My first time attending Hot Luck, and I was not sure what to expect. First take, this was more of an food experience than a food festival. Located at multiple locations throughout the Austin area,
Hot Luck showcased elite food vendors & music over the Memorial Day weekend.
Day one at Mohawk combined live music and food. Offerings on all three floors turned the popular Austin venue in to what seemed like a labyrinth of goods. If you wanted epics meats from Olympia provisions, caviar, or craft ice cream, you were covered.
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Hungry crowd scooping up Matty Matheson's Beef Sando.
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| Matty Matheson - Beef and Cheddar Sando |
A constant at Hot Luck was expert chefs demonstrating their high level of skill that both required focus, but also demonstrated their passion for creation.
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| Yoshi Oka - Otoko - Blue Fin Tuna |
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| The High Tower |
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| The High Tower - Hot Links & Beans on Texas Toast |
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| You won't be disappointed checking out the book by Olympia provisions. Its offers their unique origin story, and a glimpse into their old-world influenced techniques. |
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| Regalis Foods |
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Regalis Food - Fresh Shucked Oysters and Caviar
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Day Two - Franklin BBQ
While day one was more a music laced warmup to the weekend, day two served as more of an extended block party. Located in the back of Franklin BBQ, guests were treated to the world famous Franklin brisket & beef ribs, while also sampling signature dishes from a talented gathering of chefs and purveyors. Set against the famous capital backdrop, the night provided a intimate, yet cozy atmosphere along side live fire planchas and wood fired empanadas.
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| Franklin BBQ brings their famous line no matter the setup. |
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| Nick Fine - Georgia James |
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| Chris Shepard - Georia James |
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| Olympia Provisions |
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| Lenoir - Austin, Tx |
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| Tavel Bristol-Joseph - Emmer & Rye |
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| Le Pigeon - Cheeseburger Flautas |
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| Franklin BBQ - Brisket Topped with Mustard Seeds and Sauce |
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| L'Oca d'Oro - Short Rib Lasagna |
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Yamila & Ivana Maldonado - Cuyo
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| Cuyo - Beef Empanadas |
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| Franklin BBQ - Beef Rib |
One of my favorite aspects of attending food events, is being able to connect with people from the community and seeing friends from the BBQ world. Being a multi-day event, Hot Luck allows the opportunity to meet people from all over the world drawn together by a love of food and the inherent culture. I loved meeting people on Friday, and then recapping favorite dishes on Sunday. Also the energy was seen within the chefs and other vendors. Whether it was skillfully breaking down a 188lb tuna, making pizzas to order, or smoking a brisket, the energy was infectious.
Day Three - Wild Onion Ranch
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| Cured - Chicken Stuffed Chicken Wing |
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| Uchi - Roasted Bluefin Collar |
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| Uchi - Handroll and Roasted Bluefin Collar |
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| Pizzeria Bianco - Rosa Pizza |
The third day of Hot Luck took place at the Wild Onion Ranch south of Austin. While the previous days provided amble grilled and smoked goods, this day served as a virtual live fire playground. Armed with an arsenal of cookers, chefs wowed attendees with everything from tacos, sandwiches, and desserts using live fire.
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Saba - Grilled Flank Steak
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| Saba - Grilled Beef Humus with Walnuts, Pickled Raisins, and Black Harrisa |
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Pitchfork Pretty - Smoked, Fried and Grilled Bacon.
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| Pitchfork Pretty - Grilled Bacon with Slaw and Peppers. |
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| Suerte - Babacoa, Salsa Roja Frita, and Salsa Verde Cruda |
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| Salt & Time - Pastrami Short Rib |
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| Beef Ribs Always Bring a Smile |
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Bullard - Pork Belly
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| Contigo - Porchetta |
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| Contigo - Roasted Pork Sliders |
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| Comedor - Carne Apache, Salsa De Yema, & Heirloom Tostada |
Day Four - Austin Speed Shop
The final day of Hot Luck focused on brunch for event goers, which was perfect given the food hangover I had accumulated from the epic three day binge. Located at the Austin Speed Shop, the last day hurrah provided a casual send off with unique comfort foods and twists on brunch favorites.
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Easy Tiger
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| A New Spin on the Classic Chicago Dog from the Folks at Easy Tiger. |
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Valentina's Tex Mex BBQ - Barbacoa Tacos
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Giant - Scallion Pancake
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Garrison & Revue - Char Siu Bacon Congee
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| Chameleon Cold Brew |
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Dai Due
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| Dai Due - Wild Boar Pon Haus |
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Dai Due - Wild Boar Pon Haus with Cured Duck Yolk
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Swedish Hill
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| Swedish Hill - Brisket Croissant with Picked Mustard Seeds and Red Onions |
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Turkey & TheWolf - McHasbrowns & Caviar
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Milk Bar - Cereal Milk Ice Cream
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Hot Luck is truly a special event brought about by the vision from the folks at Franklin BBQ. Despite taking place over four days, the time definitely sped by. The food packed week definitely provided many memorable moments, and cherished connections. This Austin social event is definitely in a category all its own, and I'm sure already setting its sights on evolving more in the years to come.
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