Hot Date: Taste of the NFL, “the party with a purpose,” is Sunday, May 20

May is turning out to be a banner year for food pilgrims in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. One of the biggest celebrations this month is the “party with a purpose,” the Taste of the NFL on Sunday, May 20, from 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM at the Omni Dallas Hotel.

Once again, Kent Rathbun (chef/owner of Abacus) and former Cowboys Preston Pearson and Chad Hennings are the chairman of the event billed as “The ultimate Cowboys tailgate party.”

Rathbun, one of the most charitable chefs in Dallas, has again assembled a group of more than 20 chefs to provide generous samplings of their food. Each year, this off-season tailgate party seems to get better. I’m expecting this year’s event to be no different.

All event proceeds will go towards supporting NTFB’s children’s programs including: the Food 4 Kids backpack, Kids Cafe and pantry programs, which aim to tackle childhood hunger here in North Texas.

Tickets to the event cost $125 ($225 per pair) in advance hear, or you can buy a ticket for $150 at the door. One hundred percent of taste of the NFL’s proceeds benefits the North Texas Food Banks’ Children’s Feeding Programs.

Here’s the chef lineup:

Kent Rathbun – Kent Rathbun Concepts: Abacus, Jasper’s, Rathbun’s Blue Plate Kitchen, & KB’s WoodFire Grill
Sean Merchant – Bob’s Steak and Chop House, Omni Dallas Hotel
Jake Law & Sarah Katherine Francis – Cavallini Coffee & Tea
Graham Dodds – Central 214, Hotel Palomar Dallas
David Holben – Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steak House
Bronwen Weber – Frosted Art Bakery & Studio
Matt McCallister – FT 33
Orazio LaManna – Legends Hospitality, Cowboys Stadium
Anthony Bombaci – Nana, Hilton Anatole Hotel
Rodman Shields – Nick & Sam’s Steakhouse
James Williams – North Texas Food Bank, Community Kitchen
Leslie Beach – The Owner’s Box, Omni Dallas Hotel
James Johnson – Pappas Bros. Steakhouse
The Saxton Group – Pinkberry
Jaime Corona – Place at Perry’s
Tiffany Derry – Private Social
Shuji Sugawara – Shinsei
James Mockerman – Sullivan’s Steakhouse
Gilbert Garza – Suze Restaurant
TJ Lengnick – Whiskey Cake
Daniel Nemec – Woodfire by Kirby’s (Dallas) & Kirby’s Prime Steakhouse (Southlake)