The 16th edition brings five days of chef collaborations, dinners and tastings to Dallas Nov. 4–8
Chefs For Farmers Food & Wine is returning to Dallas for its 16th edition, bringing five days of dinners, tastings and chef-farmer collaborations to the city from Nov. 4–8.
This year, the longtime Dallas food festival is adding a new partnership with the James Beard Foundation, along with a Community Impact Awards Dinner and an expanded Main Event lineup.
But even as the festival has grown from a single farm dinner in 2010, organizers say its focus remains on connecting the chefs preparing the food with the farmers producing it.
“Dallas’ dining scene has changed tremendously since we started Chefs For Farmers 16 years ago, but our purpose has always remained the same: to champion the incredible chefs and farmers doing the work here every day,” Chefs For Farmers Founder Iris Midler said in an official statement.
What began as a single farm dinner in 2010 has grown into a multi-day celebration, with Dallas restaurants and chefs gathering alongside local farmers for collaborative dishes and events.
A New James Beard Foundation Partnership
One of the biggest additions for 2026 is a Friends of James Beard Benefit Dinner on Nov. 4 at Meridian. Host chef Eduardo Osorio will be joined by Jennie Kelley and Brandon Moore of Fond, Misti Norris of Far Out, Peja Krstic of Mot Hai Ba, Reilly Brown of Frenchie and RJ Yoakum of Sushi Kozy for a collaborative multi-course dinner.
The evening will also include an auction benefiting the James Beard Foundation.
The festival will continue its collaborative dinner programming Nov. 5 with Under the Texas Sky at Far Out. Norris will host Houston chefs Evelyn Garcia and Henry Lu of JŪN and San Antonio chef Ian Lanphear of Isidore for a dinner centered on Texas ingredients and different perspectives on cooking across the state.
Recognizing Dallas’ Hospitality Community
New this year is the Community Impact Awards Dinner, scheduled for Sept. 30 at The Joule ahead of the November festival.
Hosted by Bob Sambol, the dinner will feature chefs Sezer Deniz, Aaron Collins and Osorio while recognizing Greg Katz, Jamey Bellan, Marisol Lopez and Richard Torres. The evening will also incorporate the Chad Houser Catalyst Award and benefit Café Momentum, the Dallas nonprofit restaurant and culinary training program serving justice-involved youth.
The Main Event Returns To Old City Park
The festival culminates with its Main Event at Old City Park, bringing together chefs, farmers, winemakers, distillers and other producers for all-inclusive tastings and entertainment.
New experiences for 2026 include the Texas Smoke Show, featuring Tim and Trey Hutchins of Hutchins BBQ and Justin Fourton of Pecan Lodge. The Palm Beaches Garden will pair chef-driven bites with wine, cocktails and live entertainment, while Boots, Barrels and BMWs will combine food and drinks with interactive programming.
The lineup also includes Dallas chefs such as Krstic, Osorio, Kelley, Moore, Norris, Yoakum, Deniz and Collins.
“We want people to discover a chef or restaurant they may not know yet, but also to understand where their food comes from, who grew it and the work that goes into getting it onto the plate. If we can use this festival to give our local talent a bigger platform while creating greater awareness around our foodways and processes, that’s what Chefs For Farmers is all about.”
Leyenda
A North Texas Connection Beyond The Festival
The Seed Project Foundation returns as the festival’s Dallas charity beneficiary, with $10 from every Main Event general admission ticket supporting its work in agricultural education, locally grown food and community initiatives. The North Texas nonprofit is also behind McKinney Roots and works with Harvest at the Masonic to support local agriculture and food access.
Chefs For Farmers runs Nov. 4–8, with programming at locations across Dallas. Single-day VIP tickets for the Main Event are sold out, while general admission tickets and VIP weekend passes remain available. Tickets, the complete chef lineup and additional programming are available through Chefs For Farmers.
Don’t miss anything Local. Sign up for our free newsletter.