SE Dallas News

The Dallas College food and wine fundraising event Bits & Bites will be held at the Dallas Arboretum’s A Tasteful Place on Sunday, April 16, from 6-8 p.m. The annual foodie tradition pairs around 30 of the best local chefs with Dallas College students to serve 18,000 plates of food. The food festival provides training opportunities for Dallas College students and supports sustainable culinary and hospitality programs with enhanced learning and labs.

“Bits and Bites gets better every year, and this year is no different. Our chef lineup is amazing, our students are inspirational, and the celebration is in the most beautiful venue in the city,” said Steve DeShazo, senior director, Office of Workforce Initiatives at Dallas College. “When you support this event, you are supporting the backbone of our valued hospitality industry workforce.”

Many of the participating chefs are Dallas College alumni. Among those taking part in this year’s event are: Jason Blackwell (Chef’s Knife Catering), Justin Box (caterer, private chef), Jacob Burden (Omni Dallas Hotel), Fernando Cardona-Heredia (Asador, Renaissance Hotel Dallas), Jimmy Contreras (Taco y Vino), Robert Hale (Texas Beef Council), Josh Healy (Zolis, Cane Rosso, Thunderbird Pies), Sean Jett (Humble: Simply Good Pies), Jim Knifong (Dallas College), Paula Lambert (Dallas Mozzarella Company), Fernando Lezama (3F Premier Catering), Marcus Moehler (MRM Food Services), Misti Norris (Petra & the Beast), Preston Nguyen (World Food Champion, “Next Level Chef” competitor), Pete O’Donnell (The! Dallas Culinary Company), Meaders Ozarow (Empire Baking Company), Chris Patrick (Bright Box Foods), Nikky Phinyawatana (Asian Mint), Andrew Ramsey (Profound Farms), Jeramie Robison (Thompson Dallas), Luke Rogers (Beckley 1115), Abraham Salum (Salum), Hugh Stewart (Fork and Glass Catering), Sandra Sepulveda (Mesquite High School), Jordan Swim (Vestals Catering), Dunia Terselich-Borga (La Duni Baking Studio), John Tesar (Knife Dallas), Segundo Victorica (Dallas College), Adam West (Local Yocal BBQ & Grill) and Diana Zamora (Nena Postreria).

This year, Bits & Bites will honor the North Texas culinary legacy of Jim White. “The KRLD Restaurant Show” host had a passion for telling the world about North Texas’ world-class chefs and restaurants. In 1999, White was a finalist for the James Beard Foundation Best Radio Show award. As a result of his radio show, White created the Celebrity Chef Kitchen at the State Fair of Texas. White is in the Texas Radio Hall of Fame. He and his wife, Vicki Briley-White, founded the Savor Dallas Food and Wine Festival. Jim White passed away on June 4, 2022. Dallas College Foundation is currently fundraising to endow a scholarship in their name. Vicki Briley-White will join us in honoring her husband’s work.

Regular tickets for Bits & Bites are value priced at $85. Dedicated foodies can provide additional support for Dallas College culinary and hospitality programs by purchasing VIP, Corporate Partner, Patron or Friend sponsorship.

Original source can be found here.