This Week in Gluttony
These are the 6 best food and drink events in Fort Worth this week

The tinier the bubbles, the better the champagne, and a champagne dinner this week will feature some of the best (and bubbliest) in the world. Move through the week with a gumbo dinner from a true Cajun cook, a reserve wine tasting, and a fundraising dinner featuring six top chefs. Sunday’s forecast calls for chili, with more than a dozen Fort Worth chefs competing to serve their spicy best.
Wednesday, February 28
Bruno Paillard Champagne Dinner at Café Modern
Bruno Paillard champagne is known for its almost microscopic bubbles, which means more effervescence and flavor, and guests will get to sip six of the French winemaker’s offerings paired with a five-course meal. Menu highlights include oysters on the half shell, escargot and bone marrow ravioli, and goat cheese tarts with local honey. Reservations are $195 for Modern Art Museum members and $225 for non-members, plus tax and gratuity. Dinner starts at 6:30 pm.
Pop-up Dinner + Beer Tournament at Brewed
The mother of Brewed co-owner Joey Turner is apparently known for her chicken and sausage gumbo, and the bona fide Cajun cook will be on hand to help prep a big batch for 40 lucky guests. To wash it all down, guests will also blind-taste 12 stouts from around the country and vote for their favorite. Tickets are $35 per person, plus tax and gratuity, and dinner begins at 7 pm.
Matchbook Wine Company Wine Dinner at Michaels Cuisine
A wide range of varietals — including Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Cabernet, and a red blend and rosé — will be covered in this four-course dinner. Chef-owner Michael Thomson will prepare a plentiful meal of shrimp and grits, charbroiled lamb chop, Wagyu sliders, and berry upside-down bundt cake. Arrive at 6:30 pm for appetizers. Dinner begins at 7:15, and reservations are $105 per person plus tax and gratuity.
Thursday, March 1
FWFWF Sipping Series: Reserve Wine Tasting
Consider it training for the upcoming Fort Worth Food + Wine Festival. Guests will taste more than 25 pours of highly rated wines (mostly reds) from around the country. Featured wineries will include Napa’s Duckhorn Vineyards and Oregon’s Ken Wright Cellars. The tasting starts at 6 pm and will take place at Café Modern, which will serve accompanying apps. Tickets are $75 per person and proceeds will benefit the festival’s foundation.
Cuisine for Healing Dinner Party for Life
Chef Jon Bonnell will emcee this annual fundraising dinner that helps provide meals for folks with life-threatening diseases. The chef lineup includes Tim Prefontaine of The Fort Worth Club, where the dinner will be held, along with Ben Merritt of Fixture Kitchen and Social Lounge, Charles Youts of the Classic at Roanoke, Kevin Martinez of Tokyo Café, and Marcus Paslay of Clay Pigeon Food & Drink and Piatello Italian Kitchen. Six courses will be paired with wine. Tickets are $100 per person and dinner starts at 6 pm.
Sunday, March 4
Celebrity Chef Chili Cook-off
Chili of all kinds, from venison and vegan to those with beans and without, will be featured at this all-star chef cook-off, now in its third year. Participants include Terry Chandler of Fred’s Texas Café, Keith Hicks of Buttons Restaurant, Stefon Rishel of Texas Bleu in Keller, Billy Woodrich of Billy’s Oak Acres BBQ, Juan Rodriguez of Magdalena’s (a past winner), and many more. Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for children 6 to 13. The cook-off begins at noon and will take place at The Tin Panther bar and music venue.