Named in Honor of Festival Co-Founder, Russell Kirkpatrick, the Inaugural Grants of up to $5,000 Supporting Trailblazing Hospitality and Culinary Ideas – Applications Open Now
The Fort Worth Food + Wine Foundation (FWFWF), dedicated to championing and cultivating the region’s hospitality community, today announced the launch of the inaugural Kirkpatrick Visionary Award (KVA), with applications now open. The Fund will provide grants of up to $5,000 to culinary professionals, artisans, producers, and entrepreneurs across North Texas whose bold projects strengthen both their businesses and the broader hospitality community. Created in honor of the extraordinary vision and leadership of FWFWF co-founder and board chair emeritus Russell Kirkpatrick, the Fund celebrates his lasting impact on the Foundation and Fort Worth’s culinary community as a whole.
“Fort Worth is a city that thrives on vision, and I’ve been fortunate to see what happens when a community rallies behind its culinary talent,” said Festival Co-Founder Russell Kirkpatrick. “The Kirkpatrick Visionary Fund is about giving back to the very people who make this region such a dynamic place to eat, drink, and gather. It’s an honor to see this award carry my name, but more importantly, it’s about the next generation of trailblazers who will push us all forward.”
Known for his nearly two decades at Reata, his current role as Director of Operations at From Scratch Hospitality, and as one of the driving forces behind the creation of the Fort Worth Food + Wine Festival, Russell Kirkpatrick has long been regarded as one of the most beloved figures in Fort Worth’s restaurant landscape. Inspired after seeing so much local talent showcased at the Buffalo Gap Wine & Food Summit, he championed the idea of creating a festival that celebrated Fort Worth’s own culinary community – a vision that grew into today’s marquee event welcoming more than 7,000 guests each spring. Throughout his career, Kirkpatrick has continually uplifted chefs, artisans, and entrepreneurs, ensuring that Fort Worth’s hospitality community has both a stage and the support to thrive.
Applications for the inaugural award cycle open September 1, 2025, and close October 31, 2025, with recipients to be notified by January 2026. Beginning in 2026, the award will follow an annual May–August cycle, ensuring ongoing support for projects that blend creativity, feasibility, and community impact. Each award will be chosen by a selection committee of North Texas business leaders. The inaugural committee is comprised of Marcelle LeBlanc (Velvet Box), Joey Turner (BREWED, Daymakers), Maurice Ahern (Gold Ribbon Confections/Grounds & Gold), Tina Howard (Leaves Bakery and Books), and Hao Tran (Hao’s Grocery & Café) — ensuring the process reflects the creativity, community-mindedness, and entrepreneurial spirit at the heart of the program.
The Kirkpatrick Visionary Fund builds on Russell’s legacy by helping bring fresh ideas to life. Whether it’s launching a new product line, expanding a beloved neighborhood spot, reimagining a business model, or creating a program rooted in community, the Fund is designed to back the kind of projects that move both a business — and the North Texas culinary scene — forward.
“The Foundation was built on Russell’s vision: that Fort Worth’s culinary talent deserved a stage, and that the funds raised could go right back into growing that community,” said Julie Eastman, Executive Director of FWFWF. “This Fund is an extension of that same mission — to champion, cultivate, and celebrate the people shaping the future of the North Texas hospitality industry
To date, the Fort Worth Food + Wine Foundation has invested $613,000.00 back into the community through culinary scholarships, classroom grants, chef stipends, emergency relief funds, partnerships with organizations like Southern Smoke Foundation, and now, the Kirkpatrick Visionary Fund. This commitment underscores FWFWF’s mission: to champion and cultivate the region’s hospitality community while celebrating and sustaining Fort Worth’s distinctive food, beverage, and culinary traditions.
Applications and full program details are available now at fwfwf.org.
