HOUSTON – From bold flavors to Coachella-like vibes, Chefs for Farmers Food + Wine Festival returns to Houston Sept. 27 and 28, uniting top chefs in Texas and local farmers for a two-day, mouthwatering event.
Founded in Dallas, this popular food festival expanded to Houston and became even bigger. The participating chefs partner with local farmers to prepare bite-sized dishes guests will enjoy.
People’s Choice Best Bite champion of 2023 and 2024, Frankie B. Mandola’s Catering, stopped by the “Houston Life” kitchen with their winning dish, ponzu short rib scallion pancake. Scroll below for the recipe. But can they win for the third time in a row?
You be the judge. Meet them in person on Sunday, Sept. 28, at Autry Park, and try it out yourself. Frankie B. Mandola’s Catering will even provide a vegetarian version for all the non-meat eaters.
Watch the complete interview and the ponzu short rib scallion pancake demo in the video above.
Click here for the complete chef lineup for each day.
A portion of the proceeds supports incredible nonprofits dedicated to education, agriculture, and community sustainability. This year, as you savor each delicious bite, you’ll make a difference to this year’s chosen charities: Houston Food Bank and Urban Harvest.
Whether you’ll attend one or both days, your ticket allows you to taste all the flavorful bites and sips showcased at the festival. Splurge a little more on the VIP tickets to enjoy the festivities an hour earlier than the general admission and access to the VIP lounge.
Chefs for Farmers is treating “Houston Life” fans with a $30 discount. Use promo code HL30 when you purchase tickets online.
Ticket prices
- VIP Weekend Pass: $349 | General Admission Weekend Pass: $249
- VIP Single Day: $195 | General Admission Single Day: $145
- VIP entry 1 - 5 p.m. | General Admission entry 2 - 5 p.m.
- Enter promo code HL30 at checkout
But that’s not all!
Chefs for Farmers is expanding the festivities with a pre-party surf and turf exclusive dinner hosted by BMW on Thurs, Sept. 25.
For event and ticket information, visit chefsforfarmers.com/houston
Recipe: Ponzu Short Rib Scallion Pancake
Scallion pancake with ponzu short rib topped with a shishito pepper lemon Parmesan gastrique
Farm Partner
Blackwood Educational Land Institute
Ingredients
- Mini Scallion Pancake: flour, baking powder, chili powder, salt, white cabbage, Yukon gold potato, scallions and eggs
- Ponzu Short Rib: house-made ponzu, beef chuck short rib, salt and black pepper
- Shishito Pepper Lemon Parmesan Gastrique: Blackwood farm shishito peppers, salt, pepper, lemon juice, lemon peel, mirin vinegar, olive oil and Grana Padano.
Mini Scallion Pancake Directions
- Mix all the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, chili powder and salt
- Mix all the wet ingredients: white cabbage, Yukon gold potato, scallions and eggs
- Combine dry and wet ingredients
- Pour 1.5oz of the mixture into a nonstick hot pan
- Cook for 90 seconds on each side until the pancake starts turning golden brown
Ponzu Short Rib Directions
**Attention vegetarians: Feel free to skip this step. This dish is just as delightful without the meat **
- Salt and pepper the short rib
- Pan-sear on medium-high heat in a cast-iron skillet
- Sear each side for one minute for a medium rare temperature
- Let the meat rest for five minutes before slicing
- Top with ponzu sauce
Shishito Pepper Lemon Parmesan Gastrique Directions
- Add the shishito peppers to a sizzling skillet with olive oil, salt and cook undisturbed until blistered
- Chop the shishito peppers and place them in a bowl
- Combine shishito peppers with lemon juice, lemon peel, mirin vinegar and olive oil
Plating the dish
Place a slice of Ponzu Short Rib on top of the Mini Scallion Pancake and dress it with the Shishito Peppers Gastrique, additional Ponzu sauce, and finish it with the creamy Grana Padano cheese. Garnish with micro cilantro as you prefer.
Enjoy and share your thoughts with us—did you find it as delicious as we did?
For more information about Frankie B. Mandola’s Catering, visit mandolascatering.com.