It’s that time of year again, when a bunch of like-minded folks hungering and thirsting for knowledge gather in Austin for three days to recognize the hard work of dozens upon dozens of creative people, asking questions, making friends, and getting really, really loaded.
Oh, did you think I was talking about the Texas Book Festival? Hahaha, no. It’s the Austin Food & Wine Festival, that annual celebration of all things, uh, food and wine, at Auditorium Shores. This, the second “post-pandemic” iteration of the beloved luxury foodie party, as ever, takes place November 4-6 and features an impressive array of chefs from Austin, San Antonio, and beyond, as well as exciting tastings and Meet the Makers sessions and a newly launched Chef Dining Series. Here are some of the demos, chefs, and sessions I’m looking forward to, as well as events you shouldn’t miss if you have the extra time and scratch.
Friday offers three opportunities to get the party started. Down at Auditorium Shores, Tim Love of Lonesome Dove (the restaurant, not the TV show) and Jesse Herman of Koko’s Bavarian bring the Oktoberfest vibes with the Wurst Weekend Kickoff, complete with brats and sausages and regional wines and beers. For something (presumably) a little more sedate, check out one of the two Dining Series dinners on offer: At Maie Day, chef Michael Fojtasek partners with Sara Kramer and Sarah Hymanson of L.A.’s Kismet for a four-course “grill-a-thon.” And at Canje, chef Tavel Bristol-Joseph and celebrity chef Maneet Chauhan offer a tasting menu that centers the Indian influences on Caribbean cuisine.
On Saturday, chef demos to prioritize include Tiffany Derry of Houston’s Roots Southern Table at 1:45pm and Chicago’s Sarah Greuneberg at 4:45pm (but you can’t go wrong with any of the day’s demos, honestly). On the beverage side, I’m interested in checking out “A Palate for the Planet with Audubon Conservation Ranching and Burgess Cellars” at 2:45pm. At 3:45pm, Breaking Bad stars and lifetime besties Aaron Paul and Bryan Cranston tell the story of their Dos Hombres Mezcal. The fire pit showcases San Antonio chefs Jason Dady, Jesse Kuykendall, Kristina Zhao, and Jorge Luis Hernandez.
That night, Rock Your Taco features popular Top Chef alums Shota Nakijima and Brooke Williamson to local superstars Jo Chan (Chan Hospitality), roaming pastry chef Laura Sawicki, and Sarah Heard (along with her Foreign & Domestic partner Nathan Lemley) competing for taco supremacy.
On Sunday, roll out of bed in time to catch a demo from Jo Chan at 1:45pm before bopping over to the tasting session tent for “California Sparkling Wines That Rival Champagne” (yes, please!). The four o’clock hour presents a conflict: a chef demo from Suerte’s Fermín Nuñez or another fizzy-centric tasting (“Simon Says: Everything’s Better With Bubbles”)? You may have to call an audible on this one, depending on how you behaved on Saturday. Sonya Cote (Store House Market & Eatery in Bastrop), Andy Knudson (Tillie’s), Terry Koval (The Deer and the Dove in Decatur, Georgia) and Alli McMillan (ATX Cocina) staff the fire pit.
Among the dozens of outstanding chefs showcasing at AF&WF, I’m excited to see what Berty Richter (TLV, Ladino), Eric Nathal (Austin Rôtisserie), Kyle Mulligan (1417), Mike Warnock (The Dirdie Birdie), Nick Erven (Wax Myrtle’s), Phoebe Raileanu (Casper Fermentables), and Raul Castillo (Honey Moon Spirit Lounge) are slinging. (Who am I kidding? I’m going to try everything and love it.)
And since I’m Everyone’s Mom, this is just a friendly reminder that this is an extremely fun and very, very boozy event. Pace yourself, alternate your alcoholic drinks with water or mocktails, make transportation plans in advance, and take care of you. (Oh, and wear sunscreen.)
Ticket information: Weekender, two-day, and one-day tickets are currently sold out (a waitlist is available) as of this writing, All-In tickets still remain; they include access to Friday’s Wurst Weekend kickoff, daytime festival access at Auditorium Shores, and Saturday’s Rock Your Taco event. Tickets are also available for each of the dining series.
This article appears in November 4 • 2022 and October 21 • 2022.