Chefs for Farmers Dallas Is Bigger and Better Than Ever With New Two-Day Main Event

A milestone year for Chefs for Farmers (CFF) Dallas, the food and wine festival returned to Old City Park for its 15th annual event this fall, and it was the biggest and best year yet.

Founded by Iris Midler in 2010 as a one-night farm dinner, the festival has grown into one of Texas’s most celebrated culinary events. CFF champions local chefs, farmers, and artisans — giving Texas talent the stage while honoring sustainability, hospitality, and community. Its mission has always been to celebrate farmers and Texas foodways, bridging the gap between city and countryside through an unforgettable series of events.

Last year, the festival saw a record-breaking 75 participating chefs and 3,500 attendees at the Main Event. So, this year, Chefs for Farmers did what made sense for such growth — expanded the Main Event into two days (Saturday and Sunday). For the 2025 event, more than 100 chefs participated over the weekend. CFF launched new weekend passes (both VIP and GA), giving visitors access to both main event days.

Other CFF foodie events leading up to the weekend included An Evening in the Garden with powerhouse chefs such as 2025 James Beard Award finalist Jeremiah Langhorne, James Beard Award semifinalist Lamar Moore, Mot Hai Ba’s Peja Krstic, and Taylor Kearney. Another was Flavors on Fire, presented by BMW, which was hosted by Mirador‘s Travis Wyatt, Junior Borges, and Brian Streeter. And then there was an Italian Social, presented by Peroni and hosted by Via Triozzi’s Leigh Hutchinson at Eataly Dallas.

Each year, CFF awards a Best Bite Award during the Main Event. And since there were two days this year, two spots won the award. Presented by American Airlines & Mastercard, Saturday’s Best Bite winners were Bali Street Cafe, which partnered with Southern Sunny Acres. They won with their dish of 8-Hour Beef Stew with Herbs & Coconut Milk, served with Coconut-Infused Fried Chicken or Vegan Tempeh topped with Chili Peanut Sauce. Sunday’s winners were Adios Fajitas, in partnership with Hooser Custom Eats, celebrated their win with Beef Empanadas served with creamy ranch.

When we attended the Main Event on Sunday, we most enjoyed Tango Room‘s Yuzu Kosho Crudo by Chef David Gomez, Rainbow Cat’s Unicorn Dog by Chef Misti Norris, and Foie Macaron by Chef Travis Wyatt and Chef Kamryne Chase.

But there’s not only food to enjoy at Chefs for Farmers. On Saturday, Gavin Story Band performed on the stage. New immersive activations also popped up around Old City Park during the Main Event including The Rosé Ranch (featuring curated rosé garden party vibes), a Tailgate Lounge (think shaded seating, games, and game-day energy), a Smoke Show Rodeo BBQ (rodeo-style arena with open-fire cooking), a Texas Love Zone (refreshed BBQ-inspired décor + chef lineups), as well as a wellness and picnic-style lounge.

Funds from the event each year benefit local organizations, such as Seed Project Foundation’s McKinney Roots, and additional contributions to Giving Tree Acres, Paul Quinn College, and New Friends New Life.