The third annual Hot Luck Fest returns on Memorial Day Weekend, May 23 – 26. Austin’s premier culinary and music festival and traveling party celebrates all things food and music as tickets for the three-day festival go on sale TODAY at www.HotLuckFest.com.
Created and founded by James Beard Award-winner Aaron Franklin, Guerilla Suit principal and Mohawk owner James Moody, and Mike Thelin, co-founder of Feast Portland, Hot Luck is what happens at the fire—in the flames. It’s where the inspiration turns into food, feeding the people, music, the fellowship leading to several round of crazy ideas that flicker to life.
“Every year, we try and take things up a notch and this year is no different. We have all been on the Keto diet getting ready for this year’s fest – it’s going to be a doozy,” said James Moody. “Archers of Loaf is playing, and Aaron’s cooking hot dogs. Collectively, our dreams are coming true.”
In true Hot Luck style, all music shows will showcase some of Austin’s beloved music venues, including Mohawk, Antone’s, and Barracuda. Scheduled shows to date include Lucero, Leftover Salmon, Archers of Loaf, The Suffers, PJ Morton, Sunflower Bean, Robert Ellis, Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band, Naughty Professor, New Breed Brass Band, Harlem, El Tule and more.
Jump Ahead To
Hot Luck 2019 Chef Line-up
NATIONAL CHEFS:
Abraham Conlon, Fat Rice (Chicago); Alon Shaya, Saba (New Orleans); Chris Bianco, Pizzeria Bianco (Phoenix); Doug Adams, Bullard (Portland); Elias Cairo, Olympia Provisions (Portland); Gabriel Rucker, Le Pigeon (Portland); Greg & Gabi Denton, Ox (Portland); Jason Vincent & Ben Lustbader, Giant (Chicago); Jeremiah Stone, Contra (New York); Katie Button, Button & Co. Bagels (Asheville); Mason Hereford, Turkey and the Wolf (New Orleans); Matty Matheson, TV Host, Just A Dash; Sara Kramer & Sarah Hymanson, Kismet (Los Angeles).
TEXAS CHEFS:
Chris Shepherd, Georgia James (Houston); Justin Yu, Theodore Rex (Houston); Rebecca Masson, Fluff Bake Bar (Houston); Rico Torres & Diego Galicia, Mixtli (San Antonio); Steve McHugh, Cured (San Antonio).
AUSTIN CHEFS:
Aaron Franklin, Franklin BBQ; Alex Manley & Jen Tucker, Swedish Hill; Andre Natera, Garrison & Revue; Andrew Wisehart, Contigo; Austin Rocconi, Hotel Ella; Bryan Butler & Ben Runkle, Salt & Time; Callie Speer, Holy Roller; Chad Dolezal, The Hightower; David Norman, Easy Tiger; Fermín Núñez & Sam Hellman-Mass, Suerte; Fiore Tedesco,L’Oca d’Oro; Gabe Erales; Ivana & Yamila Maldonado, Cuyo; Jason Stude, East Austin Hotel; JB Gross, Loro; Kevin Fink, Emmer & Rye; Jesse Griffiths, Dai Due; Laura Sawicki, Launderette; Max Snyder, Pitchfork Pretty; Michael Fojtasek, Olamaie; Miguel Vidal, Valentina’s Tex Mex; Philip Speer, upcoming restaurant; Sarah Heard & Nathan Lemley, Foreign & Domestic; Sarah McIntosh, Épicerie; Tatsu Aikawa, Tatsu-Ya; Tavel Bristol-Joseph, Emmer & Rye; Todd Duplechan & Jessica Maher, Lenoir; Tyson Cole, Uchi; Yoshi Okai, Otoko; Zach Hunter, The Brewer’s Table.
Hot Luck 2019 officially kicks off on Thursday, May 23 and will continue through Sunday, May 26. Ticket options for Hot Luck offers a little something for everyone, with prices ranging from $10 – $550.
HOT LUCK EVENTS
The Giddy Up:
Mohawk THURSDAY, MAY 23 (7 p.m.)
Presented by our friends at YETI, The Giddy Up is our welcome party for the Hot Luck family. All our food heroes get together to swap whopping lies and insider truths about life in the weeds. Canada’s favorite son Matty Matheson will be joined by local luminaries such as Callie Speer, Chad Dolezal, and Yoshi Okai for this industry shindig, with tunes furnished by Texas Piano Man, Robert Ellis, and friends. Get on down to The Giddy Up — eat, drink, and hoot with the chefs and culinary nerds behind this whole prandial extravagance.
*This event is only available via the Whole Enchilada pass. All bites are included; beverages will be available for purchase.
Hi, How Are You?
Franklin Barbecue (7 – 10 p.m.) FRIDAY, MAY 24
Welcome to Hot Luck ‘19, and for a lot of you, welcome to Austin. Join us for this East Side backyard get-together featuring Aaron Franklin of Franklin Barbecue—famous for the longest lines in the history of lunch. He’ll be joined by Portland heroes Gabriel Rucker (Le Pigeon) and Elias Cairo (Olympia Provisions), along with Texans Chris Shepherd, Rebecca Masson, Sarah McIntosh, Tavel Bristol-Joseph, Luigi’s mom, and more for a one-of-a-kind block party.
Al Fuego
Wild Onion Ranch (7 – 10 p.m.) SATURDAY, MAY 25
Al Fuego is Hot Luck’s main event: a live-action, flame-fueled celebration of open-air cooking styles—from Texas to Thailand. We coax the chefs to kick it casual (not that hard) and cook what they might for friends in their own backyards. We set them up with the best meats, the coldest beer, and Aaron Franklin might even build them a specialty cooker. The entire reason Hot Luck exists is to celebrate the fare rarely seen at large events—the obsessively prepared, passionately executed, inspiring food that chefs love to eat.
Couple de Grille
Austin Speed Shop (11 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.)
Sweet dreams and driving machines meet for autobrunch at our favorite vintage garage shop in town. Whether you roll slow and low, drift furiously, or are insured through Lloyds of London, prepare yourself for a gleaming spectacle of magnificent Motorcraft and meticulous morsels, ZZ Tapas style.
Additional Events
Fan of Lamb ATX Tour
Hot Luck has teamed up with American Lamb Board for a special #FanOfLamb initiative during Hot Luck 2019. We’ve partnered with four amazing restaurants in Austin’s East Side to showcase the variety of ways delicious lamb can be enjoyed. During regular service hours on Hot Luck weekend, Cisco’s, Kebabalicious, Micklethwait Craft Meats, and Salt & Time will each have a special Hot Luck lamb dish. Try one, or try ‘em all!
Show Snacks
This year, Hot Luck has partnered with some hometown heroes such as Home Slice Pizza, Scholz Garten, and Dean’s One Trick Pony to bring in some snacks at select music events. Stay tuned for more info on that.
TICKETS
The Whole Enchilada Ticket Package: $550
Hot Luck is offering a limited opportunity to experience the full weekend of the third annual Hot Luck food and music festival. Enjoy main events, music shows, and more! Come hang with chefs, mingle with the bartenders, and enjoy the most intimate festival experience available. For a behind-the-scenes look into Hot Luck, look no further. Limited to a handful of (really) lucky folks.
The Whole Enchilada Ticket Package Includes:
- The Giddy Up — Thursday night industry welcome party (Only available with Whole Enchilada pass)
- Hi, How Are You? at Franklin Barbecue — Main event Friday evening with early entry
- Al Fuego — Main event Saturday evening with early entry
- Coupe de Grille — Main event Sunday with early entry
- Access to allHot Luck Music Shows with priority entry.
- Ticket price includes food and refreshments at the three mainHot Luck food events on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, and food at Thursday industry kick off (21 and over only).
Hot Luck is proud to donate a portion of the festival’s proceeds to The SAFE Alliance. The SAFE Alliance is a merger of Austin Children’s Shelter and SafePlace, both long-standing and respected human service agencies in Austin serving the survivors of child abuse, sexual assault and exploitation, and domestic violence. Visit safeaustin.org to learn more about this amazing organization.