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Addison has long been known for its amazing events, and we were lucky enough to have the opportunity to get a sneak peek of the new culinary concept coming in two weeks. Addison Fork and Cork is a refresh on Addison’s annual “Taste Addison†that reaches beyond the ordinary into very cool new territory. I can’t wait to see Marcus Samuelsson from ABC’s The Taste and catch some legendary tunes from Pat Green. If the preview event is any indication of what is to come, you can pretty much throw out any pre-conceived notions from the Taste Addison days, because this new concept is going to blow everybody away! Seriously, the chefs are top notch, the food is amazing, and the cocktails came at us with expert precision.
I’d say the best part of the whole preview, however, was the opportunity to meet the chefs and hear the passion behind the dishes that they are bringing to the table and the commitment they have to making this a truly unique experience. I even got some super secret bartending advice for making the perfect Old Fashioned from Eddie “Lucky” Campbell (don’t worry Eddie, I’m not telling). If you haven’t already, I definitely recommend putting this one on your calendar. It’s going to be one to remember. We attended the Austin Food and Wine Festival a couple of years ago, and I honestly think Addison is going to give Austin a run for their money this year. May 16th and 17th will mark the first annual occurrence of this event, and we couldn’t be more excited. Tickets for the event are available at www.addisonforkandcork.com, and Dallas Food Nerd Readers can use the code BLOGGER4 to get 20% off!
Adding a unique twist to this kind of event, Fork and Cork will offer three different experiences depending on when you choose to attend. You’ll probably find us hanging around on Friday night to take advantage of the all-inclusive option, which sounds like a heck of a deal, but with Mr. Green performing on Saturday, we might have to make a stop for both days.
First, attendees on Friday the 16th will see an all-inclusive fare with $65 food and drink tickets, sampling delicious cocktails, craft brews and wines, along with signature selections from some of the best chefs in the area. A portion of the proceeds from Friday night will go to benefit an awesome organization called Café Momentum, which is a non-profit devoted to teaching troubled youth the skills they need to thrive in real world environments through re-release programs. They like to joke that they teach kids to play with knives and fire, but the work they are doing is changing lives and I think they are the perfect match to benefit from Fork and Cork. You can learn all about what they are doing at cafemomentum.org.
FORK & CORK KICK-OFF PARTY
Friday, May 16, 6 p.m. – 10 p.m.
$65 ticket includes sampling opportunities (limited tickets available)
- Â Hosted by Texas country artist Pat Green
- Â Food competition judged by Marcus Samuelsson
-  All-inclusive evening of bite-sized food and beverage samples served by some of Addison’s and DFW’s best chefs
- Â Grand Tasting Pavilion with 40 vendors
- Â Local music and art demonstrations throughout the evening
- Â Addison Draft House Beer Garden and Vintner’s Lounge
As a second option, Saturday the 17th attendees will find a $35 entry fee, granting access to the Grand Tasting Tent, the Pat Green  where local restaurants will be serving a wild variety of tastes between $1 and $5 each.
FORK & CORK FESTIVAL
Saturday, May 17, noon – 11 p.m.
$35 General Admission Ticket Includes
- Â Local music all day plus headlining Pat Green concert (9 p.m.)
-  Grand Tasting Pavilion with 40 vendors (2 p.m. – 6 p.m.)
- Â Complimentary bite-sized samples served by 5 guest restaurants (while supplies last)
- Â Food samples sold by 20 Addison restaurants ($1-5 each)
- Â Local artist demonstrations and Marketplace
- Â Addison Draft House Beer Garden and Vintner’s Lounge
- Â Seminars by local breweries and wineries
And finally, for the grandest experience of all, there are a limited number of VIP packages available for $100 that provide valet parking, special access to see Marcus Samuelsson in action, join in on special tasting opportunities, meet world famous chefs, and even try their hand in VIP cooking classes!
VIP
$100 VIP Ticket Includes
- Â General admission amenities plus complimentary valet parking
- Â Hands-on cooking demonstrations and tasting classes, including a demo led by celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson – plus access to cookbook signing and meet and greet
- Â Commemorative Fork & Cork Wine Glass
- Â A night out on the Lincoln Motor Company, including a complimentary vehicle for the evening and dinner for two
- Â Early access to the Grand Tasting area
The list of restaurants participating this year is extensive and impressive.
Featured Participating Restaurants:
- Abacus, Jaspers, Rathbun’s Blue Plate Kitchen, Kent Rathbun Catering and KB’s, Kent Rathbun
- Addison Ice House, Brian Isaacs
- Belly & Trumpet, Brian Zenner
- Bijoux & Second Floor, Scott Gotlich
- BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse
- Blue Goose Cantina, Matt Mortimor
- Blue Mesa, Ignacio Amezquita
- Canary by Gorji, Gorji
- Cantina Laredo, Rambo Saucedo
- Chamberlain’s Steak and Chop House &
- Chamberlain’s Fish Market Grill, Richard Chamberlain
- Casa Rubia, Omar Flores
- Ferrari’s Italian Villa, Stefano Secchi
- Fogo de Chao
- Kampai Sushi and Grill, Luke Ma
- Kenny’s Italian Kitchen & Kenny’s Wood Fired Grill, Kenny Bowers
- Lazaranda Modern Kitchen & Tequila, Antonio Marquez
- Mercy Wine Bar, Vincent Havard
- Oak, Richard Gras
- Pakpao THAI, Ann Marie Romero
- Polk-A-Dot Bakery, Narcy Gonzalez
- Smoke, Chicken Scratch and Outpost American Tavern, Tim Byres
- Taste of Cuba, Isaac Rousso
- Texas de Brazil
- The Melting Pot
- Vernon’s Gastropub
- Z Taverna, Richard Silva
Now, I know what question you are begging to ask. “What was the sneak peek like?!†Well here you go!
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