anything like this before and he wasn’t sure if he could cancel the permits,’’ Cunningham testified.

Lisa Strout, director of the Massachusetts Film Office, was asked about a phone conversation she had with Brissette about the issues with the Teamsters in June 2014.

“He was upset that the company was non-union and they had not told him that,’’ Strout recalled. “He said they were wanting permits, and I said, ‘Well you have to give them the permits.’ I said we work with everyone and we can’t discriminate against anyone.’’

The show eventually got the permits.

On cross-examination, Brissette’s lawyer, William Kettlewell, asked Strout, who worked closely with Brissette when he was at the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism, if Brissette had to deal with permits when he was in that job.

“I’m not aware of any permitting,’’ Strout said.

“Did you get the feeling he was asking you for advice?’’ Kettlewell asked

“I did,’’ she said.

Strout, who described Brissette as a friend, beamed at Brissette from the witness stand when she was asked to identify him. He smiled back at her as the jury looked on.

She was not the only prosecution witness who expressed positive sentiments about Brissette.

Brissette’s other lawyer, Sara Silva, asked Christopher Cook, who once held Brissette’s position, what he thought of Brissette personally.

“He’s a fantastic person,’’ said Cook, now the city’s chief of environment, energy, and open space.

“Do you know him to be honest?’’ Silva asked.

“Yes.’’

“Straightforward?’’

“Yes.’’

“Have you ever seen Mr. Brissette act in a threatening manner?’’ Silva asked.

“No,’’ Cook replied.

Cook testified that the city did not have a policy requiring that companies hire union workers to receive a permit.

But under cross-examination, Cook said the tourism department does not handle permitting or have control over who gets to use City Hall Plaza. Prosecutors have said Crash Line founders believed Sullivan and Brissette had the power to take away their permits.

“Who had the authority to allow anyone to use City Hall Plaza?’’ Silva asked.

“The property management department,’’ Cook replied.

Maria Cramer can be reached at mcramer@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @globemcramer.