Chef Throwdown and Asian Day Market

Celebrating Food, Culture, and Community

Thank you for joining us for an incredible event at Texas Farmers Market at Mueller, where culinary creativity met cultural celebration. In partnership with NightMarket.fun, Texas Farmers Market hosted the second annual Chef Throwdown, an exciting competition where top chefs transform locally sourced ingredients into extraordinary dishes. 

CBS Austin's Trevor Scott from "We Are Austin" guided attendees through the exciting day, speaking with chefs, vendors, and judges.

Your competitors were two of Austin’s most celebrated culinary talents, each bringing their unique perspective and passion for fresh, locally sourced ingredients to the table:

Chef Jam Sanitchat, Thai Fresh

Chef Jam grew up in Thailand, learning to cook alongside her grandmother and mother from the time she was five years old. In 2001, she moved to the United States to pursue a graduate degree at the University of Texas at Austin. After completing her studies, she decided to follow a new path—teaching cooking classes from her own kitchen and at clients’ homes. Her love for food continued to deepen, eventually inspiring her to open a stand at the local farmers' market, where she began incorporating fresh, locally sourced ingredients into her dishes.

In 2008, Chef Jam took the next step and opened Thai Fresh, a Thai restaurant in South Austin focused on using the best local ingredients. The restaurant quickly became a community favorite, offering breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily. Inside Thai Fresh, you'll find a coffee shop, a gluten-free bakery, and a vegan ice cream shop, all serving as extensions of Chef Jam’s commitment to quality, locally sourced food. Additionally, Chef Jam continues to share her culinary expertise by offering cooking classes out of a rented kitchen.

Chef Sarah Heard, Foreign & Domestic

Sarah Heard grew up just outside of Houston in Conroe, Tx. Her family lived in Jamaica for a little over a year when she was a child, and they ultimately moved to Lockhart, just outside of Austin, in 2000. Sarah began her hospitality career in San Marcos at Red Lobster in 2005, where she pushed to learn every position in the restaurant, finally landing on the line where she felt at home. Sarah moved to Austin in 2007, where she began a 5 year tenure at the Mansion at Judges Hill. Her final 3 years at the esteemed hotel & restaurant were spent as in her first management position, Executive Sous Chef. She spent the subsequent years learning from other chefs in Austin at lauded restaurants such as La Condesa and Parkside, where she met her partner in life and business, co-chef Nathan Lemley. The two purchased Foreign & Domestic in 2017 and opened Commerce Cafe in Lockhart in 2020. They have since received numerous awards, and are focused on maintaining sustainable sourcing, cuisine that is inventive, yet restrained, and stellar hospitality.  

Thanks to our Judges!

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to our incredible panel of judges who lent their expertise to the Chef Throwdown. Their discerning palates and thoughtful feedback were key to selecting the winning dish and celebrating the creativity of our talented chefs. Thank you for being part of this memorable event!

Afterwards, attendees enjoyed lively AAPI cultural performances, including a mini lion dance by the Texas Dragon Dance Team and live music from Aly Rosa and The Ruan Sisters. Alongside the chef competition, a curated Asian Day Market featured AAPI-owned vendors offering delicious food, unique art, and more.

Kitchen Supply Raffle

Attendees were invited to enter their contact information for entries to win a randomized kitchen gift out of 11 possible packages. The raffle will close on Friday, Dec 13 at 11:59 PM Central Time. Check out the possible prizes and enter now.

Event Schedule Recap

10:00 AM: Market Opens

10:00 AM - Noon: Chef Throwdown (Cooking & Judging)

11:30 AM: Live Mini Lion Dance Performance

12:00 PM: Judging & Audience Voting

12:15 PM: Winner Announcement

12:30 PM - 2:00 PM: Musical Performances

2:00 PM: Market Closes

Map

Texas Farmers Market at Mueller - Branch Park Pavilion

2201 Aldrich Street, Austin, TX

Vendors

🥟 @sherpasnacks - Nepali style grilled meats & dumplings.

🥒 @pickleenvyatx - Kosher-style dill pickles, probiotic pickle juice, vegan kimchi, sauerkraut, and seasonal ferments.

🍜 @simplithai - Thai food meal kits.

🥟 @steamies_dumplings - Handmade Chinese dumplings.

🈴 @manhattan_mandarin_austin - In-person / remote Mandarin tutoring & group classes.

🐈 @beibeibear_designs - Cute drawings stickers, and accessories.

💮 @abstractwren - Ornate abstract paintings by Lauren Hua.

🧧 @jasminechock - Quirky Chinese-inspired art prints and ceramics.

🍨 @rollierollsllc - Thailand-inspired style rolled ice cream.

Ema Wish Board

Guests participated in the Ema Wish Board tradition, decorating ema wishes in return for donations to NightMarket.fun. This beautiful activity inspired by Japanese culture brought the community together to share hopes and dreams.

Thank You to our Sponsors

A heartfelt thank you to our amazing sponsors:

Your support made this unforgettable event possible!

Stay connected with us for more events celebrating the diversity and creativity of Austin’s AANHPI community.