On a sunny day in June, SAVEUR reprised its beloved Cookout series for the first time in a decade—in partnership with Travel Texas. Hosted in the lush garden terrace and main dining room of the Wythe Hotel in Brooklyn, SAVEUR welcomed more than 100 readers for a barbecue-filled night featuring three new-wave pitmasters from across the Lone Star State.
Together, the three award-winning pros served up fresh takes on Texas barbecue, blending tradition with the state’s rich cultural diversity. Out of Fort Worth, pitmasters Chris Magallanes and Ernest Morales of Panther City BBQ served beef cheek barbacoa tostadas with salsa verde and pickled onion; brisket “flaco tacos” topped with asadero cheese, onion, and cilantro; and their famous Panther City chopped brisket elote. From Houston, brothers Don and Theodore Nguyen of Khói Barbecue brought their signature Viet-Tex style to New York via brisket bò lá lốt with perilla leaf and a beef rib coconut curry with garlic rice and Vietnamese sauerkraut. Finally, Lance and partner Bookyung “Boo” Eaker of Fredericksburg’s Eaker Barbecue shared their Korean-Texan take with gochujang pork belly burnt ends, smoked brisket with galbi sauce, and a cooling cucumber salad.
To round out the culinary offerings, the Wythe Hotel laid a bountiful “grazing table” featuring Texan pimento cheese alongside vibrant crudités and dips—in addition to desserts like blackberry cream puffs and lemon-blueberry pavlovas.
Between bites, guests imbibed on Texan beverages, including two signature SAVEUR cocktails: the refreshing and sessionable Amarillo infused with Lalo Tequila, cucumber, aloe, and habanero; and the bold Midnight in the Garden with Charles Goodnight Whiskey, cognac, Bénédictine, sweet vermouth, and bitters.
SAVEUR readers mingled with SAVEUR editors and staff—Frances Kim, Ryan McCarthy, Russ Smith, Fatima Khawaja, Thomas Payne, Shane Mitchell, and Toni-Ann Gardiner—as well as contributors, media, and friends such as Kristin L. Wolfe, Chuck Cruz, Hailee Catalano, and Michele Hermann, among others.
With the party in high spirits, Craddock made a toast to the sponsors and everyone who came to celebrate, and underscored the night’s overarching theme of culinary excellence and collaboration.
“There’s something special happening in Texas right now: the hospitality, the creativity, and the diversity of flavors and cultures are just so alive,” Craddock said. “And honestly? Our states have more in common than you might think. Whether you’re in Fredericksburg or Williamsburg, barbecue has a way of bringing people together.”
As the night came to a close, guests went back for seconds of glistening meat before stepping back out into the summer air.
