JXN Food & Wine Festival Announces Chef Aarón Sánchez as Co-Host, Unveils 2027 Programming, Chef Lineup and Ticket Details
October 12, 2026
JXN Food & Wine Festival (JXNFW) unveiled programming, participating chefs and ticket details for its fourth annual festival during a press conference Friday, Oct. 9, including the announcement of acclaimed chef and television personality Aarón Sánchez as weekend co-host. Returning to Jackson March 11-13, 2027, the three-day celebration will be led by Chef Chair Hunter Evans and feature local, regional and national culinary talent for a Chef Chair Dinner and two Grand Tastings. Tickets go on sale Wednesday, Oct. 21.
Sánchez, an award-winning chef, restaurateur and longtime judge on FOX's MasterChef and MasterChef Junior, is the chef and owner of Johnny Sánchez in New Orleans. He will participate in Thursday's Chef Chair Dinner and co-host the festival's cooking demonstration stage on Friday and Saturday.
The festival will kick off Thursday, March 11, with the Chef Chair Dinner at the Capital Club, hosted by Evans, chef and owner of Elvie’s and Mayflower Cafe in Jackson, alongside co-host Sánchez and guest Chef Meg Bickford of Commander’s Palace in New Orleans. The evening will begin with a rooftop cocktail reception at 6 p.m., followed by dinner at 7 p.m. Additional participating chefs will be announced at a later date.
New this year, the Chef Chair will select a charity to receive a portion of ticket revenue from the dinner. Evans has selected Children’s of Mississippi, with $10 from every $185 Chef Chair Dinner ticket donated to the state’s only children’s hospital.
Amanda FitzGerald, director of business development for The Local Palate, commented: “Four years in, JXN Food & Wine keeps growing bigger and better. We’re proud to bring guests even more of the elevated, delicious experiences they’ve loved each year. What we’re sharing today is a sneak peek, and there is so much more in the works ahead of March 2027.”
On Friday, March 12, and Saturday, March 13, JXNFW will return to the Mississippi Museum of Art for its signature Grand Tastings. VIP admission will begin at 5 p.m., followed by general admission at 6 p.m.
The 2027 festival will also introduce a second VIP location at the Jackson Convention Complex, expanding the experience with additional chefs, all-inclusive bars, indoor restrooms and a dedicated lounge and gathering area.
The first group of confirmed chefs for the 2027 JXN Food & Wine Festival includes:
- Aarón Sánchez, Johnny Sánchez – New Orleans, LA
- Austin Sumrall, White Pillars Restaurant and Lounge – Biloxi, MS
- Chaz Lindsay, Pulito Osteria; Rowan’s – Jackson, MS
- Eddie Wright, Eddie Wright BBQ – Jackson, MS
- Enrika Williams, Fauna Foodworks – Jackson, MS
- Geno Lee, Big Apple Inn – Jackson, MS
- Guillermo Salinas, Just Vanilla Bake Shop – Jackson, MS
- Hunter Evans, Elvie’s; Mayflower Cafe – Jackson, MS
- Jason Brumm, Oxbow American Grill – Ridgeland, MS
- Jon Davis, City Grocery – Oxford, MS
- Meg Bickford, Commander’s Palace – New Orleans, LA
- Nick Wallace, Hen and Egg – Jackson, MS
- Pierre Pryer Sr., Iron Horse Grill – Jackson, MS
Additional participating chefs and programming will be announced in the months leading up to the festival.
Tickets go on sale Wednesday, Oct. 21, with early bird pricing available through Nov. 1. General admission tickets will be $80 during the early bird window and $95 thereafter, while VIP tickets will be $160 during the early bird window and $175 thereafter. Chef Chair Dinner tickets are $185.
A portion of festival proceeds will also benefit the Mississippi Restaurant Association Education Foundation, which provides scholarships to students pursuing postsecondary degrees in restaurant management or culinary arts.
The Westin Jackson will serve as the festival’s host hotel, offering a special festival rate of $179 per night. Hotel booking will open Oct. 21, allowing festivalgoers to reserve accommodations when purchasing tickets.
Current sponsors for the 2027 JXN Food & Wine Festival include City With Soul, The Local Palate, MWB, The Westin, Brown-Forman, Brown Bottling, Cathead Distilling, Rivulet Artisan Pecan Liqueur, Renegade Lemonade, North Shore Specialty Coffee, Stella Artois, PartySmart, Wölfe Cutlery, Visit Mississippi, Visit Oxford, Explore Ridgeland and Coastal Mississippi.