Tickets & Sponsorships
Thank You to Our Sponsors!
Presented by
Supporting Sponsors
Event Sponsors
Birmingham Coca-Cola United Bottling Co. | The Breakup Cookie | Bristow Gin | Cary Norton | Cathead Vodka | Chosen Family Wines | Cuisinart Outdoors | Decor to Adore | Easy Hemp Co. | Evans Meats & Seafood | Fresh Face Flowers | Heck Hospitality | Hornitos Tequila | Local Link Bham | Makers Mark | Pihakis Restaurant Group | Southern Company | Tre Luna Catering | Trim Tab Brewing Company | True's Gourmet Hot Mustard
Table Sponsors
Alabama Farmers Agricultural Foundation | Altec Industries, Inc. | Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP | Brasfield & Gorrie | Culver's | Dunn Investment | EBSCO Industries | Elizabeth Ghareeb & Michael Petty | Jay & Courtney Pigford | Jemison Investment Co. | Kroger Delivery | National Cement | Pihakis Restaurant Group | Lydia & Taylor Pursell | Regions Financial | Shipt | Spire Energy | Britney & Tony Summerville | Vulcan Materials Co.
CULINARY & MUSICAL LINEUP
Chef Christine Lau
Christine Lau was raised in Oakland, CA by parents who emigrated from Hong Kong. Her Chinese American cuisine is strongly influenced by her upbringing in the Bay Area, her years working in New York City, and the cultural diversity that defines both.
Christine has been recognized for her culinary efforts over the years in major publications including Eater NY 15 Best Dishes of 2020, Food & Wine Best Bites of 2021, and in 2022 Christine's restaurant, Kimika was named a semifinalist for the James Beard Foundation Best New Restaurant award, and lauded by Pete Wells of the New York Times: "It takes a light hand to mash up Italian and Japanese cuisines and not get mush. At Kimika, that hand belongs to Christine Lau."
In July 2023, Christine created the menu at Chino Grande in Brooklyn, NY where her food pays homage to New York City's Chinese-Latin American restaurants from the 1960's and 70's. Christine's food can be found in cities across the US on her quest to connect cultures through food.
Clarice Lam
Born in Toronto, Canada, and raised in Los Angeles, California by her parents who immigrated from Hong Kong, Clarice Lam moved to San Francisco after high school to pursue a modeling career, allowing her to travel internationally for over a decade. After retiring from modeling, she earned her Grand Diplôme in classic pastry arts from The French Culinary Institute in New York City. She built her foundation in critically acclaimed establishments including Thomas Keller's Bouchon Bakery, Jean-Georges Vongerichten's Spice Market, and as the executive chef at The Chocolate Room in Brooklyn.
In 2012, Clarice opened Brooklyn-based The Baking Bean, a direct-to-consumer bakery specializing in all-natural, seasonal desserts and confections. In 2020, Clarice signed on at Kimika, an Italian-Japanese restaurant in Nolita that scored a James Beard semifinalist nomination for Best New Restaurant in 2022. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, People, Good Morning America, NY Daily News, Food & Wine, Forbes, Condé Nast Traveler, Eater, South China Morning Post, and many more. She was most recently on The Dr. Seuss Baking Challenge in her first role as a series judge on Prime Video, and her debut cookbook, Breaking Bao, is set to release on October 22, 2024, by Chronicle Books.
Jose de Jesus Medina Camacho
Jose de Jesus Medina Camacho is co-founder and beverage director of Adios Bar & SALUD in Birmingham, AL. Born in Michoacan, Mexico, and raised in Birmingham, Camacho began working in the restaurant business at an early age and after years of working in beverage management at Birmingham's Little Donkey, Octane, and The Marble Ring, Jose accepted the Lead Bartender position at Automatic Seafood & Oysters in early 2019. At Adios Bar, Camacho manages day-to-day operations and leads menu curation of the establishment's unique listing of classic cocktails crafted with Mexican-made-and-grown spirits and ingredients that showcase the cultural fabric of Mexico City.
Founded by NBA Champion Channing Frye and his close friends, Chosen Family is on a mission to connect people from all walks of life through their collective passion for amazing wines, community, and life.
Good wine has been at the center of so many of their favorite memories. Inspired by these moments, Chosen invites you to take a seat at their table and raise a glass to the people and places that have brought you joy. At Chosen Family Wines, they believe in doing things with purpose, respect, and compassion. They believe in taking time to celebrate the best life has to offer, and believe in giving the best you've got.
Chosen partners with some of the best young winemakers in the world to share wines that tell the story of their renowned terroir while providing unparalleled quality and value. Each bottle of wine that they produce is a result of the synergy between terroir, technique, and unique barrel selection, reflecting the unity of our chosen family of partners and friends.
Suaze
Suaze is a multi-talented music producer, DJ, and radio host with a deep passion for music and vinyl culture. He hosts Pastime Paradise (Sundays) on Substrate Radio (substrateradio.com), curating a rich blend of genres that reflect his diverse musical tastes. As the co-host of The Shure Shot Jazz on 91.1 FM jazzhall.com, Suaze brings his expertise and love for jazz to the airwaves, sharing hidden gems and timeless classics with his audience. A dedicated vinyl collector and local business owner, Suaze embodies the spirit of independent artistry, using his platforms to celebrate music in its purest forms.