Chef Mary Bass Takes Top Honors, Winning the Coveted Chef of Chefs Title and $5,000 at the 22nd Annual Wine & Food Week

THE WOODLANDS, TX -- It’s a culinary wrap. Wine & Food Week 2026 proved once again that exceptional wine and food have the power to transport, inspire, and connect as thousands gathered in The Woodlands for the 22nd annual celebration themed “Going Places: Discover Where Wine Can Take You.”

The week-long culinary journey culminated June 6 at The Wine Rendezvous Grand Tasting & Chef Showcase where Chef Mary Bass captured the coveted Chef of Chefs title and a $5,000 cash prize in one of the region’s most prestigious culinary competitions. Chef Mary Bass impressed judges with her Jumbo Gulf Mojo Shrimp- black bean puree and Oaxacan sesame sauce with tomatillo and cotija—a dish which delivered culinary finesse.

Second Place and a $750 cash prize went to Chef Paul Friedman of The Chef’s Table for his Sticky Pork Belly—seared pork belly with a sticky guava sauce, and carrot ginger purée.

Third Place and a $500 cash prize was awarded to Chef Beatriz Martínes of Xalisco for Pulpo Maya- Grilled Spanish octopus marinated in achiote adobo, served with sikil pak (a traditional Mayan pumpkin seed paste), charred habanero pearls, and a hoja santa–infused tortilla, accompanied by a fire-charred habanero sauce.

People’s Choice Award for Best Dessert went to Marriott Resort Aruba Stellaris Casino Pastry Chef Diego Palacios.

Close to 90 restaurants, and over 500 wines were featured throughout the week in a dynamic lineup of events designed to take guests on a global tasting adventure.

Going Places Goes Global kicked off Wine & Food Week with a passport-worthy evening of international flavor and flair. Guests explored two immersive wine seminars featuring global selections while sipping and savoring French-inspired bites. The evening also featured an Emily in Paris-inspired fashion show and lively lookalike contest that brought Parisian style, playful glamour, and plenty of joie de vivre to the celebration.

Crushing It With Cocktails! delivered high-energy entertainment as nine superstar mixologists battled for Best in Glass, Best Theme, and People’s Choice honors while guests enjoyed globally inspired cocktails, lively music, and unforgettable flavor experiences. Best in Glass, went to Tyler Silva, The Blind Finch for his exotic Chareau Aloe Liquer based cocktail called Take ‘Em to Tulum. Crushed It! Best Theme and Experience went to Nick Babcock with Amrina, who wowed with Take the Red-Eye and Crowd Crusher aka People’s Choice went to Obed Gallardo with Flora for Hibiscus Flower, a Glendalough Gin-based cocktail.

Some of the most dynamic voices in the wine industry today regaled guests at Carlton Woods during the elegant four-course Ladies of the Vine Luncheon, Tasting & Panel Discussion where wines from the panelist’s own vineyards were expertly paired including Violet Grgich, Grgich Hills Estate, Stephanie Franklin with Frankline Vines, Janet Mietrschin of Portree Cellars and Kim Stare Wallace with Dry Creek Vineyard. It was an afternoon that’s equal parts inspiring, empowering, and delicious.

Sips, Suds & Savor blended craft brews, fun wines, and chef-driven bites into the ultimate tasting trifecta. Guests mixed, mingled, and discovered exciting new favorites while grooving to the high-energy sounds of Shang & Byron, whose crowd-pleasing performance kept the party vibe going all night long.

The week reached its grand finale at The Wine Rendezvous Grand Tasting & Chef Showcase where 37 chefs brought their culinary A-game in an intense battle for the Chef of Chefs crown before an esteemed panel of culinary and media judges.

Guests sipped iconic wines including Bordeaux First Growth Grand Crus, Antinori Tignanello, Silver Oak, Col Solare Cabernet, and Ceretto Barolo while experiencing an extraordinary showcase of culinary creativity. Standout dishes included Seared foie gras and Hokkaido scallops , crispy lotus root with ginger carrot silk, satsuma Serrano espuma, topped with black garlic shoyu pearls and micro shiso from Chef Vinny Lantigua, Eurest. A Fresh herb & juniper berry crusted great range bison tenderloin, Sullivan County foie gras demi glaze, smoked Spanish octopus, spiced pickled white asparagus, and truffle Romanesco puree, topped with lotus root chip created by Chef Michael Batke, The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel & Convention Center and a Smoked Beef Tartar in a crispy Tartlet with spicy pickled cucumber, capers, smoked egg yolk bone marrow and shiitake mushroom from visiting Chef Aldwin Donata with the Aruba Holiday Inn Resort.

“This year marked our 22nd annual celebration and this year’s theme, ‘Going Places,’ perfectly reflects what wine, food, and travel experiences do—they transport us, connect us, and create unforgettable memories,” said event founder and Co-Producer Constance McDerby.

Mixing, mingling, and celebrating throughout the week were notable culinary personalities, wine enthusiasts, and community leaders including Bayway Cadillac owners Darryl and Linda Wischnewsky; H-E-B Senior Marketing Manager Joe Casiano; Chopped Champion Chef Lena Le; Next Level Chef Finalists Trinidad "Machete" Gonzalez and Amber Kellehan as well as Chef Aldwin Donata visiting from Aruba. Also, in the mix Karlex Antoine, proprietor, Château Fillon, a historic 70-hectare estate in Bordeaux and Guy Stout.

The distinguished judging panel included Houston Chronicle restaurant critic Bao Ong; food journalist Phaedra Cook; Cleverley Stone Foundation President Katie Stone; Latin Bites Chef-Owner, Carlos Ramos; Bravado Spice Company CEO Jeremiah Tallerine; H-E-B Chef Brent Hurter, Chef Nancy Manlove, Chef Tristen Epps, Chef Sunil Srivastava, and PaperCity digital editor Laura Landsbaum.

Wine & Food Week’s 22nd celebration supported charitable organizations including New Danville, The Woodlands Arts Council, Second Chances, and Montgomery County Food Bank. Through various fundraising initiatives, Food & Vine Time Productions has helped raise well over $2 million for local charities over the years.

The journey continues with upcoming events including Nach-Yo Ordinary Tequila Tasting on August 22, the Platinum Wine Vault on September 21 at Bayway Cadillac, and the H-E-B Wine Walk at The Woodlands Resort on October 24.

For information visit www.wineandfoodweek.com.

Wine & Food Week is presented by H-E-B. Sponsored by: Bayway Cadillac of The Woodlands, Aruba Tourism, The Only Facial, LaCroix, Visit the Woodlands, Trinchero Family Estates, Riboli Family Wines, Duckhorn Wine, Dry Creek Vineyard, Michael David Winery, SpeedPro Imaging The Woodlands, The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel, Renewal by Anderson, Texas Renaissance Festival, Women Driving Business, Living Well with Sarah Cain, Chareau Aloe Liquer, Satoma Tequila, Brother’s Bond Bourbon, The Whistle Pig, El Tesoro Tequila, Lyre & Thief, Montanya Rum, Glendalough Distillery, Woodlands Online, PaperCity Magazine, Hello Woodlands, KSTAR Country Radio, Community Impact, YELP, Infiniti Graphics, Genesis Photography, Video, Kelley Sweet Photography, Minor Details, Photography by Melissa Chapman, and SRG Photography with more announcements to follow.

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