For over three years, Chris Shepherd had been hosting dinners in his restaurant to raise funds for various causes. One night, his friend and former sommelier Antonio Gianola asked if they could do one for the MS Society. Chris agreed, and it was only after they raised $181,000 that he learned Gianola had been diagnosed with the disease.
What began asa a relatively small dinner for the MS Society quickly grew into a broader, F+B-focused fouadtion-with a festival to boot-by 2015. Since them we’ve been serving ip flavors from some of the coury’s best chefs, all to benefit our fellow industry workers across the U.S.
Food & Wine magazine calls our three-day weekend “unmissable”. The Houston Chronicle calls it “an over-the-top barbecue-beer-and-wine-festival”.
We call it our favorite way to get together. Every time you buy a festival ticket, piece of merch, or beverage to whet your whistle, the profits directly support our general operations and Emergency Relief Fund, which gets industry individuals financial help just as soon as they need it. Grants have been used to pay for essentials like groceries, clothing, and medications, and have covered the cost of car repossessions, rent, natural disaster damages, lost wages, and more.
To date, we’ve distributed more than $9.3 million directly to people in need, and with your support- by way of wining and dining your way through the weekend-we’re able to help even more of those in need.
Cheers to a damn good time.
