Apparently Austin can never have too much fun or too many festivals.
Tickets go on sale at ten in the morning on Tuesday for the brand-new Hot Luck Festival, a round-up of casual food events and live music performances happening May 18 through May 21. The fest is the brainchild of Austin barbecue guru Aaron Franklin, Guerilla Suit principal and Mohawk owner James Moody, and Mike Thelin, cofounder of Feast Portland, a successful Oregon festival.
Unlike most fests, which center around one central location, this one will be dispersed around Texas’s capital city and environs, from Franklin Barbecue to the Mohawk to the Wild Onion Ranch and more.
The just-released talent lineup has strong local and national components. Among the more than twenty Austin culinary stars—besides Franklin—are Andrew Wiseheart of Contigo; Tyson Cole of Uchi; Bryce Gilmore of Odd Duck; Callie Speer of Bombshell; Jesse Griffiths of Dai Due; David Bull of Second Bar + Kitchen; Kevin Fink of Emmer & Rye; Laura Sawicki and Rene Ortiz of Launderette; and Yoshi Okai of Otoko.
Representing other Texas cities will be Chris Shepherd of Underbelly in Houston; Jason Dady of Tre Trattoria and the Bin in San Antonio; Rebecca Masson of Fluff Bake Bar in Houston; Steve McHugh of Cured in San Antonio; and John Tesar of Knife steakhouse in Dallas.
From out of state, stars include Adam Perry Lang of APL Restaurant in New York; Roy Choi of Kogi BBQ Truck in Los Angeles; Joshua Pinsky and Matthew Rudofker of Momofuku in New York; and Alex Stupak of Empellón in New York. Portland will have especially strong representation, thanks to organizer Mike Thelin. Hailing from that city are Adam Sappington of the Country Cat; Andy Ricker of Pok Pok; Joshua McFadden of Ava Gene’s; and Nong Poonsukwattana of Nong’s Khao Man Gai.
Besides the many smaller events, two evening gatherings (at as-yet-unannounced venues) will bring together large groups of chefs. The first, on May 19, has been dubbed the Hi Lo and will focus on dishes that inspired the featured chefs’ beginning in cooking. The second, Al Fuego, will be held outdoors and will celebrate live-fire cooking, on May 20.
Hot Luck’s music line-up, the other half of the attraction, will be announced in April, as will information on a brunch series, to be held on Sunday, May 21.
Attendance options include individual tickets (starting at $25, on sale next month) and range upward (to $550 for all-inclusive access).
A portion of the proceeds will benefit the SAFE Alliance, which serves the survivors of child abuse, sexual assault and exploitation, and domestic violence.
