Hot Date: Chipotle throwing big chef-studded, beer-centric “Cultivate” party in Las Colinas on Saturday, October 18

<span style=”color: #000000;”>Chipotle Mexican Grill is rolling into Las Colinas’ Lake Caroline on Saturday, October 18, marking the southern debut of its Cultivate festival. The one-day lakeside party includes cooking demonstrations by buzzy chefs, live music, local food artisans, regional beer and wines, a special Chipotle festival menu, a Kids’ Zone with games and other activities that emphasize fresh and affordable food made with sustainable ingredients. Admission is free.

In the cheffy line-up: Matt McCallister (FT33 in Dallas); Omar Flores (Casa Rubia in Dallas); Kent Rathbun (Abacus in Dallas and Jasper’s in Plano, Houston and Austin); Paul Qui (Qui and East Side King in Austin); Sean Brock (Husk in Charleston and Nashville, and McCrady’s in Charleston) and Amanda Freitag (Empire Diner in New York).

The musical line-up includes Amos Lee, O.A.R., MS MR, Sylvan Esso, and DJ Christopher Golub.

“Dallas is home to the South’s first Chipotle restaurant, which opened more than 15 years ago. Its vibrant food and artisan community offers a solid foundation for an event like Cultivate that celebrates great local and artisanal foods while helping people understand how food should be raised and prepared,” said Chris Arnold, communications director at Chipotle. “Cultivate allows attendees to interact with chefs, farmers and vendors — all while sampling foods exclusive to the festival.”

Chipotle has partnered with Lakewood Brewing Company to produce and serve a “Cultivate Farmhouse Ale” at Cultivate Dallas-Ft. Worth. The ale, an interpretation of a farmhouse-style brew, uses Bravo, Cascade and Citra hops, plus Texas wildflower honey.

Chipotle’s festival menu will include a pork belly or barbacoa gordita, grilled chicken tacos, baby kale and roasted corn salad, and a jasmine rice bowl with pork and chicken meatballs or organic tofu from ShopHouse Southeast Asian Kitchen, Chipotle’s Asian concept.

Additional Cultivate events were scheduled this year in San Francisco (June 7) and Minneapolis (Aug. 23).