Behold! The Chefs Fest 2023 Schedule is complete

and it's coming in so hot it sparked a heatwave

Chefs Fest 2023 is just days away, and it promises to be the hottest ticket in town.

I wish there was no pun to consider, alas it’s Oklahoma in August. Last year’s unseasonably mild weather gives way to what sounds like a real scorcher. That won’t stop 40 of Oklahoma’s top chefs from taking the stage that is the Super Cao Nguyen parking lot on Saturday.

They hope the heat won’t stop you from supporting them. A cooling station will be available in the breeze way next door to Super Cao Nguyen. The market is also bringing back its shaved ice station just inside the entrance. Water will be sold for $1 per bottle.

There will be to-go boxes available, which means folks could have breakfast, lunch and dinner at Chefs Fest 2023.

The chefs are raising money for Pivot, a turning point for youth. Items can be purchased with $5 tokens. Items will range from 1 to 3 tokens. Those tokens are available via presale until 5 p.m. on Friday. They will also be available at the event. Those who purchase tokens in advance will pick up their tokens and T-shirts at the pickup booth on premises.

Let’s get to the chefs. Leading the way is mentor chef Kurt Fleischfresser, who has set culinary standards in the 405 diningscape and collected Mobil diamonds at places like The Coach House and Vast for decades.

Among those serving, Chefs Fest will boast the state’s first two James Beard Award winners, it’s two other nominees. Also cooking will be a Top Chef star, a Guy’s Grocery Games champ, a MasterChef legend, and an Emmy winner.

Oklahoma’s barbecue bigfoot will emerge from his smokehouse lair in Idabel, and the city’s Burgermeister in Chief will hold court.

None of those accolades matches the walking, talking, cooking miracle who will be among the first chefs to serve.

That’s enough adieu already, here’s the official Chefs Fest 2023 Schedule.

The event starts at 11 a.m., and we will open with 15 chefs including:

Rachel Foster of Moni’s Pasta and Pizza serving Garlic Ginger Marinara and Meatballs over Soba Noodles. Rachel survived a catastrophic brain injury in November and underwent a miraculous recovery. She has since run the Boston Marathon. She is scheduled through lunch service.

Jeff Chanchaluene, a 2019 James Beard semifinalist and owner of Ma Der Lao Kitchen, is serving Red Curry Pork over Udon Noodles. Jeff is scheduled through lunch.

Danh Do of Vast serving three items: Chinese Churros, Spam Musubi, and Vegan Danh Danh Noodles. Danh plans to serve the whole day.

Jonas Favela of Stock & Bond serving Smoked Strip Loin with chimichurri over potato salad. Jonas will serve through lunch.

Andrea and Josh Gautreaux of Holey Rollers serving Vanilla Bean donuts, apple fritters, and Strawberry Matcha tea. The Gautreauxs will serve through lunch but return later on behalf of The Red Rooster.

Gabriel Lewis, two-time contestant on Gordon Ramsay’s “MasterChef,” will team with Elena Hughes of Elemental Coffee Roasters to serve Crispy Peach Donuts with peach coffee cream. Elena will serve chocolate chip cookies and peach limeade cold brew. Their booth will operate until 2 p.m.

Anna Banda of Francis Tuttle School of Culinary Art will make Fried Hot Bologna sandwiches, a Sweet Cork Cake, and a Vanilla Espresso Soda. She is serving until 2 p.m.

Chris Becker of Della Terra Pasta is serving Crispy Sriracha Pasta Chips until 3 p.m..

Waseem Ahmed of Kebabish Bites in Norman will serve Butter Chicken and Aloo Chole, a vegan dish. Both are served with basmati rice and kachumber salad. He is serving through lunch and will also serve during dinner.

Stephen Bradley of Nunu’s Mediterranean Café is serving Hashwa and Beef Kofta until 2 p.m.

Zach and Silvana Walters of Sedalia’s are serving Albacore Conserva with Chicken Liver Mousse and pickled red onions through lunch.

Kevin Lee, two-time Guy’s Grocery games winner and Birdie’s Fried Chicken owner, will serve Ttokbokki, a Korean rice cake until 1 p.m.

Kamala Gamble and Barb Mock of Kam’s Kookery have three dishes: Shakshuka with Jammy egg, Smoking Okie Hash, and Frito Misto.

Loretta Barrett Oden, an Emmy Winner and chef from the First Americans Museum, and John Madore, formerly of Picasso’s Café, are serving Chilled Sopa Mahiz until 2 p.m.

Josh Valentine, Top Chef Season 10 contestant, will serve Banh Mi Tacos through lunch and return for dinner.

A new group of chefs will arrive at 1 p.m. Among them is Andrew Black, reigning Best Chef Southwest as named by the James Beard Foundation. His team will represent Black Walnut with a Smoked Pork Belly with red bell peppers and Granny Smith apples. The team will serve until 4 p.m.

David Sullivan of Rococo will serve his famous Stone Fruit Gazpacho until 3 p.m.

Bryan Wilson of The Flycatcher Club is serving Oxtail Gravy Grits and Deconstructed Strawberry Shortcake through lunch then again at dinner.

The state’s first James Beard Award-winner leads a spate of new chefs at 2 p.m.

Victoria Kemp of Florence’s Restaurant will make Yam Fried Chicken over mac n cheese and Hot Honey Chicken over rice until 4 p.m.

Chef and pitmaster Tabb Singleton of Phat Tabb’s BBQ in Idabel is serving Bulgogi Beef Bologna Sliders and Hawaiian Shoyu Pork Belly until 5 p.m. or he sells out.

Andrew Murin of the Paycom Center is serving German barbecue, Spiessbraten until 5 p.m.

Alex Bleakley, who you might know from Instagram’s Everything PJ and Alex Eat, will make Strawberries Newport Sandos with Hokkaido Milk Bread will serve through the end of the event.

More new chefs arrive at 3 p.m., led by the city’s Burgermeister of nearly 25 years.

That’s Nic Nicholas of Nic’s Grill and Nic’s Place is serving Lamb Burgers, wedge fries and cupcakes that come in carrot cake and banana from his food truck. He and his cupcake-making mother will serve until 6 p.m.

Gil Gentry, formerly of Gaijin Sushi, will serve Shrimp Cocktail and Monkfish Tomato Cream Rice. He serves until 6 p.m.

Robby Vernon and Larry Dean Pickering of Hacienda Tacos are serving chiles rellenos until they run out.

Felix Cornejo, the Tamale King, is serving pork and chicken tamales plus sopapilla nachos until he runs out.

Sean Cummings of Sean Cummings Irish Pub will be selling copies of his book and samples of recipes from it. He’ll hang out until 6 p.m.

Tuck and Zack Curren of Tulsa’s legendary Biga are serving Chicken Tawook Sandwiches until they run out.

More new chefs begin to arrive at 4 p.m.

Eric Smith of Pachinko is serving Tapioca Rice Chips with Spicy Tuna and Miso mayo and a Hibiscus-Honey Lemonade until he runs out.

Beau Stephenson and Garrett Myers of 74 Restaurant are making a James Gang tavern pie (pepperoni, cheese and confit of garlic) and I Don’t Give a Fig Duck, a roasted duck dish with figs served over arugula.

The Gautreauxs are back in the evening representing The Red Rooster with Scallion Tacos and Masa Grit Cakes.

Marc and Jenny Dunham of Nashbird will serve hot chicken sliders until 7 p.m.

Three new arrivals at 5 p.m., all of whom will serve until they run out.

Tim Heitzman of Rescue Dog Hot Sauce is serving Mojo Pork Jibaritos. Anna Bui of Bui’s Breads and Little Mouse Bakes is making vegan Snow-skinned Mooncakes. Serving next to her will be Angela Chase of Bodega Flora serving ice cream and sorbets. I repeat: SERVING ICE CREAM AND SORBETS!

At 6 p.m. the Guatemalan contingent leads the arrivals.

Ana Sofia Del Cid of Cafe Antigua is serving Shrimp Campechana, ceviche and plantain chips. Her mother-in-law Veronica Zelada of Café Kacao is serving Shrimp Flautas with Frijoles Borrachos.

Caleb Stangroom of The Bradford House is serving octopus ceviche, fried head cheese, and a yuzu creamsicle.

Returning chefs include Waseem Ahmed of Kebabish Bites serving Butter Chicken and vegan Aloo Chole, Bryan Wilson of The Flycatcher Club and his oxtail grits and strawberry shortcake, and the Banh Mi Tacos from Josh Valentine.

Just a block away, the Asian Night Market Festival follows Chefs Fest on Saturday night starting at 5 p.m. along with the opening of Bun Box with chef Danny Bowien.

Until we see you Saturday, dress cool, and stay hungry.