Dallas Arboretum Welcomes Summer With a Garden Soirée and the City’s Top Chefs

The Annual Food and Wine Festival Recalls the Roaring '20s

By Fernanda Aguero // Jun 30, 2021

Photography Dallas Arboretum/Steve Foxall

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Alicia Voltmer, event chair, and Chef Sharon Van Meter, chef chair (Photo by Dallas Arboretum/Steve Foxall)

Bianca Jones, Andre Boson (Photo by Dallas Arboretum/Steve Foxall)

Chef Matt McCallister of Homewood, Noel Than (Photo by Dallas Arboretum/Steve Foxall)

Arquila Todd, Dr. Monica Anderson (Photo by Dallas Arboretum/Steve Foxall)

Chef John Tesar (left) prepares food for VIP guests in A Tasteful Place. (Photo by Dallas Arboretum/Steve Foxall)

Allison Brim, Joe Estelle (Photo by Dallas Arboretum/Steve Foxall)

Lucy Martinez, Rhonda Combs, and Matt Meyer of Bisous Bisous (Photo by Dallas Arboretum/Steve Foxall)

Meredith Lavallais, Delores Melton (Photo by Dallas Arboretum/Steve Foxall)

Chaley Pettit, Margo Moore, Courtney and Paul Maletic (Photo by Dallas Arboretum/Steve Foxall)

Andy and Sue Frye (Photo by Dallas Arboretum/Steve Foxall)

Chef Nikky Phinyawatana of Asian Mint (Photo by Dallas Arboretum/Steve Foxall)

Connie Ball, Carrie Dubberley, Linda Williamson, Terrie Riggs (Photo by Dallas Arboretum/Steve Foxall)

Chef Dunia Borga of La Duni Baking Studio serves dessert to Monica Narula. (Photo by Dallas Arboretum/Steve Foxall)

Chuck and Marci McDaniel (Photo by Dallas Arboretum/Steve Foxall)

Laura Beverly, Christine Corley, Sandie Brown, Barbara Jane Kaplan (Photo by Dallas Arboretum/Steve Foxall)

Peter Griess, Tiffany Reese, Sheetal and Dipesh Patel (Photo by Dallas Arboretum/Steve Foxall)

John Dzminiski, Kenneth Braddock, Michael Lane, Lynn Fisher (Rosewood Ranches Waygu Beef) (Photo by Dallas Arboretum/Steve Foxall)

Megan Proska serves wine to a guest (Photo by Dallas Arboretum/Steve Foxall)

David and Sarah Fitzgerald, Jason and Rebecca Hussey (Photo by Dallas Arboretum/Steve Foxall)

Samantha Kay, Adam Richburg, Candace Hughes (Photo by Dallas Arboretum/Steve Foxall)

Steve DeShazo, Chef Sharon Van Meter (Photo by Dallas Arboretum/Steve Foxall)

Chef Christopher Patrick of Bright Box Food, Peter Creedon (Photo by Dallas Arboretum/Steve Foxall)

Mick Mickelsen, Jolie Bailey (Photo by Dallas Arboretum/Steve Foxall)

Leah Santa Maria, Christy Harris (Photo by Dallas Arboretum/Steve Foxall)

Flapper dresses and cowboy hats danced together to the music of several local artists at the Dallas Arboretum’s annual Food and Wine Festival. The June 10^th celebration, themed A Great Gatsby Garden Soirée, featured all the Roaring ’20s classics with feathers and fringes decorating the botanical garden’s blooming lawn.

The first day of summer gathered Dallas’s top local chefs for a tasting of various small plates, all paired with a selection of wines. Sponsors Rosewood Ranches Wagyu Beef and Amegy Bank brought together 28 chefs from some of the most beloved and sought-after dining destinations in Dallas, including Cane Rosso, Petra and the Beast, Homewood, José, Carte Blanche, and Fearing’s Restaurant. Accompanying wine was provided by Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits, giving guests an assortment of bottles to choose from.

Chef John Tesar (left) prepares food for VIP guests in A Tasteful Place. — Knife’s Chef John Tesar (left) prepares food for VIP guests in the Dallas Arboretum’s A Tasteful Place.

Dozens of plates handed out at the festival, from the jar cakes from La Duni Baking Studio to the brisket hoagie from The Meat Shop, allowed for guests to travel across Dallas in one day. The ’20s-themed day blending together some of the hidden gems, and local celebrity chefs, the city has to offer.

View the slideshow above to relive the Dallas Arboretum’s 2021 Food and Wine Festival, and visit dallasarboretum.org for more information about summer programming.