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South by Southwest (SXSW) begins on Friday, March 8, and food programming is featured heavily throughout the conference, which ends on Saturday, March 16. Many look to the future of food, from media to vegan foods to sustainability to nonalcoholic drinks.
With all of that mind, here are the best panels about the food, drinks, and the related happening during SXSW this year. All of the below require some sort of SXSW badge/wristband, unless otherwise noted.
Friday, March 8
Where Is the Future of Food Media Headed?
11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
JW Marriott Austin, 110 East 2nd Street, downtown
Room 203-204
Chef, YouTube cook, and cookbook author Joshua Weissman and former Night Media operating partner Giacomo Zacchia talk about the the past, present, and future states of food media and how people connect with audiences in meaningful ways through digital mediums and how brands can use that. (Disclosure: this panel is moderated by Eater Austin editor Nadia Chaudhury.)
Yet We Rise: Breaking Bread with Black Food Leaders
4 to 5 p.m.
JW Marriott Austin, 110 East 2nd Street, downtown
Room 201-202
Panelists Vanessa Mukhebi (food anthropologist and communications manager of food waste nonprofit ReFED), Ali Manning (food scientist, author and CEO and founder of Umami Food Consulting), Patience Kabwasa (executive director of nonprofit Food to Power), and Eric Adams (founder of pet food company Dog & Whistle) gather to talk about the roles Black leaders play and can play when it comes to food in the world.
Saturday, March 9
Future of Food: Marketing Innovation in the Food Industry
10 to 11 a.m.
JW Marriott Austin, 110 East 2nd Street, downtown
Room 201-202
National burger chain Shake Shack chief marketing officer Jay Livingston and vegan food production company NotCo senior marketing advisor Fernando Machado will talk about working with vegan foods on a larger scale.
Cultivating Hope: Nourishing the Body, Society, & Planet
11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
JW Marriott Austin, 110 East 2nd Street, downtown
Room 203-204
Former Food & Wine editor Dana Cowin is talking with indigenous food activist and author Felicia Cocotzin Ruiz and healthcare investing company CPG Ventures investment partner Claire England about how to dine and cook in ways that are better for the world and ourselves.
The Future of Flavor: Science, Trends, & Innovation
2:30 to 3:30 p.m.
JW Marriott Austin, 110 East 2nd Street, downtown
Room 203-204
Panelists including grape company Grapery CEO Jim Beagle, berry company Driscoll’s vice president of brand and product marketing Frances Dillard, and Fresh Foods team lead Jonna Parker talk about creating flavors and products geared towards Gen-Z, i.e. cotton candy grapes.
Why the Future of Restaurants Will Be Reshaped by CPG
4 to 5 p.m.
JW Marriott Austin, 110 East 2nd Street, downtown
Room 201-202
As restaurants have to grow into new lanes in order to make more money, these panelists, including Washington, D.C.-based Cuban cafe Colada Shop CEO Daniella Senior, talk about how they ventured into consumer-packaged goods as a revenue stream.
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Sunday, March 10
Tastes Like Home: Bridging the Immigration Gap Through Food
11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Austin Convention Center, 500 East Cesar Chavez Street, downtown
Room 9C
New York restaurant the Migrant Kitchen’s cofounders CEO Daniel Dorado and president Jaclinn Tanney talk about being an immigrant in American today, and how food security and food connection is so important.
People First, Always: How to Put Values at the Heart of Your Business
11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Austin Convention Center, 500 East Cesar Chavez Street, downtown
Ballroom E-F
Chef José Andrés (who isn’t new to SXSW) will talk with Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian (for some reason) and other unnamed guests about how, at least when it comes to his work at his disaster relief nonprofit World Central Kitchen, he focuses on people. This is also a featured session at SXSW.
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Better Beef: Reversing the Narrative on a Changing Industry
11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
JW Marriott Austin, 110 East 2nd Street, downtown
Room 201-202
The panelists — including celebrity chef Tyler Florence, Temple Grandin (yes, that person, who is also an animal behaviorist and professor at Colorado State University), Kansas and rancher Matt Perrier — will talk about how the entire beef production process can be done right.
Global Bites, Local Delights: How Immigrant Flavors Are Shaping the U.S. Food Scene
2:30 to 3:30 p.m.
JW Marriott Austin, 110 East 2nd Street, downtown
Room 203-204
Austin chefs shine in this panel where Canje’s Tavel Bristol-Joseph and Nixta Taqueria’s Edgar Rico talk about using their respective backgrounds in their restaurants — Caribbean and Mexican, with Flavors Unknown podcast host Emmanuel Laroche.
Why Not Drinking Is the Hottest Trend in Drinking
4 to 5 p.m.
JW Marriott Austin, 110 East 2nd Street, downtown
Room 201-202
Andrew Solis (the founder of Cut Above Zero-Proof Spirits), Marcos Salazar (CEO of the Adult Nonalcoholic Beverage Associate), Pauline Idogho (the CEO of nonalcoholic canned drink company Mocktail Club), and Elizabeth Gascoigne (founder of national nonalcoholic events company Absence of Proof) talk about how the growing trend of nonalcoholic drinks.
Monday, March 11
Fast-Forward to 2050 Fast Food
2:30 to 3:30 p.m.
JW Marriott Austin, 110 East 2nd Street, downtown
Salon D
Two members of Deloitte Consulting will talk about, well, the future of fast food trends and restaurants in the world.
Wednesday, March 13
What Am I Doing Here? With Kyle MacLachlan
10 to 11 a.m.
Austin Convention Center, 500 East Cesar Chavez Street, downtown
Creative Industries Expo, Exhibit Hall 4, Next Stage
We’ll count this — actor, delightful TikToker, podcaster, and wine vitner/nerd/owner of Washington winery Pursued by Bear Kyle MacLachlan will talk about all of those things during a Q&A.
Thursday, March 14
All Things Food Summit
10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Barr Mansion, 10463 Sprinkle Road, far northeast Austin
Nonprofit Food Tank is hosting an entire’s day worth of programming during SXSW, centered on food sustainability, food policies, and farming (including a panel moderated by former Eater Austin associate editor Erin Russell). Also of particular note is a conversation with cookbook author Toni Tipton-Martin. Plus there are lots of foods and a screening of documentary Common Ground. This event doesn’t require SXSW badges; there are free RSVPs online.
Friday, March 15
Creating Vibrant Cities Through Nightlife Entrepreneurship
11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Austin Convention Center, 500 East Cesar Chavez Street, downtown
Creative Industries Expo, Exhibit Hall 4, Next Stage
Several city officials from Austin (nightlife and entertainment services manger Brian Block), San Francisco, and Philadelphia will talk about their respective policies to help grow their cities nightlife and restaurant industries.
