BankPlus presents the inaugural Mississippi Food and Wine, June 13-15, 2019, in Jackson, Mississippi.
Four private chef dinners Thursday and Friday – hosted at The Cedars, Lou’s Full Serv, Brent’s and Albert’s at Parlor Market – join the 2019 Mississippi Craft Beer Festival, entering its fifth year and serving as the Friday anchor event.
Saturday evening will feature a “Grand Tasting” finale in Fondren on Duling Avenue.
Founded to promote and emphasize Fondren’s eclectic and award-winning culinary community, Mississippi Food and Wine is presented in cooperation with Fondren Renaissance Foundation (FRF) and Visit Jackson.
The three-day event will be a major fundraiser for FRF, benefiting its programming and efforts in and around the Fondren area as well as throughout the city of Jackson.
A portion of the funds raised throughout the three-days will be given to food-centered charities of interest nominated by the Mississippi Food and Wine leadership committee.
During last year’s Food and Wine Preview events, funds were given to Extra Table, Mississippi Food Network’s Backpack for Kids Program, Farm Families of Mississippi and Jackson’s own Refill Café.
“We enjoy such an amazing array of edibles and elixirs here in our area,” said Mississippi Food & Wine coordinator Jim Wilkirson. “It’s a thrill to highlight a small sampling of the incredible talent from our neighborhood, state and region.”
Thursday’s first Chef Dinner at The Cedars features Chefs Derek Emerson, Mitch McCamey, Austin Sumrall, Ty Thames and Alex Harrell with Eric Swindle of Crimson Wine Group.
The evening’s second Chef Dinner at Lou's Full Serv features Chefs Louis LaRose, Mike Greenhill, Hunter Evans, Jason Goodenough and Robert St. John with Randy Ford of Cristom Vineyards.
On Friday, a Chef Dinner at Brent's features Chefs Jesse Houston, David Bancroft, Misti Norris, Paul Adair, Hunter Evans and Bennett Lewis with wine pairings from Magnolia Barrelhouse.
Rounding out Friday’s Chef Dinners (at Albert’s at Parlor Market) features Chefs 
Alex Eaton, Robert Rushton, Vishwesh Bhatt, Gray Townsend and Alejandra Mamud with wine pairings from International Wine.
Seating for these four specialty dinners are each limited to 90 persons and ticket prices for all dinners are $125 per person.
Also Friday, the Fifth Annual Mississippi Craft Beer Festival on Duling Avenue in Fondren features over 100 craft beers from three-dozen breweries available for sampling. Special emphasis is placed on breweries within Mississippi and regional breweries with brewery representatives on hand to discuss their products and brewing methods. Tickets are all inclusive at $35 per person advance and $45 day-of. Designated driver tickets for the Craft Beer Festival will be available at the gate for $15. This is a 21 and up event. ID is required.
Saturday evening's "Grand Tasting" rounds out the weekend featuring highlighted chefs from the previous nights' private dinners as well as added chefs, wineries and mixologists throughout the Southern restaurant community. Special themed and decorated areas will feature all the wonderful food resources Mississippi offers from the Coast to the Delta and everything in between. This event will also be held in the tented area on Duling Avenue with entertaining live music in the center cocktail bistro. Tickets are all inclusive at $80 per person advance and $95 day-of.
Visit msfoodandwine.com to purchase tickets and learn more about the weekend’s participants, sponsors and beneficiaries.