Announcing James Beard Foundation Partnership and Guest Chef Dean Fearing

BITE Night One will feature the Chef’s Table Experience curated in partnership with the James Beard Foundation with Dallas-based chef as special guest

BITE NW Arkansas, the two-day food festival part of LPGA week, plans to highlight local and national culinary talent through a brand new event activation curated in partnership with the James Beard Foundation Impact Programs team, organizers announce today. The Chef’s Table Experience will take place during Night One of BITE on Thursday, June 22, and will include a series of interactive cooking demonstrations aimed at educating and entertaining event-goers while giving them up close access to acclaimed chefs.

“After attending BITE in 2016, we were delighted to be invited to participate again this year, particularly with its move to Bentonville, an area that is quickly becoming a culinary destination,” said Kris Moon, vice president, James Beard Foundation. “The Chef’s Table Experience is a unique feature of BITE NW Arkansas that we’re proud to help curate. The experience will highlight topics of importance to our Foundation’s Impact Programs such as food waste, sustainable seafood and sustainable meat, while giving attendees a chance to enjoy an intimate cooking demonstration with the region’s best chefs.”

Featured chefs will include Mario Valdovino, Tyson Executive Chef and Owner of MOD Restaurant; Matthew McClure, The Hive Executive Chef; Rob Nelson, Executive Chef and Owner of Tusk & Trotter; and Dean Fearing, Creator of Fearing’s Restaurant and author of The Texas Food Bible. Students and faculty of Brightwater Culinary School will be on hand to prepare each featured chef’s dish to allow attendees of the Chef’s Table Experience the opportunity to taste what is being prepared on stage. The chefs’ restaurants will also be featured participants at BITE.

“Having the James Beard Foundation and these incredible chefs participate in our event is an honor,” stated Harry Hardy, event director. “We want everyone who attends BITE to walk away having discovered something new and different from this year’s event. I have no doubt the James Beard team will curate an unforgettable lineup of educational demonstrations for our ticketholders to learn and discover from.”

The Chef’s Table Experience curated in partnership with the James Beard Foundation will take place during BITE Night One inside Brightwater Culinary School on the 8th Street Market campus. BITE ticketholders will be given the opportunity to sign up to attend the cooking demonstrations for free. Reservations will open Thursday, May 25 and all BITE ticketholders will be notified on how to sign up. Seating will be limited to encourage an intimate atmosphere, so guests are encouraged the reserve their seats early.