Friday
Grand Tasting
Get Your Tickets
Secure Your Culinary Pass
It’s time to save your seat at the table. Tickets for JXN Food & Wine are on sale now, with a dinner on Thursday and Grand Tastings on Friday and Saturday. Come hungry, bring your friends, and spend the weekend with us in Jackson.
Friday, March 12, 2027
MS Museum of Art
Friday GA
Grand Tasting
- Doors open at 6 PM
- Tastings from over 30 regional and local chefs
- Samplings of beer, wine, spirits, and nonalcoholic offerings
- Interactive demo stage
- Music by DJ
Early Bird
$80
Regular Price
$95
Friday, March 12, 2027
MS Museum of Art
Friday VIP
Grand Tasting
- Early entrance at 5 PM
- Exclusive VIP area with food samples and complimentary bar
- Celebrity chef meet and greet
- Dedicated restrooms
Early Bird
$160
Regular Price
$175
savor the flavor
Meet the Talent
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.
Hunter Evans
Chef Chair
Elvie’s; Mayflower Cafe
Aaron Sanchez
Oakland, CA
Aaron Sanchez
Oakland, CA
Austin Sumrall
White Pillars Restaurant and Lounge
Biloxi, MS
Chaz Lindsay
Pulito Osteria; Rowan’s
Jackson, MS
Eddie Wright
Eddie Wright BBQ
Jackson, MS
Enrika Williams
Fauna Foodworks
Jackson, MS
Geno Lee
Big Apple Inn
Jackson, MS
Guillermo Salinas
Just Vanilla Bake Shop
Jackson, MS
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.
Jason Brumm
Ridgeland, MS
John Tierre
Johnny T’s Bistro & Blues
Jackson, MS
Jon Davis
City Grocery
Oxford, MS
Meg Bickford
Commander’s Palace
New Orleans, LA
Nick Wallace
Chef Chair Emeritus
Nick Wallace Culinary;
Hen and Egg; Nissan Cafe
Mississippi-born and raised, Nick Wallace grew up on his family farm and credits his grandmothers with sparking his love of cooking, later blending those Southern roots with French technique to create his own modern Mississippi cuisine. He’s served as Executive Chef for some of the country’s top museums and hotels, was named Best Chef in Jackson four years running and Best Chef of Mississippi in 2020, and remains on the Best Chefs in America list. Nationally, he’s appeared on Food Network’s Top Chef, Chopped (winning Season 34 in 2017), Cutthroat Kitchen, and Comfort Nation, and has presented five Mississippi-themed dinners for the James Beard Foundation in New York. He also founded Creativity Kitchen, a nonprofit partnering with Jackson Public Schools to bring healthier food to students. Nick Wallace served as JXNFW’s Chef Chair from 2024–2026, bringing Top Chef talent and national attention to the festival during his tenure.
