Bring On Brunch
Austin's newest food festival beefs up menu with brunch and music
Inaugural Austin foodie fest Hot Luck has been doling out info in small bites since it was first announced in January, and now we have a new morsel. In addition to more chefs, the festival revealed its lineup of musical performers and introduced a brunch series.
Though Hot Luck runs May 18-21, the festival is presenting Thurston Moore at Mohawk on May 17, before officially kicking off the concerts with the Black Lips on May 18. Performances by Black Joe Lewis, Robert Ellis, Rayland Baxter, and Shonen Knife will follow, taking place at beloved Austin music venues including Barracuda, Mohawk, and White Horse. Individual tickets for music events range from $12 to $23 and are available for purchase here.
Each of the music events at Barracuda will feature a one-of-a-kind culinary component. On May 19, for example, Food & Wine's newly crowned best new chef Yoshi Okai of Otoko will serve Japanese fare as fans rock out to Japanese pop-punk band Shonen Knife.
New to the chef lineup are Austin's Jennifer Tucker, Kristine Kittrell, and Ben Runkle, along with visiting chefs Elias Cairo (Olympia Provisions, Portland); Justin Brunson (Old Major, Denver); and Laura Loomis (Two Bros BBQ Market, San Antonio).
And because Sundays must always have brunch, the Hot Luck Brunch Series will be happening at various Austin restaurants on May 21. The brunch pop-ups will have each restaurant hosting a visiting guest chef, with these pairings on the menu: Adam Sappington from The Country Cat Dinner House & Bar (Portland) joining Contigo and Andrew Wiseheart; Joshua McFadden from Ava Gene’s and Tusk (Portland) at L’Oca d’Oro with Fiore Tedesco; and Steve McHugh from Cured (San Antonio) at The Hightower with Chad Dolezal. Reservations can be made directly with the host restaurants.
"Austin is an emerging food destination and Hot Luck is a great way for attendees to dip their toe in the water by having the opportunity to interact with chefs and enjoy incredible food paired with country, punk, blues, and rock ‘n’ roll at rad venues across the city," says Hot Luck co-founder James Moody in a release. "Chefs have incredible stories for inspiration that so often blend with those of a musician; it’s a natural connection to celebrate the two worlds together."
Moody, also the co-founder of Fun Fun Fun Fest and owner of Mohawk, teamed up with Aaron Franklin and Mike Thelin (of premier food festival Feast Portland) to put this four-day extravaganza together.
Hot Luck's tickets are offered a la carte, with the concerts starting at $12 and the two main food events, The Hi Lo on May 19 and Al Fuego on May 20, priced at $145 and $155, respectively. There is also a Whole Enchilada ticket package that is nearly sold out. Priced at a hefty $550, the package grants you access to the two main events and all concerts, as well as the exclusive May 18 kick-off event, described as an east side get-together at Franklin Barbecue, and the May 20 Tiki party, which will feature island cocktails and a cookout with a whole hog.
A portion of Hot Luck's ticket proceeds will benefit SAFE Alliance, which serves the survivors of child abuse, sexual assault and exploitation, and domestic violence in Austin.
Could sit in this airy shop all day.Photo by Chad Wadsworth
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