Andrew Zimmern Joins Local Chefs at SXSW's SouthBites

It’s never too soon to start handicapping one’s SXSW experience. Some SouthBites panels have been announced already, including Anthony Bourdain's appearance. This week, more have been released with some mighty big national and local names. Andrew Zimmern will interview Josh Tetrick, CEO of Hampton Creek, home of the controversial "Just Mayo" product. Here is a rundown of the other slated discussions.

• Food Hall Nation: The Return of Public Markets: Austin will soon be home to two new food halls/public markets, and this panel engages in analysis of the resurgence of the form.
• Changing Times: Restaurant Survival in Real Time: Tyson Cole weighs in on how to keep the diners coming through the door in the age of the Eater Heatmap.
• Food Transformers: Reimagining Food Traditions: Olamaie’s Michael Fojtasek, Tatsu Aikawa of Ramen Tatsu-Ya, and cookbook author and now PBS star Virginia Willis discuss adapting classic food traditions to modern concerns.
• Modern-Day Young Chefs: Paying Your Dues Upfront: Alexis Chong of Foreign & Domestic weighs in on a panel dedicated to the various career trajectories available to young chefs.
• Drinking Wisely in the Craft Beer and Whiskey Boom: Among the experts on this panel dedicated to navigating the tricky world of exclusive craft beers and whiskeys is Austin Beerworks’ Michael Graham.
• Dining and Design: The Details Make the Meal: Austin ceramics artist Keith Kreeger is part of a panel dedicated to the ways that things like dishes, interior design, and other non-food elements shape the dining experience.

SXSW's SouthBites returns to Austin on Saturday, March 12 until Monday, March 14.