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Austin chefs vie for Lamb Jam Master title

Head to Lamb Jam 2025 on Wednesday, April 16 at east Austin’s Assembly Hall to vote for your favorite local bite.

A group of people lines up at a vibrant, graffiti-covered purple food truck that’s been converted from a school bus. The server leans on the counter, engaging with customers as they order. The bus features a rooftop seating area where a couple of patrons relax on lawn chairs under the trees. The truck’s design includes a large, black-and-white painted gorilla face on the front and playful curtains in the windows. The setting is shaded and urban, with surrounding trees and buildings in the background.

Craft beer from Meanwhile Brewing is included with your Lamb Jam 2025 ticket.

Photo by GuhanQ via American Lamb Board

It’s time to lamb it up — the Lamb Jam Happy Hour Tour will stop in Austin from 6 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, April 16 at Assembly Hall.

A $60 ticket grants you access to the party, complete with an open bar, live music from Keaton Blake Whitmire, exclusive merchandise, a photo booth, games, and more activities.

During the event, chefs from eight Austin restaurants will contend for the title of ATX’s own Lamb Jam Master. Attendees will taste each dish and vote for their favorite to crown the winner.

Cooked lamb sits on a wooden board and is garnished with herbs and flaky crackers or cheese.

Come hungry for lamb — it’ll be in every dish.

Photo by GuhanQ via American Lamb Board

Here’s who’s competing + what they’ll be serving up:

Sarah Heard + Nathan Lemley, Foreign & Domestic
Whey braised lamb neck ravioli with fennel and crispy focaccia crumbs

Kareem El-Ghayesh, KG BBQ
The “Egyptian Cowboy,” an Egyptian-style mac ‘n’ cheese with pulled lamb shoulder, sumac pickled onions, pomegranate, and BBQ sauce

Ana Torrealba, El Naranjo
Taco de barbacoa, featuring slow-cooked lamb shoulder in agave leaf served with onions, cilantro, and salsa borracha

Peter Klein, Holiday
Braised lamb arancini with fontina and anchovy-mint salsa verde

Amanda Turner, Olamaie
Lamb tartare with black garlic, smoke, and peanuts

Jason Tallent, Gina’s on Congress
Lamb sausage with white bean puree, Calabrian chili agrodolce, mint, and crispy garlic

Thomas Micklethwait, Micklethwait Craft Meats
Smoked lamb barbacoa tamal with morita chile mole, cotija cheese, and mesquite charred onion escabeche

Alma Alcocer-Thomas, El Alma
Taco arabe, made with grilled lamb adobado, pita bread, serrano yogurt sauce, and arbol chile pickled cucumber

A lively outdoor gathering with people socializing around high-top tables in a narrow alleyway-style patio. Many attendees are wearing casual clothes and cowboy boots, suggesting a festive or local event.

Lamb Jamb will also make stops in Boston, Denver, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington D.C. this year.

Photo by GuhanQ via American Lamb Board

A portion of ticket sales will benefit World Central Kitchen, a nonprofit fighting food insecurity during humanitarian, climate, and community crises.

Hungry for more Austin foodie news? Dig in.

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