Foodie's Best Fest

Austin's culinary all-stars and local luminaries pack festive Tastemaker Awards affair

On April 12, Austin foodies and glamorous glitterati descended on Fair Market for CultureMap's marquee event, the Tastemaker Awards. Presented by Woodford Reserve and benefiting the Austin Food & Wine Alliance, the evening showcased the very best in Austin's bar and restaurant community.

The perfect weather outdoors echoed what would be a perfect evening indoors, complete with sips and snacks stationed throughout the lofty event space, which took on a cozy garden party vibe for the occasion. More than 750 attendees sampled bites from Austin restaurants and Tastemaker nominees, including Aviary Wine + Kitchen, Eldorado Cafe ATX, El Chipirón, Yuyo, Foreign & Domestic, Garbo's Lobster Truck, District Kitchen + Bar, Intero, Juniper, Le Politique, LeRoy and Lewis, Nightcap, Paperboy, Olive & June, Puli-Ra, Colleen's Kitchen, and Phoebe's Diner, as well asand San Antonio's Dee Dee, Cured, and Restaurant Gwendolyn.

Meanwhile, three 2018 Bartender of the Year nominees, Caer Ferguson of The Roosevelt Room, Jayson Black of Garage, and Brett Esler of Whisler's, were stirring up their own creative cocktails which guests sipped and sampled throughout the event. (Erin Ashford of Olamaie ended up taking home the crown.)

And not to be upstaged were boozy premade cocktails like Woodford Reserve Old Fashioneds and tasty margaritas. Those looking to add a little sparkle to their night were treated to flutes of Korbel or brews from Deep Ellum Brewing Co. and Alaskan Brewing Co.

With champagne in hand, guests gathered to watch local TV personality Taylor Ellison emcee the evening's capstone event — the Tastemaker Awards ceremony. Among this year's winners were Austin Restaurant of the Year L'Oco d'Oro and Chef of the Year Kevin Fink of Henbit and Emmer & Rye.(In addition to being named Best Pastry Chef, fellow Emmer & Rye-er Tavel Bristol-Joseph took home the unofficial award for best entrance when he bypassed the stairs and instead climbed up the side of the stage.)

San Antonio's Pieter Sypesteyn was awarded Chef of the Year while Battalion took home Restaurant of the Year. "[An award like this] means all the work and all the bullshit has paid off, and somehow you're the best. If I had given up, I wouldn't be here right now — and I really appreciate it," said chef Stefon Bowers of Battalion.

Clenching his own award for Rising Star Chef and looking out over the packed house, chef Zach Hunter of the soon-to-open The Brewer's Table mused about the star-studded success of Austin's culinary scene. "We have a bunch of cooks just cooking their hearts out in Austin right now," said Hunter. "We can't wait for Brewer's Table to be a part of that."

The evening's ceremony also concluded the anticipated Best New Restaurant contest, sponsored by Whole Foods Market. The award, which was voted on by the public, went to Be More Pacific in Austin and Tenko Ramen in San Antonio.

Throughout the evening, guests floated around Fair Market's garden area, playing lawn games, listening to live music, and enjoying the perfect spring weather. Among the local notables in attendance were Xavier Schipani, Kathy Blackwell, Tim Taliaferro, Lesley Taylor, Alicynn Fink, Mariam Parker, David Gow, Veronica Meewes, Better Half's Matthew Bollick, Hayden Walker, Ankur Sansanwal, Christine Lee, Sofia Sokolove, Ashley Baker, Kate Williams, Mary Daniels, and Kristen Kistler.

Guests packed into Fair Market for the 2018 Tastemaker Awards.

CultureMap Austin 2018 Tastemaker Awards at Fair Market

Photo by Shelley Neuman

Guests packed into Fair Market for the 2018 Tastemaker Awards.

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Night at the Museum

Austin museum opens lush gala afterparties to the public for first time

Laguna Gloria at night

Photo from Thecontemporaryaustin.org.

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For 11 years now, the Contemporary Austin has been hosting "Art Dinners" at its lakeside location, Laguna Gloria. These fairytale-like galas take place as dusk sets in, surrounded by twinkling lights strung across the property's sprawling 14-acre sculpture park. But until now, they've been invitation-only affairs. For the first time ever, the Contemporary Austin is inviting the public to the best part this magical evening: a late-night afterparty.

The Art Dinners have welcomed 300 art luminaries, collectors, civic leaders, and philanthropists over these years to raise funds for the museum's classes and exhibits.

On October 25, once the dishes are put away and the early birds have weeded themselves out, the Art Dinner Afterparty will begin. It will go from 9:30 until "late evening."

Guests can expect a pop-up cocktail bar by the cool Austin speakeasy Garage, with specialty drinks like espresso martinis. Plus, there will be late night snacks from Dolce Bacio Gelato and Restart CBD. Live music and performances will be provided by J'cuuzi and DJ SuperNova of Pangea Sound. Highlights also include: tarot card and palm readings, live body painting, and fire dancing. All of this set to the stunning backdrop of Laguna Gloria's grounds at night. It's basically A Midsummer Night's Dream.

A DJ performs at a late-night Laguna Gloria party. Live music for this after party will include performances by J'cuuzi and DJ SuperNova of Pangea Sound. Photo courtesy of Giant Noise

"We're excited for the magic of our iconic Art Dinner to reach wider audiences," says the museum's Earnest and Sarah Butler executive director and CEO, Sharon Maidenberg, in a release. "We wanted to extend the welcome to more folks and give them the opportunity to engage with our gala, which has historically been a very intimate affair."

Tickets are now on sale on the Contemporary Austin's website at $160 for members and $200 for nonmembers. Ticket sales will benefit the museum's exhibits and educational programming. The Contemporary is Austin's only museum focused solely on contemporary artists and their work. It offers year-round exhibitions, classes, workshops, and events.

$The Contemporary Austin \u2014 Laguna Gloria$ The Contemporary Austin — Laguna Gloria is one of the most beautifu Artwork by Tom Friedman, photo by Brian Fitzsimmons via the Contemporary Austin

Event organizers recommend that guests "dress sharp." Valet parking will be provided, but if this night is as Shakespearian as we think it might be, you may want to catch a rideshare.

More information about the museum is available at thecontemporaryaustin.org.

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