Every April, something quietly wonderful happens at the Dallas Arboretum. The gardens fill with chefs, students, and people who just love good food, and for two hours, the lines between classroom and kitchen disappear entirely.
That’s the spirit of Bits & Bites, Dallas College Foundation’s signature annual food festival, and it returns to A Tasteful Place on Sunday, April 26, from 6 to 8 p.m. More than 35 of the city’s top chefs — many of them Dallas College alumni — will be there, working alongside the culinary, pastry, and hospitality students who are just beginning their own careers. Together they’ll turn out more than 18,000 small plates over the course of the evening, which, if nothing else, tells you something about the ambition of the thing.
Two chefs worth watching this year make the alumni story vivid. Cara Vasquez, owner of The Flour Shop Bakery in Highland Village, trained at El Centro College and spent a decade as a baker and bakery manager before opening her own shop in 2011. She works entirely from scratch — no mixes, no artificial ingredients — turning out award-winning desserts rooted in the kind of home-baked nostalgia that’s hard to fake. Her carrot cake will be at Bits & Bites this year, and if you’ve had it before, you already know to find her table early.
Then there’s Chef Aubrey Murphy, executive chef at SĒR Steak + Spirits on the 27th floor of the Hilton Anatole, who trained under Dallas legends Dean Fearing and Michelin-starred Chef John Tesar before bringing his own bold voice to one of the city’s most dramatic dining rooms. His presence as a VIP chef speaks to exactly what the event celebrates — chefs who built real careers through Dallas College’s programs, coming back to show current students what’s possible.
This year’s event also pays tribute to Steve DeShazo, Dallas College’s senior director of workforce initiatives, honoring a career spent building the industry partnerships that connect students to jobs before they ever graduate.
All proceeds benefit Dallas College students and programs through the Dallas College Foundation. General admission tickets are $95, with VIP options including early entry at 5:15 p.m., parking, and a champagne reception. Tickets available here.
