Austin Food & Wine Festival Returns for 2020 With Another Star-Studded Lineup

The ninth year of one of the biggest food festivals in the city, Austin Food & Wine Festival, is almost upon us, and today the festival announced its preliminary chef and event lineups. The festival, held at Auditorium Shores Friday, April 24 through Sunday, April 26 (with a preview dinner on Thursday, April 23) will take largely the same format as last year.

The preview dinner on Thursday (Feast Under the Stars) is a sustainable collaboration between James Beard-nominated chef Kevin Fink (Emmer & Rye, Hestia) and Zero Foodprint to support Austin’s zero-waste ordinance.

Like last year, Chef Tim Love (Lonesome Dove) will host an interactive Grillin’ and Chillin’ dinner event on Friday, with hands-on demonstrations.

The festival is Saturday and Sunday, with cooking demonstrations, book signings, interactive sessions, a Gospel Brunch on Sunday, and many many tastings by different chefs each day. Two of Austin’s Master Sommeliers Devon Broglie (Whole Foods) and Craig Collins (Vintus) will lead tasting sessions. The fire pits overseen by Contigo’s Andrew Wiseheart will return this year.

Saturday night also holds the Rock Your Taco competition at Fair Market, where chefs compete with taco creations for a People’s Choice award. Last year’s winner Andrew Zimmern will be returning, and notable newcomers include chefs Mashama Bailey and Johno Morisano from The Grey in Savannah, Eater’s 2017 restaurant of the year and JJ Johnson, recently named part of the “New Guard of New York Dining” by Eater New York.

Tickets are $250 for weekend passes, $250 for Feast Under the Stars, and $625 for the all-in passes (which include the Love grilling event and Rock Your Taco). More chefs may be announced later.

Check out the full lineup below.

Thursday, April 23

Feast Under the Stars

• Kevin Fink (Emmer & Rye)
• Bryce Gilmore (Odd Duck, Barley Swine)
• Trevor Moran (Locust in Nashville)

Saturday and Sunday, April 25 and 26

Fire Pits

• Simon Stallard (The Hidden Hut, Cornwall, UK)
• John Bates (InterStellar BBQ)
• Sonya Coté (Eden East, Hillside Farmacy)
• Andrew Wiseheart (Contigo)

Chef Showcases

• Aaron Anselmi (Olive & June)
• Tano Avila (Grizzelda’s)
• Jeff Balfour (Southerleigh Fine Food & Brewery)
• Daniel Brooks (Licha’s Cantina)
• Jeff Brown (Old Thousand)
• Pedro Carvalho (Hopfields)
• Jo Chan (Eberly)
• Ji Peng Chen (Wu Chow)
• Matthew Davis (Forthright)
• Jacob Euler (Le Vacher)
• Reed Faitak (Austin Daily Press)
• Brandon Fuller (Jacoby’s Restaurant & Mercantile)
• Taylor Hall (Apis)
• Sarah Heard and Nathan Lemley (Foreign & Domestic)
• Victor Ibarra (Andiamo)
• C.J. Jacobson (Aba)
• Clinton Kendall (East Side King)
• Lance Kirkpatrick (Stiles Switch BBQ & Brew)
• Geronimo Lopez (Botika, San Antonio)
• Jason McVearry and Trisha Fortuna (Poke Poke)
• Margarita and Nestor Mendez (Pueblo Viejo)
• Josh Neises (Lonesome Dove Western Bistro)
• David Norman (Easy Tiger Bake Shop & Beer Garden)
• Daniel Olivella (Barlata Tapas Bar)
• Ling Qi Wu (Lin Asian Bar + Dim Sum)
• Rich Reimbolt (Better Half Coffee & Cocktails)
• Edgar Rico (Nixta Taqueria)
• Christopher Rios (The Vegan Nom)
• James Robert (Fixe)
• Ryan Samson (Vespaio)
• Christopher Schaefer (Geraldine’s)
• Eric Silverstein (The Peached Tortilla)
• Carmen Valera (Tamale House East)
• Kevin Williamson (Ranch 616)

Saturday, April 25

Rock Your Taco

• Tatsu Aikawa (DipDipDip Tatsu-Ya);
• Mashama Bailey and Johno Morisano (The Grey; Savannah, GA)
• Anne Burrell (TV Personality, Chef, New York, NY)
• Tyson Cole (Hai Hospitality)
• Scott Conant (Mora Italian, Phoenix, AZ)
• Andrew Curren (ELM Restaurant Group)
• Jason Dady (Chispas)
• Diego Galicia and Rico Torres (Mixtli, San Antonio)
• Sarah Heard and Nathan Lemley (Foreign & Domestic)
• JJ Johnson (Field Trip; Harlem, NY)
• Tim Love (Lonesome Dove)
• Ryan Pera (Agricole Hospitality, Houston, TX)
• Aarón Sánchez (Johnny Sánchez, New Orleans, LA)
• Charles Schlienger (Sway)
• Philip Speer (Comedor)
• Andrew Zimmern (TV Personality, Chef, Minneapolis, MN)