If you’re headed to Mempho Music Festival this weekend, be sure to go hungry. The festival’s organizers are bringing together an all-star line-up of great eats. 

General admission attendees will be able to purchase a variety of food and beverage offerings from food trucks such as Bougie Burger, Chaotic Coffee, Cosmic Charlies Grateful Grill, FreeWheelin Pizzeria, Lil’ Cheese, Mempops, Peace Love Quesadillas, Pronto Pups and The Bowl Joint.

A Pronto Pup is always one of my favorite festival snacks, but at this music festival, I make sure to stop by the VIP area for a bite.

Jennifer Chandler: Pronto Pups are long. The story of how they started here is even longer.

In addition to the general admission offerings, Mempho organizers have also planned a special, complimentary dining experience for VIP ticket holders: the Lexus Live Fire experience.

For the fourth year, Memphis Chefs Andy Ticer and Michael Hudman from the A|M Restaurant Group will collaborate each night with different world-renowned chefs, showcasing their culinary offerings to VIP and suite ticket holders.

In past years, I have been blown away by the caliber of chefs and their offerings. 

Jennifer Chandler: Here are 8 Memphis food, wine and beer events happening in October

Friday night features chefs Ryan Prewitt and Stephen Stryjewski of Pêche and Cochon from New Orleans, serving Cochon Butcher’s famous muffalettas. Saturday night hosts chef Rob McDaniel of Helen in Birmingham, cooking smoked brisket sausage. Closing out the weekend are chefs Aaron Siegel, Taylor Gariggan and Jonathan Banta of Home Team BBQ from Charleston, South Carolina, cooking carnitas tacos with salsa verde, cojita and cracklin.

At Mempho’s Lexus Live Fire experience, Chefs Andy Ticer and Michael Hudman, along with the guest chefs, will be cooking on a custom-made wood-burning pizza oven. (Courtesy Mempho)

Ticer and Hudman will also be serving some of their specialties each night — with offerings including Thunderbird! 40 Twice! pizza, crispy ribs with Alabama white sauce and BBQ bologna with green tomato chow chow and red eye aioli.

Hudman said he and Ticer are proud to be part of the annual festival.

“Mempho is such an awesome music event, and we were honored when asked to take on the VIP area for the Lexus Live Fire,” said Hudman. “The Lexus Live Fire gives us the opportunity to showcase new culinary talent for Memphians, while we cook with our friends in a really amazing environment.”

But, pro tip: Be sure to bring your credit card. Mempho is cashless.

Mempho will be Friday, Oct. 4, to Sunday, Oct. 6, at Radians Amphitheater at Memphis Botanic Gardens. For tickets and more information, visit memphofest.com.

The week on Memphis’ restaurant scene

Hog Wild — Real Memphis Barbecue owner Ernie Mellor was named Tennessee Restaurateur of the Year by the Tennessee Hospitality & Tourism Association. At the annual awards ceremony last week, Huey’s, Kooky Canuck and Corky’s BBQ were also honored.

Christin Yates offered a sneak peek at the new Mahogany River Terrace restaurant set to open this week on Mud Island.

I shared eight food and drink events happening this month that need to be on your calendar. Happening range from the month-long “Nightmare on Union Avenue” at Cameo, a wine dinner at Alchemy, the Cooper-Young Beerfest — and lots more.

Jennifer Chandler: Memphis caterer named Tennessee Restaurateur of the Year

Chef Michael Patrick shared his famous Cheeseburger Soup from his much-missed Downtown restaurant Rizzo’s. Make the recipe at home, or enjoy it at his new DeSoto County restaurant Magnolia Bend Grille when it opens this month.

Jody Callahan reported that Tous Les Jours, a French-Asian bakery that has more than 1,600 locations worldwide, will open a Memphis location. So will Lao Sze Chuan, a Chinese restaurant chain based in Chicago, and in the same East Memphis shopping center. 

Callahan also reported that Bob’s Barksdale has been bought by the team that runs Bain Barbecue. When it reopens, the name will be changed to Barksdale’s, but the spirit of Bob Henry will remain. 

Jennifer Chandler: Recipe Exchange: Rizzo’s Cheeseburger Soup

In this week’s Sound Bites podcast, Holly Whitfield gives an update on changes happening at several Memphis craft breweries.

Joshua Carlucci’s $10 Deal for this week is from Masti Indian Grill, a new Indian restaurant where Ubee’s used to be. Carlucci said Masti doesn’t have the extensive range that you might find at longer-standing Indian restaurants, but the dishes on its menu are made very well. 

Thanks for joining me for this week’s Table Talk. Be sure to look for this column weekly for all the latest food news in Memphis.

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