Food News: Hill Country Wine + Food Sneak Preview

On Monday night, the Texas Hill Country Wine and Food Festival will announce the lineup for their 26th year. Tickets for over two dozen events will go on sale on Tuesday, February 8th to the public. For now, the event lineup is a secret, but festival president Cathy Cochran-Lewis emailed us the following tidbit this morning:

"Texas Hill Country Wine and Food Festival saw the need to create the nation’s ultimate beef event, and what better place to do that than in Texas? A dozen chefs from across the country will host the first annual Live Fire! Event vying for beef supremacy and master of the flame bragging rights. The festival’s newest signature event will include live fire cooking at the famed TDS Exotic Game Ranch on Friday, April 1. Reigning Cochon 555 NYC champion Brad Farmerie, Beard finalist and Thai-food wizard Andy Ricker from Portland, and a slew of Austin’s hottest chefs will take fire to meat for a one-of-a-kind, flame-and-smoke party. Tickets will go on sale Feb. 8 for $75, and only 400 tickets will be available."

Coupled with the announcement over on Relish Austin yesterday that David Lynch favorite Kyle MacLachlan will host a Washington wine dinner at the festival, it appears some changes and surprises are in store this year. Check the festival's site Tuesday morning for more information, and we'll also bring you updates right here.

Austinist is a media partner of the 26th Annual Texas Hill Country Wine + Food Festival.