Fall foodie event

Dallas chef Tiffany Derry reveals all-star lineup for 2026 SHEF food fest

Top Chef host Kristen Kish is one of the chefs coming to SHEF Food +Wine in 2026.

Photo courtesy of Arlo Grey

After just two years, Dallas celebrity chef Tiffany Derry's SHEF Food + Wine Festival has become one of the tastiest tickets of fall. The third edition will return October 9-11 at EpicCentral in Grand Prairie, welcoming the most star-studded chef lineup yet.

According to a release, more than 40 nationally acclaimed chefs, restaurateurs, television personalities, and culinary figures will gather for three days of food, wine, spirits, panels, parties, and chef-driven experiences in Dallas-Fort Worth.

Among the biggest names headed to the festival are Carla Hall (Chef, Emmy Award-Winning TV Personality), Duff Goldman (TV Personality, Chef & Musician), Kristen Kish (Chef, Emmy-nominated TV Host for Top Chef), Erick Williams (James Beard Award-winning Chef), and Tristen Epps-Long (Winner - Top Chef Season 22), to name a few.

Notable Dallas chefs will include familiar names like Anastasia Quinones-Pittman (“AQ”), Eduardo Ossorio, RJ Yoakam, Peja Krstic, Nikky Phinyawatana, and more.

Derry, a James Beard Award-nominated chef, entrepreneur, and co-founder of T2D Concepts, founded SHEF with T2D co-founder Tom Foley. The festival is produced in partnership with Roots Impact, a T2D foundation focused on equity, mentorship, and community empowerment.

While the festival is packed with delicious food served by celeb chefs, it also has a mission: A portion of proceeds supports scholarships, workforce development, mentorship, and educational opportunities for people entering the hospitality industry.

“This festival has always been about so much more than food and wine,” Derry says in the release. “It's about bringing people together, celebrating our community, and creating opportunities for the next generation of culinary talent to learn, connect, and dream bigger."

Here's a closer look at the chef lineup and event rundown for the 2026 festival.

Culinary & celebrity lineup

Thomas Foley — co-founder, SHEF Food + Wine
Carla Hall — chef and Emmy Award-winning TV personality
Kristen Kish — chef and Emmy-nominated Top Chef host
Duff Goldman — chef and TV personality
Silvia Barban — Top Chef competitor and restaurateur
Erick Williams — James Beard Award-winning chef
Michael Voltaggio — chef and TV personality
Angelo Sosa — chef and author
Tristen Epps-Long — chef and Top Chef Season 22 winner
Kevin Bludso — award-winning chef and restaurateur
Arnold Myint — chef-owner and restaurateur
Tavel Bristol-Joseph — chef and restaurateur
Nyesha Arrington — chef, TV personality, and restaurateur
Joe Bastianich — restaurateur and TV personality
Rebecca Swindle — chef
Tobias Dorzon — chef, restaurateur, and TV personality
Osei Blackett “Picky” — chef and restaurateur
Eduardo Ossorio — chef
Anastasia Quinones-Pittman “AQ” — James Beard-nominated chef
Shirley Chung — chef and TV personality
Mika Leon — chef, TV personality, author, and restaurateur
Opeyemi “Ope” Amosu — chef and restaurateur
Dawn Burrell — Top Chef finalist
Kenny Gilbert — chef
Marcus Davis — chief steward, entrepreneur, and radio host
Uno Immanivong — chef
Samir Dhurandhar — chef
Peja Krstic — chef
Kevin Lee — chef
Meika “MiMi J” Johnson — chef
Joe Zavala — chef
Simone Byron — chef
RJ Yoakam — chef
Fitzgerald Dodd — chef
Nikky Phinyawatana — chef
Robin McBride — owner and founder
Lady Jade — emcee for Saturday's Signature Festival Experience

Festival events

Friday, October 9: SHEF SNO Social, Festival Kick-Off & Restaurant Takeover
The weekend begins with the SNO SOCIAL AT THE LANDING block party, presented by Carla Hall, featuring a meet-and-greet, Syrup + Sno treats, live music, and more. The SHEF Welcome Reception follows with cocktails and a live ice-carving display.

The evening's Restaurant Takeover at Radici Wood Fired Grill in Grand Prairie brings together Chef Tiffany Derry with Erick Williams, Silvia Barban, Mika Leon, and Duff Goldman for a collaborative dinner.

The Juke Joint at The Landing Afterparty follows, with late-night bites from Kenny Gilbert, Tobias Dorzon, Kevin Lee, and Shirley Chung, plus cocktails and live music.

Saturday, October 10: The Signature Festival Experience
Saturday begins with the Tournament of Pickleball Champions, where guests can play against celebrity chefs.

From 10 am to noon, The First Bite spotlights North Texas chefs and food makers, including Zavala's BBQ, Roots Chicken Shak, Fitzgerald Dodd, Nikky Phinyawatana, Winsome Prime, Cookie Society, Breakfast Brothers, and Smokey John's, along with wine experiences and artisan vendors.

The Guest Chef Panel, hosted by Erick Williams, features Ope Amosu, Nyesha Arrington, Tavel Bristol-Joseph, and Simone Byron discussing careers in hospitality.

The day wraps with the Grand Tasting, featuring nationally recognized chefs, wine and spirits, live entertainment, and VIP experiences.

Sunday, October 11: SHEF Matinee
The festival concludes with the SHEF Matinee, featuring conversation, entertainment, mini sips, and bites.

Tickets are on sale now, ranging from about $10 for a single panel discussion to $826 for a VIP, all-inclusive bundle. For tickets, passes, information, and the complete festival schedule, visit the event website.

chefs shef festival chef lineup tiffany derry festivals

Gearing up

Upscale sports bar Moxies will touch down at The Star in Frisco

Moxie's

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Moxies, the upscale-casual concept founded in Canada and co-owned by Dallas Stars proprietor Tom Gaglardi, is joining the restaurant lineup at The Star in Frisco.

According to a release, a new location of Moxies will open in The Star District, at 3680 The Star Blvd. #1300, in an old City Works space, in 2027.

The sporty restaurant at the home of the Cowboys will be designed for everything from lunch and happy hour to dinner and late-night gatherings, offering chef-driven dishes with a lively bar experience in a polished, social setting, the owners say. The new location will include the restaurant's signature statement bar, elevated dining experience and high-energy hospitality.

“Being part of The Star in Frisco is a perfect fit for Moxies,” says Joanne Forrester, president and COO of Moxies, in the release. “The entire district is built around elevated experiences and connection — training, work, entertainment and hospitality all in one place. That’s where we thrive. Our chef-driven dishes, signature cocktails and statement bar are designed for exactly this kind of social, high-energy setting anchored by the Dallas Cowboys.”

Frisco will be the fourth DFW location for Moxies. The first one debuted at The Crescent in Uptown Dallas in 2016, and got a major renovation in 2024. The chain also has locations in Plano and Southlake.

Moxies is owned by Gaglardi, proprietor of the Dallas Stars, and brought to the U.S. by franchise group Eatz Hospitality.

While few details of the Frisco location have been revealed, the other locations serve lunch, brunch, dinner, and happy hour specials, with a menu of elevated American classics overseen by executive chef Brandon Thordarson. A typical Moxies menu includes:

Sushi Cones, made of tempura shrimp with avocado, pea shoots, nori crisps and drizzled with sesame chili ponzu
Poutine, the Canadian staple with French fries, hot beef gravy, and cheese curds
Kale and Quinoa Salad
Vegetarian Power Bowl with marinated tofu, shiitake mushrooms, soft boiled egg, vegetables, and greens

Brunch options include:

Vegetarian Huevos Rancheros
Smoke Salmon Goat Cheese & Egg White Omelet
Sicilian Sausage Hash

The traditional Moxies bar features craft cocktails such as Strawberry Ghost Pepper Margarita and a Hard Lemonade made with Tito’s Vodka.

The spaces typically feature an extended bar, a large covered patio, TVs inside and outside, and flex walls that can be converted for private dining experience and party spaces.

Other openings at The Star in Frisco

Moxies will join previously announced bar The Imperial Room, which will open at at 3685 The Star Blvd. in early September (aka "next week," a spokesperson clarifies).

The new bar will open next door to the Frisco location of Cane Rosso, and is from PILF Restaurant Group (Cane Rosso, Zoli's Pizza, and Thunderbird Pies), which also owned Cow Tipping Creamery, which closed in July.

With seating for 25 to 30 guests, The Imperial Room will offer an intimate setting for pre-event cocktails, date nights, celebrations and late-night gatherings, the release says. Guests can expect a sophisticated cocktail program featuring expertly executed classics and original creations, complemented by elevated shareable plates and select entrées.

PILF Restaurant Group has drafted acclaimed Dallas bartender Gabe Sanchez, whose work has helped shape cocktail programs at some of the city's most respected bars.

Longtime Star Tex-Mex restaurant Mi Cocina has expanded its outdoor dining experience with a renovation of its main patio, at 6740 Winning Dr. Ste. 1010. The enhanced space features additional seating, permanent heaters, larger fans, and drop-down shades, creating a more comfortable three-season patio for guests to enjoy throughout the year, the release says.

On the non-restaurant front, Élan Sculpt Club, a new luxury boutique fitness concept combining infrared-heated sculpt classes with Pilates reformer training, is opening its flagship location at The Star District, at 3620 The Star Boulevard, #1215.

Moxie’s is also known for their light sign décor, centered on the main dining wall, that spells out "I will if you will."

opening frisco moxies sports bar

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Gearing up

Upscale sports bar Moxies will touch down at The Star in Frisco