Memphis Food & Wine Festival: Here are the chefs and wineries you shouldn't miss
Jennifer Chandler
More than 40 wineries and over 40 chefs from across Memphis and around the country will gather Oct. 12 for a night of amazing food, stellar wines and a heaping serving of fun.
Memphis Food & Wine Festival will be held at the Memphis Botanic Garden. It’s a night not to be missed. The lineup of world-renowned chefs, hometown favorites and first-class vintners rivals top food festivals across the country.
"From the beginning, we wanted this to be the best party in Memphis ever,” said Jose Gutierrez, event co-founder and chef/owner of River Oaks. “And now we strive to top it year after year.”
Here are five chefs and three wineries not to be missed:
Five chefs not to miss
Ken Frank
Ken Frank is the executive chef and owner of La Toque in Napa, California. His restaurant earned a Michelin Star every year they have been awarded in Wine Country.
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This will be the chef’s third time to participate in the Memphis Food & Wine Festival.
Frank’s featured dish will be Llano Seco Pork with Tonnato Sauce and Chicharone Gremolata.
Thierry Rautureau
Known as the "Chef In The Hat," Thierry Rautureau is the executive chef and owner of restaurants Luc Bistro and Loulay Kitchen and Bar in Seattle. It will be the second time this French Master Chef has appeared at the Memphis Food & Wine Festival.
Wondering about his nickname? Rautureau is rarely spotted without his signature fedora.
Rautureau will serve Dungeness Crab with Grapefruit, Avocados, Pickled Vegetables and a Grapefruit Crème.
Deb Paquette
Deb Paquette is the award-winning chef of restaurants ETCH and etc. in Nashville. She is known for her adventurous Southern-meets-global cuisine.
This will be her third time to participate in the festival. She will serve a dish she calls a Tortilla Shooter. In the shooter will be Amarillo potato, confit chicken, achiote orange vinaigrette, cilantro, sunflower sprouts and queso.
Gerard Bertholon
This is the second time French Master Chef Gerard Bertholon has attended the festival.
Bertholon is the chief strategy officer for Cuisine Solutions, a renowned company considered the experts on sous vide cooking.
At the festival, Bertholon will show off his sous vide skills, serving Pork Belly with Beluga Lentils and Mirepoix.
Michelle Tribble
Michelle Tribble is the executive chef at Gordon Ramsay Hell’s Kitchen restaurant in Caesar’s Palace Las Vegas.
Prior to winning the first All-Star season of "Hell’s Kitchen," the Dallas native placed third during Season 14’s competition. Among the youngest competitors in the show’s history, Tribble was the first contestant who participated in two different seasons and made it to the finals on her second appearance and won.
Tribble will serve two dishes. The first will be a Golden Beet Salad with Greek yogurt, kumquats, pistachio granola and white balsamic vinaigrette. The second will be a Peaches and Cream Cheesecake with spiced peach purée, vanilla bean whipped cream and a peach chip.
Three wineries not to miss
Rombauer Vineyards
When founders Koerner and Joan Rombauer moved their two children, two horses and five dogs to Napa Valley, California, in 1972, they arrived armed with an appreciation for the intimate relationship between food and wine. In 1980, they founded Rombauer Vineyards. From that date forward, they have crafted one of the most sought-after Chardonnays coming out of California.
This table is a must not only for the Chardonnay, but if you have not tried the red wines from Rombauer, you won’t believe the amazing quality.
Gerard Bertrand
With 246,000 hectares of land under vine, the Languedoc in France is one of the largest wine regions in the world. Gerard Bertrand owns 15 wine estates in the Languedoc.
At the festival, they will pour a selection of his red, white, sparkling and rose wines including his collaborative effort rose made with Jon Bon Jovi called Diving Into Hampton Water.
Michael David
This family-owned winery makes serious wines, but they are all about fun. From Michael David Winery's colorfully labeled Freakshow wines to their powerful Earthquake wines, there is something for everyone.
Their winemaker, Adam Mettler, was named winemaker of the year in 2018 by Wine Enthusiast magazine. The wines are made in Lodi, California, which was named wine region of the year in 2015 by Wine Enthusiast. Download the app to become one of the “freaks” on a label.
Jennifer Chandler is the Food & Dining reporter at The Commercial Appeal. She can be reached at jennifer.chandler@commercialappeal.com and you can follow her on Twitter and Instagram at @cookwjennifer.
At a glance
Memphis Food & Wine Festival
When: Oct. 12; gates open at 6 p.m.
Where: Memphis Botanic Garden
Tickets: General Admission tickets are $200. Tickets with reserved seating are $250.