This week's food news is chock-full of the people who make Austin's food scene happen, whether that's chefs, workers, or the people who inspired them. News about a firing dispute gives some Austinites pause, while a big fundraiser offers a delicious excuse to do some good.

Openings and closings

According to Community Impact, based on a city permit, the chain Chicken Salad Chick is opening a new location in Pflugerville at 18900 Limestone Commercial Dr., Ste. 200. There's not much information available yet, but in recent years the concept has opened a few new restaurants in San Antonio and New Braunfels, and the locations page on the website shows a big gap around Austin — the final major Texas frontier.

ICYMI: In the past two weeks, we've covered five permanent openings in greater detail than this column allows. A women's sports pub called 1972 — named after the year Title IX was adopted — says it'll open on The Drag "just in time" for March Madness, which starts March 16. In some unexpected fashion news, Coach has opened a new coffee shop alongside its Austin retail store, making this the second in the U.S. The iconic local convenience store Quickie Pickie is getting a second location at a new condo development on South Congress Avenue, and a fancy mezcalería called Tambien has started serving fancy pairings on a hotel rooftop. Finally, Radio Rosewood, the highly anticipated third location for Radio Coffee & Beer, has debuted in East Austin.

Other news and notes

A nationwide strike on February 3 called A Day without Immigrants drew many participants opposing mass deportations, a large portion of whom work in t. Some businesses endorsed the protest, but according to the Austin Chronicle, Hat Creek Burger Company in Dripping Springs is in hot water for firing eight workers after they participated. Workers told the Chronicle that they were misled by management, and believed they would not be terminated for missing work. On February 13, a conversation about the article was the top post on the /austinfood Reddit.

Chef Tracy Malechek-Ezekiel is showing off her grandfather Phil Aiello's red sauce again from now until February 15, and February 18-22. The pop-upAiello’s at Birdie’s presents a multi-course meal ($68) including chicken marsala, Caesar salad, and garlic bread, among other courses. Some items like garlic bread, mozzarella sticks, and meatballs can be added à la carte. There are no reservations, so be prepared to wait, especially on Valentine's Day.

Home chefs looking to branch out should mark their calendars for February 23 for an Indian-Nepalese cooking class. Narendra Saud, chef-owner of Curry Kitchen in Pflugerville, will be teaching attendees how to make chicken choila — a warm Nepali Himalayan chicken salad, as se describes it — plus and Indian-style shrimp curry. Tickets cost $75 per person, and kids can join for free. A Facebook event helps keep track of the details, but attendees must call (512) 519-9104 to save their spot.

Lenoir, an upscale, but community-oriented restaurant on South Lamar Boulevard, is lending its space for Texas Table: A Feast for A Cause on February 25. The five-course dinner hosted by local meal distributor The Cook's Nook aims to fight rising food insecurity in Central Texas, with ticket sales benefiting the Alliance for African American Health in Central Texas (AAAHCT) and Austin Youth River Watch (AYRW). The annual event raised more than $17,000 in 2024. Participating chefs include Damien Brockway of Distant Relatives, Uyen Pham of the Culinary Institute of America and the Food Network, Todd Duplechan of Lenoir, Michael Fojtasek of Olamaie, and Julie Ratzesberger of the Cook’s Nook. Tickets ($225) are available at givebutter.com.