Hot Luck Festival Pairs Questlove With ‘Top Chef’ Kristen Kish

Since a major focus of Hot Luck Festival, the food extravaganza from Aaron Franklin that is taking place over Memorial Day weekend, is the merging of music and food, it released the lineup for its show snacks. Each concert features a different chef who will create a special bite.

For 2018, this includes DJ Questlove with chef Kristen Kish (Top Chef winner and chef of upcoming Line ATX Hotel restaurant Arlo Grey), Hot Snakes with Olympia Provisions’ Elias Cairo, and Twin Peaks with food truck Kebabalicious’ lamb bites.

It also turns out Momofuku powerhouse David Chang isn’t participating in Hot Luck this year. because of a scheduling conflict. Instead, he’s sending Momofuku chef Matt Rudofker in his place.

Another new Hot Luck event includes the kick-off feast grouping Franklin with Toronto chef Matty Matheson and Austin chef Andrew Wiseheart at the latter’s restaurant Contigo. They’ll serve up brisket and other like-foods on Wednesday, May 23. This is a separately ticketed event from Hot Luck, running at $85 per person. (The Austin event is actually part of Matheson’s dinner series, which will also take place in New York and San Francisco.)

Other participating chefs include Ashley Christensen, Alex Stupak, Renee Erickson, Sam Jones, and a whole lot of Austin chefs. Other events include the mall food court sip-and-stroll Night Court, Mexican feast at Cisco’s, the Giddy-Up afterparty, the returning fire-focused Al Fuego, and the brunch party Coupe de Grille (where Franklin will cook as well).

Hot Luck Festival runs from Thursday, May 24 through Sunday, May 27. The Whole Enchilada passes, which offer entry to all events, are going for $550, and then there are tickets to individual events and concerts. Partial proceeds will go towards Safe Alliance.

• Aaron Franklin’s Food Festival Is Back With Nostalgic Mall Court Fare and Barbecue [EATX]
• Everything You Need to Know About Hot Luck Festival [EATX]