Grand Prairie, September 20, 2025
News Summary
The Shef Food + Wine Festival is set to return to Grand Prairie, bringing together culinary talent, tasting experiences, and a focus on workforce development in hospitality. This annual event will feature renowned chefs and elevate community engagement through educational initiatives and scholarships aimed at aspiring culinary students. With a variety of events from tastings to competitions, the festival promises a blend of public and industry-focused activities designed to create a positive impact in the hospitality sector.
Grand Prairie — The Shef Food + Wine Festival returns to Grand Prairie from October 24 to 26, 2025, bringing culinary talent, tasting experiences, and a workforce development focus tied to hospitality education and mentorship. The event, curated by two prominent restaurateurs, will combine public tastings and industry activities while directing support to workforce programs and scholarships.
What’s happening
The Shef Food + Wine Festival will take place in Grand Prairie from October 24 to 26, 2025. This is the second annual food and wine festival curated by Tiffany Derry and Tom Foley of T2D Concepts. Organizers describe the weekend as a mix of food and drink experiences, industry conversations, and community-focused initiatives designed to create a positive impact through hospitality.
Event details
The event kicks off on Friday, October 24, with a Restaurant Takeover at Radici Wood Fired Grill offering an exclusive four-course dinner. Friday’s schedule also includes a wine and whiskey tasting panel discussion led by industry hosts and an evening After Party to close the opening day. Saturday programming expands to include a Pickleball Tournament, multiple tasting sessions, cocktail presentations, and storytelling events that lead into a featured Grand Tasting showcasing food and drink from participating chefs and beverage partners. The weekend draws notable talent from competitive culinary shows and the restaurant world.
Featured culinary talent
Notable talent at the festival includes Top Chef competitors and restaurateurs Silvia Barban and Tavel Bristol-Joseph, in addition to Top Chef Season 22 winner Tristen Epps-Long. The roster mixes familiar television names with regionally recognized chefs and restaurateurs who will participate in demonstrations, panels, and the Grand Tasting stations.
Community focus and workforce development
The festival maintains a formal partnership with established nonprofit and industry groups to align the event with workforce and educational goals. The festival maintains a partnership with the Texas Restaurant Foundation to support the RECIPE workforce development platform by T2D Concepts, which focuses on empowering hospitality workers through education and mentorship. As part of that focus, Scholarships will be awarded to aspiring culinary students from the Dallas area during the festival. A limited number of festival tickets will also be distributed to hospitality professionals so that industry workers can attend.
Access and tickets
Tickets for the event are available, starting at $15, and can be purchased at ShefFoodandWine.com. General admission and ticketed tasting experiences are offered at different price points, with certain special events such as the Restaurant Takeover and select tasting panels requiring separate or upgraded passes. Organizers indicate that a limited allocation of tickets will be reserved for hospitality professionals to support workforce participation.
Why it matters
The weekend is positioned as both a public food-and-drink celebration and an industry-forward event that channels proceeds and attention into hospitality workforce development. By coupling high-profile culinary talent with scholarship awards and a partnership that supports the RECIPE workforce platform, festival organizers aim to deliver both visibility for chefs and concrete benefits for workforce training and mentorship within the region.
Schedule snapshot
- Friday, October 24 — Restaurant Takeover at Radici Wood Fired Grill (four-course dinner), tasting panel, After Party.
- Saturday — Pickleball Tournament, tastings, cocktails, storytelling sessions, evening Grand Tasting.
- Sunday — Closing activities and follow-up events (details to be posted by organizers).
Ticketing and additional notes
Tickets start at $15. Attendees should review event descriptions for each ticket tier to confirm what access is included. Hosts have indicated limited hospitality-industry ticket distributions and a series of scholarship awards to support local culinary students.
FAQ
When will the Shef Food + Wine Festival take place?
The Shef Food + Wine Festival will take place in Grand Prairie from October 24 to 26, 2025.
Who curated the festival?
This is the second annual food and wine festival curated by Tiffany Derry and Tom Foley of T2D Concepts.
How does the festival begin?
The event kicks off on Friday, October 24, with a Restaurant Takeover at Radici Wood Fired Grill offering an exclusive four-course dinner.
Will scholarships be awarded?
Scholarships will be awarded to aspiring culinary students from the Dallas area during the festival.
How can I buy tickets?
Tickets for the event are available, starting at $15, and can be purchased at ShefFoodandWine.com.
Who are some of the featured chefs?
Notable talent at the festival includes Top Chef competitors and restaurateurs Silvia Barban and Tavel Bristol-Joseph, in addition to Top Chef Season 22 winner Tristen Epps-Long.
Does the festival support workforce programs?
The festival maintains a partnership with the Texas Restaurant Foundation to support the RECIPE workforce development platform by T2D Concepts, which focuses on empowering hospitality workers through education and mentorship.
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Dates | October 24 to 26, 2025 |
| Location | Grand Prairie |
| Curators | Tiffany Derry and Tom Foley of T2D Concepts |
| Kickoff event | Restaurant Takeover at Radici Wood Fired Grill offering an exclusive four-course dinner |
| Saturday highlight | Grand Tasting featuring food and drink from acclaimed culinary talents |
| Workforce initiative | Partnership with the Texas Restaurant Foundation to support the RECIPE workforce development platform by T2D Concepts |
| Scholarships | Scholarships will be awarded to aspiring culinary students from the Dallas area during the festival |
| Tickets | Tickets for the event are available, starting at $15, and can be purchased at ShefFoodandWine.com |
Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic
HERE Resources
Dallas Weekend Brings Diverse Cultural Festivities
Hunky’s Cedar Springs Hosts Art Auction Benefiting Local Association
Fort Worth Food + Wine Foundation Launches New Fund for Culinary Innovators
Dallas-Fort Worth Area Events Highlight September Celebrations
Dallas Hosts Family-Friendly Mix It Up, Texas Festival
Dallas Brunch Scene Shines with National Recognition
Dallas Culinary Events Celebrate Mother’s Day
Taste Addison Celebrates 30 Years of Flavor
Additional Resources
- Dallas Voice: Chef Tiffany Derry Returns to Shef Food + Wine Festival
- Forbes: Dallas Gears Up for the Second Edition of the Shef Food + Wine Festival
- Dallas Observer: Tiffany Derry’s Shef Food Festival Returns
- Dallas News: Shef Food + Wine Festival Overview
- Paper City: Best North Texas Food Festivals
- Wikipedia: Culinary Festival
- Google Search: Shef Food + Wine Festival
- Google Scholar: Shef Food + Wine Festival
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Culinary Festival
- Google News: Shef Food + Wine Festival
Author: STAFF HERE DALLAS WRITER
DALLAS STAFF WRITER The DALLAS STAFF WRITER represents the experienced team at HEREDallas.com, your go-to source for actionable local news and information in Dallas, Dallas County, and beyond. Specializing in "news you can use," we cover essential topics like product reviews for personal and business needs, local business directories, politics, real estate trends, neighborhood insights, and state news affecting the area—with deep expertise drawn from years of dedicated reporting and strong community input, including local press releases and business updates. We deliver top reporting on high-value events such as the State Fair of Texas, Deep Ellum Arts Festival, and Dallas International Film Festival. Our coverage extends to key organizations like the Dallas Regional Chamber and United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, plus leading businesses in telecommunications, aviation, and semiconductors that power the local economy such as AT&T, Southwest Airlines, and Texas Instruments. As part of the broader HERE network, including HEREAustinTX.com, HERECollegeStation.com, HEREHouston.com, and HERESanAntonio.com, we provide comprehensive, credible insights into Texas's dynamic landscape.
