{"id":430989,"date":"2026-09-09T21:00:17","date_gmt":"2026-09-09T21:00:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/430989\/"},"modified":"2026-09-09T21:00:17","modified_gmt":"2026-09-09T21:00:17","slug":"ut-austin-excels-on-list-of-best-schools-for-entrepreneurs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/430989\/","title":{"rendered":"UT Austin excels on list of best schools for entrepreneurs"},"content":{"rendered":"

A cooking competition will be at the heart of Legacy on a Plate,<\/a> a new festival building on<\/a> Austin\u2019s Soul Food Truck Festival. The October 9-11 celebration will bring African, Caribbean, and Texas soul food to Rosewood Park.<\/p>\n

Austin’s Soul Food Truck Festival celebrated Black food businesses for nearly a decade, and a Facebook post explains that the tradition will “evolve.” The post says, “This isn\u2019t a new story. It\u2019s the next chapter.”<\/p>\n

The food and music festival will anchor the wider festival on October 10, with additional events to come that focus on food entrepreneurs and Black culinary history.<\/p>\n

Competitors will create dishes featuring rice, sweet potato, or okra as they vie for a $5,000 grand prize and the title of Legacy on a Plate Food Champion. The challenge puts those ingredients at the center of a festival celebrating recipes, traditions, and the people carrying them forward.<\/p>\n

Taste, presentation, and cultural authenticity will guide the judging, according to the festival website. Festival founder Dawn Burnside, whose work includes Austin\u2019s Juneteenth celebrations and Black cultural programming, wants visitors to learn about the people behind their meals. The event will bring together chefs, food truck operators, artists, and entrepreneurs, with opportunities to discover local businesses and hear the stories behind their food.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe want people to understand that food carries our stories, our history, and our legacy,\u201d Burnside said in a release. \u201cThis festival is an opportunity to bring people together around the table, celebrate the incredible talent within our community, and create an experience that people will remember long after the last bite.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Soul Festivalgoers gather at a past Soul Food Truck Festival. Its successor, Legacy on a Plate, will feature a $5,000 cooking competition, food vendors, and live music.Carver ATX Foundation<\/a><\/p>\n

Beyond the competition, Saturday\u2019s plans include food trucks, retail vendors, family-friendly activities, and music spanning Afrobeats, R&B, hip-hop, Caribbean, and zydeco. Storytelling installations will explore soul food history and Austin\u2019s Black culinary legacy, adding context to the dishes visitors encounter.<\/p>\n

Friday\u2019s Black Culinary Excellence Symposium & Mixer opens the weekend with a vendors-only gathering, according to the website. Plans include panels, workshops, tastings, and networking for Black chefs, restaurant owners, food truck operators, and Black-owned wine and liquor brands.<\/p>\n

Sunday\u2019s Spiritual & Cultural Celebration will feature a community ceremony honoring Black food history, storytelling, and live music. A tree planting will symbolize legacy and roots, extending the weekend\u2019s focus on the connections between food, history, and community.<\/p>\n

Burnside also leads the Carver ATX Foundation<\/a>, established in 2022 by community stakeholders to support the growth and preservation of Austin\u2019s George Washington Carver Museum and Cultural Center. Its early work focused on advocacy, outreach, education, and fundraising to support Black history, culture, and creative expression.<\/p>\n

Legacy on a Plate receives partial support through Elevate<\/a>, the city cultural funding program that also supports events including HAAM Day and the Austin Women in Jazz Festival. The program helps fund public arts and cultural programming across Austin.<\/p>\n

Rosewood Park<\/a> is at 2300 Rosewood Ave. Tickets are available now via Eventbrite<\/a>. The festival also is looking for volunteers.<\/a> <\/p>\n