(Ground beef guru Josh Ozersky, from a 2008 Nightline appearance)

Wednesday at approximately 4 p.m., culinary event planner Mike Thelin was driving around Austin in search of hardwood briquettes, trying to fill a last-minute request from one of the many chefs participating in the Texas Hill Country Wine and Food Festival. The 26th edition kicks off tonight with the Stars Across Texas Classic at the Long Center for the Performing Arts.

Local talent will be featured at the gala, including Austinites Tyson Cole (Uchi/Uchiko), Shawn Cirkiel (Parkside) and David Bull (Congress), new part-time San Antonioan John Besh (Luke) and current Texas Monthly cover star Tom Perini (Perini Ranch).

But Thelin and the festival staff have also wrangled an eclectic out-of-towner A-List for the weekend, including L.A.’s Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo (Animal), Australian chef and cookbook author Andrew Dwyer and several luminaries from his own home base of Portland, Oregon. (more…)

Tagged: barbecue, bbq, beef, food, hamburger, hill country, Josh Ozersky, pat sharpe, Restaurants, texas, wine