While many may associate an autumn Austin festival weekend with the big name music headliners of Austin City Limits, the Austin Food and Wine Festival draws its own major talent. Chefs from all over Austin, all over Texas, and all over the country pay a visit to Texas’s capital on November 4 and 5 for the one-weekend event run by Food and Wine magazine.
The two-day festival is broken up into multiple parts. There are food stalls, where attendees can sample—what else—food and wine, the scent of sizzling brisket tearing you away from a chicken fried steak. At the fire pits, chefs cook barbeque and more over charcoal grill open flames. The chef showcase will, among others, present festival newcomers Laila Bazahm and Javier Equihua, the Austin-based chefs behind tapas restaurant El Raval and Mexican restaurant Ma’CoCo’s. As for the live cooking demonstrations, celebrity chefs including Graham Elliot and Anne Burrell will slice vegetables and marinate meats on stage while talking about their culinary careers.
Additionally, for VIP ticket holders, Saturday night hosts an inaugural “Made in Texas,” a tailgate-themed event highlighting tastes and traditions of the Lone Star state. Plus, as the festival benefits the Austin Food and Wine Alliance, a local culinary non profit, it’s sure to leave a good taste in your mouth in more ways than one.
Given the wine element of the festival, attendees must be 21 or older.
The Specs
- Attendance numbers are not available
- One day tickets start at $195. Two day tickets start at $275.
- Link any relevant Fifty Grande guides or articles
- Check out our guide to Texas here.
FAQs
What is the closest airport to the Austin Food and Wine Festival?
Austin-Bergstrom International Airport is just 20 minutes from Auditorium Shores.
Which chefs and food personalities will be attending the Austin Food and Wine Festival?
Fire Pits
Adrian Abella and Camille de los Reyes (Filipino American restaurant Sari-Sari Supper Club; San Antonio), Vinnie Cimino (Southern restaurant Cordelia; Cleveland, Ohio), Jason Dady (Jason Dady Restaurants; San Antonio), Leo Davila (Asian-Latin restaurant Stixs & Stone; San Antonio), Harold Marmulstein (American restaurant Salty Sow; Austin), Esaul Ramos (barbecue restaurant 2M Smokehouse BBQ and forthcoming barbecue restaurant Blu Lacey; San Antonio and Castroville), Meredith Shaffer (New American resort restaurant Tillie’s; Dripping Springs), Misti Norris (New Texan restaurant Petra & the Beast; Dallas) [The restaurant recently relocated and reopened in a bigger space.], Sofia Tejeda (Hotel Emma; San Antonio).
Chef Showcase
Alma Alcocer (Mexican restaurant El Alma; Austin), Tano Avila (Mexican restaurant Grizzelda’s; Austin), Laila Bazahm (newcomer Spanish tapas restaurant El Raval; Austin), Daniel Berg (newcomer seafood restaurant Bill’s Oyster; Austin), Barrett Black (Texas barbecue mini-chain Black’s BBQ), Daniel Brooks (Mexican restaurant Licha’s Cantina and Oaxacan restaurant Chapulín Cantina; Austin), Raul Castillo (New American restaurant Honey Moon Spirit Lounge; Austin), Ji Peng Chen (modern Chinese restaurant Wu Chow; Austin), Krystal Craig and Ian Thurwachter (Italian restaurant Intero; Austin), Jakub Czyszczon (New American hotel restaurant Garrison; Austin), Javier Equihua (Mexican restaurant Ma’CoCo; Austin), Nick Erven (hotel bar and restaurant Wax Myrtle’s; Austin), Roberto Espinosa (taco chain Tacodeli; Austin), Liz Everett and Stephanie Everett Martin (Mexican seafood truck Ensenada ATX; Austin), Donnie Forehand (New American restaurant Swift’s Attic; Austin), Joseph Gomez (taco truck Con Todo; Austin) , Dante Grogg (Italian restaurant Juliet; Austin), Kris Hammond (Japanese restaurants Sazan Ramen and newcomer Daiboku; Austin), Nico Harrison (Texan restaurant Jacoby’s; Austin), Dimitrios Kelesoglou (newcomer Greek restaurant Yamas; Austin), Dan Kennedy (Goan hotel restaurant Vixen’s Wedding; Austin), Brian Light (Texan restaurant and farm Ronin; Bryan), Enma Lopez (Austin Beerworks’s food truck ABW Can-Tina; Austin), Geronimo Lopez (Chinese-Japanese-Peruvian restaurant Botika; San Antonio), Justin Manzi (Southern restaurant Goodfolks; Georgetown), Corey McEntryre (Southern restaurant Milo; Waco), Allie McMillan (Mexican restaurant ATX Cocina; Austin), Jason McVearry (Hawaiian spot Poke Poke; Austin), Yovani Mejia (Mexican restaurant Cruzteca; Austin), Eric Nathal (French chicken and baguette shop Austin Rotisserie; Austin), Anne Ng and Jeremy Mandrell (French-ish Bakery Lorraine; San Antonio and Austin), Brian Olenjack (Texas restaurant Lonesome Dove; Dallas and Austin), Alan Paryzek (brewery Central Machine Works; Austin), Nicole Patel (chocolate shop Delysia; Austin), Colter Peck (newcomer New Texan restaurant Elementary and wine bar Hopscotch; Austin), Pedro Quevedo and Alex Swenson (ice cream mini-chain Gelato Paradiso; California and Austin), Paul Qui, Moto Utsunomiya, and Dominic Luzzo (fast-casual Asian restaurant East Side King), Ryan Samson (Italian restaurant Vespaio and new Oaxacan restaurant Chapulín Cantina; Austin), Jam Sanitchat (Thai restaurant Thai Fresh and vegan ice cream shop and bakery Gati; Austin), Anthony Sobotik and Kendall Melton (Austin-based ice cream shop Lick; various locations), Kevin Taylor (Mexican restaurant Bulevar; Austin), Noah Thibault (French bistro 1417; Austin), Nic Yanes and Janice Omadeke (who are representing their cannabis edible company Calibrate Wellness; Yanes is with Italian restaurant Juniper and Italian cafe Uncle Nicky’s; Austin), Kristina Zhoa (Sichuan restaurant Dashi Sichuan Kitchen and Bar; San Antonio), Ali Clen (Barbecue restaurant La Barbecue; Austin), Kristine Kittrell (Southern hotel restaurant the Diner Bar; Austin), Thomas Malz (New American hotel restaurant Carpenters Hall; Austin), Ilan Hall (new-school Japanese restaurant Ramen Hood; Los Angeles), Vaidas Imsha (forthcoming Japanese restaurant Uchiba Austin).
Made in Texas
Tatsu Aikawa (Japanese restaurants Tatsu-yas; Austin and Houston), Nicola Blaque (Caribbean restaurants the Jerk Shack and Mi Roti; San Antonio), Junior Borges (Brazilian restaurant Meridian; Dallas) , Anne Burrell (celebrity chef), Jo Chan (Top Chef season 19 contender, chef of upcoming French restaurant Bureau de Poste; Austin), Sonya Coté (New American restaurant Hillside Farmacy, Austin), Jason Dady (Dady Restaurant Group; San Antonio), Mike Diaz and Laura Sawicki (Korean-American restaurant Oseyo; Austin), Todd Duplechan (New Texan restaurant Lenoir, Goan hotel restaurant Vixen’s Wedding, pizzeria Dovetail; Austin), Graham Elliot (celebrity chef, most recently French bistro Le Margot; Fort Worth), Michael Fojtasek and Amanda Rockman (representing the forthcoming Albert Hotel from the New Waterloo hospitality company, containing a barbecue restaurant, a deli, and a Texas Hill Country restaurant; Fojtasek is with Southern restaurant Olamaie, hotel American restaurant Maie Day, and biscuit shop Little Ola’s; Rockman is New Waterloo’s director of culinary projects; Austin and Fredericksburg), CJ Jacobson (Mediterranean restaurant Aba, Chicago and Austin), Cheetie Kumar (Mediterranean and Southwest Asian restaurant Ajja; Raleigh, North Carolina), Steve McHugh (New American restaurant Cured, San Antonio; hotel restaurant Luminaire; San Antonio and Austin), Bradley Nicholson and Susana Querejazu (luxury hotel restaurant Lutie’s; Austin), Ayesha Nurdjaja (Mediterranean restaurant Shuka; New York), Berty Richter (Mediterranean restaurant Ezov; Austin), Fiore Tedesco (Italian restaurant L’Oco d’Oro, forthcoming pizzeria Bambino; Austin), Amanda Turner (Southern restaurant Olamaie; Austin), Ling Qi Wu (Chinese/Asian restaurants Lin Asian Bar, Qi, Ling Wu Asian Restaurant, and Ling Kitchen, and the forthcoming Ling Wu at the Grove; Austin), Ilan Hall (new-school Japanese restaurant Ramen Hood; Los Angeles), Rebecca Masson (bakery Fluff Bake Bar; Houston).
Chef Demos
Anne Burrell (Food Network), Ayesha Nurdjaja (Shuka), Cheetie Kumar (Ajja), Diego Galicia and Rico Torres (Mixtli), Fermín Núñez (Este), Graham Elliot (Far Out Hospitality), Kevin Fink (Emmer and Rye Hospitality Group/EZOV), Tim Love (Lonesome Dove).
2023 Poster
