Tasting Texas Wine + Food Festival Launches in October

A first-of-its-kind partnership with the iconic James Beard Foundation, Texas and San Antonio’s unique culinary draws are coming to the forefront of national attention with the launch of Tasting Texas Wine + Food Festival. The four-day festival “with a purpose” will showcase renowned and up-and-coming chefs from Texas and the city of San Antonio, as well as national all-stars. Debuting October 27-30, 2022, Tasting Texas will entice foodies from around the globe to experience the vast culinary offerings of Texas and the festival’s hometown, San Antonio.

The festival’s highlight will be the “big-as-Texas” Culinary Market October 28-30, featuring more than 100 award-winning chefs at the historic Travis Park, in the heart of colorful downtown San Antonio. The three-day event, running from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, will have mouths watering at the tastes to be had. On October 29, Tasting Texas will feature a made-for-San Antonio top-shelf tequila tasting on the banks of the San Antonio River Walk. The festival continues nightly with a variety of curated collaborations by visiting chefs in San Antonio’s top restaurants. These ticketed experiences will showcase the chefs’ creativity and delight guests’ palates with combinations that can only happen in Texas.

Tasting Texas’ A-list roster of culinary headliners includes:

Tasting Texas’ full roster of esteemed chefs and full festival schedule will be announced this summer.

Realizing a shared vision with the James Beard Foundation to make good food for good, and spotlight historically marginalized communities, a partnership between the Foundation, Visit San Antonio, and Culinaria was a natural progression. Proceeds from Tasting Texas will benefit the James Beard Foundation’s scholarship programs, which in turn, provide opportunities for underserved culinary talent to develop their skills and experience. Further, by providing high-level exposure to chefs from Texas, the city of San Antonio, and others across the country, Tasting Texas aims to help the restaurant industry, locally and nationally, grow from the devastating financial effects of the pandemic.

Tasting Texas Wine + Food Festival is powered by a partnership between Culinaria and Visit San Antonio. Culinaria has deep experience of more than 20 years operating successful food and wine events in Central Texas. Signature events have included the Culinaria Wine + Food Festival, which celebrated two decades in 2019, Restaurant Weeks, the 5k Wine + Beer Run and the Women & Whiskey series. The festival will be homed in the heart of the Lone Star State, the recognized leisure travel destination in Texas and one of two UNESCO Creative Cities of Gastronomy in the U.S. The birthplace of Tex-Mex cuisine, San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the country and is quickly growing and evolving in both population and cuisine offerings, while honoring its roots as a cultural and culinary capital of Texas.

“Texas and San Antonio offer unrivaled culinary experiences and with Tasting Texas we invite everyone to see for themselves what makes the Lone Star State truly great and delicious,” says Marc Anderson, president & CEO of Visit San Antonio. “We are thrilled to unite with Culinaria and their expertise of first-class culinary events. Partnering with the James Beard Foundation on this first-time festival is a great honor. The work we will all do collectively during this weekend to further highlight local talent and provide networking opportunities for Texas and national chefs will create mouth-watering benefits for Tasting Texas festival-goers.”

“It’s no secret that San Antonio is a phenomenal food destination, being the birthplace of Tex-Mex Cuisine and recently named a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy,” says Suzanne Taranto Etheredge, president & CEO of Culinaria. “Tasting Texas is a natural evolution of our more than 20 years promoting San Antonio’s talented chefs and hidden culinary gems and we welcome the James Beard Foundation to highlight the high caliber of chefs from all backgrounds.”

“Joining Tasting Texas Wine + Food Festival aligns so well with the Foundation’s mission of Good Food for Good,” says Clare Reichenbach, CEO of James Beard Foundation. “Our commitment to provide scholarships for rising talent, as well as recognition and support for chef-driven restaurants, is strengthened by all the festival-goers who will enjoy Tasting Texas.”

Ticket prices, full schedule and list of participating chefs will be announced soon. Learn more, and be the first to receive news and advance ticket purchase opportunities, visit CulinariaSA.org.