Where There's Smoke

Austin's top chefs bring the heat to smoky James Beard Foundation affair

What: James Beard Foundation's Taste America Austin

Where: The Brewer's Table

The lowdown: The James Beard Foundation kicked off a weekend of epic events with a special welcome reception on November 15. Held at the oft-lauded Brewer's Table in East Austin, attendees stayed warm on the chilly night with smoke-infused dishes from some of Austin's hottest chefs. (The warming lamps and specialty brews helped, too.)

Dishing up the bites was the who's who of Austin's restaurant scene including Page Pressley of Emmer & Rye; Wayne Mueller of Louie Mueller BBQ; Angela Castillo of Shore; Jesse DeLeon of Rosewood; JB Gross of Loro; Fermin Nunez of Suerte; Sarah Heard and Nathan Lemley of Foreign & Domestic; Evan LeRoy of LeRoy and Lewis; Zach Hunter of the Brewer's Table; and Mathew Peters, 2017 Bocuse D’Or winner.

Guests drifted from table to table, sampling bites and sipping wine and ales from New Belgium and the Brewer's Table. The P. Terry's food truck ensured everyone was well satiated during the impromptu games of cornhole held in the restaurant's parking lot. Austin's own Jackie Venson ended the evening with a special performance under the stars.

Who: J.D. Valdez, Tori Finlayso, Elaine Garza, Tavel Joseph-Bristol, Courtney Knittel, Lesley Taylor, Jake Maddux, Alison Tozzi Liu, Michelle Voss, Donna Ingram, Courtney Mohl, Francey Grund, Chris Massara, Lucas Felak, Anna Rash, Allyson Silver, Brandon Silver, Taylor Hughes,and Chelsea Hughes.

Allyson Silver, Brandon Silver, Taylor Hughes, and Chelsea Hughes.

James Beard Foundation Smoke Session at The Brewer's Table Allyson Silver Brandon Silver Taylor Hughes Chelsea Hughes

Photo by Shelley Neuman

Allyson Silver, Brandon Silver, Taylor Hughes, and Chelsea Hughes.

Taste of 2025

Austin's Wine & Food Foundation announces 3 big events for 2025

Photo by Erica Wilkins Photography

Theses Wine & Food Foundation events raise funds for local initiatives.

Austin's food scene is booming, but smaller businesses could always use support. The Wine & Food Foundation is one of Austin's leading industry protectors, and it's just announced three events to help support its mission over the next year.

The three events — Big Reds and Bubbles, Toast of Texas, and the Rare & Fine Wine Auction Gala — are spread out between March and November of 2025, and all offer something a bit different.

They'll all benefit the Wine & Food Foundation and, by extension, the local organizations it supports. Those include Keep Austin Fed, which diverts food surpluses from grocery stores, catered events, and other sites of professional food service; and Sustainable Food Center, which helps Texans access healthy food through SNAP and WIC incentives, hosts farmers markets, connects farmers with resources, and more. The Wine & Food Foundation also offers scholarships for hospitality professionals.

Big Reds and Bubbles, held Friday, March 28, will bring together more than 100 red and sparkling wines for a tasting event. In addition to comparing wines back-to-back, guests will get to try them with bites from popular Austin restaurants to discover interesting new pairings. They'll also get to dress to impress and see the new LZR space — formerly La Zona Rosa, an old Austin music venue that had its last official performance in 2013.

Next up is Toast of Texas on June 8. This is another tasting event that focuses instead on 20 local wineries. The food menu at this event is also more specific, featuring local barbecue and paella, among other local tastes. It'll be located at Assembly Hall, an event space on East 7th Street adjacent to the East Austin Hotel.

Finally, there's the premier event: the Rare & Fine Wine Auction Gala on November 8. This is a big fundraising opportunity not just because of potentially high auction tickets, but the chance to experience something truly out of the ordinary for the wine industry. Guests will also enjoy "an elegant dinner" according to the press release and wines by a featured maker. It'll all happen at the JW Marriott Austin.

The release counts more than 50 other events slated for the year, so there are plenty more opportunities between the big three. Some of these include wine tasting courses, which will be available again soon.

wine tasting small businesses wineries nonprofits galas