As the clock strikes midnight, many will be sipping fizzy champagne, kissing strangers standing nearby, or staring at the television watching New Yorkers and Dick Clark ring in the rockin’ New Year. For chefs, these hallowed traditions are rare luxuries – most are confined to their upscale restaurant kitchens, preparing their intensively planned and carefully executed New Year’s Eve menus.

For those individuals bold enough to host New Year’s Eve parties of their own, a few favorite Texas chefs – James Holmes of Olivia and Lucy’s Fried in Austin, Scott Gottlich of Bijoux in Dallas, and Paul Qui of Uchiko in Austin (and Top Chef Texas) -have kindly shared some of their favorite New Year’s Eve recipes with TEXAS MONTHLY crew, which we bestow unto you all. Happy New Year!

Paul Qui

My typical New Year’s Eve consists of going to work [and] making sure the food is up to par and my staff is ready for service. It’s been a while since I’ve had a New Year’s Eve off. I usually do the toast with my guys at the restaurant. If I wasn’t, I would spend it with my girlfriend Deana and my family, but that’s rarely the case. Usually Deana has dinner at the restaurant and waits for me to get off, then we go off and find a place to have drinks.

I love eating satsumaimo during the wintertime. It’s a simple, common dish that’s great when it’s cold out. Eating satsumaimo is a sensory experience, from holding the warm potato to the aromas you get from the ginger and garlic. This is a dish I would prepare for New Year’s Eve because it’s an engaging dish and great to serve for dinner parties. There is an element of surprise being hidden in a humble wrap of foil. The surprise comes from all the flavor of the sweet potato.

Roasted Satsumaimo

1 Japanese sweet potato
1 teaspoon ginger, grated
2 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon white soy
1 teaspoon green onion

Cut the sweet potato into four pieces. Wrap each of them in foil with the listed ingredients.  Cook in oven at 350˚ for 1 hour or until tender. Serve in foil. Satsumaimo is something very common in Japan during the winter months.

Scott Gottlich

My usual New Year’s Eve tradition is manning the kitchen at Bijoux. The restaurant is always booming, and I make sure to go over and beyond to ensure my guests have a memorable New Year’s Eve meal and dining experience. As for New Year’s Day, I spend time with my wife and two sons watching football and eating black-eyed peas. You have to eat those black-eyed peas. They bring you good luck.

Carrot Soup with Marshmallow Panna Cotta

For the soup:
3 pounds carrots, peeled
¼ onion, chopped
1 quart milk
3 tablespoons butter

Place onion and cut, peeled carrots in a pot with butter and milk. Cook until fork tender. Blend all ingredients together and pass through a sieve. Season with salt to taste.

For the Panna Cotta:
6 ounces marshmallows
1 cup milk
2 sheets of gelatin

Place marshmallows and milk in a pot and melt.  Add bloomed gelatin to the mix by mixing thoroughly.  Place in greased molds for desired shapes. To serve, place marshmallow in bowl and ladle the carrot soup tableside.

James Holmes

We jam it out at the restaurant every New Year’s Eve, and after all that is said and done, it is time for me to hang out with my wife and two daughters [Olivia and Lucy]. We go grab a New Year’s Day bite and usually catch some live music. Being with my family is my favorite way to usher in the New Year.

Grilled Oysters with Black-Eyed Peas
Courtesy of James Holmes and Ryan Town, Lucy’s Fried Chicken

Cook your favorite New Year’s black-eyed peas, but take some out before they get creamy and cool them off for this recipe. You’ll need one teaspoon for each oyster.

1 dozen Gulf oysters
3 tablespoon reserved black-eyed peas
1½ roasted red peppers, diced
½ lemon
3 tablespoons butter, softened
green onions, thinly sliced (garnish)

Shuck and clean a dozen oysters, being careful to reserve the juice in the shell. Place the oysters on the half shell on the hottest part of the grill and divide the black-eyed peas and roasted red peppers among them.

When the black-eyed peas are warm, place a teaspoon of butter on top of each. Cook until bubbly and remove from heat. Squeeze the lemon over all of the oysters and garnish with the green onions.

- LAYNE LYNCH

Tagged: James Holmes, Layne Lynch, Lucy's Fried Chicken, Olivia, Paul Qui, Top Chef, uchiko

Ever since Tito’s vodka broke through the Texas distilling laws and danced onto the scene in 1997, the craft Texas spirit world has exploded with a number of different products from orange-flavored liqueurs (Paula’s Texas Orange) to blue corn whiskies (Balcones Distilling Baby Blue Whisky). We even have Texas gin, rum and bourbon—more on each of these in the following months. But vodka seems to be the choice spirit for producers across the state. There are more than eight Texas vodkas in addition to Tito’s including Savvy, Dripping Springs, Deep Eddy and Famous to name a few.

One of the latest to join the scene is Cinco Vodka out of San Antonio. And while it bares the same spirit name as its circle of Texas-made liquors, Cinco stands out as the only vodka made in the classic European tradition using wheat as the key grain ingredient. All other Texas vodka is made with corn.

What makes wheat different than corn? If you ask cocktail guru David Alan, aptly referred to as the Tipsy Texan, you’ll find that the wheat component brings a different characteristic to the spirit altogether.

“I think wheat is what lends the spirit that creaminess on the palate. Many of the premium international brands—Grey Goose, Ketel One, Absolut—are made from wheat so there is little question whose market share they are going after,” says Alan, who has consulted on the cocktail menus for myriad recent bar openings throughout Central Texas including The Esquire Tavern in San Antonio and Annie’s Cafe & Bar in Austin. “Personally, I think they’ve done a great job at targeting their market specifically to the Martini drinker. It is sweet, with a creamy mouth feel, and impeccably smooth.”

To Alan’s point, the Alamo City vodka is marketed as “The Martini Lover’s Vodka,” leaving no question as to how crisp and clean the spirit must be. After all, a good martini—if you’re not going to use gin—is simply a handy helping of vodka with an obligatory waft of a vermouth bottle over a glass garnished with a few olives leaving vodka as the star of the cocktail.

Does Cinco measure up? In Alan’s opinion, absolutely. And I heartily second his judgement, if not for the creamy, layered flavor, then certainly for the balance. With a spirit this strong, it’s easy to feel that familiar burn at the back of your throat. While Cinco certainly adds a warming sensation, it’s smooth enough to go down without that pesky burn.

Made from Idaho amber wheat, Cinco is distilled five times, which basically means it’s distilled enough to make it taste clean, but not too much that all of the flavors have been stripped out of it. Three of the distillations are in a column still in Idaho, but I’m willing to forgive them of the out-of-state beginnings knowing that the final two distillations are in a hand-hammered copper kettle still in San Antonio. It also helps that 60 percent of this 80 proof vodka is water straight from the Edward’s Aquifer in Central Texas.

With a little more than a year on the market, Cinco has exploded into restaurants and liquor stores across the Lone Star state. I even happened upon a sizable display of the beautifully pressed-glass bottle in a small liquor store on the outskirts of Fort Stockton, a.k.a. The Middle of Nowhere.

How to enjoy Cinco? If it’s not going to be a straight pour over a few cubes of ice, then consider a few of the recipes from the website. I particularly like the Moscow Gimlet for its tangy citrus and ginger nuances as well as the Fashionista primarily because it gives a nod to Texas wine Messina Hof Port. But in truth, it’s best to enjoy this spirit as the makers intend; in a martini.

“Vodka is a perfect platform for flavor in cocktails, if you have produce or a modifying spirit you want to show off. If you want to taste the base spirit though, the best way to do it is in a vodka Martini,” says Alan. “A small amount of fresh vermouth. Stirred, by all means, not shaken—despite Mr. Bond’s advice.”

According to Alan, a stirred Vodka martini is “viscous, luscious, coats the palate, and really shows off the spirit. Shaking it just gives you a watery mess.”

Lastly, Alan suggest that if you are going to make a Martini with vodka, don’t chill the spirit in the freezer first. If it is frozen, you won’t get the dilution you need. Dilution in the right amount is critical to a cocktail’s texture and flavor.

Cincotini

3 oz Cinco Vodka

.5 oz Noillyprat dry vermouth

1 dash orange bitters

3 olives as garnish

Combine the liquid ingredients in a mixing glass and stir with ice to chill. Strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with 3 olives.

Moscow Gimlet

2 oz Cinco Vodka

.75 oz fresh lime juice

.5 oz simple syrup

8 mint leaves, plus 1 for garnish

1.5 oz ginger beer

In a shaker, combine first 4 ingredients and top with ice. Shake vigorously to release the mint oils and double strain into a chilled martini glass. Top with chilled ginger beer. Garnish by floating a large mint leaf.

Fashionista

2 oz Cinco Vodka

.5 oz fresh lime juice

.5 oz simple syrup

1.5 oz Messina Hof Port (or similar)

Lemon twist as garnish

In a shaker, combine first three ingredients and top with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into a well-chilled martini glass. Top with port. Garnish with lemon twist.

- Jessica Dupuy

Tagged: Cinco Vodka, David Alan, Deep Eddy, Dripping Springs, Famous, Jessica Dupuy, Savvy, Texas Spirits, Tipsy Texan, Tito's

They say it’s the Top Texas Wine for 2012. By they, we mean the judges from the Houston Live Stock Show and Rodeo Uncorked! International Wine Competition. As part of the state’s most lauded rodeo’s, the wine competition bestows a Texas-sized stamp of approval on wines from all over the world.

By Top Texas Wine, we mean the Messina Hof Solera Texas, 2004, a Texas version of a sherry-style wine made from 100% Black Spanish (Lenoir) grapes grown at the Bryan-based vineyard. (Note: Black Spanish is one of Texas’ native grapes and grows well in just about all parts of the state.) This unique wine sits at the cream of the crop as one of nine Overall Show Award winners including wines from Italy, France, Spain, California and Washington State.

“This wine caught the attention of the judges in a double blind tasting,” says Stephanie Baird General Chairman of the Rodeo Uncorked! Wine Committee. “It is a great Top Texas Wine as it is made from what was once one of the most widely planted grapes in the state—Lenoir. It was abundant enough to be used by missions for communion hundreds of years ago, which gives this grape a great Texas history, and now, so does this wine from Messina Hof.”

What’s a Texas version on a sherry style wine?

It’s probably best to define what a Sherry is. Technically, Sherry is a fortified wine that is made in Spain near the town of Jerez. The primary grapes used to make sherry are Palomino, Muscatel and Pedro Ximenez and the process by which this delicate wine is made is called the “solera system,”—which is how the Messina Hof wine got its name. To be honest, the solera system is difficult to describe, but it is a method of fractional blending using old wine that is aged in barrels to refresh younger wine, creating a level of complexity in the overall flavor.

In Messina Hof’s case, owner and winemaker Paul Bonarrigo, used barrels of Black Spanish from 2003, 2004 and 2005 to fractionally blend an aged wine. He then set the barrel with this blend in the summer sun during 2007 to “bake” the wine with flavors from American oak barrels. The result is a crisp, off-dry/sweet wine with creamy vanilla and toffee flavors.

As Karen MacNeil says in her wine enthusiast handbook The Wine Bible, “As it stands, Sherry, the unsung hero of great wine classics, is misunderstood, under appreciated, and wrongly cast as the libation of old ladies.”

Messina Hof has proved this misconception wrong with the Solera. Even though it’s not technically an official sherry, the style is very much in the Sherry arena.

What makes it so good?

I sat down with Maser Sommelier Craig Collins of Prestige wine distributors. Collins is one of only six master sommeliers in the state and it just so happens that he got his start in the wine industry with a job in the tasting room of Messina Hof while he was finishing college at Texas A&M University.

“Messina Hof is a pioneer for the wine industry,” says Collins. “They work tirelessly at getting their wines into the hands of Texans and they have a lot of great wine to show for it.”

Solera Tasting notes:

On the nose, this tawny brown wine has notes of raisin, dates, toffee, and caramel. Collins also picked up orange peel, candied pecan, and a soft, savory herbaceousness. Almost like lavender.

On the palate, the wine confirms the nutty, raisin notes in the nose adding flavors of amaretto, vanilla and prune.

And while Collins finds the general flavor of the wine to be appealing, he was most impressed with the balance. “This wine has 18 percent alcohol, yet it’s unbelievably balanced. It doesn’t have a heavy body and it’s not very cloying with residual sugar. You don’t get an overwhelming sense that you’re drinking a high alcohol wine. Striking that balance is very difficult to do with wine like this and it’s probably why it made the Top Texas Wine.”

While this is a dessert-style wine, Collins suggests opting against sweet desserts to pair with the Solera. Instead, enjoy the wine with a cheese plate including a strong blue cheese, a sharp cheddar cheese and a few different nuts. If you must satisfy the sweet tooth, a rich walnut brownie would be fantastic. The clean, crisp body of the wine will enhance the walnut flavor and cut the bitterness of the chocolate.

Messina Hof cleaned house in this year’s competition taking home 21 total awards out of the 23 it submitted. Two other standouts were the Cabernet Franc Private Reserve, 2009, which won Class Champion and Texas Class Champion (Double Gold Medal). This big Texas Red is consistently one of my favorites from this winery with balanced tannin and deep, dark flavors of blackberry, Christmas spices and a little vanilla.

“This award shows us that we’re on the right track when we’re winning competitions like this in the same league as wines from all over the world,” says Paul Bonarrigo. “I’m particularly proud that we won using the Black Spanish grape. We use it in a number of ways with our wines including in port and a dry rose. It means a lot to get recognition for showing how diverse a native Texas grape is and how well it shows in an international competition. It says a lot for Texas wine.

You can visit the original Messina Hof Winery and Vineyards in Bryan or at their new Hill Country facility in Stonewall, just outside of Fredericksburg. The Tuscan-style winery not only features a warm and inviting tasting room, but a guest villa as well for those who would like to linger a little longer in the Napa Valley of Texas.

The awards will be given at the Roundup and Best Bites Competition on February 19, 2012 at Reliant Center. Tickets for the event can be purchased here. Congrats to Messina Hof for making some great Texas wine and hats off to the many other Texas wines who performed beautifully in the Houston Live Stock Show and Rodeo Uncorked! International Wine Competition! (See the full list of results here.)

Winery: Messina Hof Winery and Vineyards

Wine: Solera Texas Sherry 2004

Availability: Winery only. Click here to purchase

Price: $45

- Jessica Dupuy

Tagged: Craig Collins, Houston Live Stock Show and Rodeo Uncorked! International Wine Competition, Jessica Dupuy, Messina Hof, Paul Bonarrigo, Solera

Were you naughty this past year? Do you need to produce a significant holiday present to get a pass out of the doghouse? Maybe a trip for two in January to Yosemite National Park for the 2012 Chefs’ Holidays series would do the trick, especially since two top Texas chefs— Tre “Marquee Grill” Wilcox and Kent “Abacus” Rathbun, both of Dallas—are on the lineup.

So, exactly what is the Chefs’ Holidays series? It’s a sequence of eight food-centic events (each lasting two to three days) starting January 8 and finishing February 2. Each event features big-name chefs, and activities consist of cooking demonstrations, a behind-the-scenes kitchen tour, a gala wine dinner, and a “meet the chefs” reception.

But if fancy food is the prime attraction, the setting is pretty irresistible too, namely the Ahwahnee (dining room pictured), one of the great old hotels of American West. Completed in 1927, its expansive public spaces feature giant stone fireplaces, massive hand-stenciled beams, rich tapestries, and fine stained glass. Oh, yes, and the guest rooms were recently renovated. And it’s in Yosemite . . . around Christmas time, which in all probability will be white. . . and quiet . . . and gorgeous.

Kent Rathbun will be the headliner for Session 1, January 8–10, along with Annie Sommerville (Greens, San Francisco) and Brian Streeter (Cakebread Cellars, Napa). Tre Wilcox will be guest chef for Session 7, January 29–31. That session will include two other Top Chef stars: Ryan Scott (Ryan Scott 2 Go/3-Sum Eats/Brunch Drunk Love, San Francisco) and Brian Malarkey (Searsucker, San Diego).

Two-night lodging-and-events packages for two at the Ahwahnee go for $896; three nights are $1145 (exclusive of room taxes). Or you could stay at Yosemite Lodge at the Falls for $665 and $800. Prices are subject to change. If you just want to spring for the gala wine dinner, it’s $199 per person (including tax and gratuity).  More details here. Photo by Chris Andre.

This Sunday, the Wine & Food Foundation of Texas will host its 12th Annual Stephan Pyles Celebrity Chef Dinner & Live Auction at Stephan Pyles restaurant in Dallas. Among the handful of world class wines selected for the dinner pairings, we’re happy to report that Texas’ own Pedernales Cellars will showcase their 2008 Family Reserve.

The foundation is a non-profit organization that began in 1997 to help fund culinary education through a membership of passionate food and wine enthusiasts. These are people who are serious about the food they eat and the wine they drink, but they also care about giving back to the community–particularly through events like this.

The dinner is part of the organization’s series of programs throughout the year that benefits the annual Stephan Pyles Culinary Scholarship, which is awarded to a Texas culinary student through an Iron Chef-style competition. Named for Stephan Pyles, one of the original founders of Southwestern cuisine and the first chef in the Southwest to win a James Beard award, the scholarship is the largest of its kind in the country granting $15,000 to the winner.

This year’s winner, Renee Morgan of Austin will be kicking off the five-course seated wine dinner with a special selection of appetizers including bone marrow brûlée tartlet and country ham and Gouda-grit fritters during the evening’s opening champagne reception. Each course of the dinner will be prepared by chefs representing all areas of Texas including Chef David Garrido of Austin, Chef Jason Dady of San Antonio, Chef Joel Harrington of Dallas, Chef Nick Badovinus of Dallas and Chef Rebecca Rather of Fredericksburg. Accompanying each course is a wide range of wine pairings spanning the globe from Italy, Alsace, Oregon, Burgundy, and yes, Texas.

“We are very excited to showcase the Pedernales Cellars Family reserve at this dinner alongside wines from Oregon, France and Italy,” says Marshall Jones, executive director of the Wine & Food Foundation of Texas. “We think it is important, as The Wine and Food Foundation of Texas, to highlight the Texas culinary and viticultural arts whenever possible. We have 6 great Texas chefs and we are serving a great Texas wine!”

The 2008 Pedernales Cellars Family Reserve is a nontraditional blend of predominantly Tempranillo grapes with the backbone of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot to give the wine a different complexity and structure than the straight Tempranillo wines for which the Stonewall (between Johnson City and Fredericksburg) winery is known. The wine is a balanced blend of dark raspberry and blackberry, for which Tempranillo is known, as well as earthy qualities of leather and hints of chocolate and licorice (especially on the nose.) In layman’s terms, all of these characteristics together make for a full-flavored, well-rounded wine with great tannic texture and medium acidity, making it a great wine for food.

The Family Reserve is made from 100% Texas grapes, as are all of the wines from Pedernales Cellars, a commitment the Kuhlken family made when launching the winery in 2006. The winery truly began as a family endeavor with pioneering efforts of Larry and Jeanine Kuhlken who planted their first Hill Country grapes in the early 1990s. Since then, their son David, and son-in-law, Fredrik have developed a full scale wine production operation complete with a 15,000 square-foot winemaking facility built directly into a hillside and the helping hands of David’s sister (Fredrik’s wife), Julie, who designed the wine labels, and David’s wife, Heather, who helps with photography and tasting room design.

“We have really all worked together to bring this winery to fruition,” says David Kuhlken who serves as winemaker and head of operations for the winery. “Our goal is to keep all of our wines within a Texas appellation and to work with grapes that work well in Texas. Our experience has shown that so far, Tempranillo is one of the best performing grapes.” (Which is why more than 50% of their production is invested in wines made from Tempranillo.)

And while the 2008 Family Reserve is worthy of a dinner pairing up against some other amazing world class wines–as well as the hefty $50 price tag–the winery’s entire stable of wines is worth a look. Particularly their 2009 Tempranillo Reserve made from all Hill Country Tempranillo grapes (as opposed to High Plains, which they also use to make a different Tempranillo) and an aromatic, dry 2010 Viogner bright with notes of honey and peach. The lion’s share of the wines produced by Pedernales Cellars are Tempranillo with Viognier a close second, but you’ll also find a considerably strong Merlot as well as a a dry rose of Garnacha (or Grenache) and a fantastic Rhone-style blend of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre.

But keep an eye out for the 2009 Family Reserve, which is scheduled to release next week. I’ve been sipping it while writing this post, and I have to say that while the 2008 Family Reserve is a wonderful wine, it is a little untamed when first opened, while the 2009 drinks smoothly right from the start. But don’t take my word for it. Both wines would be worth a side-by-side vertical tasting to see which way your palate leans.

Either of these wines could stand up to a classic steak dinner, but at Sunday’s Stephan Pyles dinner, the wine will find an elegant pairing with cider-roasted quail, butternut squash grits from Dallas chef Nick Badovinus.

Below is a sneak peek at the full menu. The event is expecting around 100 wine and food enthusiasts, but you don’t have to be a member to attend. Anyone looking or great food and wine are welcome to attend. Tickets are still available here, and while the price is a steep $150, keep in mind it is for a good cause. All proceeds go directly to the Stephan Pyles Culinary Scholarship. So, if you plan to find yourself in Dallas with no plans this Sunday, I highly suggest you check it out.

- Jessica Dupuy

David Garrido – Austin

Scallop with Bacon-Potato Ball, Red Jalapeño Crema

and Pumpkin Seed Chardonnay Jello

2010 Evening Land Vineyards Bourgogne Blanc Chardonnay, Burgundy

Stephan Pyles & Joel Harrington – Dallas

Bay of Fundy Salmon Confit with Horseradish Panna Cotta,

Honey crisps and Manchego Chicharron

2008 Sokol Blosser Dundee Hills Pinot Noir

Nick Badovinus – Dallas

Cider Roasted Texas Quail, Butternut Squash Grits,

Luxardo-Walnut Compote

2008 Pedernales Cellars Family Reserve

Jason Dady – San Antonio

Pan Seared Lamb Loin with Root Vegetable Spoonbread, Fennel,

Wild Mushroom and Smoked Huckleberry Bordelaise

2007 Fontanafredda Barolo “Serralunga”

Rebecca Rather – Fredericksburg

Sweet Potato Doughnuts with Garrison Brothers Bourbon,

Bacon Caramel Sauce and Caramel Ice Cream

2007 Trimbach Pinot Gris Reserve

It’s not too late to snag a couple of seats for the twelfth annual Stephan Pyles Celebrity Chef Dinner in Dallas this coming Sunday evening, December 4, sponsored by the Wine & Food Foundation of Texas.

This year the line-up of star chefs from across Texas includes Stephan Pyles and Joel Harrington of restaurant Stephan Pyles and Samar by Stephan Pyles (Dallas), Jason Dady of the Lodge (San Antonio), David Garrido of Garrido’s (Austin), Nick Badovinus of Neighborhood Services Bar & Grill (Dallas), Rebecca Rather of Sugar & Smoke (Fredericksburg), and Renee Morgan from Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts (Austin); Morgan is the winner of last year’s scholarship (but more about that later).

On the lineup for the extravagant five-course wine dinner are the following:

A Trio of Hors d’Oeuvres: Bone Marrow Brulée Tartlet with Cranberry and Red Onion Relish; Country Ham, and Gouda Grits Fritters; and Tomato Martini Shooters with Mozzarella & Basil Oil (Chef Morgan)

Scallop with a Bacon-Potato Ball, Red Jalapeño Crema, and Pumpkin Seed Chardonnay Gelée (Chef Garrido)

Bay of Fundy Salmon Confit with Horseradish Panna Cotta, Honeycrisps, and Manchego Chicharrón (Chefs Pyles and Harrington)

Cider Roasted Texas Quail, Butternut Squash Grits, Luxardo-Walnut Compote (Chef Badovinus)

Pan-Seared Lamb Loin with Root Vegetable Spoonbread, Fennel, Wild Mushroom and Smoked Huckleberry Bordelaise (Chef Dady)

Sweet Potato Doughnuts with Garrison Brothers Bourbon, Bacon Caramel Sauce, and Caramel Ice Cream (Chef Rather)

What is the cost of this culinary extravaganza? A mere $150 per person (wine’s included, or did I say that already?), with the proceeds going to fund a $15,000 annual scholarship for a lucky Texas culinary student. (The winner is selected by a panel of culinary professionals from three finalists competing in a timed cook-off.)

Following the dinner there will be a short but action-packed live auction that will include rare and fine wines (that’s how you can stockpile some holiday cheer), assorted luxury items, and restaurant packages.

But hurry. The event is almost sold out. Call 512-327-7555 or visit www.winefoodfoundation.org. The dinner will be held December 4 at Stephan Pyles restaurant, at 1807 Ross Ave., Dallas, with hors d’oeuvres at 6 and seating at 7. The ticket price is nonrefundable.

The Wine & Food Foundation of Texas is an Austin-based nonprofit membership organization committed to the excellence of food and wine. To date, the foundation has given over $1.25 million to support public television, scholarships, and grant projects throughout the state. The foundation also offers unique classes, tastings, and special events to members.

Tagged: david garrido, garrido's, Jason Dady, Joel Harrington, Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts, Neighborhood Services, Nick Badovinus, rebecca rather, Renee Morgan, Samar, Stephan Pyles, Stephan Pyles Celebrity Chef Dinner, Stephan Pyles Culinary Scholarship, Sugar & Smoke, The Lodge, Wine & Food Foundation of Texas