More than 5,000 foodies flocked to NRG Stadium on February 19 for the Rodeo Uncorked! Roundup & Best Bites Competition, the Rodeo season's food and wine-focused kickoff event.
Hosted by the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, the annual competition brought together signature dishes from renowned Houston-area culinary establishments, with more than 110 of the region's premier restaurants serving tasty tidbits at the event.
These were skillfully paired with an impressive selection of nearly 450 award-winning wines from the 2024 Rodeo Uncorked! International Wine Competition, including the Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion.
If you missed the festivities, you still have the opportunity to sample some of the winning wines in the Rodeo's Champion Wine Garden, presented by Frost Bank. The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo runs through March 17, 2024.
Without further ado, here are the Best Bites winners:
People’s Choice Award
1st place: Grazia Italian Kitchen
2nd place: Cotton Culinary
Outstanding Showmanship Award
1st place: Eculent
2nd place: Sheshe Treats
Tasty Tradition Award
1st place: Messina Hof Harvest Green Winery & Kitchen – Mushrooms stuffed with goat cheese, mascarpone, ricotta, and Gruyere cheese
2nd place: Cultivated F+B – Raspberry white chocolate and vanilla verrine
Trailblazer Appetizer Award
1st place: Pier 6 Seafood – Wood-grilled coconut shrimp
2nd place: Goode Co. – Campechana
3rd place: Loro – Curried brisket rice
Lone Star Entrée Award
1st place: Raising Cane’s – Chicken fingers on garlic butter Texas toast with Cane’s sauce
2nd place: The Capital Grille – Kona-crusted dry-aged sirloin finished with a shallot butter sauce and au gratin potatoes
3rd place: Grazia Italian Kitchen – R-C Ranch smoked wagyu chuck eye pancetta risotto topped with a blueberry-rosemary garlic port reduction
Two-Steppin’ Dessert Award
1st place: Egghaus Gourmet – Strawberry tres leches croissant
2nd place: 1848 Handcrafted Heritage Ice Cream – Buckshot Caramel stracciatella with praline ethiope and whiskey caramel swirl
3rd place: Guzel Cakes – Perfect Love: Vanilla pudding cake with strawberry cheesecake
Rookie Award
Money Cat – BistecBao: Filipeno-inspired bao with braised beef chuck, calamansi aoili, pickled red onion, cilantro, and chicharron
The 2024 Rodeo Uncorked! International Wine Competition champions included:
- Grand Champion Best of Show: Beau Joie Brut Champagne AOC, NV
- Reserve Grand Champion Best of Show: Smith-Madrone Riesling, Spring Mountain District, 2018
- Top Texas Wine: Meierstone Vineyards The Airship Red, Texas High Plains, 2021
- Top Red Wine: Marchesi di Barolo DOCG, 2018
- Top White Wine: Perissos Vineyards and Winery Winemaker’s Reserve Pape Blanc, Texas High Plains, 2022
- Top Sparkling Wine: Champagne Telmont Reserve Brut Champagne AOC, NV
- Top Dessert Wine: Quady Winery Essensia Orange Muscat, California, 2020
- Top Region Wine: TerraNoble CA1 Andes Carmenere, D.O. Colchagua Valley, 2020
- Top Value Wine: Animus Vinho Verde DOC, 2022
- Top Wine Company: Nice Winery
- Top Region Wine Company: E & J Gallo Winery
- Top All-Around Winery: Winebow Import
- Top Texas Winery: Kiepersol
The 21st annual wine competition featured 2,985 entries from 22 countries. In addition, 539 entries came from Texas wineries and the 2024 featured region, Chile, had 161 entries.
The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo promotes agriculture by hosting an annual, family-friendly experience that educates and entertains the public, supports Texas youth, showcases Western heritage, and provides year-round educational support within the community.
Since its beginning in 1932, the Rodeo has committed more than $600 million to the youth of Texas and education. For more information, visit rodeohouston.com and follow @RodeoHouston online via Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram, and YouTube for all the latest news.
Photo courtesy of HLSR
Grazia Italian Kitchen won the People's Choice Award.
