Chef’s
Chair Dinner
Meet the Talent
Get ready for an unforgettable evening at the heart of the JXN Food and Wine Festival. Our talented chefs — from celebrated names to local legends — bring a diverse and soulful array of flavors to your plate, each dish a testament to the spirit and culinary identity of Jackson, Mississippi.
New this year, the Chef Chair selects a charity to receive a portion of ticket revenue from the dinner. Chef Hunter Evans has chosen Children’s of Mississippi — the state’s only children’s hospital — with $10 from every Chef Chair Dinner ticket. Come hungry, leave inspired, and know that every bite makes a difference.
Hunter Evans
Chef Chair
Elvie’s; Mayflower Cafe
A native of Jackson, Mississippi, Hunter Evans discovered a love for cooking while working in the kitchens helmed by acclaimed chef John Currence while pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Management at the University of Mississippi in Oxford. Hunter continued his training at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY, staging at some of NYC’s top restaurants, including Le Bernardin, Café Boulud, and Daniel. After graduation, Hunter worked for Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality before returning to Mississippi to open his own restaurant, Elvie’s, a modern take on classic French cuisine through the lens of Southern culinary traditions.
Accolades: Named one of Plate Magazine’s Chefs to Watch; 2026 James Beard Award semifinalist, Best Chef: South.
