whet your appetite
Austin Food & Wine Festival kicks off behind-the-scenes video series with Sway's modern Thai
To prep your palette in advance of three-days of nonstop noshing in April, the Austin Food & Wine Festival team debuts a video series in which they go behind the scenes with culinary experts around town.
Hit play and you'll be given a rare glimpse into the kitchens of the most renowned establishments in Austin: line cooks move with dexterity; chefs reveal the personalities that define their kitchens; and theories in complimentary courses are unveiled.
Kicking off with current culinary darling about town, Sway, C3 Festival Marketing Director Lisa Hickey explains that the video series was born out of curiosity.
"This series satisfies our craving to learn more about current culinary innovators and to just geek out about all things epicurean." - Lisa Hickey
"This series satisfies our craving to learn more about current culinary innovators and to just geek out about all things epicurean," Hickey tells CultureMap. "We wanted to create a platform that highlights the stories behind some of the people and places that make Austin such an incredible food destination."
In the first installment, Executive Chef Rene Ortiz of Sway says of the restaurant's modern Thai concept, "The cuisine is a take on using our fresher ingredients here in Austin and applying them to the traditions and culture of Thailand…One of our signature dishes would be the [prawn] miang. It's 'build your own taco.' Every global city has their own taco — this is the Thai version of it."
Fittingly, Sway chefs Ortiz and Laura Sawicki will showcase their prowess in the Rock Your Taco Showdown during the Food & Wine Festival, but we recommend making a trip to the restaurant's South First location for an evening of experimental, robust flavors. You live here — why wait?
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Videos will be released on a rolling basis prior to the Austin Food & Wine Festival, April 26 - 28. Purchase tickets here.