by | March 4, 2026 · 11:16 am
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Four Texas Food Festivals Unite at Fort Worth Food + Wine Festival

The Fort Worth Food + Wine Foundation (FWFWF) today unveiled the official chef lineup for the inaugural ‘Taste of Texas’ Row, presented by Official Taste of Texas Sponsor Visit Fort Worth. With just under six weeks until the 2026 Fort Worth Food + Wine Festival (April 9–12, 2026), the Foundation now reveals the culinary leaders behind this unprecedented statewide collaboration—bringing Michelin-starred, James Beard–recognized, and nationally celebrated chefs from across Texas to Fort Worth for the all-new Saturday festival event, Fork + Fire.  

Unlike any collaboration seen before in Texas, Taste of Texas Row brings together four of the state’s most influential culinary festivals — Chefs For Farmers Dallas Food + Wine Festival (Dallas), Hot Luck Festival (Austin), Southern Smoke Festival (Houston), and FWFWF’s own Fort Worth cohort — each invited to select the chefs who best represent the flavor, culture, and creativity of their city. Conceived and developed by FWFWF Executive Director Julie Eastman, the initiative was designed to celebrate not only the individuality of each region, but the collective strength of Texas cuisine. The resulting lineup reflects the breadth and ambition of modern Texas dining today.

“This was about more than assembling great chefs,” said Julie Eastman, Executive Director of FWFWF.  “It was about bringing together friends and fellow culinary festivals to celebrate the distinct flavors and cultures that define our state. Texas has never lacked talent; what’s rare is creating a space where that talent can stand side by side in collaboration. That’s what Taste of Texas represents.”

Beyond the four festival-curated chef teams, FWFWF intentionally expanded the showcase to include a fifth perspective, the remarkable restaurants shaping Texas dining outside its largest cities. This Hidden Gems spotlight reflects the Foundation’s ongoing statewide pursuit of talent and its belief that some of the most compelling culinary stories are found off the beaten path.

Presented by Official Taste of Texas Sponsor Visit Fort Worth, Taste of Texas Row will unfold as a curated, city-by-city tasting experience within Fork + Fire. Guests will move intentionally through each section, experiencing the distinct culinary voices of Austin, Dallas, Houston, Fort Worth, and destination-worthy cities across Texas in a format designed for exploration and discovery.

“Leave it to Fort Worth to bring together an unexpected collaboration of Texas food festivals. Our community is built on hospitality and powered by creativity, and that’s exactly what the Fort Worth Food + Wine Festival showcases,” said Mitch Whitten, Chief Operating Officer of Visit Fort Worth.

Chefs For Farmers Dallas Food + Wine Festival (Dallas; established 2010)

Dallas’ Chefs For Farmers delegation includes Aubrey Murphy of SER Steak + Spirits, trained under Dean Fearing and Michelin-starred Chef John Tesar; Eduardo Osorio of Meridian, recipient of the MentorBKB Continuing Education Grant and recognized by D Magazine for one of the “16 Best Dishes” of 2024; Jacob Williamson of The Devonshire Club, a Dallas Tastemaker Awards finalist recognized for pushing technique-driven Southern cuisine into fine-dining territory; and Franchesca Nor of Dive Coastal Cuisine, whose coastal-focused concept has earned regional acclaim for its sustainable, ingredient-driven approach.

Hot Luck Festival (Austin; established 2015) 

From Austin’s Hot Luck Festival comes Michael Fojtasek, Food & Wine Best New Chef and multi-time James Beard finalist whose flagship restaurant Olamaie holds a Michelin star (2024, 2025). He is joined by Bob Somsith of Lao’d Bar—named Best New Restaurant by Eater, recognized by The New York Times as one of America’s Top Restaurants, and a James Beard nominee for both Best New Restaurant and Best Chef: Texas. Also representing Austin are Mariela Camacho of Comadre Panderia, 2025 Food & Wine Best New Chef and two-time James Beard semifinalist, and Chef Anthony Praoto (co-owner of Discada), and Austin Lucas of Pyro, a new live-fire concept debuting this spring. Rooted in lineage and land, Lucas trained at Dudley Market in Los Angeles before refining his craft at Austin standouts Odd Duck, Barley Swine, Hestia, and Este, where he deepened his commitment to live-fire cooking as both technique and philosophy—an approach that makes Pyro a natural fit for Fork + Fire.

Southern Smoke Festival (Houston; established 2015)

Houston’s Southern Smoke Festival, founded in 2015 by James Beard Award–winning chef Chris Shepherd and nationally recognized for both its culinary excellence and industry advocacy, is represented by Ryan Pera (Coltivare), a James Beard Award semifinalist and Food & Wine “People’s Best New Chef” honoree; Becky Masson (Fluff Bake Bar), named Best Pastry Chef by Houston Press and featured in Food & Wine, Bon Appétit, Texas Monthly, and Saveur; and Graham Laborde and Benjy Mason (Winnie’s), whose projects have earned “Best New Restaurant” recognition and consistent critic praise in Houston Chronicle and Eater Houston; and Chef Mike Pham (Trill Burgers), co-founded by Houston rap legend Bun B., the smashburger concept has earned the title of Best Burger in America from Good Morning America and a Gold Buckle Foodie Award at the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo.

Fort Worth Food + Wine Festival (Fort Worth; established 2014)

Standing alongside this nationally decorated talent is FWFWF’s hometown showcase: Graham Elliot, former two-Michelin-starred chef and Food & Wine Best New Chef representing Le Margot; Marcus Paslay, named one of 16 chefs redefining Texas cuisine by Zagat and founder of From Scratch Hospitality; Molly McCook of Ellerbe Fine Foods, whose restaurant was named one of Bon Appétit’s 10 Best New Restaurants in America and who was a James Beard Award semifinalist for Best Chef: Texas (2020); and Jenny Castor of Luckybee Kitchen, whose whimsical creations and heartfelt personal story have made a lasting impact on the Fort Worth dining community.

Hidden Gems (Statewide showcase; established 2026)

That vision comes to life through chefs like Austin and Shannon Odom of Oma Leen’s (Hico, TX), recognized by Texas Monthly and regional critics for standout whole-hog and brisket execution, and Lance McWhorter of Heritage East (Tyler, TX), a Chopped competitor, Cochon 555 “Prince of Pork,” and winner of The Texas Bucket List’s “Bite of the Season;” Chef Phillip Moellering of 12 Gage Restaurant at the historic Gage Hotel in Marathon, TX, located in the heart of the Texas Mountain Trail region; and Chef Jim Lee of Old Pal Texas Tavern in Lockhart, a concept celebrated for blending honky-tonk hospitality with chef-driven execution. 

“These chefs are shaping the current Texas culinary landscape,” Eastman continued. “To convene this level of talent, from Michelin-starred kitchens to nationally celebrated neighborhood concepts, and pair them with Fort Worth’s own culinary leaders is exactly the kind of moment our Foundation exists to create. We can’t wait for our supporters to experience this event.”

Just steps away, The Fireside delivers a separate live-fire experience inspired by the Foundation’s past favorites Burgers, Brews + Blues and Ring of Fire. Spanning more than 7 acres across the Edwards Ranch property, the Fort Worth Food + Wine Festival’s newest signature event brings both experiences together under one expansive footprint. While Taste of Texas is organized by festival and city, The Fireside is driven by open flame, technique, and live-fire execution. Together, the dual environments transform Fork + Fire into a full-venue exploration of contemporary Texas cuisine.

With a chef lineup of this caliber and a first-of-its-kind statewide collaboration, Fork + Fire is expected to sell out. Tickets are available at fwfwf.org.

For more information about the Fort Worth Food + Wine Foundation or to arrange interviews, please contact Ivy Lopez at ivy@hollandcollective.co.

2026 FORK + FIRE

TASTE OF TEXAS CHEF LINE-UP

Fort Worth Food + Wine Festival | Fort Worth, TX

FWFWF is Fort Worth’s premier food and wine festival, a citywide showcase of the talent, flavor, and spirit that define our dining scene. Each event fuels the Fort Worth Food + Wine Foundation’s year round mission to support and strengthen the local hospitality community.

Participating Chefs:

Hot Luck Festival | Austin, TX
Hot Luck is a four-day Memorial Day weekend food and live music festival in Austin featuring chef-driven events, live-fire cookouts, late-night tastings, and concerts across the city. Founded by pitmaster Aaron Franklin and partners, it brings together top culinary talent for a choose-your-own-adventure celebration that benefits the Southern Smoke Foundation.

Participating Chefs:

Chefs for Farmers Food + Wine Festival | Dallas, TX

Chefs for Farmers is a fall culinary celebration in Dallas that highlights Texas ingredients and the farm to table ethos through thoughtfully curated dinners and tasting experiences. The four day festival culminates in an open air showcase at Old City Park bringing together chefs, farmers, and artisans to honor Texas foodways, sustainability, and Southern hospitality.

Participating Chefs:

Southern Smoke Festival | Houston, TX

The Southern Smoke Foundation is a nonprofit dedicated to supporting food and beverage workers in crisis through emergency financial assistance and access to no cost mental health services. Its signature Southern Smoke Festival brings together leading chefs and hospitality advocates for a high impact food and wine event that raises critical funds to uplift and sustain the industry community.

Participating Chefs:

Hidden Gems Showcase

Hidden Gems is a curated blend of under-the-radar talent and chefs who have earned regional and even national recognition, yet whose restaurants are located outside Texas’ major metropolitan centers and may not always be top-of-mind for in-state diners. Developed through FWFWF’s year-round travel and firsthand research, the Showcase highlights concepts deeply rooted in their communities across Texas and invites guests to discover exceptional dining beyond the state’s largest city hubs.

Participating Chefs:

 FORK + FIRE AT-A-GLANCE 

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