Food-o-File

Paula and Glenn Foore (Courtesy of Paula Foore)

Grab your calendar and start saving dates. The fall festival and charity event season is off to a flying start. There are some September events that probably won't get much publicity but are equally worthwhile to our emerging local food businesses. The Food Lab at UT is now known as Food+City and they are once again offering a prize for innovation in global food systems – food production, distribution, packaging, and consumption. The submission process opened Sept. 1 and closes Oct. 15; 20 finalists will be announced and paired with mentors in November; a boot camp day will be held on the UT campus in February of 2016; followed by a Showcase Day at the McCombs School of Business on the UT campus, when a total of up to $50,000 in prizes will be awarded. For complete details, go to www.foodandcity.org. In the meantime, aspiring entrepreneurs might also want to sign up for an in-depth panel discussion titled "Austin – the Next Hotbed for Food Business Innovation?" Food and drinks will be provided, and tickets are $30, or $10 for students with a valid ID. The event takes place in the main atrium of the McCombs School of Business at UT on Tuesday, Sept. 22, from 6-8:30pm.

Roots of American Food is an all-day conference in New York City on Monday, Sept. 7, and Austin will be well-represented. Austin chef Philip Speer will be one of the speakers during a day of panels and discussions. Zach Hunter, chef de cuisine at Fixe, and Jorge Hernandez, chef de cuisine at qui, will be part of a team of up-and-coming young chefs from around the country assisting in the preparation of dinner for the gathering – a traditional Southern meat-and-three as interpreted by chef Min Kong of Little Park in NYC, followed by a selection of pies curated by San Francisco pastry chef Angela Pinkerton.

After months of struggles, Springdale Farm (755 Springdale Rd.) owners Paula and Glenn Foore are heaving a huge sigh of relief. On Thursday, Aug. 27, City Council approved a conditional-use permit that will allow them to host events that account for up to 20% of their annual business revenue. The victory was the result of the incredibly positive support from all aspects of the local food community as well as an op-ed piece by Council Member Sabino "Pio" Renteria demonstrating a clear understanding of all sides of the issue.