Starting March 13, research and advocacy nonprofit Food Tank took over Barr Mansion in Northeast Austin for a two-day South by Southwest (SXSW) summit titled All Things Food. As the title suggests, this two-day event covers everything related to what we eat, from panel discussions on access to healthy foods to food safety and food waste.

Although everyone could benefit from learning how food gets on their plate, one of the standouts from the industry- and policy-based talks was a panel featuring chefs whose work Austinites may already be familiar with.

Called "Celebrating Chefs," the panel featured a mix of local and private chefs: Chef Oliva Hernandez, owner of HER Hospitality; Chef Dave White, a 2025 Chopped Grand Champion and participant on Bravo’s Below Deck Mediterranean; Chef Jay Huang, the Executive Chef at Austin's Lucky Robot and Nômadé; and Chef Iliana De La Vega, the James Beard-Awarded chef of Austin's El Naranjo.

Moderator Dr. Sweta Chakraborty, CEO of climate action media platform We Don’t Have Time North America, only had time to ask each chef a few questions in the 25-minute panel. However, everyone was able to briefly cover their own personal journey with food, as well as their thoughts on sustainability going forward.

Attendees got to watch the panel for free.Photo by Natalie Grigson

Chef Huang noted that his idea of sustainability has changed over time, that it's "not just the sustainability of the fish, but the equity of the people who catch the fish." That sentiment extends to workers across the farming spectrum. "Where is the equity for the people who are bringing the food to our tables?" he asked.

Answering the same question, Chef De La Vega advised the audience not to trash anything. "Use everything that you can," she said. She noted that growing up in Mexico she was taught to use as much of the produce and meat as possible, and sticks to this at El Naranjo.

Chef White noted how important events like the Barr Mansion summit are in food sustainability — that it's all about knowledge and education — and Chef Hernandez discussed how important it is to be honest in communicating how sustainable ingredients are.

Chakraborty tentatively and somewhat jokingly brought up politics. "The U.S. is currently fraught with some drama," she hedged, and asked each panelist how they thought food transcended politics — namely how food is a cultural connector.

Some panelists, like White, admitted an avoidance of talking about politics in general; he said that for him, food can be a distraction used to steer clear of discussing politics. De La Vega, on the other hand, thinks politics should be discussed, openly and honestly, right at the dinner table. But everyone seemed to agree on one thing: food brings people together.

As Hernandez put it, "Food is a connector, from fisherman to eater to consumer to chefs."

As the panel went on, the heat trapped in the room felt almost solid, but still the audience remained seated for one last question. "What is yet to come for each of you?" Chakraborty asked.

Huang is excited about challenging his chefs to improve. Hernandez, who is currently a private chef, is excited to be opening a new coffee shop soon. "This summer if all goes well, so probably next winter," she laughed. De La Vega has more culinary trips to Mexico and two other countries coming up. Finally, White says he just did a new Food Network show. He "can't say what, but it went well."

White adds that he is trying to plan the "highest ever dinner party on Mount Everest, to raise awareness for mental health."

There's a bit more coming for All Things Food, which ends at 7 pm on March 14. In-person tickets have all been claimed, but anyone who wants to experience the action from afar can sign up for a livestream via Eventbrite. The video from Thursday can also be found on YouTube.

Guests sampled food and mingled on the lawn behind Barr Mansion. Photo by Natalie Grigson

The entire property — a sprawling grassy area with a beautiful old farmhouse-styled mansion and several more modern-looking buildings — was dotted with food vendors, educators, and guests for the day. Inside an angular, glass-walled building, speakers and panelists gathered; and even despite the building's heat, audience seats remained full.

Panelists included doctors, farmers, chefs, food writers, and more, and the day was broken up with live music and DJs. To end the evening, Dr. Gary Blackwood, formerly of NASA, lead a tour of the sky. And of course, the entire event was filled with lots of delicious foods to sample.