Top chefs ready to start cooking as Taste of the Republic returns

You know that thing where people pray for rain? Let’s all agree to not do that on April 18.

On that day, Fiesta’s culinary kickoff event, Taste of the Republic, will be back with a vengeance following last year’s truncated outing, which found ticket holders caught in a downpour on the grounds of the Alamo.

It was an epic blustery night, with reported winds of 60 mph, a proper lashing of hail and power outages that affected thousands. Those torms also canceled the Fiesta Fiesta event.

This year, an all-star lineup of San Antonio chefs will descend upon the Briscoe Western Art Museum’s Jack Guenther Pavilion to stage an evening showcasing the state’s unique foodways.

“We are so excited to bring together an excellent group of San Antonio chefs once again to celebrate Texas’ unique culinary traditions,” the event’s coordinating chef, Brian West, said in a media release. “We can’t wait to celebrate the best of San Antonio and to kick off Fiesta with all of our guests.”

The roster of participating talent reads like a who’s who of the city’s kitchen talent, represents a wide swath of culinary styles, and includes the following:

• Juan Carlos Bazan of Cuishe Cocina Mexicana & Toro Kitchen + Bar

• Ernie Bradley of The Cherrity Bar

• Benjamin De Los Santos of Benjie’s Munch

• Andrew Gutierrez of SA Pops

• Jesse Kuykendall of Milpa and Ocho

• Joe Melig and Esaul Ramos of 2M Smokehouse

• Jose Ochoa of Palenque Grill La Cantera

• Braunda Smith of Lucy Cooper’s Ice House

• Lisa Astorga-Watel and Damien

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• Ceasar Zepeda of Saucy Bird

• Kristina Zhao of Dashi & Sichuan House

Taste of the Republic tickets cost $125, and include samplesize dishes from all the chefs and

a wine pairing for their offerings. Beer and cocktails also will be served at the event, which begins at 5 p.m. April 18 at 210 W. Market St. Historically, the event has sold out fairly quickly, so snag a ticket while they’re still available at tasteoftherepublic.com.

Taste of the Republic This year, Taste of the Republic will be held April 18 at the Briscoe Western Art Museum.