Another weekend of smoked meats and hot riffs has come and gone, leaving Austinites better educated about the chefs and musicians they share the city with — or at the very least, leaving them very, very full.
Hot Luck, a food and music festival benefiting the hospitality industry’s Southern Smoke Foundation, blazed through Austin with four food events and four nights of live music by hyperlocal acts from May 23-26. Founded by Pitmaster Aaron Franklin, Mohawk owner James Moody, and culinary festival organizer Mike Thelin, this festival always lives up to its big credentials, without shutting the little guy out.
This decentralized festival stands out not just by combining food and music, but by bringing out the folks who really care about those things. Mention Hot Luck to just any Austinite, and you’ll be met with blank stares; Mention it to chefs, musicians, and fanatics, and they’ll start dumping superlatives.
Attending both sides of the fest is certainly possible, but attendees really need to pace themselves. (They also have to be schedule-reading experts; or at least maintain very loose expectations of who they’ll run into.) To make sure we only bit off what we could chew, the CultureMap Austin team decided to split things up.
Here, Austin editor Brianna Caleri and network writer Amber Heckler share our favorite finds from the four-day fest. Since this festival is so local, Austinites should be able to explore these top picks for themselves throughout the year — but consider joining us next year for more fun.
Favorite bites and sips
Amber Heckler
With the sheer number of restaurants in Austin, both old and new, there's no number of tasting events that could exhaust the scene. We've been to quite a few, and even when there isn't an explicit theme, each has its own tone and trends. Hot Luck's is not just the inside baseball, since chefs usually visit each other's booths at similar events; It's the strong focus on meats and the outdoorsy atmosphere. Especially at the signature events at the Wild Onion Ranch — which you have to arrive to by school bus — it feels like a mini food-filled camping trip. The menu matches the vibe, with fun nods to camping like hot dogs and s'mores. Plus, we liked the compostable plates.
Even one event is a lot of eating, so four in a row requires eyes that don't out-pace the stomach. Hot Luck chefs are generous with their portions, too, so this was an exercise in restraint, and we had lots of favorites. Here are the ones I've been thinking about the most. (My friends know, already — they've gotten pictures.)
Surf and turf by Adam Perry Lang
Taking inspiration from California to Texas, acclaimed chef Adam Perry Lang brought the perfect tomahawk and sablefish surf and turf during Saturday’s Al Fuego festivities at Wild Onion Ranch. Stacks of perfectly cooked steaks awaited a long line of hungry guests, and the well-seasoned sablefish was the ideal complement to the thick and juicy cuts of beef.
Jambalaya squash blossom by Aaron Bludorn
Popular Houston chef Aaron Bludorn brought a sneak peek of what’s to come at his new restaurant, Perseid at the Hotel Saint Augustine, which is set to open later in 2024. One satisfied onlooker was quick to inform others in line that Bludorn’s jambalaya-stuffed fried squash blossom was “the best thing you’d eat all night” – and it did not disappoint.
Jambalaya-stuffed fried squash blossom by Aaron BludornPhoto by Amber Heckler
Lengua by various chefs
All lengua, all the time: One common ingredient seen throughout the weekend was beef tongue, and its versatility really shined through a variety of dishes: The Antler Room’s beef tongue gribiche on milk bread with Fresno kumquat sauce; Canard’s beef tongue french onion quesadilla with Funyun crunch; and Vin Mon Lapin’s smoked beef tongue over a hunk of salted tomato.
Pork Belly Risotto by Colter Peck
In a unique take on a Saturday backyard barbecue experience, the team at Elementary cooked up a ramen risotto with pork belly, topped with a mix of black and white sesame seeds and chili oil. It was savory, delicious, and a wonderful reminder of chef Colter Peck’s talents alongside his dedicated crew.
Old Fashioned Jell-O shots by Still Austin Whiskey Co.
As a personal fan of Still Austin Whiskey Co., I’ll admit I had no shame in requesting an Old Fashioned Jell-O shot during the Supper Club event on Friday evening. Though Jell-O shots aren’t meant to be particularly chewy, the whiskey-soaked cherry set in the center of the shot was a delightful accompaniment. Still Austin also delivered a refreshing “Made In Austin” co*cktail on Saturday and Sunday, consisting of the distillery’s own Straight Rye Whiskey, Velvet Falernum, lime juice, and Owen’s Ginger Beer.
Old Fashioned Jell-O shots by Still Austin Whiskey Co.Photo by Brianna Caleri
Favorite musical finds
Brianna Caleri
Before you think me spoiled or a quitter (I technically am both), know that I was out there, too, for half of the food events. I was curious to see how difficult it would be to do the whole shebang, or as Hot Luck calls the all-weekend pass, the Whole Enchilada. If that’s all you do in a weekend, it’s certainly possible. But it seems that most folks’ approach to the festival is to focus on the food and rally for their favorite local band. I have to say, as much as I respect my adventurous foodie colleagues, I think they’re missing out.
The music portion really reminds me of Hot Summer Nights (which just announced its 2024 dates), in that it’s full of small acts I’d either never heard of or not gotten around to seeing. As much as I enjoy a chocolate ice cream cigar (thanks, Uchi), a new favorite band will nourish me for years to come. And my picks over the weekend tell me I should be heading out to the Coral Snake more often.
Subpar Snatch
Jess Scott doesn’t look like she’s about to thrash and writhe onstage at the Coral Snake; If anything, she looks a bit like a young Drew Barrymore, with only a vaguely punk outfit and what looks like expertly curled blond hair. Likewise, the all-rhythm remainder of Subpar Snatch — Nate Ribner on bass and Ceecee Email on drums — don’t sound like they’d back a singer with such a crystalline belt and healthy vibrato. But the eccentric, vulgar garage rock combo is electric. The band (who brought free “subpar snacks” like Circus Peanuts and butterscotch candies, the oddly on-theme antithesis to half the purpose of Hot Luck) brought the energy up in the very first performance slot of the whole fest through unhinged charisma and tasty bass licks — a fabulous appetizer for more to come.
Subpar Snatch at the Coral SnakePhoto by @instadarringram
Knife Channel
Even four years later, pandemic lockdowns are feeding — or robbing — our creative scenes. Thankfully in the case of Knife Channel, it’s the former. Although this band has existed since then, this only appears to have been their second show. (At least, it’s only the second they’ve publicized on social media). Please excuse the barrage of references coming your way, as Knife Channel’s only public demo sounds next to nothing like the live show. We’re talking Austin-style yacht rock; if Hiss Golden Messenger were sort of grittier, and intermittently jazzier. We’re talking vocals pushed to their breaking point, and Steve Miller Band-like runs on the Rhodes piano. The lead singer explains that Knife Channel is named after the country shopping channel, Cutlery Corner; fitting, since both the show and the band are surprisingly, comfortingly lacking in edge.
Pelvis Wrestley
First of all, shame on me. I’ve heard time and time again that Pelvis Wrestley is a band to watch, and beyond some light poking around online, I haven’t committed. It also means that I didn’t realize frontperson Benjamin Violet in the audience during Knife Channel’s set, when I apologized for bumping into them and they turned and emitted a long, theatrical screech a foot from my face. (I loved it; no notes.) About halfway into the set, the realization sunk in that I might have a new favorite Austin band. The glam rock-Western aesthetic is oddly ethereal, with the pedal steel pulling a lot of weight on the latter front alongside Violet’s classic country bass. But Animal Collective-esque synths and euphoric songwriting make it something else entirely. Perhaps surprisingly, given the stylistic hodgepodge, I got nothing but sincerity from the whole band. Plus, I enjoyed talking at my Lyft driver on the way home about what makes a country band — if it’s lots of songs about horses, this set qualified.
Pelvis Wrestley at Hotel VegasPhoto by Brianna Caleri
We know what shows and restaurants we'll be at for the rest of the year. Hope we see you out there.
