Beginning one thing new is tough. There are bumps alongside the way in which, however generally even newcomers hit the bottom working. Throughout late final week’s (and weekend’s!) SAVOR, we stored considering that we could not consider this was the pageant’s first 12 months.
However the people at OMNI PGA Frisco aren’t any neophytes. They know precisely what they’re doing. So in late April, throughout a press convention, when they said they wished to carry the most important meals, drink, music and golf pageant to North Texas, we knew. That is precisely what they had been going to do.
What Was It?
The pageant kicked off on Might 1, at 7 p.m. with the Masters of Style Dinner, a four-course expertise that includes expertly paired signature cocktails. On Might 2, there was the Fork & Fireplace Reception with among the nation’s most well-known cooks. The SAVOR Superstar Golf Invitational received underway on Might 3, and that evening, there was the Better of Texas Reception with the state’s high culinary expertise and an intimate efficiency by Midland. The pageant closed on Might 4 with the Margaritas & Mariachis Superstar Brunch at 10 a.m., a Tex-Mex-inspired feast that includes award-winning chef Aarón Sánchez.
Who Attended?
In addition to nice Texas-based cooks John Tesar, Dean Fearing, Leen Kim Nunn, Stephen Rogers, Kevin Sbraga, Wealthy Vana, Andrea Shackleford, Bruno Davaillon, Jared Harms, Nick Badovinus and Joe Riojas, SAVOR hosted the next:
- Chef Antonia Lofaso (High Chef alum; runs DAMA & Scopa in Los Angeles)
- Chef Stephanie Izard (High Chef winner; James Beard Award recipient; owns Lady & The Goat, Chicago)
- Chef Shota Nakajima (James Beard nominee; High Chef finalist; runs Taku in Seattle)
- Chef Kwame Onwuachi (James Beard Award winner; leads Tatiana in New York)
- Chef Elizabeth Blau (James Beard nominee; co-founder of Crown Block, Dallas)
- Chef Kim Canteenwalla (co-founder of Blau + Associates; chef at Crown Block, Dallas)
- Jillian Vose (led The Lifeless Rabbit to World’s Greatest Bar award).
- Chef Kevin Lee (famend chef at Birdies in Chicago and Meals Community Champion)
- Tony Abou-Ganim (world-renowned bar marketing consultant and writer of The Fashionable Mixologist)
The movie star golf event added much more star energy and pleasure to the weekend, drawing a crowd of notable figures from movie, tv and sports activities. Among the many contributors had been actor and winemaker Kurt Russell, Tonight co-host Nischelle Turner, Good Morning America co-host and NFL Corridor of Famer Michael Strahan, comic and actor Rob Riggle, Chicago Fireplace star Jake Lockett, actor and comic Anthony Anderson, actress and author Aimee Garcia, former NFL star Jim Jeffcoat and legendary actor Dennis Quaid. Celebrities didn’t simply keep on the course — additionally they mingled with attendees all through the day, having fun with the varied food and drinks choices.
The event passed off at Fields Ranch West, an 18-hole, par-72 course designed by legendary golf architect Beau Welling. A real masterpiece, the course affords a dynamic expertise that each delights and challenges gamers of all ranges.
The primary-place staff — Nicole Peterson, Cathy Lee, Brian Lapin, Kevin Curran and chef Onwuachi — every took residence a $1,000 reward certificates for customized Lucchese boots. Second-place finishers Dustin Lederman, Jonathan Cunningham, Lindsay DeArmond, Adam DeArmond and Ross Butler had been awarded basic Stetson hats.
Nation music’s Midland introduced their signature mix of classic nation swagger and fashionable aptitude to an intimate crowd, delivering a high-energy set filled with fan favorites like “Drinkin’ Drawback” and “Cheatin’ Songs.” The trio stored the social gathering going with crowd-pleasing tributes to nation icons, together with a boot-stomping rendition of Brooks & Dunn’s “Boot Scootin’ Boogie” that had followers dancing the evening away.
Bringing Texas Tradition To The Plate
SAVOR greater than lived as much as its title, providing a thoughtfully curated expertise that celebrated Texas’s wealthy culinary id. Visitors had the chance to take pleasure in a variety of standout dishes, similar to chef Fearing’s spring-perfect shrimp tacos topped with a refreshing mango slaw, and an expensive caviar presentation courtesy of the Michelin-recommended Mister Charles. Chef Shackleford of Harvest on the Masonic served up a daring, Texas-style plate that includes brisket pastrami, corn chili purée, corn salsa and cornbread. Now it is a flavorful tribute to Lone Star delight.
In fact, no Texas meals celebration could be full with out meat, and the occasion delivered in spades. Chef Vana of The Heritage Desk served a flavorful lamb sausage accompanied by a silky carrot purée, whereas Trick Rider’s chef Rojas supplied up melt-in-your-mouth smoked beef rib that had company lining up for seconds. Chef Tesar, famend for his mastery of meat, wowed company with a richly flavored beef cheek taco — probably the most talked-about dishes of the occasion.
Including a playful and nostalgic contact to the night was the Dr Pepper float — a beloved Texas basic — topped with an ethereal, edible cloud of Dr Pepper–flavored foam. It was the proper candy end to an evening that captured the essence of Texas via taste, aptitude and creativity.
What Made SAVOR So Particular?
The occasion was intimate. Some meals and wine festivals can really feel overwhelming — and that is probably not a foul factor! However right here, the food and drinks occasions had been about savoring flavors, connections and moments. We noticed company chat with cooks and take selfies. Because the environment was extra low key, cooks appeared comfortable, too. The whole lot simply felt, properly, nice.
One other factor that made SAVOR so particular was the caliber of cooks readily available. All of the native cooks had been implausible — better of one of the best in Dallas and past. The cooks that SAVOR flew in are among the many better of one of the best in your entire nation.
Chef Onwuachi, for instance, is on Time’s Most Influential Individuals of 2025 checklist. And good luck attempting to get a reservation at his New York restaurant Tatiana. But, there he was, serving up scrumptious hamachi guisado (yellowtail, Castelvetrano olive and crimson onion). Or, there was Jillian Vose, top-of-the-line bartenders on planet Earth, making drinks, a few of which had been the very best cocktails I’ve ever had.
Or, you’d end up attempting dishes that you will take into consideration for a really, very very long time, like chef Beau MacMillan’s show-stopping seared dayboat scallops with banana, mango aguachile, toasted peanut salsa, match and fervour fruit pearls. (We every had about 5 of the scallops, alone, they had been magnificent, and will’ve simply eaten 5 extra.)
We did not keep on property as we’re native to North Texas, however did meet individuals who had flown in only for the occasion. We might think about having fun with the resort and golf, and capping off the times with unforgettable culinary evenings, with the Sunday brunch, bringing a becoming near the pageant.
We thank Omni PGA Frisco Resort & Spa for internet hosting and treating us!
____
Hungry for extra? Take a look at our dining guide.
Do not miss something Native. Sign up for our free e-newsletter.
