The Texas Hill Country Olive Company is set once again to celebrate all things olives, along with local foods, wines, art and live music, at the landmark Tuscan-styled Tasting Room and Mill House set in the middle of 17 acres of Hill Country acreage-turned-organic olive orchard in Dripping Springs. In this online series, meet some of the local providers coming together on Saturday, April 5th, to present the 2nd Annual Texas Olive Festival. Here is Jack Allen’s Kitchen with co-owner and head chef, Jack Gilmore:
WHERE ARE YOU LOCATED, AND WHAT IS YOUR ROLE?
I am the co-owner (along with my managing partner Tom Kamm) and head chef at Jack Allen’s Kitchen, a restaurant located in the Oak Hill neighborhood in Austin, as well as in Round Rock. At Jack Allen’s Kitchen, you’ll find refined, Southern-inspired flavors, crossed with the spice of southwestern cuisine, using the freshest of farm ingredients.
WHAT IS YOUR BACKGROUND?
I begin my culinary career working with old school Cajun chefs in South Padre Island and eventually relocated to Austin to help open Chez Fred’s and Louie’s on the Lake, before moving to Louisiana. I returned to Texas in the mid-190s and worked under master German chefs in Fredericksburg, and eventually came back to Austin in 1990, working as the founding executive chef at Z’Tejas Grill. In October 2009, my business partner Tom Kamm and I created our dream project, Jack Allen’s Kitchen, focusing on farm to table fresh ingredients and spirited Texas cuisine.
WHAT WILL YOU BE PROVIDING AT THE TEXAS OLIVE FESTIVAL?
We will be doing a Pickled Shrimp & Hard Boiled Egg Salad, using Texas gulf shrimp, and incorporating Texas Hill Country Balsamic Vinegar and Texas Hill Country Olive Oil.
WHY IS THIS EVENT A GOOD FIT FOR YOUR BUSINESS?
At Jack Allen’s Kitchen, our food is made from the bounty yielded from our local farmers and purveyors, who are a daily inspiration to us. Using the Texas Hill Country Olive Company’s products in our cuisine just adds to how important it is to us that we create these dishes with local ingredients.
WHY IS THIS EVENT IMPORTANT TO THE LOCAL SUSTAINABLE FOOD MOVEMENT?
We think the Texas Olive Fest is important to the local sustainable food movement because every year it is becoming more and more important to know where our food is coming from and utilizing the amazing products farmers and purveyors are putting out. We wouldn’t be able to do what we do without the incredible food that Texas farmers put out each season.
Visit Jack Allen’s online:
http://www.jackallenskitchen.com/
Become a Facebook fan: facebook.com/JackAllensKitchen
Follow on Twitter: @jackallens
Advance discount tickets for the Texas Olive Festival are available online at:
http://www.texasolivefest.com
RELATED:
Visit the Texas Hill Country Olive Company online to learn more about the Adopt-A-Tree program, and shop a full line of artisanal organic olive oils, flavor-infused balsamic vinegars and olive-based spa products:
http://www.texashillcountryoliveco.com
The Texas Hill Country Olive Company is located at 2530 W. Fitzhugh Road in Dripping Springs, TX – about 30 miles southwest of Austin, in the Central Texas Hill Country!
Become a Facebook Fan: Facebook.com/TexasHillCountryOliveCo
Follow on Twitter: @TXHillCtryOlive
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