by There’s something for nearly everyone at the 2015 SXSW Festival. My primary draw is SXSports and its wide variety of athletic- and fitness-related panels, speakers, and presentations. Did you know about SXstyle and SX Health and MedTech Expo, both new this year?
It wouldn’t be Austin, however, without some type of food connection (does anyone in town actually eat at home any more?). Thus, there’s SouthBites (#Southbites). Running from Saturday March 14 through Monday March 16 as part of the Interactive festival, this segment focuses on “community innovators, through the lens of food.”
Some SouthBites Sessions with a Uniquely Austin Link
Entrepreneurship, Food Systems and the Circular Economy– Dustin Fedako (The Compost Pedallers), Michael Hanan (Ten Acre Organics), Jack Caedel (Hopper, Inc)
Both Ten Acre Organics and Hopper, Inc. partipated in The University of Texas’ recent Food Labs Challenge. The Compost Pedallers work locally, collecting food waste (what founder Fedako calls “scrapple”) by bicycle for composting.
Small Farms Can Feed Lots of People: A How-To – Andrew Smiley (Sustainable Food Center), Nathan Heath (Phoenix Farms), Robyn Metcalf (UT Food Lab), Sam Hellman-Mass (Odd Duck)
The eatery Odd Duck, from the creators of Barley Swine, uses Texas’ seasons as inspiration for its menu, tying in nicely with the SFC’s mission to strengthen Austin’s community through healthy food.
Grocery Wars: The Future of Buying Food – Addie Broyles (Austin American-Statesman), Phil Lempert (Supermarket Guru)
One of the local paper’s best columnists, food writer Addie Broyles teams up with industry analyst Phil Lempert to discuss what’s in store from the future’s grocery markets.
How Tech Lit The Flame For Celebrity Chef Culture – Aaron Franklin (Franklin Barbeque), Andrew Knowlton (Bon Appetit), Keela Robison (Urban Spoon), Monica Pope (Sparrow Bar & Cookshop)
Lining up for Franklin’s Barbecue has become a destination event for area visitors. Franklin is, however, not Austin’s only celebrity chef….
Life’s a (Dinner) Party: Channeling Culinary Creativity–Paul Qui (Qui/East Side King), Darin Bresnitz (Snacky Tunes), QuestLove (The Roots)
Top Chef winner Paul Qui has transformed Austin’s culinary scene with his East Side King trailers, top-end restaurant Uchiko, and new venture qui (1600 E. 6th).
This is but a sampling of the SXSW #Southbites offerings to be found at the Driskill Hotel and Austin Convention Center; visit sxsw.com/interactive/conference/southbites to view the full schedule. These events are open to those with a 2015 SXSW Interactive, Gold, or Platinum badge.
Share Your Meal with #ATXfoodcrawl
Don’t have a badge but want in on the food fun? Take part in the 3rd Annual ATX Food Crawl (#ATXfoodcrawl). More than 20 local restaurants and food trucks are participating in this Instagram-based scavenger hunt running from March 14–18.
“Over 30,000 people fly into SXSW, and most of them are new to Austin. There’s a ton of restaurants in downtown Austin, and the ATX Food Crawl has narrowed down the best spots during SXSW,” said Jane Ko, editor of the food blog A Taste of Koko.
Simply share pictures of your meals from participating restaurants and food trucks on Instagram with the hashtag #ATXfoodcrawl to be eligible for prizes, such as a pair of weekend passes to the Austin Food + Wine Festival in April and gift cards from a variety of restaurants. In the process, you may find some new stars in Austin’s food scene.
