The City With Soul
Featuring over
20 local & regional chefs, beverages + entertainment
03.15.2025
Mississippi Museum of Art
5pm to 9pm
Get Your Tickets
Secure Your Culinary Pass
The countdown to the JXN Food & Wine Festival has begun, and your seat at this culinary extravaganza is just a few clicks away. This is your opportunity to be a part of Jackson's premier gastronomic and wine event.
Saturday, March 15, 2025
JXN Food & Wine Festival
General
Admission
- Tastings from over 20 local and regional chefs
- Samplings of wine, beer, spirits, and nonalcoholic offerings
- Demo stage with Top Chefs
- Music by DJ Java
$90
Saturday, March 15, 2025
JXN Food & Wine Festival
VIP
Admission
- Early entrance
- Exclusive VIP indoor and outdoor area with food samples and complimentary bar
- Celebrity chefs meet and greet
- Dedicated restrooms
$170
From down-home soul food to fine dining, JXN, Mississippi’s Capital City, offers a multitude of opportunities to discover a bite of Southern culture presented in vibrant restaurants springing up all across the city. JXN Food and Wine Festival 2025 represents the city’s diverse chef talent and the region’s top culinary and beverage artists.
A portion of the proceeds helps fund the Mississippi Restaurant Association Education Foundation. This fund provides scholarships to students seeking a post-secondary degree in restaurant management or culinary arts.
JXN Food & Wine is investing in the restaurant industry’s future workforce!
Friday Feast
The Hen & Egg Dinners
Don't miss out on an incredible dining experience at Chef Chair Nick Wallace's restaurant, The Hen & Egg. With limited tickets available, now's your chance to savor delicious flavors in a cozy atmosphere.
Special Rate!
The Westin Jackson
Stay is available March 14 through March 16, 2025. The Early Bird Special Rate with Host Hotel is $179 per night, must book by January 15, 2025.
$179USD Per Night
Book Now
Savor the Flavor
Meet the 2025 Culinary Maestros
Get ready to embark on a delectable journey. Our talented chefs are at the heart of the JXN Food and Wine Festival, bringing a diverse array of flavors to your plate. From celebrity chefs to local legends, their passion for food is a testament to the soul of Jackson, Mississippi.
Friday Saturday
Nick Wallace
Nick Wallace Culinary;
Hen and Egg; Nissan Cafe
Jackson, MS
Saturday
Chef Jackson Kalb from season 19 of Top Chef began his apprenticeship at the age of 13 at Melisse (2-star Michelin) in Santa Monica, CA. Before graduating from Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration, Jackson worked at Joel Robuchon (3-star Michelin), Alinea (3-star Michelin), and Union Square Café. Jackson opened regional Italian-influenced Jame Enoteca in 2018 and southern Italian-focused Ospi Venice in 2020. His restaurant group Memento Mori Hospitality has expanded to include Jemma Hollywood, Jemma Pizzeria – Palisades Village, and Ospi Brentwood – as well as forthcoming Ospi locations in Costa Mesa and Montecito.
Jackson Kalb
Jame Enoteca & Ospi
Los Angeles, CA
Friday Saturday
Gabriel Pascuzzi
MamaBird, Stacked Sandwich Shop, Feel Good
Portland, OR
Saturday
Michelle Wallace Chef, Pitmaster, and Restaurateur. This St. Louis native sparked a love for food and technique while studying Healthcare Administration at Texas Southern University. Houston and its vast diversity became a driving force to her approach to food and culture. Fusing formal training at The Art Institute of Houston, including skills she gathered while living abroad in China, with her natural skills, Wallace’s palette and techniques evolved into the innovative force she is today. Wallace worked her way from serving the front of the house at Houston’s Restaurant, to tending bar, to a management position. Her dedication to the culinary world led her to work under Houston-famed chef Mark Holley at Pesce and to cook personally for various athletes in the city. In 2017, Wallace teamed up with veteran Houston Pitmaster Greg Gatlin of Gatlin’s BBQ. She spent just over 6 years learning and developing her skill set as a chef and pitmaster. Mining her childhood love for sandwiches, she created specialty menu items. From a customer-pleasing house-smoked pastrami to a craveable smoked bologna sandwich, Wallace creations were a hit and were written about in Texas Monthly magazine. In 2024, Chef Wallace competed on Bravo’s Top Chef (Season 21). There, she made it to the top 6 and winning the coveted Fan Favorite award. Wallace has also competed on Food Network’s BBQ Brawl (Season 3). Other notable appearances include Netflix’s High on the Hog docuseries (Season 1) and BET’s The Recipe: Juneteenth Celebration. In 2022, Wallace was honored to be chosen as a James Beard Taste Twenty Chef for the culinary series Taste America and Rising Star Chef for Culture Map Houston (2021). Chef Wallace launched her own company B’tween Sandwich Co in 2023 in Houston where she lives and creates. Beginning with local farmers markets and pop-up events around the city, B’tween sandwich Co. blends various culinary techniques while specializing in comfort food, smoked meats, and traditional fare for creative sandwich lovers.
Michelle Wallace
B’tween Sandwich Co.
Houston, TX
Friday
Vishwesh Bhatt
Snackbar
Oxford, MS
Friday
Enrika Williams
Fauna Foodworks
Jackson, MS
Saturday
Desi Bourgeois
Ruston, LA
Saturday
Marc Anthony Robert Bynum, three-time Chopped Champion, was born and raised on Long Island among four siblings. Watching his mother cook for the family and observing “the joy on people’s faces while eating” was what initially drew him to being a chef. He always had a gift with his hands, even at an early age, and he has translated that to the presentation of his dishes. Chef Bynum’s only form of culinary training came at a vocational school while in high school. Thus, with no formal culinary training he relied on his palate and diligent studying of his craft to enhance his knowledge of different food and cuisines. Bynum consistently found himself working for less pay to obtain the experience of cooking in certain restaurants where he sought to gain knowledge of several types of cuisine. This hard work and dedication led Bynum to head some of the most prestigious kitchen restaurants on Long Island including: Four Food Studio, Prime Restaurant, Tellers and Venue 56. In these restaurants, Chef Bynum received three stars from Newsday and The New York Times. In June of 2010, Chef Marc Anthony Bynum appeared on popular Food Network cooking show, Chopped. He claimed victory twice before coming up short in the season finale of Chopped Champions. The success of the show coupled with his thriving restaurant work, Chef Bynum stepped out on his own and launched his own company, MBynumCreations. The company specializes in hospitality consulting and private events. MBynumCreations has now allowed him to appear at countless charity events where he can draw attention to causes that he is passionate about like childhood obesity and depression. In November 2014, Chef Bynum returned to his hometown of Farmingdale to open his first restaurant, Hush Bistro. Hush Bistro was an immediate success garnering three stars in Newsday and three stars in The New York Times. Subsequently, Hush Bistro was rated Newsday’s 2015 No. 2 Restaurant in Fine Dining on Long Island. In late 2015, Chef Bynum returned to the Food Network to compete in Chopped: Impossible featuring other Chopped Champions. History repeated itself and he was declared Chopped Champion, however once reaching the season finale, he was eliminated. In August 2017, Chef Bynum fulfilled yet another part of his MBynumCreations vision with the launch of Hush Huntington. The big brother of the original Hush Bistro located in Farmingdale, New York. 2016 was a busy year for Bynum with several other accomplishments including: providing craft services for Saturday Night Live; serving the CBS Morning Crew; personal chef services to A-list celebrities and diplomats an appearance on SiriusXM Hip Hop Nation; Hush Bistro being named one of the top 100 Bistros on Long Island; and the most memorable achievement when Chef’s signature St. Louis Style ribs were featured on the O List of the O Magazine in the July Issue with a mention on the front cover of the magazine. In 2019, Bynum launched the Hush Truck offering his addictive ramen dishes, his signature burger, wings, ribs and more. The truck popped up at various locations through Long Island for two years before he transitioned the truck for special events only. In early 2022, Bynum returned to the Food Network stage appearing on Guy’s Grocery Games with famed host Guy Fieri. In late 2022, Bynum tested his hand at the pizza business opening The Pie Hole in his hometown of Farmingdale. With the goal of finding a kitchen to execute his catering business out of, Bynum became addicted to perfecting the art of pizza making. He began operating the pizzeria with creative pies. Eventually the business model did not pan out and Bynum transitioned back to focus on catering events with his catering company, Marc Bynum Concepts. The company has catered several high-profile events throughout the country from the Rolling Loud, WWWY, Vegandale, SXSW and Okeechobee, establishing itself as a premier off premise and events caterer. Chef Bynum’s success is testament to his vision. As he begins his next chapter in Birmingham, Alabama, Bynum is excited to bring his food to the south while also maintaining his ability to travel to produce events worldwide. His motto continues to hold true throughout his career, “The food speaks . . . I just listen.”
Marc Bynum
Birmingham, AL
Saturday
Damien Cavicchi
Hal & Mal’s
Jackson, MS
Saturday
Jon Davis
City Grocery
Oxford, MS
Saturday
Katie Dixon
Hattiesburg, MS
Saturday
Alex Eaton
Aplos
Jackson, MS
Saturday
Eudora's Mississippi Brasserie
Jackson, MS
Saturday
Hunter Evans
Elvie’s
Jackson, MS
Saturday
Jeff Hansel
Coastal, MS
Saturday
Grant Hutcheson
Pig & Pint
Jackson, MS
Saturday
La Brioche + Spark Confectionary Team
La Brioche Patisserie and Spark Confectionary
Jackson, MS
Saturday
Geno Lee
Big Apple Inn
Jackson, MS
Saturday
Chaz Lindsay
Pulito Osteria
Jackson, MS
Saturday
Cooper Miller
Forklift
Tupelo, MS
Saturday
Lon Marchand / Gail's
Gail’s
Baton Rouge, LA
Saturday
Brian Myrick
Johnny T’s
Jackson, MS
Saturday
Pierre Pryer Sr.
Iron Horse Grill
Jackson, MS
Saturday
Ming Pu
New Albany, IN
Saturday
Joseph Sambou
Sambou’s African Kitchen
Jackson, MS
Saturday
Mary Sanders
Campbell’s Bakery
Jackson, MS
Saturday
Austin Sumrall
Biloxi, MS
Saturday
Ty Thames
Restaurant Tyler
Starkville, MS
Saturday
Eddie Wright
Eddie Wright BBQ
Jackson, MS
