Tastemaker Awards

Dallas culinary superstars and food fans toast the 2021 Tastemaker Awards

It was all the very best food and drink at the 2021 Dallas-Fort Worth Tastemaker Awards, CultureMap's celebration of the top restaurants, bars, and culinary masters, held at the Fashion Industry Gallery in downtown Dallas on August 19.

Dozens of bars and restaurants dished out spectacular tastes in a hedonistic feast. A portion of the proceeds benefited Harvest Project Food Rescue, which fights food insecurity in Dallas. The annual event, coming back from an all-virtual edition in 2020, proved to be the most delicious one yet.

Lines formed quickly for small plates and samples from some of Dallas-Fort Worth's most popular and influential eateries. Buzzy dishes included Mendocino Farms' “Not So Fried” chicken sandwiches; wagyu sliders from Jaxon Texas Kitchen & Beer Garden; slipper lobster "pancakes" from Saint Ann's; beef udon from Marugame Udon; pepper and garlic shrimp with peri peri chicken from Dahlia Bar & Bistro; and smoked pheasant and goat cheese grits from Backyard at Hotel Drover.

Those with a sweet tooth delighted in Bobbers Burgers' Dole Whip vegan soft-serve cups and dainty but delectable personal-sized Route 66 Pecan Pies from Haywire.

Chefs from Omni Dallas passed out the most Instagrammable plate of the night, with their colorful cheese ball "towers" — a dried date with blue cheese mousse, red grape with boursin and pistachio, and heirloom cherry tomato with herb goat cheese mousse — stacked high on a skewer for easy photo-snapping and snacking.

VIP ticket-holders could arrive early to valet park easily and mingle in a lounge just for them. Beer drinkers made themselves at home in the Beer Garden presented by Deep Ellum Brewing Company.

The main bar poured signature cocktails featuring the spirits of sponsors Maestro Dobel Tequila and Stranahan's Single Malt Whiskey. A fan favorite was the Summer Garden (created by last year's Bartender of the Year winner, Josh Hendrix), made with Boodles Rhubarb & Strawberry Gin, fresh watermelon and lime juices, and FeverTree Pink Grapefruit Soda. Guests paced themselves at the Topo Chico Hydration Station.

But this party wasn't just a feeding frenzy; we had some awards to present. Celebrity emcee, comedian CJ Starr, announced winners in 14 categories from restaurants and bars across Dallas-Fort Worth. They were selected by judges consisting of past winners, food and beverage industry experts, and CultureMap editors: Chas Martin, Toby Archibald, Gavin Secchi, Diana Zamora, Josh Hendrix, Jacob Tindall, Lisa Stroup, Marc Ramirez, Kim Pham, Fabian Hernandez, Jamil Bata, Vu Ly, Stephan Courseau, Janice Provost, Alex Gonzalez, Sarah Hooton, Markus Kypreos, Mike Hoque, Malcolm Mayhew, Celestina Blok, Samantha Calimbahin, Eric Griffey, Connie Bally, Henry Abuto, Stephanie Merry, and Teresa Gubbins.

One of the biggest awards of the night was for Best New Restaurant, voted on by the CultureMap readers. The winners were Monarch in Dallas and La Onda in Fort Worth. They were greeted with some of the heartiest cheers of the evening.

Winners accepted gorgeous glass trophies onstage and posed for pictures; some groups even streamed the presentation live on social media for their fans to watch at home.

Two special awards were given to individuals who contributed greatly to the local dining scene during the pandemic; they went to chef Jon Bonnell (Waters, Bonnell's) in Fort Worth and bread queen Meadors Ozarow (Empire Baking) in Dallas.

Between feasting and celebrating, guests stopped to snap Insta-worthy photos at the photo booth and bought raffle tickets benefiting Harvest Project Food Rescue. A DJ kept the beats lively all night.

Spotted in the crowd, having great foodie fun, were Dallas dining VIPS, award winners and nominees, and guests Troy Gardner, Matt Balke, Liz Mitchell, Kim Finch, Dayne and Ashley Weaver, George Kaiho, Brooks Anderson, Jimmy Contreras, Claudia Randalls, Gustavo Guevara, Marisol Leiva, Caroline Sheridan, Paulina Leiva, Grace Kelly, Christian Kelly, Laura Russell, Tara Hollis, Darlene Hollis, Darren Chankhamany, Tina Le, Amber Bufkin, and Faith Heitz.

Hungry to be a part of it all next year? You can read about all the winners here, and we'll see you in 2022. Cheers!

Mendocino Farms' “Not So Fried” chicken sandwiches were a hit.

Photo by Ashley Gongora

Mendocino Farms' “Not So Fried” chicken sandwiches were a hit.

tastemakers

A Glittering Celebration

Christine Baranski brings Hollywood sparkle to Dallas luncheon

Photo by Kim Leeson

Karen Hughes White, Caren Lock, Christine Baranski, Shonn Brown.

The Omni Dallas Hotel shimmered in ruby tones on November 14 as more than 950 supporters gathered to celebrate a milestone four decades in the making: the Texas Women’s Foundation’s Ruby Anniversary Luncheon.

The afternoon blended Hollywood sparkle — courtesy of award-winning actress Christine Baranski — with heartfelt tributes to the visionary women who sparked a movement in Texas 40 years ago.

The annual luncheon, one of the region’s most significant events advancing women and girls, raised an impressive $840,000. More than $112,000 of that came in during the program itself, underscoring the energy in the room and the urgency of the mission.

TXWF used the occasion to announce a landmark figure: a cumulative $115 million in impact since its founding in 1985. That number includes nearly $90 million in grants to organizations serving women and girls, as well as more than $25 million invested in research, advocacy, and leadership initiatives designed to shape long-term change.

Board chair Cris Zertuche Wong opened the program by welcoming seven of the Foundation’s 11 living founders, who also served as the event's honorary co-chairs: Susan Shamburger Bagwell, the Honorable Harryette Ehrhardt, Catalina E. Garcia, Frances Griffin-Brown, Helen LaKelly Hunt, the Honorable Kay Bailey Hutchison, Madeline Mandell, Patricia Meadows, Gwendolyn Oliver, CoYoTe PhoeNix, and Rebecca Russell Sykes.

Their presence cast a powerful through line from 1985 to 2025, reminding guests how a collective of 19 bold women stepped across differences in background, beliefs, and political leanings to create an organization with the singular purpose of supporting Texas women and their families.

Wong also recognized former Foundation leaders and Ruby Anniversary co-chairs from across the decades: Gail Griswold and Brenda Jackson representing the 1980s; Laura Estrada, the 1990s; Helen Frank, the 2000s; and Shonn Brown, the 2020s.

TXWF president and CEO Karen Hughes White spoke to the road ahead, noting that while the founders’ vision remains timeless, the challenges facing Texas women have grown more complex. “It will take all of us to create meaningful, lasting, systemic change that levels the playing field for women and, in turn, creates a strong and vibrant Texas for all,” she said.

Throughout the luncheon, guests were treated to archival video clips of the founders recalling how they built TXWF from scratch: the meetings held around kitchen tables, the spirited debates, the shared belief that change was not only possible but necessary.

Brown then honored each of the 11 living founders, as well as those who have passed, noting that their collective voice will be further amplified in a forthcoming 40-story collection documenting TXWF's history.

The afternoon’s featured guest, introduced by Target executive and event sponsor Sabrina Thomas, was the incomparable Christine Baranski, the Emmy and Tony-winning actress of The Good Wife, Cybil, and The Gilded Age.

In an onstage conversation moderated by former board chair Caren Lock, Baranski charmed the audience with stories from her upbringing in Buffalo, New York, where she grew up in a working-class Polish American family. She spoke of perseverance, discipline, and dreaming big, qualities that carried her to Juilliard and ultimately into a celebrated four-decade career spanning television, film, and theater.

As the luncheon drew to a close, the mood was equal parts celebratory and forward-looking. Forty years in, the Texas Women’s Foundation continues to push for equity with the same passion that fueled its founding.

Photo by Kim Leeson

Karen Hughes White, Caren Lock, Christine Baranski, Shonn Brown.

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