January 19, 2017
The sixth annual Austin Food + Wine Festival takes place April 28 to 30 at Auditorium Shores and Fair Market in Austin, Texas.
Here are some of the highlights, according to a press release from the festival:
- Hands-on grilling demonstrations, hosted by Tim Love, on April 29 and April 30.
- Cooking demonstrations
- Interactive fire pits helmed by an all-star lineup of chefs on April 29 and April 30. Participants include chefs Sonya Coté (Eden East, Hillside Farmacy); Michael Fojtasek (Olamaie); Bryce Gilmore (Barley Swine, Odd Duck); Kent Rathbun (Shinsei); Blaine Staniford (Grace, Little Red Wasp); and Andrew Wiseheart (Contigo, Contigo Catering, Chicon).
- Live musical performances
- Chef tastings
- Book signings
- Lone Star Nights on April 28 at Fair Market (1100 East Fifth Street), with music by DJ DM. The event will also have dishes from Matt Balke (Bolsa); Julian Barsotti (Nonna); Junior Borges & Coner Sergeant (CBD Provisions); Thai Changthong (Thai-Kun); Luis Colon (Folc); Andrew Curren (ELM Restaurant Group); Kevin Fink (Emmer & Rye); Ford Fry; Diego Galicia & Rico Torres (Restaurant Mixtli); Steve McHugh (Cured); Wayne Mueller (Louie Mueller Barbecue); Paul Qui (Kuneho); Ryan Shields (Bullfight); and Danny Trace (Brennan’s of Houston).
- Rock Your Taco competition on April 29. Chefs will square off against one another to create the ultimate taco, with winners chosen by an esteemed panel of judges, including Graham Elliot (Graham Elliot Bistro) and FOOD & WINE’s Editor, Nilou Motamed. Chefs include Hugh Acheson (Empire State South, Five & Ten, The Florence, The National, Spiller Park); Jimmy Bannos (Heaven on Seven); Jimmy Bannos, Jr. (The Purple Pig); Matt Bolus (The 404 Kitchen); Tyson Cole (Uchi/Uchiko); Jason Dady (Jason Dady Restaurants); Jodi Elliott (Bribery Bakery); Amanda Freitag (Chopped); Ludo Lefebvre (Trois Mec, Petit Trois, Trois Familia, LudoBird); reigning Rock Your Taco champion Tim Love; Aarón Sánchez (Johnny Sánchez Restaurants); Alon Shaya (Shaya, Domenica, Pizza Domenica); Christina Tosi (Momofuku Milk Bar); Ming Tsai (Blue Dragon, Blue Ginger); and Jonathan Waxman (Adele’s, Bajo Sexto Taco, Barbuto, Brezza Cucina, Jams, Waxman’s San Francisco).
- Sunday Gospel Brunch with the Warrior Gospel Band on April 30.
- Food, wine and cocktail tastings in the Grand Taste Pavilion on April 29 and April 30. Participants include Joe Anguiano (VOX Table); Jeff Balfour (Southerleigh Fine Food & Brewery); John Bates & Brandon Martinez (Noble Sandwich Co.); Stephen Bonin (Geraldine’s); John Brand (Supper at Hotel Emma); Taylor Chambers (Justine’s Brasserie); Tyson Cole (Uchiko); Austin Ewald (Grizzelda’s); Kazu Fukumoto (Fukumoto: Sushi and Yakitori Izakaya); Albert Gonzalez (Jacoby’s Restaurant & Mercantile); Daniela Herrera (Counter 3. FIVE. VII); James Holmes (Lucy’s Fried Chicken); Zach Hunter (The Brewer’s Table); Clinton Kendall (East Side King); Lance Kirkpatrick (Stiles Switch BBQ & Brew); Nathan Lemley (Parkside); Mia Li (Kuneho); Geronimo Lopez (Botika); Rick Lopez (La Condesa); Harold Marmulstein (Salty Sow); Brian Moses (Olive & June); Josh Neises (Lonesome Dove); David Norman (Easy Tiger Bake Shop & Beer Garden); Michael Paley (Central Standard); Ji Peng Chen (Wu Chow); James Robert (Fixe); Amanda Rockman (South Congress Hotel); Eric Silverstein (The Peached Tortilla); Marco Silverstrini (Dolce Neve); Anthony Sobotik (Lick Honest Ice Cream); Eddie Solis (Cooper’s Old Time Pit BBQ); Philip Speer (Bonhomie); George Thomas (Unit-D Pizzeria); Jim Tripi (Eberly); Carmen Valera (Tamale House East); Abby Yates (NO VA); Jacob Weaver (Juliet Ristorante); Martin Wilda (Sway); and Kevin Williamson (Ranch 616).
- A star-studded collection of sommeliers, wine, beer and spirits experts rounds out the Austin Food + Wine Festival line-up, including Master Sommelier Devon Broglie; Master Sommelier Craig Collins; FOOD & WINE’s executive wine editor Ray Isle; and author Mark Oldman.
- The pre-Festival Feast Under the Stars, on April 27, is an intimate outdoor celebration, at Austin’s Auditorium Shores, offering a five-course, family-style menu with wine pairings from Jackson Family Wines. Chefs David Bull (Second Bar + Kitchen, La Corsha Hospitality Group); Tyson Cole (Uchi); Omar Flores (Casa Rubia); Ford Fry (State of the Grace); and pastry chef Janina O’Leary will prepare a collaborative, al fresco meal. Feast Under the Stars tickets are $250 per person (inclusive of wine pairings and parking) and must be purchased separately from any festival tickets.